Last First Kiss Post - Maree Anderson - And Giveaway!!

Have you been enjoying these first kiss scenes as much as I have? It's been so much fun having guest posts this month. In fact, I've enjoyed it so much, I'm going to do something different next month - to celebrate the release of Tomorrow Land. (Note the new blog look!) I'm thinking something post-apocalyptic and/or zombie themed. But more on that in March!





Today we have Maree Anderson, author of "Freaks of Greenfield High." Her heroine is actually a cyborg who looks just a like your everyday teenage girl on the outside.  How cool is that? I'm going to let Maree explain the rest below.

Remember - this works just like the other posts. Read the except and then enter to win. I'm giving away copies of all these authors' books as well as a $50 gift card to Amazon. Winner will be chosen February 29th.

Today's question? Who would you love to kiss? (Celebrity or boy next door!) And those of you who have boyfriends or husbands -- let's pretend they don't mind you doing it!!

Now, without further ado, here's Maree and Freaks of Greenfield High.

The Set-up:

When a covert organization intent on her as a weapon comes after her, Jay needs to find a place where she can blend in. Greenfield High seems perfect, except all the boys think she’s totally hot and keep hitting on her, and she has no idea how to handle them.

Jay’s just been partnered for Bio with ex-jock fallen from grace Tyler. She’s fascinated by him… and the feeling is entirely mutual. Unfortunately for Tyler, the thrill of scoring the hot new girl as his lab partner is marred by his reaction whenever he’s forced to dissect stuff. Last time he fainted. This time, as he watches Jay fishing round in Kermit’s stomach cavity, the result is far more humiliating. He loses his breakfast… all over the girl he so desperately wants to impress. Next stop, the guys’ bathroom to clean himself up and wish he was dead… but Jay follows him in.

***

The Kiss!

“You don’t know me. Why should my wellbeing concern you?”

Gah! Did the girl not understand guy-talking-to-hot-chick subtext? She was gonna make him come right out and say it.

But before he could make a complete dumbass of himself, Jay nodded slowly, like she’d finally understood what he was trying not to say.

He sagged with relief, because once he admitted how he felt about her, there was no taking it back. And if he’d read her wrong, and she wasn’t into him, wasn’t doing anything more than being “nice” to a guy she felt sorry for, he’d be gutted.

When she didn’t say anything more, he slanted her an assessing glance. But he couldn’t tell what she was thinking at all—not the merest hint.

Weird.

Tyler had become pretty good at reading people’s faces. It was a skill he’d perfected, a skill that helped him get by in this clichéd little corner of hell where the jocks and the cheer squad ruled. He knew how to get by without a bunch of peeps to watch his back. He knew when he could get away with mouthing off. Just like he knew when to shut up, suck it up and do a disappearing act. He had it down to a fine art.

The silence stretched.

Tyler’s hopes wound tight, strangling him. What was he thinking, falling for a girl he’d just met? Jeez. He was a dumbass. He’d played right into her hands. Any moment now, she’d slink back to Shawn and this whole pathetic little episode would be all over school.

Except she stayed right where she was, her whole focus on him.

There was a light in her eyes that made his gut clench—in a good way. When he inhaled, she was standing so very close that her scent curled through him. His eyelids drifted closed. And then, layered beneath her fresh, clean smell was something indefinable, something that made his heart clamor. The merest hint of strangeness.

His eyelids popped open. His gaze locked on hers.

Those remarkable eyes held his, unblinking. Unwavering.

He saw it then, got the feeling she deliberately let him see it. Jay had secrets. Just like he did. And he didn’t move at all, not a muscle, as she rose up on tiptoe to press her lips against his.

The kiss was excruciatingly gentle, a butterfly kiss, the merest brush of her lips against his before she backed off and considered him through narrowed eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“That must be painful.” She pressed the pad of her finger to her lips and then stroked it lightly across the spot on his chin.

She was gone as quickly and noiselessly as she’d come, leaving Tyler’s face glowing from her attentions. And his heart aglow with something else—something he’d never felt for a girl before. Something more than just a little scary.

***

Buy Freaks of Greenfield High for US$2.99:

Amazon * iTunes * Kobo * Smashwords * Sony

About Maree

Maree is an award-winning author who writes paranormal romance, sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult books. She’s a Kiwi, a New Zealander, and she’s addicted to chocolate — the darker the better. Not to mention coffee, and the occasional glass of excellent NZ wine. She’s not quite so addicted to her local gym, but she’s working on it ;-)

To date she has published three erotic romance novellas and two erotic romance novels with Red Sage Publishing, along with three paranormal romance novels and one young adult novel. She’s currently working on the third book in her Crystal Warriors paranormal romance series, and then she plans to make fans of Jay and Tyler happy by writing a sequel to Freaks of Greenfield High.

She’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to drop her a line via her website.

You can also find Maree on Facebook:
General author page: http://www.facebook.com/MareeAndersonAuthor
YA page: http://www.facebook.com/MareeAndersonFreaksofGreenfieldHigh

And on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/MareeAnderson



Okay! Now time for the contest!!

And now time to enter!! Remember - I want to know WHO you'd love to kiss--if you could kiss ANYONE?

Official Contest information:

•to enter, please fill out the form below
•entrants must be 13 years of age or older
•contest is international
•the winner will be emailed
•DO NOT PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dystopian February!

I'm over at Presenting Lenore today - showing off my upcoming novel TOMORROW LAND and talking about my favorite dystopian books. All part of her Dystopian February monthly blog theme. (The BEST place, in my opinion, to find out about awesome upcoming dystopian novels - do not go there unless you have a lot of money to pre-order new, awesome books, lol.)

I'm also doing a giveaway - $25 gift card and an e-copy of Tomorrow Land.

Check it out!

Misc things...

I'm blogging today over at L. L Muir's blog. (See her post on my blog below) I've been trying to set up a lot of guest blogs to help promote my new releases. Sometimes it's tough coming up with topics though. I don't know what people would like to know about! (If anything...haha)

My dad and stepmom are visiting tomorrow so I might be a little MIA. They're coming to see Avalon - who was only 5 weeks old the last time they came. She's changed....a bit. ;-)

Last visit:


Now:


Ah time flies when you have a baby!

Speaking of babies -- my book baby, SOUL BOUND is launching in UNDER TWO WEEKS!!! I can't believe we're at #7 in the series. It seems like only yesterday the original Boys that Bite came out. But it was back in 2006--six years ago! That means the original readers are probably graduated from college by now!!

Thank you all for sticking with the series this long and I'm so glad you've enjoyed the adventures of Sunny, Rayne, Magnus and Jareth. (And others!) There's one more book left after Soul Bound...called Blood Forever. Hopefully I can show off the cover soon.

And speaking of covers, check this out!! This is for an upcoming digital release I have. It was originally titled MOONGAZER but I'm updating the book and making it into a YA. It should be released by May. But isn't the cover spectacular? You'll be hearing a lot more about this book soon!!!

In the meantime, thanks for being patient for my other digital re-release, Tomorrow Land. We had to do one more round of copyedits -- after all, don't you hate when a book has errors in it? I know I do! So this way it might take an extra couple weeks to be released, but at least when it it, it'll be perfect! (Or as perfect as possible.) I'm really psyched about this book release -- I have such a soft spot for post-apocalyptic zombies.

BTW if you like zombie books? I highly recommend Amanda Hocking's The Hollows series. It's kind of got the same vibe as Tomorrow Land, really. Kick-butt heroine, zombie apocalypse. But the storyline is quite different. The best part is--the first book is free to download. Seriously - I've paid like 20 bucks for books that I've never finished. And this one I raced through...for free!!



And speaking of the apocalypse -- I will end with a cheesy post-apoc movie recommendation. Thanks to Donna over at the Bites blog. It's called Solar Babies. And is full of awesome. Think post-apoc teens in a desert wasteland...rollerskating. Yeah. You have to see it to believe it. And--bonus--it's got Lost Boys/Less Than Zero's Jamie Gertz and Jason Patric starring.

But don't take my word for it. Watch the trailer in all its cheese. The movie's on Netflix.

I can't top this...so I'll sign off for now! Talk soon!!!

MARI

First Kiss Blogger - L. L. Muir - AND GIVEAWAY

Got another great First Kiss excerpt for you today. This one's from author L. L. Muir who wrote the awesomely titled YA paranormal, "Somewhere Over the Freaking Rainbow." Yeah, I totally now aspire to use "freaking" in a title someday! I know Rayne would approve. :) It's book one of the "Angels of Somerled" series.

You know the drill by now! Read the except and enter to win! We're giving away a copy of the book and a $50 gift card to Amazon at the end of February. Not much time left!!!

TODAY I want you to tell me about your BEST KISS EVER!!! (And I promise not to tell your current squeeze if it wasn't from him...) ;-)

And now... here's a first kiss except from "Somewhere Over the Freaking Rainbow." (Man, do I freaking love that title!!

His hand smoothed over the abused leather of the door. “Sorry. I’m not the tantrum type. I promise.”


He’d changed the subject. She took the hint.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s a tough car.”

“Yeah. My Honda would have been totaled.” He faced her and smiled. Then he looked at her mouth and the smile dropped away. While she watched in fascination, Jamison’s arm snaked behind her. “I’m so glad you were here.” He gave her a little hug.

She hugged him back, wishing so much to have been able to feel the pressure of it. When he eventually loosened his hold, she looked in his eyes. Their faces were only inches apart. She could almost taste the warmth of his skin.

She’d imagined all kinds of cravings, for all kinds of flavors during her short existence, but never for the taste of someone.

He was looking at her lips so intently she didn’t dare move them. His lashes were incredibly long, golden brown. His nostrils flared suddenly and the entire world tilted with his face as he moved forward. His mouth met hers as smoothly as...breathing.

She focused her conscious thought to the rise and fall of his chest, to his nearness, and she could have wept for her lack of taste in her mouth or sensation in her lips. For the first time, she mourned for the depth of experience lost to her. This wasn’t the smell or feel of peaches, or the taste of corn coming apart in her mouth. This was mortality beneath her hands, against her fingers...and completely out of her reach.

He pulled his arms from around her, put his hands to either side of her face, and looked into her eyes. And suddenly Skye felt ‘seen’ for the very first time. She imagined her true self inside her head, jumping up and down, waving at him, yelling, “hello!”

She was struggling for the right words to say; something cool, something appropriate—anything that wouldn’t ruin the memory of her first, and possibly only, kiss. Very soon, they were going to go through Hell together and then she’d take her place in the circle. Nothing could stop either from happening, but she had this one mortal-esque memory she could take with her.

If she didn’t say the wrong thing now.

Her lips moved. No words came out, but the movement got his attention and he pulled her mouth close and kissed her again. For a moment, she imagined a tingling in her toes. She pulled back and wiggled them, testing. Nothing.

“Sorry.” Jamison dragged his hands slowly off her face, like a blind man, memorizing.

“Please don’t be sorry. I didn’t mind.”

Oh great. She may as well embroider “take me, take me now,” on her shirt.

He was frowning. “Sorry if I’m not any good. I haven’t kissed much.”

She pulled herself back to her side of the car and looked out the window. No one was gawking through the glass, thank Heavens. A nurse made her way across the parking lot and got into her car.

Wow. Even if she had no sensation and no taste, she still realized what an incredible kisser he was. She’d seen women weep over such kisses, and not in the movies, either. His first serious girlfriend was in for a happy surprise. It shocked her, the sudden understanding she had for women eaten alive with jealousy.

He rubbed his hands on the knees of his jeans. Sweaty palms? Nervous maybe? She needed to acknowledge what he’d said.

“I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I tell you I’ve never kissed anyone before, and even I know that was...staggering.”

His hands stopped moving. He turned to her and grinned.

“Staggering’s good, right?”

“Oh, good. Definitely good.”

Like what you've read? Here's how to buy!! At only $2.99 for the ebook, I'd buy it for the title alone! :)

About Somewhere Over the Freaking Rainbow

Jamison is crushing on the new girl next door. Bad news—the neighbors are Somerleds--Amish-type cult-members killing off their own. Worse news—she’s next in line for sacrifice. Jamison will have to rise above the coward he thinks he is to get to the bottom of it all.


Something is terribly wrong with Skye. She’s experiencing emotions like the mortal teenager she’s pretending to be. When she finally asks the right questions, she finds answers that will rock the Somerled world...

...and none of her options include Jamison, the boy who has stolen the heart she was never meant to have.

Buy from Amazon
Buy from Barnes and Noble

AND NOW CONTEST TIME!!!

And now time to enter!! Remember - I want your BEST KISS EVER story this time!!


Official Contest information:

•to enter, please fill out the form below
•entrants must be 13 years of age or older
•contest is international
•the winner will be emailed

•DO NOT PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

 



a Rafflecopter giveaway

First Kiss Guest Blogger - Janette Rallison - And Giveaway!

I meant to post this yesterday, but I forgot about the holiday--and my husband's birthday! (OK I luckily remembered the birthday part in time to celebrate with him!) In any case, today we have a new guest blogger -- the lovely, talented Janette Rallison who has written a gazillion awesome YA and middle grade for Putnam and Walker and has--just like me--started to put some of her old books online so we all can read them once again! Yay!

Today Janette shares a first kiss story from her novel "Blue Eyes and Other Teenage Hazards." (Love this title -- I was always a sucker for blue eyes myself back in high school...)

So you all know the drill by now!! Read the excerpt and follow the rules below to win a copy of this book -- and a $50 gift card. There will be new chances to win and new guest authors ALL WEEK LONG.

Oh and just to mix it up, if you've already told your first kiss story on another day - today I want to hear about your WORST KISS EVER.

We'll have more guest bloggers all week so stay tuned!! And check out Janette's books on her website or on Amazon and B&N.

And now, without further ado...here's our FIRST KISS of the day!

Josh was still studying me. “You’re not mad at Elise for going after Bob, are you?”

“No. He’s just a friend.”

“Oh.” Josh nodded, considering this. “Is there anyone you like more than a friend?”

My gaze went to Josh’s. Why was he asking? Was he just making small talk or did he have a personal interest in the subject?

He was looking at me intently, his blue eyes locked on mine.

I shrugged. “There might be.”

“Anyone I know?”

“Maybe. You know a lot of people.”

Josh put his arm on the back of his seat, his fingers nearly brushing against my shoulder. “What’s he like, this guy?”

Normally I wouldn’t have admitted to anything, but I was tired of all my moments with Josh being ordinary, safe. This was one I was going to seize. “He’s the usual sort of guy that girls get crushes on. Smart. Funny. Really responsible.”

“That’s the usual sort? Why don’t I have girls swarming me?”

“He’s also tall, dark, and handsome,” I added, “Plus he’s got these gorgeous eyes—all deep blue and mystical.” I looked away from him then. I couldn’t keep looking at the eyes I’d just described.

Josh leaned a little closer to me. “A rich guy with a sports car?”

“Not really.”

Josh nodded, his gaze still intense. “Would I approve of you with this guy?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “Would you?” I let my gaze slide to his then, just long enough to see him smile. I wasn’t going to say more. I wasn’t about to admit to everything when he hadn’t admitted to anything yet.

“I think I might approve of this guy.” Josh kept smiling. His voice was soft now, as lulling as the heater. “You said Bob didn’t kiss you. Have you ever been kissed?”

“Sure, if you count the time in the fourth grade when Jonny Miller cornered me in the coat closet.”

“No, I’m talking about a real kiss.” Josh moved even closer to me. “You’ll always remember your first real kiss.”

I thought about asking him if he remembered his first real kiss, but on second thought, I didn’t want to hear about any of his past kisses. “You’re probably right,” I said.

“If I was to kiss you now, I’d go down in your personal hall of fame. The opportunity is irresistible.”

And then he kissed me, and it was a real kiss. He put his hands around my waist to pull me closer. His lips were soft against mine, a question—one that I wanted to answer. In essay form.

I love the last line of this first kiss story, don't you? Oh and spoiler alert -- the second kiss happens a few seconds later...so I'm guessing the first kiss was pretty darn good for both of them! :)

Oh and did I mention the ebook is on sale for only 99 cents?! Yup, yup! And since I know you're all now as intrigued as I was about this book, here's all the deets!! And don't forget to enter to win a copy below!!

About Blue Eyes and Other Teenage Hazards

Cassidy knows everything about Chad--everything, that is, except how to get him to notice her. Someday, somehow, she vows, those deep blue eyes are going to look her way. In the meantime, she's got plenty of other things to worry about.

Cassidy has always been happy to be the studious, reliable type--until Elise and her good-looking brother move into the neighborhood. Elise is determined to introduce Cassidy to the partying life. But will Elise's Carpe Diem ways land Cassidy in more trouble than she's prepared for? Can a girl be smart and have fun too? Cassidy is about to find out.

To purchase for 99 cents:
Amazon
B&N
Smashwords (you can read this version on your computer if you don't have an ereader)


And now time to enter!! Remember - I want your WORST KISS EVER story this time!!
Official Contest information:

•to enter, please fill out the form below
•entrants must be 13 years of age or older
•contest is international
•the winner will be emailed
•DO NOT PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Looking forward to....

A whole month of zombie fun!!! Some bloggers, like the Bookish Brunette, are just too cool!

And look! I already have my outfit ready for the virtual celebration! :)

(This was me from two Dragon*Cons ago--Zombie Bo Peep! You can't see it from the pic, but my sheep had a ripped open head with its brain hanging out...Yeah, I did that.)





Did I mention I LURVE ZOMBIES?! So much zombie fun to come this spring as as I launch Tomorrow Land!!! Stay tuned!!!

MARI

Coming Soon to an eReader near you!

TOMORROW LAND

(originally published as Razor Girl)

To be released digitally by the end of the month.

----
Can true love survive the end of the world?


Imagine finding your first love, only to be ripped apart by the apocalypse. Peyton Anderson will never forget the day she was forced to make a choice--between her family--and Chris Parker, the boy she'd given her heart. And now, four years later, as she steps from the fallout shelter and into a dead and broken world, he's the only thing on her mind.

All Chris "Chase" Parker wanted was to take Peyton away and keep her safe from harm. But he waited for hours in the rain on judgment day and she never showed--breaking his heart without ever telling him why.

Now the two of them have been thrown together once again, reluctant chaperones of a group of orphan children in a post-apocalyptic world where the dead still walk...and feed. As they begin their pilgrimage to the last human outpost on Earth, can they find a way to let go of old hurts and find the love they lost--all the while attempting to save what's left of the human race?

Reviews

"A high-stakes, high-octane tour through a devastating and deftly imagined future. This is Mancusi at the top of her game."

Diana Peterfreund, author of For Darkness Shows the Stars

"An apocalyptic coming of age futuristic romance that does the horror film genre proud."
PNR Reviews

"There is action, there is love and there are zombies. What more can you ask for?"
Book Binge

"Marianne Mancusi has returned with an edgy all-new tale, filled with fast-paced action and a heroine strong enough to mold her own destiny."
--SF Scope



First Kiss Guest Blogger - PJ Sharon - and Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of Skater Boy - the first book in the "First Kiss Club" I've been asking some fellow authors to tell me a first kiss story of their own! This one comes from PJ Sharon, author of the ebook "Heaven is for Heroes" and "On Thin Ice."

And the best part? You can win a copy for yourself along with a $50 Amazon gift card!! Just read her story and see below how to enter! There will be more chances to win each week and the winner will be chosen on the last day of February.

Without further ado...here's Jordie and Alex's first kiss story!! :)

He stood and faced me, a good four inches taller than my 5’10” and looking down at me with a smirk and a stubborn set to his bruised jaw. The green in his eyes sparkled and I felt myself caving already. As soon as he put his hands on my shoulders I knew I was doomed. “I need you to go home and give me a day. Just a day,” he added before I could cut him off with an argument. “I need to do this alone. Let me look over the file and see if it clears up any questions. I promise I’ll call you tomorrow and tell you what I find.”

The unexpected power of his proximity and strength of his hands on my arms made me weak-kneed and unable to stand my ground. And if I wasn’t dissuaded already, I all but swooned when he leaned in and laid a gentle kiss on my forehead. He was fighting dirty and I didn’t care. I soaked in the sensation of his soft lips and the tingle that shimmied all the way to my toes. When he looked down into my eyes, the expression on his face rendered me speechless. All those sharp angles disappeared in a softness that reminded me of warm summer days when he was just a boy, of climbing trees, swimming in the lake and racing to the dock. I could swim in those eyes and never come up for air.

My heart fluttered and my cheeks grew warm, the silence between us filled with a hundred memories and one long moment that could change us both forever. I studied the curve of his lips, imagining how they would taste and feel against mine, willing him to kiss me. I laid my hands tentatively on his chest, struck by the firmness under my fingertips. His heart hammered and mine skipped a beat faster to match his. Breathe, I reminded myself.

He was inches away, his voice barely above a whisper. “No matter what I find in that file, I want you to know…you have given me…well… you helped me find me again, and I’ll never forget it.”

Tears stung behind my eyes and I blinked them back. The intensity built to a thunderous wave crashing in my head, his words touching me deeply. I had to tell him how much he meant to me. I knew it was a terrible risk (a flash coming to mind of the last time I had said the words), but he had to know. “Coop…you know I…”

Before I could say it, he kissed me. Those lips I’d been imagining were suddenly pressed against mine, moist and warm and soft. A groan escaped as my whole body surrendered to the moment, reveled in the contact between us, wanting more than I knew I should. I kissed him back, pressing my body against him and wrapping my arms around his neck to pull him closer. His hands went to the small of my back to hold me there as if I might pull away—an unlikely possibility from where I stood. I had dreamed of this moment since I was old enough to know Alex was the only boy I wanted to kiss. Now I was in his arms, wrapped in the strength, tenderness, and passion I’d always known was Alex.

Whoa! Pretty hot, huh? :) Makes you want to read the rest! Here's how you can get your hands on a copy.

Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, CreateSpace

And you can find PJ Sharon online at http://www.pjsharon.com/

About PJ Sharon

PJ Sharon is author of several independently published, contemporary young adult novels, including HEAVEN IS FOR HEROES. Her stories have garnered several contest finals, including two awards for ON THIN ICE, and a place in the prestigious Valley Forge Romance Writers and the Florida Romance Writers Golden Palm contest for SAVAGE CINDERELLA.

Writing romantic fiction for the past six years, and following her destiny to write Extraordinary stories of an average teenage life, PJ is a member of RWA, CTRWA, and YARWA. She is mother to two grown sons and lives with her husband and her dog in the Berkshire Hills of Western MA.

Official Contest information:

•to enter, please fill out the form below
•entrants must be 13 years of age or older
•contest is international
•the winner will be emailed
•DO NOT PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go Gamer Girl! YALSA 2012 Popular Paperback pick!

I have to say -- Gamer Girl is definitely proving to be the little book that could! It's been out for a few years now and it's still winning awards! It's latest honor? It was chosen to be a part of the Young Adult Library Service Association's (YALSA) 2012 Popular Paperbacks list! And under an awesome category as well--called "Get Your Geek On!" I couldn't be more proud! And I'm so glad that this will mean more libraries around the country will start carrying this book so more readers can read it!

To find more "Geeky" books, here's the entire list.

Special shout out to awesome librarians Melanie Wachsmann, Kelly Metzger, Kate Toebbe, Sarah Townsend, Lisa Goldstein, Sandy Sumner, and Ellen Loughran for putting Gamer Girl on the list!!

MARI

Skater Boy on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch!

Just in time for Valentine's Day! Skater Boy is now in the iBookstore -- meaning if you own an iPhone, and iPad or an iPod Touch you can read it through Apple's iBooks ap! Yay! And it's still only $3.99. So what do you have to lose? :)

Here's what the book's about!

SKATER BOY
Dawn Miller is sick of being good. Her parents have scheduled her to within an inch of her life and her popular friends can only think of hooking up and shopping. She's ready for a serious boyfriend, and it's definitely not the obnoxious rich boy everyone wants her to date.

Then she meets Starr, the headmaster's punk rock daughter who refuses to play by the rules. The differences between them are night and day but Dawn is fascinated. Starr introduces her to a world she didn't even know existed: hip indy record stores, all night raves, and cute skateboarders who hang out underneath a parking deck downtown.

Skateboarders like the gorgeous Sean, who's sweet, smart, and curiously serious --everything Dawn's always wanted in a boyfriend. Soon she finds herself head over heels and doing the unthinkable, lying to her parents and friends. Deep down she knows her parents will never approve of this boy from the wrong side of town...and her secret life is finally catching up to her. Will Dawn be forced to choose between the girl she was and the girl she is meant to be? And if she chooses, will she lose her skater boy forever?

MARI

Blood Coven in Spanish

The Spanish publisher of the Blood Coven series just released the new cover for the Spanish edition of Stake That! Pretty, huh? I like it a lot!

Stake That has had quite a few covers now. Here are a few more:

The original US cover...

The new US cover...

The Blood Coven Vampires Volume 1 Cover (containing both Boys that Bite and Stake That)

The German cover..

And the Japanese cover! (Sorry so small. I need a larger version. It is really cool with manga pictures inside.)

Soon we will have a Bulgarian cover, a Russian cover, a Greek cover, and more!! Go Blood Coven!

Do you have a favorite cover?

MARI

New Read Tuesday: Brave New Love

I'm really excited about this new dystopian anthology that's just being released. It says February 14th as the release date, but Amazon's already got them in stock and I've already got my copy on the way.

The antho is called Brave New Love and features stories from some amazing authors--both new and classic--including Jeanne DuPrau (City of Ember), Kiera Cass (The Selection), William Sleator (Interstellar Pig), Jesse Karp (Those That Wake), Diana Peterfreund (Secret Society Girl), Carrie Vaughn (The Kitty Norville Series), and Carrie Ryan (New York Times bestseller The Forest of Hands and Teeth).

While I'm sure all the stories are great, I already have a favorite. Diana Peterfreund shared with me an early draft of her story, "Foundlings" and I just ate it up. I don't want to give too much away, but it deals with teen pregnancy in a world that's not all that far removed from our own. You know how some dystopian stories are set in these crazy societies that you just know could never really exist here on Earth? Well, Diana's setting feels eerily plausible, especially after reading some recent headlines. Even more so, since I first read it when I was pregnant myself, last year. Scary stuff! But, like, in a good, entertaining kind of way!

Anyway, I'm sure all the other stories are equally awesome, so I highly suggest you grab yourself a copy. I'll report back after I get mine in the mail from Amazon.

What are some good dystopian books you've read lately?

MARI

First Kiss Guest Blogger - Danielle Sibarium - and GIVEAWAY!

To celebrate the release of Skater Boy - the first book in the "First Kiss Club" I've been asking some fellow authors to tell me a first kiss story of their own! This one comes from Danielle Sibarium, author of the ebook "For Always." Isn't the cover beautiful? When I saw it was I was instantly intrigued by the book!

And the best part? You can win a copy for yourself along with a $50 Amazon gift card!! Just read her story and see below how to enter! There will be more chances to win each week and the winner will be chosen on the last day of February.

Without further ado...here's Stephanie's first kiss story!! :)
---

Thank you Mari for having me as a guest on your blog. This is such an amazing experience! Mari asked me to tell you about my first kiss. I can’t possibly do that without talking about Jordan.

If I live to be a hundred and fifty years old, and suffer from Ahlzhiemer’s, I’ll never forget the first time I kissed Jordan. A shy, freshman in high school, I couldn’t believe my ears when he said hello to me and not my best friend Maria, at the movie theater. The same best friend that had me call Jordan only weeks before to see if he liked her. Of course Maria didn’t know I had a crush on him. That was my secret.

He walked us home after the movie. He had his arm around my shoulder the whole time. I thought it was the highlight of my existence, until we got home. Before heading up the steps to our respective houses right next door to each other, Maria kissed Jordan on the cheek and said goodbye. I started to head up my side of the steps when he called to me.

I turned wondering what he could possibly want. “No goodbye kiss?” He asked. I almost choked. I thought I imagined it. But he stood there, waiting. I half expected to see smoke rising up around us while slow music played in the background. I thought of B-rated movies starring gorgeous actors cast as lovesick teenagers. And there I stood, in my first starring role, the unknown love interest. It was an opportunity I wasn’t about to pass up.

I kissed him on the cheek, said goodbye, and went in the house. I ran to the window and looked out after him. I watched his figure for as far as I could see, growing smaller and smaller in the distance. I went to sleep that night with a smile plastered on my face. In a boy/girl sort of way, Jordan knew I existed!

Oh, you thought I meant a different kind of kiss? A more mature, romantic type of kiss. There were so many times I thought it would happen with Jordan, just to be left confused and frustrated when it didn’t. Like the day of the Smokey bus incident. There is no way he could ever convince me he wasn’t about to kiss me before some jerk next to us slammed his locker closed. And then of course there was the night of the prom, Jordan and I alone on the beach under the moonlight . . . If you want to know if or when we finally did have that all-consuming, earth shattering kiss . . .You’ll just have to read For Always and find out!

If you want to read more about Jordan and I you can find For Always on Amazon or Nook for only $1.99 or visit http://www.daniellesibarium.com/


About "For Always"
You never really get over your first love. Such is the case for fourteen-year-old Stephanie Barrano, self-proclaimed misfit and death magnet. A freshman in high school, Stephanie is befriended by Jordan Brewer, a hot, in-demand senior, who pulls her from the outer circle of obscurity into the realm of acceptance. Jordan quickly works his way into Stephanie’s heart. He’s her everything. And the only person she trusts with the truth about her father’s death. But he won’t act on the strong feelings he has for her. Stephanie vows to wait for him, knowing in time she’ll win his heart.

Two months before her eighteenth birthday, Jordan serves as an impromptu prom date. After sharing a magical evening, Jordan leaves Stephanie with the promise of a future together. Then tragedy strikes. Jordan not only shuts Stephanie out, he also blames her for what happened. Feeling broken and beaten, will she try one last time to get through to Jordan or will she lose him forever?

About Danielle
Danielle Sibarium grew up as an only child of divorced parents in Brooklyn, New York. Her imagination was developed at an early age. Surrounded by stuffed animals and imaginary friends, she transported herself into a fantasy world full of magic and wonder. Books were the gateway between her play world and reality. In 2007 Danielle collaborated with Charlotte Doreen Small to write songs for her CD More. Danielle wrote the lyrics for Take My Hand, and Goodbye, while Charlotte contributed the melody. Danielle graduated from Farleigh Dickinson University with honors, and currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and three children.

Official Contest information:

•to enter, please fill out the form below
•entrants must be 13 years of age or older
•contest is international
•the winner will be emailed
•DO NOT PUT YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION

Book People Event!

Friday, February 10th at 7pm, join YA authors Rosemary Clement-Moore, Jordan Dane, P. J. Hoover, Cynthia Leitich Smith, LA Weatherly, and ME for a Valentine's Day party at Book People in Austin for the My Vicious Valentine event! Moderated by Sean Petrie, there will be food, drinks, prizes, and lots of fun!

I'm sooo looking forward to it!!

For more information go to Book People's website!

Skater Boy - Try the First 3 Chapters Free!

I've posted the first three chapters of SKATER BOY on Wattpad, if anyone would like to "try before they buy"!! Here's the link to read them!

Also, I'm going to be having guest bloggers and giveaways all February long!!! So come back and win!!

MARI

Soul Bound - SNEAK PEAK!!!!

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

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

CHAPTER THREE

“I need to see Jareth. Now!”


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PREORDER SOUL BOUND (Paperback or eBook)

Amazon
Barnes and Noble



Get an eReader for Christmas???

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

FOR 99 CENTS:

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

FOR $3.99

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

FOR $9.99 (price set by my publisher)

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

LIST OF ALL BOOKS
KINDLE BOOKS

NOOK BOOKS

Liked Gamer Girl? Give Skater Boy a try!

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

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

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

Here's what it's about!

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


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

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

BUY FOR KINDLE

BUY FOR NOOK

Win a Kindle!

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

MARI

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

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

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

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

xo
MARI

Limited Time Offer

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

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

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

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

Thanks!
MARI

Blood Ties Release Day!

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

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

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

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

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

Where in the world is Blood Ties?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HUGS and thanks for the support!
xo
MARI

German Cover for Blood Ties (Blood Coven #6)

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

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

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

MARI

Moongazer

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

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

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



Here's a little sneak peak:

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


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

MOONGAZER.

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

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

Booksigning this weekend!

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

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

Authors signing are:


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

and we'll be signing in:

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

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

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

Kindle Novellas - 99 cents

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

Check them out below!

Karma Kitty Goes to Comic Con

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

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

Kindle Version

Nook Version

Zombiewood Confidential

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

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

Kindle Version.
Nook Version

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

Mari

Night School SALE on Amazon

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

Mari

Razor Girl

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

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

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

Here's the summary:

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

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

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

Hope you have a chance to check it out!
Mari

Blood Coven Vampires Volume One Cover!

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

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

My schedule for the Romantic Times Convention

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

MARI