Let me know what you think!!!! Which is your favorite???
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Blood Coven Vampire NEW COVERS!!!!!
They're here! And I can finally show them to you! These are the new covers for my Blood Coven Vampire series!! The three originals AND the new cover for BAD BLOOD. They are a LOT different than the former covers.
Let me know what you think!!!! Which is your favorite???
Let me know what you think!!!! Which is your favorite???
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Awesome homemade book trailer
One of Heather Brewer's minions--er, fans--made this book trailer for her book "8th Grade Bites"! Much awesomeness!!!
So when do I get a book video from MY readers? Hmmmmm....??? :) Maybe I should do a contest. Would you guys make me a book video if I offered a super fabulous prize??
Anyway, check out the video. Oh and check out Heather's Vlad Todd series, too. Cause it bites. In a good way, of course!! :)
MARI
So when do I get a book video from MY readers? Hmmmmm....??? :) Maybe I should do a contest. Would you guys make me a book video if I offered a super fabulous prize??
Anyway, check out the video. Oh and check out Heather's Vlad Todd series, too. Cause it bites. In a good way, of course!! :)
MARI
Teachers who blog
I came across this awesome review of Gamer Girl in a blog written by a teacher named Mr. Lang. Now I don't know who he is or where he teaches, but I love the fact that he has a blog for his students! From what I can tell, he gives book reviews and homework assignments to his students on it. How awesome is that? He also seems pretty straight-forward and honest about his opinions. Definitely seems like a Mrs. Reilly type teacher, don't you think? I bet she would be the type to have a blog, too!
Do any of your teachers have a blog? I have no idea if this is a common thing or not. Back in my day we didn't even have the Internet, lol. (Can you imagine?!)
Anyway, not that he'll probably read this, but I am totally psyched he reviewed (and liked!) Gamer Girl! :)
MARI
Do any of your teachers have a blog? I have no idea if this is a common thing or not. Back in my day we didn't even have the Internet, lol. (Can you imagine?!)
Anyway, not that he'll probably read this, but I am totally psyched he reviewed (and liked!) Gamer Girl! :)
MARI
Monday, March 09, 2009
Fields of Fantasy
Hi guys,
I get a lot of you guys asking if Fields of Fantasy is a real videogame. Unfortunately, it's not - I made it up for the book. (Though it should be!! I'd totally play it if it was!!)
However, that doesn't mean there aren't other games like it! The games are called Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games. Or MMORPGs for short. The one I modeled Fields of Fantasy after is called World of Warcraft. In World of Warcraft you can actually have elf characters very similar to Allora.
Some people even cosplay these elves at fantasy/sci-fi conventions. Isn't she pretty? (I don't know her, I just pulled her picture off the internet.)
One difference though between World of Warcraft and Fields of Fantasy is these "blood elves" as they are called are part of the Horde faction. Human characters are on the Alliance team. So a human (like Sir Leo) and an elf (like Allora) would never be able to play together in World of Warcraft. They'd be sworn enemies!
But I couldn't have that for my book!! So I changed the rules for my own game. That's the good thing about making up a game!
And yes, I was a World of Warcraft gamer girl myself!! And my character's name was Allora! But she was actually a human warrior, not a blood elf mage. :) I had to give up WoW last year though - as it was taking up too much time that I should have been devoting to writing!!
Marianne
UPDATE TO ADD: (9/23/15)
Since I get a lot of traffic on this particular post of people wondering about Gamer Girl and Fields of Fantasy and whether Fields of Fantasy is a real game or if Gamer Girl will get a sequel, I wanted to add some information about a new book I have out - that will definitely appeal to those of you who loved Gamer Girl and love RPG video games like Fields of Fantasy. It's called THE CAMELOT CODE. And while the hero and the heroine of this book don't play Fields of Fantasy, they are also big gamers and do play a similar game called Camelot's Honor.
Here's the description of the book!
All fourteen year old Sophie Sawyer wants to do is defeat Morgan Le Fay in her favorite Arthurian videogame. She has no idea the secret code sent via text message is actually a magical spell that will send her back in time to meet up with a real life King Arthur instead.
Of course Arthur's not king yet--he hasn't pulled the sword from the stone--and he has no idea of his illustrious destiny. And when a twist of fate sends him forward in time--to modern day high school--history is suddenly in jeopardy. Even more so when Arthur Googles himself and realizes what lies in store for him if he returns to his own time--and decides he'd rather try out for the football team instead.
Now Sophie and her best friend Stuart find themselves in a race against time--forced to use their 21st century wits to keep history on track, battle a real-life version of their favorite videogame villain, and get the once and future king back where he belongs. Or the world, as they know it, may no longer exist.
To purchase The Camelot Code:
Amazon Kindle
Paperback (From Amazon)
Nook
Paperback (from B&N)
Kobo
iBooks
I get a lot of you guys asking if Fields of Fantasy is a real videogame. Unfortunately, it's not - I made it up for the book. (Though it should be!! I'd totally play it if it was!!)
However, that doesn't mean there aren't other games like it! The games are called Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games. Or MMORPGs for short. The one I modeled Fields of Fantasy after is called World of Warcraft. In World of Warcraft you can actually have elf characters very similar to Allora.
Some people even cosplay these elves at fantasy/sci-fi conventions. Isn't she pretty? (I don't know her, I just pulled her picture off the internet.)
One difference though between World of Warcraft and Fields of Fantasy is these "blood elves" as they are called are part of the Horde faction. Human characters are on the Alliance team. So a human (like Sir Leo) and an elf (like Allora) would never be able to play together in World of Warcraft. They'd be sworn enemies!
But I couldn't have that for my book!! So I changed the rules for my own game. That's the good thing about making up a game!
And yes, I was a World of Warcraft gamer girl myself!! And my character's name was Allora! But she was actually a human warrior, not a blood elf mage. :) I had to give up WoW last year though - as it was taking up too much time that I should have been devoting to writing!!
Marianne
UPDATE TO ADD: (9/23/15)
Since I get a lot of traffic on this particular post of people wondering about Gamer Girl and Fields of Fantasy and whether Fields of Fantasy is a real game or if Gamer Girl will get a sequel, I wanted to add some information about a new book I have out - that will definitely appeal to those of you who loved Gamer Girl and love RPG video games like Fields of Fantasy. It's called THE CAMELOT CODE. And while the hero and the heroine of this book don't play Fields of Fantasy, they are also big gamers and do play a similar game called Camelot's Honor.
Here's the description of the book!
All fourteen year old Sophie Sawyer wants to do is defeat Morgan Le Fay in her favorite Arthurian videogame. She has no idea the secret code sent via text message is actually a magical spell that will send her back in time to meet up with a real life King Arthur instead.
Of course Arthur's not king yet--he hasn't pulled the sword from the stone--and he has no idea of his illustrious destiny. And when a twist of fate sends him forward in time--to modern day high school--history is suddenly in jeopardy. Even more so when Arthur Googles himself and realizes what lies in store for him if he returns to his own time--and decides he'd rather try out for the football team instead.
Now Sophie and her best friend Stuart find themselves in a race against time--forced to use their 21st century wits to keep history on track, battle a real-life version of their favorite videogame villain, and get the once and future king back where he belongs. Or the world, as they know it, may no longer exist.
To purchase The Camelot Code:
Amazon Kindle
Paperback (From Amazon)
Nook
Paperback (from B&N)
Kobo
iBooks
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Just Read: Vampire Academy
I know, I know. This book has been out forever and there's already two sequels. I'm slow, okay? I mean BUSY. I'm busy writing books and have no time to read them!!
Anyway, if you are just as slow as me and haven't yet enrolled in Vampire Academy yourself, the time is now, my friends. Great book, kick butt heroine, interesting twist/take on vampire mythology, and lots of action--both the fighting kind and the romance kind. And...I have to say, the character Christian is one hot vamp. I liked him more than the guy the narrator's interested in, Dimitri, to tell you the truth. Which probably says something about me - liking the rebelious emo boy over the tough, older alpha guy. But whatevs.
I'm actually going to be on a panel in April down in Orlando with the book's author, Richelle Mead. So if any of you are fans and have questions you want me to ask her, let me know!
In the meantime, while you're waiting for Book #4, check out Vampire Academy. :)
MARI
Anyway, if you are just as slow as me and haven't yet enrolled in Vampire Academy yourself, the time is now, my friends. Great book, kick butt heroine, interesting twist/take on vampire mythology, and lots of action--both the fighting kind and the romance kind. And...I have to say, the character Christian is one hot vamp. I liked him more than the guy the narrator's interested in, Dimitri, to tell you the truth. Which probably says something about me - liking the rebelious emo boy over the tough, older alpha guy. But whatevs.
I'm actually going to be on a panel in April down in Orlando with the book's author, Richelle Mead. So if any of you are fans and have questions you want me to ask her, let me know!
In the meantime, while you're waiting for Book #4, check out Vampire Academy. :)
MARI
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Vampire Knight Manga
I love this manga series. So cool they've done an anime of it! Now they just need to dub it into English! :)
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Boys that Bite for $4.00?? Gurls that Growl for $2.99?? Yes!!!
I just noticed that Amazon is having a sale on BOYS THAT BITE and GIRLS THAT GROWL. Probably to get rid of all the OLD VERSIONS before the brand spanking new versions hit this fall! So if you're curious about the series or have only read a library version - go get yourself to Amazon and place an order! (Or have your parents do it.) Remember, they're changing the covers of these books very, very soon and so these old versions are going to be the collector's items! :)
Amazon Boys that Bite for $4.00
Amazon Girls that Growl - $2.99
Yay, cheap books!!!
MARI
Amazon Boys that Bite for $4.00
Amazon Girls that Growl - $2.99
Yay, cheap books!!!
MARI
Monday, March 02, 2009
Happy Birthday to Me!!
Today's my birthday! It's also the day I'm turning in the manuscript of BAD BLOOD to my editor!! Wonder what she's going to think of it!!! I can't wait to find out. :)
In celebration, here are a few virtual gothy/vampire cakes I found on the internet that seem somewhat appropriate! Which is your favorite??
In celebration, here are a few virtual gothy/vampire cakes I found on the internet that seem somewhat appropriate! Which is your favorite??
Friday, February 27, 2009
A (not so) brief history in Videogaming!
Since writing GAMER GIRL, I've had a lot of you writing to me and asking me if I play videogames. The answer is a resounding YES! I love games. In fact, I consider myself quite the Gamer Girl myself!
It all started when I was about six years old. My friend got an ATARI 2600. One of the very first home videogame systems ever. Here's what it looked like:
The cartridges had exciting pictures on them - like this one, ADVENTURE, one of the very original RPG videogames.
But the graphics left something to be desired...
Then my parents bought a personal home computer!! How novel. No one I knew had an actual computer in their home!! It was an Apple IIe and looked like this:
Now there were some games on the Apple IIe, but mostly they were rip-off games from arcade favorites. Like this one, Canyon Climber, which is basically a Donkey Kong rip.
So instead, I started getting into what were called "Text Adventure Games." They were created by a company called Infocom and the first one was a game called Zork.
These games had NO graphics. They were almost like reading a story with you as the main character. You'd get a line of description and then a cursor, where you had to type in what you wanted to do next.
Here's a screenshot from ZORK II. (The series eventually spawned lots of sequels and a bunch of other text adventure games.) As you can see, the description is in upper/lower case and the player's commands are in uppercase.
It probably doesn't look all that compelling, but trust me, it is!! You have to solve these crazy complex puzzles to move forward in the game and there was no Internet back them to look up cheats! I played these types of games for hours and hours at a time. LOVED THEM!
Back then they cost $50 a pop. Now you can play them free online. I highly suggest you try one - even if just for a minute or two. You'll be learning an important part of videogame history - where games became stories you needed your brain for as well as just programs of skill.
As I grew older, games became more sophisticated and graphics got better. One of my favorite games in that next generation, was a little known game called BELOW THE ROOT. It was based on a children's book by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
The graphics, for the time, were awesome! And the storyline was dark and disturbing and creepy. It's futuristic distopian society kind of story...very Scott Westerfeld'esque.
Graphics eventually got better and by the time I was out of college, there was a puzzle game called MYST, with brilliant landscapes. It was sort of ZORK, if ZORK were made of pictures instead of text. Very challenging to solve the puzzles, but the word was so vivid - it was completely addicting.
Quite a difference in graphics, huh? Of course that's about 10 years in game development. Can't list EVERY game I played here - just the memorable ones.
After a time period where those types of games were all in vogue, the US released an anime-like game series that was huge in Japan. FINAL FANTASY.
My favorite Final Fantasy game was #8. (I know, most people like #7 the best!)Here's the opening trailer. So dynamic! And I just fell in love with the characters as I played.
Final Fantasy is an RPG, but it's single player. Later I started getting into multi-player RPGs like Dungeon Seige and even massive multi-player online RPGS - like Final Fantasy XI and World of Warcraft!
I was COMPLETELY addicted to World of Warcraft for about two and a half years. Played all the time, had two level 70 characters (which was the highest you could go before the latest expansion.) I loved the game and met many friends online.
But in the end, I realized I needed to concentrate on other things - the game is a total time suck! - and I needed to get my books written and turned in! So I gave up the game. I still have my characters and play occasionally, but nothing like what I once did.
Now I play mostly console games. Metal Gear Solid 4, Fallout 3, House of the Dead, Dance Dance Revolution - those kinds of games. They've sure come a long way from that first RPG on the Atari, that's for sure! But the more things change, the more they stay the same. In the end, you want the same things now as you did way back then - good game play and a good story!
And that's a brief history of me, as Gamer Girl!
:)
MARI
It all started when I was about six years old. My friend got an ATARI 2600. One of the very first home videogame systems ever. Here's what it looked like:
The cartridges had exciting pictures on them - like this one, ADVENTURE, one of the very original RPG videogames.
But the graphics left something to be desired...
Then my parents bought a personal home computer!! How novel. No one I knew had an actual computer in their home!! It was an Apple IIe and looked like this:
Now there were some games on the Apple IIe, but mostly they were rip-off games from arcade favorites. Like this one, Canyon Climber, which is basically a Donkey Kong rip.
So instead, I started getting into what were called "Text Adventure Games." They were created by a company called Infocom and the first one was a game called Zork.
These games had NO graphics. They were almost like reading a story with you as the main character. You'd get a line of description and then a cursor, where you had to type in what you wanted to do next.
Here's a screenshot from ZORK II. (The series eventually spawned lots of sequels and a bunch of other text adventure games.) As you can see, the description is in upper/lower case and the player's commands are in uppercase.
It probably doesn't look all that compelling, but trust me, it is!! You have to solve these crazy complex puzzles to move forward in the game and there was no Internet back them to look up cheats! I played these types of games for hours and hours at a time. LOVED THEM!
Back then they cost $50 a pop. Now you can play them free online. I highly suggest you try one - even if just for a minute or two. You'll be learning an important part of videogame history - where games became stories you needed your brain for as well as just programs of skill.
As I grew older, games became more sophisticated and graphics got better. One of my favorite games in that next generation, was a little known game called BELOW THE ROOT. It was based on a children's book by Zilpha Keatley Snyder.
The graphics, for the time, were awesome! And the storyline was dark and disturbing and creepy. It's futuristic distopian society kind of story...very Scott Westerfeld'esque.
Graphics eventually got better and by the time I was out of college, there was a puzzle game called MYST, with brilliant landscapes. It was sort of ZORK, if ZORK were made of pictures instead of text. Very challenging to solve the puzzles, but the word was so vivid - it was completely addicting.
Quite a difference in graphics, huh? Of course that's about 10 years in game development. Can't list EVERY game I played here - just the memorable ones.
After a time period where those types of games were all in vogue, the US released an anime-like game series that was huge in Japan. FINAL FANTASY.
My favorite Final Fantasy game was #8. (I know, most people like #7 the best!)Here's the opening trailer. So dynamic! And I just fell in love with the characters as I played.
Final Fantasy is an RPG, but it's single player. Later I started getting into multi-player RPGs like Dungeon Seige and even massive multi-player online RPGS - like Final Fantasy XI and World of Warcraft!
I was COMPLETELY addicted to World of Warcraft for about two and a half years. Played all the time, had two level 70 characters (which was the highest you could go before the latest expansion.) I loved the game and met many friends online.
But in the end, I realized I needed to concentrate on other things - the game is a total time suck! - and I needed to get my books written and turned in! So I gave up the game. I still have my characters and play occasionally, but nothing like what I once did.
Now I play mostly console games. Metal Gear Solid 4, Fallout 3, House of the Dead, Dance Dance Revolution - those kinds of games. They've sure come a long way from that first RPG on the Atari, that's for sure! But the more things change, the more they stay the same. In the end, you want the same things now as you did way back then - good game play and a good story!
And that's a brief history of me, as Gamer Girl!
:)
MARI
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Contest Winners
You guys rock! Thanks so much for re-posting the video!!!
Kaitlyn, posting on my MySpace blog, wins the grand prize for what she did to spread the word. Here it is, in her words:
That's quite a bit, Kaitlyn!! I'm impressed.
The rest of you - well, I can't choose - you're all awesome. So email me with your addresses (mari@marimancusi.com) and I'll send you all some kind of prize in the mail!
xoxo
MARI
Kaitlyn, posting on my MySpace blog, wins the grand prize for what she did to spread the word. Here it is, in her words:
I made flyers and put them up all over my street. (I have a VERY big neighborhood with a lot of kids and teens) I handed out a few flyers at school (only the leftovers) I put a flyer on 3 bulletin boards at my school. (Cafeteria and 6th and 8th grade hallways) i had my mom take a flyer and put one up on the bulletin board at the store. I posted a blog on my MySpace and I made a bulletin. (Oh, by the way, all of these, flyers included, have the link to the YouTube video. and some info about you and the books.) I used the YouTube video as my current event in social studies so all of the people in my class saw it, (and I know a bunch of people wrote down the video link) I emailed my library the link. I FORCED my 4 best friends go buy boys that bite and they are all hopefully reading it as we speak. I both emailed my school library and spoke with the librarian in person and told her watch the video, and post it on our school library site (we'll see if she does...she doesn’t like me very much) haha. I told all of my little sisters friends. Ummm, I think that’s it
That's quite a bit, Kaitlyn!! I'm impressed.
The rest of you - well, I can't choose - you're all awesome. So email me with your addresses (mari@marimancusi.com) and I'll send you all some kind of prize in the mail!
xoxo
MARI
Blood Coven New Covers!
OMG you guys! I got a sneak peek of the Blood Coven Vampire covers - the new ones they're making for the re-release - and they are SOOOO AWESOME! I cannot WAIT to show you!! You are going to die!!!
But sadly, I have to. Wait, that is. My editor said I can't show them til they're finalized. (And they're fixing one of them right now.) Boo!!!! But rest assured, you will LOVE THEM! They're so different than the originals - more dark and moody and sexy. Wait til you see!!! ARgh! I can't believe I can't show them yet!!
Okay I've teased you enough for today! :) Stay tuned!!!!!!
xoxo
MARI
But sadly, I have to. Wait, that is. My editor said I can't show them til they're finalized. (And they're fixing one of them right now.) Boo!!!! But rest assured, you will LOVE THEM! They're so different than the originals - more dark and moody and sexy. Wait til you see!!! ARgh! I can't believe I can't show them yet!!
Okay I've teased you enough for today! :) Stay tuned!!!!!!
xoxo
MARI
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Sk8er Boy Re-Released!
Ooh - I'm excited!! My very first teen book - SK8ER BOY - has just been re-released from the publisher. This book was out of print - completely unavailable!!! -- until now!
The book is a romance about a popular girl named Dawn who rebels from her strict parents and meets a skateboarder from the wrong side of the tracks and falls in love. They start dating - but secretly! Cause if her parents find out, they will so not approve!
You guys want to read it? Then there's a couple things you can do. First - easiest - you can get it online. Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com.
OR you can get it at a bookstore - but they may not have it in stock cause it's an old book. Sooo - just go to the information desk and say you want to order it. They'll get it in within a few days and you don't have to pay until it arrives. This is a great thing to do because it lets bookstores know they should be stocking this book!
I'm so excited you guys will finally have the chance to read this book - I really love it and was so sad to see it go out of print! So check it out and let me know what you think!!
MARI
The book is a romance about a popular girl named Dawn who rebels from her strict parents and meets a skateboarder from the wrong side of the tracks and falls in love. They start dating - but secretly! Cause if her parents find out, they will so not approve!
You guys want to read it? Then there's a couple things you can do. First - easiest - you can get it online. Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com.
OR you can get it at a bookstore - but they may not have it in stock cause it's an old book. Sooo - just go to the information desk and say you want to order it. They'll get it in within a few days and you don't have to pay until it arrives. This is a great thing to do because it lets bookstores know they should be stocking this book!
I'm so excited you guys will finally have the chance to read this book - I really love it and was so sad to see it go out of print! So check it out and let me know what you think!!
MARI
Vamped!
Hey guys!
My fellow teen vampire author Lucienne Diver is recruiting members for her street team to promote her upcoming book VAMPED. If you sign up to help her spread the word about her new series you can win free stuff!
Here's the link. Even if you don't get on the team, you should definitely pick up the book when it's released in May. I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy (Yes, being an author has some perks!) and it's so much fun!!! After all, I know you all like funny vampire books, right?!?! ^_^
Don't believe me? Oh fine - here's a sample chapter to check out! :)
hugs!
MARI
My fellow teen vampire author Lucienne Diver is recruiting members for her street team to promote her upcoming book VAMPED. If you sign up to help her spread the word about her new series you can win free stuff!
Here's the link. Even if you don't get on the team, you should definitely pick up the book when it's released in May. I was lucky enough to read an advanced copy (Yes, being an author has some perks!) and it's so much fun!!! After all, I know you all like funny vampire books, right?!?! ^_^
Don't believe me? Oh fine - here's a sample chapter to check out! :)
hugs!
MARI
Thursday, February 19, 2009
New Contest!!
As I mentioned before, my friend/fellow YA author, Melissa Walker and I were recently featured in a segment airing on Better TV. You can find it on YouTube and on my MySpace homepage. Melissa's running a contest to help spread the word and get some video views, so I decided to do the same! (I've cross-posted this on MySpace as well.)
The rules are simple: You re-post the video on your blog or MySpace or Facebook or send the link to all your friends or local librarian - just get people to watch it! Then comment below and let me know wht you did. I will pick four winners from all the entries to send special prize packs to them.
The person who does the most gets an autographed copy of ANYof my books - your choice! - along with a tube of glitter lipgloss and a BITE ME pin. Three runner ups will get autographed bookmark, BITE ME pin, and a lipgloss (which may or may not be glitter - depending on what I have in my stash, lol.)
The great thing about this is not only winning, but spreading the word about the books! We want as many Blood Coven and Gamer Girl fans out there as possible so the publishers will keep letting me write the books you want to read!!
Here's the video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so1e7XgCJ1I
Marianne
The rules are simple: You re-post the video on your blog or MySpace or Facebook or send the link to all your friends or local librarian - just get people to watch it! Then comment below and let me know wht you did. I will pick four winners from all the entries to send special prize packs to them.
The person who does the most gets an autographed copy of ANYof my books - your choice! - along with a tube of glitter lipgloss and a BITE ME pin. Three runner ups will get autographed bookmark, BITE ME pin, and a lipgloss (which may or may not be glitter - depending on what I have in my stash, lol.)
The great thing about this is not only winning, but spreading the word about the books! We want as many Blood Coven and Gamer Girl fans out there as possible so the publishers will keep letting me write the books you want to read!!
Here's the video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so1e7XgCJ1I
Marianne
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
What are you reading?
Hey guys,
A lot of you ask about the secrets of becoming a writer and one of them is really simple - to read! The best writers are all readers first. By reading you get a sense of plot, sentence structure, character development, developing romance, interjecting humor, etc. etc. When you read a book, think about WHY it works. WHY you like it.
So what have you read recently that you really liked and why?
MARI
A lot of you ask about the secrets of becoming a writer and one of them is really simple - to read! The best writers are all readers first. By reading you get a sense of plot, sentence structure, character development, developing romance, interjecting humor, etc. etc. When you read a book, think about WHY it works. WHY you like it.
So what have you read recently that you really liked and why?
MARI
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Frequently Asked Questions!
Will there be a 4th book in the Blood Coven Vampires series?
YES! It’s called Bad Blood and it will be out in January 2010. Before that, the publisher will be repackaging and re-releasing the first three books in the series with new covers. A great chance to introduce the series to new people! When we get closer to the date – I’ll be hosting contests for you to help me spread the word!
For German readers, the 4th book will be out in August or September. Yes, you get it early!
What will Bad Blood be about?
I can’t share ALL the details, but I can tell you that it will take place in Las Vegas and be from Sunny’s point of view, continuing on from where Girls that Growl left off. She and Magnus are close as can be – until the Blood Coven appoints a new girl to become his new blood mate. Sunny’s furious – and then worried – when she realizes the new blood mate may not be who she pretends to be!
Why don’t you make this series into a movie or a TV show?
I’d love to, but this isn’t up to me! First a producer will have to option the rights for the book. So if you know of any interested producers – send them my way! The movie/tv rights are available and ready to be sold.
I loved how Gamer Girl featured manga and videogames. Are you a fan, too?
Yes! I love manga and anime and am an active girl gamer. My favorite series is Vampire Knight (surprise, right?) and .hack//sign. I also love the Dramacon manga – so cute! For videogames, I love World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy on the computer. At my house we have every console, too. Xbox360, Playstation 3, and Wii. Love Metal Gear Solid, SingStar, Dance Dance Revolution, Fallout 3, and House of the Dead.
Will there be a sequel to Gamer Girl?
We don’t know yet. It depends how well part one does in stores. So be sure to spread the word to all your friends if you liked it! I’m willing to write it if they want me to. Seems like Maddy’s adventures should continue!
I’m writing a book, too! Can you help me?
While I’d love to help everyone, obviously you can imagine I get a ton of requests and I need to concentrate mostly on writing my own books! That said, if you have a specific question, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer. However, for legal reasons my agent says I can’t read any of your specific writing.
I’ve drawn a picture/made a YouTube video based on your books.
Awesome! Email it to me. I’d love to see it. I love your creativity!!! Makes my job more fun to see my characters come to life!
Can you come do a book signing in my town?
Sadly, I’ve got a full time job and so I can’t be traveling all over the country to do book signings. However, I will consider school visits so I’m happy to have your teacher write to me with a request and I can see if it’s possible to add it to my schedule.
I want to do an article on you and your books for my school paper. Can I interview you?
Absolutely! Just email me! I’m happy to answer questions.
I can't find one of your older books in the bookstore!
All the books are available to order online at sites like Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com. However, the best thing to do is to go to the information desk of your local bookstore and ask them to order you a copy. You don't have to pay until it comes in (which usually only takes a couple days) and this way you're letting the bookstore know this is a book they need to keep in stock!
I have a question you haven’t answered in this FAQ!
Either post it in the comments section or email me privately and I’ll do my best to answer.
YES! It’s called Bad Blood and it will be out in January 2010. Before that, the publisher will be repackaging and re-releasing the first three books in the series with new covers. A great chance to introduce the series to new people! When we get closer to the date – I’ll be hosting contests for you to help me spread the word!
For German readers, the 4th book will be out in August or September. Yes, you get it early!
What will Bad Blood be about?
I can’t share ALL the details, but I can tell you that it will take place in Las Vegas and be from Sunny’s point of view, continuing on from where Girls that Growl left off. She and Magnus are close as can be – until the Blood Coven appoints a new girl to become his new blood mate. Sunny’s furious – and then worried – when she realizes the new blood mate may not be who she pretends to be!
Why don’t you make this series into a movie or a TV show?
I’d love to, but this isn’t up to me! First a producer will have to option the rights for the book. So if you know of any interested producers – send them my way! The movie/tv rights are available and ready to be sold.
I loved how Gamer Girl featured manga and videogames. Are you a fan, too?
Yes! I love manga and anime and am an active girl gamer. My favorite series is Vampire Knight (surprise, right?) and .hack//sign. I also love the Dramacon manga – so cute! For videogames, I love World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy on the computer. At my house we have every console, too. Xbox360, Playstation 3, and Wii. Love Metal Gear Solid, SingStar, Dance Dance Revolution, Fallout 3, and House of the Dead.
Will there be a sequel to Gamer Girl?
We don’t know yet. It depends how well part one does in stores. So be sure to spread the word to all your friends if you liked it! I’m willing to write it if they want me to. Seems like Maddy’s adventures should continue!
I’m writing a book, too! Can you help me?
While I’d love to help everyone, obviously you can imagine I get a ton of requests and I need to concentrate mostly on writing my own books! That said, if you have a specific question, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer. However, for legal reasons my agent says I can’t read any of your specific writing.
I’ve drawn a picture/made a YouTube video based on your books.
Awesome! Email it to me. I’d love to see it. I love your creativity!!! Makes my job more fun to see my characters come to life!
Can you come do a book signing in my town?
Sadly, I’ve got a full time job and so I can’t be traveling all over the country to do book signings. However, I will consider school visits so I’m happy to have your teacher write to me with a request and I can see if it’s possible to add it to my schedule.
I want to do an article on you and your books for my school paper. Can I interview you?
Absolutely! Just email me! I’m happy to answer questions.
I can't find one of your older books in the bookstore!
All the books are available to order online at sites like Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com. However, the best thing to do is to go to the information desk of your local bookstore and ask them to order you a copy. You don't have to pay until it comes in (which usually only takes a couple days) and this way you're letting the bookstore know this is a book they need to keep in stock!
I have a question you haven’t answered in this FAQ!
Either post it in the comments section or email me privately and I’ll do my best to answer.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Gamer Girl at Scholastic Book Fair
Just wanted to post a quick welcome to all the new readers who got GAMER GIRL from the Scholastic Book Fair at their schools. (Scholastic is doing a special soft cover version of the book.)
Mari
Mari
Friday, February 13, 2009
Mari on Better TV
I'm going to be on TV on Monday, talking about GAMER GIRL! Yay! (On a show called BETTER TV.) If you don't get it in your area, check out the clip below. Fellow YA author Melissa Walker is also featured!
Hope you like!
Mari
Hope you like!
Mari
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Blood Coven Vampires Release Schedule
As I mentioned in a previous post, the series will be re-packaged and re-released with new covers. Here's the publisher schedule:
October 2009 - BOYS THAT BITE
November 2009 - STAKE THAT
December 2009 - GIRLS THAT GROWL
January 2010 - BAD BLOOD
So exciting!! I can't wait to see the new covers, can you???
mARI
October 2009 - BOYS THAT BITE
November 2009 - STAKE THAT
December 2009 - GIRLS THAT GROWL
January 2010 - BAD BLOOD
So exciting!! I can't wait to see the new covers, can you???
mARI
Thursday, January 29, 2009
And the title for Book #4 will be...
**drum roll please!**
BAD BLOOD
So what do you think? I gave the publisher a list of suggested titles and that's what they picked. Luckily, I like it! It actually would have described Stake That even better than Book #4 but that's okay. :)
I sent the art department character and setting descriptions today - they're going to start designing new covers for the series very soon! I'll, of course, show them to you as SOON as I get them!
I should know VERY soon when the re-packaged books shall start hitting store shelves. In the meantime, I'm hard at work on BAD BLOOD!
So what do you think? I gave the publisher a list of suggested titles and that's what they picked. Luckily, I like it! It actually would have described Stake That even better than Book #4 but that's okay. :)
I sent the art department character and setting descriptions today - they're going to start designing new covers for the series very soon! I'll, of course, show them to you as SOON as I get them!
I should know VERY soon when the re-packaged books shall start hitting store shelves. In the meantime, I'm hard at work on BAD BLOOD!
MARI
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers!
I'm psyched! Just found out today that GAMER GIRL made the American Library Association's Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers list. w00t! I actually made the list a few years ago for Boys that Bite and it was my favorite honor to receive. I love the idea that my book is working to inspire people to start reading!
Here's the complete list, in case you're curious about who else made it.
MARI
Here's the complete list, in case you're curious about who else made it.
MARI
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Book #4!!!
Well, we did it! We finally convinced them that The Blood Coven series is worth continuing. My original publisher, who said "No" time and time again over the last year and a half has changed their mind and WILL publish Book #4 of the series. (Not sure of a date yet.)
Even better, they're repackaging and re-releasing the first three books. Meaning there will be brand new versions of Boys that Bite, Stake That!, and Girls that Growl on store shelves later this year. I believe they will even have different covers so if you haven't gotten the first edition versions, you might want to snatch those up soon, as they will be gone forever.
Big kudos, by the way, to my editor, Kate, who also didn't give up. She was on our team from the beginning and would tirelessly go back to her boss and ask about book #4. We owe much of this to her.
SO! I'm halfway done the book. I'm very excited about how's it coming and can't wait to share it with you! Now all we need is a release date...and a title! So if you guys have any ideas, do let me know. :) (About the title, not the release date, lolz.) It takes place in Vegas and is about Magnus being assigned a new blood mate, much to Sunny's dismay...and suspicion.
Anyway, thanks again for helping spread the word. Keep up the good work - I'm going to need you now more than ever when the re-releases start coming out. We've got to show the world that this is a series to be noticed!
Because...you know...we do want a book #5, right?!?! ;-)
MARI
Even better, they're repackaging and re-releasing the first three books. Meaning there will be brand new versions of Boys that Bite, Stake That!, and Girls that Growl on store shelves later this year. I believe they will even have different covers so if you haven't gotten the first edition versions, you might want to snatch those up soon, as they will be gone forever.
Big kudos, by the way, to my editor, Kate, who also didn't give up. She was on our team from the beginning and would tirelessly go back to her boss and ask about book #4. We owe much of this to her.
SO! I'm halfway done the book. I'm very excited about how's it coming and can't wait to share it with you! Now all we need is a release date...and a title! So if you guys have any ideas, do let me know. :) (About the title, not the release date, lolz.) It takes place in Vegas and is about Magnus being assigned a new blood mate, much to Sunny's dismay...and suspicion.
Anyway, thanks again for helping spread the word. Keep up the good work - I'm going to need you now more than ever when the re-releases start coming out. We've got to show the world that this is a series to be noticed!
Because...you know...we do want a book #5, right?!?! ;-)
MARI
Sunday, January 18, 2009
I just got the best news ever...
I can't tell you what it is yet, but I'll just say yes, it's probably what you're thinking/hoping for!!!! And actually it's happening in a better way than I ever even dreamed!
Watch this space - should have more news for you this coming week. :)
LONG LIVE THE BLOOD COVEN!
MARI
Watch this space - should have more news for you this coming week. :)
LONG LIVE THE BLOOD COVEN!
MARI
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Gamer Girl Party Recap
Last night fellow YA author Melissa Walker and I hosted what turned out to be a fantastic book release party at Butter. We had a geat turnout - probably about 75 people over the course of the night. Great crowd too--attendees from Vogue, Teen Vogue, ELLE, InStyle, Daily Candy, CNN and, of course, Better TV. We also had socialites, publicists, a ton of great authors, and Dorchester and Penguin editor types.
As people snacked on Butter's signature homemade chocolates and sipped martinis at the bar, Melissa and I mingled and signed books.
Since the theme of my new book is gaming, I brought a bunch of fun kids' games to put on the tables for guests to play. People got really into it!
Socialite Mina Jacqueline Au and author of Schooled, Anisha Lakhani, play Connect Four.
Britney, Jacob, Benny and Chris play Hungry Hungry Hippos.
I was especially excited that my friend Diana Peterfreund (Secret Society Girl, Rampant) came up from DC for the night. I hadn't seen her in like forever, so it was great to catch up.
Liz Maverick with Diana.
Diana arrived accompanied by the amazing Scott Westerfeld and his wife author Justine Larbalestier and author Maureen Johnson.. I'm such a big fan of Scott's Uglies series and it was great to meet him in person at last. He was so nice and down to earth and approachable. And he told me he'd seen Gamer Girl all over the place while on his book tour. Yay!
Scott even gave us a sneak peak of the steampunk artwork of his upcoming novel Leviathon. OMG we are all in for a treat when this one comes out! I think we have to wait til 2010 though. :(
All in all it was a great night! Couldn't have asked for a better turn-out or a better party. Thanks to everyone who came out and partied with us! Also thanks to Clarins and Lierac for their gift bag donations and Butter for allowing us use of the space.
Marianne
As people snacked on Butter's signature homemade chocolates and sipped martinis at the bar, Melissa and I mingled and signed books.
Since the theme of my new book is gaming, I brought a bunch of fun kids' games to put on the tables for guests to play. People got really into it!
Socialite Mina Jacqueline Au and author of Schooled, Anisha Lakhani, play Connect Four.
Britney, Jacob, Benny and Chris play Hungry Hungry Hippos.
I was especially excited that my friend Diana Peterfreund (Secret Society Girl, Rampant) came up from DC for the night. I hadn't seen her in like forever, so it was great to catch up.
Liz Maverick with Diana.
Diana arrived accompanied by the amazing Scott Westerfeld and his wife author Justine Larbalestier and author Maureen Johnson.. I'm such a big fan of Scott's Uglies series and it was great to meet him in person at last. He was so nice and down to earth and approachable. And he told me he'd seen Gamer Girl all over the place while on his book tour. Yay!
Scott even gave us a sneak peak of the steampunk artwork of his upcoming novel Leviathon. OMG we are all in for a treat when this one comes out! I think we have to wait til 2010 though. :(
All in all it was a great night! Couldn't have asked for a better turn-out or a better party. Thanks to everyone who came out and partied with us! Also thanks to Clarins and Lierac for their gift bag donations and Butter for allowing us use of the space.
Marianne
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Gamer Girl on Store Shelves!
Here it is - Gamer Girl, as seen in Barnes and Noble in San Antonio, Texas, where I was visiting this weekend. They were good and had it out on the shelves. But other bookstores I've visited have not put the copies out from the backroom. Sooo...if you don't see it out, make sure you ask! We need to make sure these books get onto shelves and don't hide in the storeroom!
MARI
MARI
Monday, November 17, 2008
Gamer Girl <3's Indy Booksellers
We authors all love independent booksellers. LOVE THEM! You know why? Cause they really care about books. So I was super excited to have GAMER GIRL be selected for the American Bookseller's Association Indie Next List.
Pretty awesome, huh? I feel very honored to be included in such a list. Here's what they said about the book:
Thank you Jenn and ABA!! It means so much to be chosen for your list.
Mari
The Indie Next List, drawn from bookseller-recommended favorite handsells, epitomizes the heart and soul of passionate bookselling. Independent booksellers are and have always been discoverers of the next big thing, the next great read, the next bestseller, and the next undiscovered gem.
Pretty awesome, huh? I feel very honored to be included in such a list. Here's what they said about the book:
Gamer Girl by Mari Mancusi
(Dutton, $16.99, 9780525479956 / 0525479953)
"After her parents' divorce, a move away from her friends in Boston, and a horrific first day at her new school, Maddy seeks refuge in her manga and the game world of Fields of Fantasy, where she can be powerful, beautiful, and beat back the bullies with her spells. Mancusi handles the ups and downs of high school, family, and virtual reality with zest, uniting books and the online world in a fun-tastic novel." --Jenn Northington, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT
Thank you Jenn and ABA!! It means so much to be chosen for your list.
Mari
Thursday, November 13, 2008
GAMER GIRL OUT TODAY!!
Woot!!
The wait is over! Gamer Girl hits store shelves today. Yay, so exciting!
Now I need your help in spreading the word. You guys did such a great job with the Blood Coven books, I know you'll be great at this. Here are some things you can do:
* Tell your local librarian (and your school librarian, too!) that they should order the book. (This way people can read it for free!)
* Check your local bookstore. If they don't have it in stock, tell them they should order it.
* Tell your friends about it. Or buy a copy for them as a holiday gift!
* Write about the book in your blog or MySpace or Facebook.
* Post a picture of the book cover on your MySpace/Facebook.
* Do a book report on it for school. (I'm available for interviews if you need to ask specific questions for your report.)
Then, be sure to let me know what you did! Those who go above and beyond will get prizes. So be creative!
Mari
:)
MARI
The wait is over! Gamer Girl hits store shelves today. Yay, so exciting!
Now I need your help in spreading the word. You guys did such a great job with the Blood Coven books, I know you'll be great at this. Here are some things you can do:
* Tell your local librarian (and your school librarian, too!) that they should order the book. (This way people can read it for free!)
* Check your local bookstore. If they don't have it in stock, tell them they should order it.
* Tell your friends about it. Or buy a copy for them as a holiday gift!
* Write about the book in your blog or MySpace or Facebook.
* Post a picture of the book cover on your MySpace/Facebook.
* Do a book report on it for school. (I'm available for interviews if you need to ask specific questions for your report.)
Then, be sure to let me know what you did! Those who go above and beyond will get prizes. So be creative!
Mari
:)
MARI
Friday, November 07, 2008
Gamer Girl - First Sighting Contest!
Gamer Girl officially gets released November 13th!!! That's only 10 days away! So I've decided to hold a contest to celebrate!
First person who finds Gamer Girl at the bookstore...and takes a photo and emails it to me or posts it online somewhere and sends me the link...wins!
What do you win? A $25 gift certificate to Sephora - AND an autographed copy of any book of mine you want!
Good luck! Happy hunting!
Marianne
First person who finds Gamer Girl at the bookstore...and takes a photo and emails it to me or posts it online somewhere and sends me the link...wins!
What do you win? A $25 gift certificate to Sephora - AND an autographed copy of any book of mine you want!
Good luck! Happy hunting!
Marianne
Halloween!
Isn't Halloween the best holiday ever? It's definitely my favorite!! This year my friends and I dressed up as fairy tale characters gone wrong. I was Little Dead Riding Hood, lol.
What were you??? I want to see pics, too!!!
Mari
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Gamer Girl!
Three videos where I talk about Gamer Girl, bullying, and girls playing videogames.
Mari Mancusi's newest release Gamer Girl from Miss Media Productions on Vimeo.
Author Mari Mancusi and bullies from Miss Media Productions on Vimeo.
Author Mari Mancusi - the original Gamer Girl from Miss Media Productions on Vimeo.
Mari Mancusi's newest release Gamer Girl from Miss Media Productions on Vimeo.
Author Mari Mancusi and bullies from Miss Media Productions on Vimeo.
Author Mari Mancusi - the original Gamer Girl from Miss Media Productions on Vimeo.
Monday, April 21, 2008
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
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...
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...
Friday, June 08, 2007
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
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
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.
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
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
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....
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
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
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
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