Free Read: Disturbia

Looking for a free read? I've started serializing a new novel over at Wattpad called Disturbia. It's about an artsy city girl from Brooklyn named Lonnie who's forced to move to a suburban town in Connecticut when her mother remarries. But while the town seems picture-perfect on the outside, things are not always as they seem! (And that's all I'm giving away at the moment--no spoiler alerts!)

I'm posting this as kind of an experiment. If I get a lot of interested readers, I'll keep going on the story, posting a new chapter every few weeks. Therefore if you like the first chapter, please vote for it, so I'll know you want more!

Read chapter one HERE!

My heart belongs to Texas (readers)

Hey all,

I'm writing this from inside a Houston motel room, where I'm crashing before my very early AM flight to Orlando tomorrow AM. I've been having a wonderful few days hanging out with lovely fellow YA authors Tera Lynn Childs, Sophie Jordan, and Tracy Deebs--doing our mini Texas book tour.

On Sunday we spoke and signed at The Book Spot, a wonderful independent bookstore in Round Rock, TX. (Just north of Austin.) It was POURING rain out that day and I was a little worried people would stay home. Boy was I wrong! The place was packed--standing room only.

The audience filing in.

Everyone asked great questions, I handed out Halloween candy (cause it's never too early for Halloween candy) and then we signed a gazillion books. Some readers even had me sign the entire Blood Coven collection--all eight books! And a few brought in their copies of Gamer Girl. I have to say, I feel especially happy when I meet Gamer Girl readers--who tell me how they can relate to Maddy. Because Maddy was just like me, when I was their age.

Not sure why we look so serious here!

Posing with readers!

After the signing, Tera, Sophie and I drove to Houston and we crashed at Sophie's house. We woke up the next morning and hung out in Starbucks, working on our books. In addition to working on Dragonbound, I've been doing a little last minute proofreading for Alternity, which will be released digitally sometime next month. I'm excited to share it!

See how excited I look?

Deadline? What deadline?

And bonus--there was a cupcake shop next door!

After picking up Sophie's son from school, we spend the rest of the afternoon writing by the pool. Not a bad way to spend a Monday--especially with the beautiful temperatures. I'm so glad Texas is finally cooling down a bit. Cannot WAIT for fall.

Living in a writer's paradise!

Then we packed up our laptops and headed to Katy Budget Books, another wonderful Houston area bookstore. There we did our presentation again in front of another packed house. It's so wonderful to have such supportive readers! I think a lot of them were new to the Blood Coven so I'm hoping they enjoy the books they picked up! I sold a lot of the omnibus version, which contains both Boys that Bite and Stake That. I always push that one--since it's two books for the price of one.

After signing books we were asked to do a bit of an arts and crafts project--handprints to hang on the store's wall! It was messy but fun and a lot of laughter ensued.

Then it was on to Mexican food for dinner and a drive down to the airport area so I could check into my hotel. My flight leaves first thing in the AM so I wanted to be close.

The tour will be on pause for the rest of the week, while I'm in Orlando, but will resume on Sunday where Tera, Tracy and I will meet back up at the Lewisville Barnes and Noble in the Dallas area. I'm sure that signing, set up by my lovely assistant Andrea, will be just as awesome as the others.

But for now, I'm exhausted. Ready for a little reading and then right to bed!

MARI

My littlest reader!

New Book Deal!!!

Hey all,

I've been waiting a long time for this day -- the day I get to announce my new book deal with Sourcebooks Fire! It's finally official and I can now shout it from the rooftops! Here's the deal memo describing the deal, put out in today's Publisher's Marketplace: 

Author of the Blood Coven Vampire Series, Mari Mancusi's trilogy starting with DRAGONBOUND, pitched as Terminator meets Daenerys' Dragons from Game of Thrones and centers on a teen girl whom twin brothers claim is the owner of the last dragon egg, and the only one who can stop a future apocalypse wrought by a fiery dragon war, toLeah Hultenschmidt at Sourcebooks Fire, in a very nice deal, by Kristin Nelson of Nelson Literary Agency (NA). UK & Translation rights: jenny@meyerlit.com 

YES! Dragons!!! 

Here's another summary of the series - with a little more detail: 

Dragonbound

When sixteen year old Trinity Brown's grandfather shows her the mysterious golden egg sent to their failing, roadside attraction museum after being unearthed from a melting glacier, she thinks only of its potential to pull the museum out of financial ruin. She has no idea it's the last surviving dragon egg of its kind--and destined to bring about the apocalypse.

Connor Johnson is a Dragon Hunter, sent back in time to the 21st century, to prevent the dragons from taking over the world. He knows this one simple egg, hatched and cloned and turned into a biological weapon of mass destruction by the US government, will lead to a worldwide conflagration, that will send mankind scurrying underground. Connor believes if he's able to destroy the last remaining egg before it hatches, there's still a chance to save the future world. And he needs Trinity's help to do it.

But Connor's not the only one after the egg. A group of dragon sympathizers, known as the Dracken, have sent Connor's own twin brother, Caleb, a Dragon Rider, back in time to also retrieve the egg. The Dracken believe that dragons have the power to save the world--if raised and bred in a controlled manner this time around. In short, if dragons become extinct, so will we. 

Connor is brave and steadfast. Caleb is clever and charismatic. And Trinity soon finds herself torn between the two brothers--and their very opposite missions to save the world. In the end, it'll be up to her to make the ultimate decision--to destroy the dragons or save them from harm. The fate of entire world depends on her choice.

This series is definitely a departure from The Blood Coven - it's darker and more action packed and told from third person perspectives. It's been so exciting to work on something so different. And I hope readers will love reading it as much as I'm loving writing it!

Much more to follow! But thanks for celebrating with me!!

xo

MARI

Want an autographed copy of Blood Forever?

Hey all, 

If you're looking for an autographed copy of Blood Forever (or any of the Blood Coven books!) you can now order one at my official online store at The Book Spot. If you order now you can even get it personalized! Just fill out the form online and what name you want it made out to and they'll have me autograph it when I'm there this Sunday for my book signing. Then they'll mail it out to you! 

Here's the link to the online store!

Monday Musings

Hi all,

Hope you had a great weekend! I spent mine with my little zombie! (If you could see the way she walks, you'd totally understand the t-shirt! I totally need to dress her up as a zombie and take video! BRAAINS!!)

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This week I'm gearing up for my mini Texas book tour. (Which I talked about in a previous post.) First up is this Sunday at The Book Spot at 3pm in Round Rock, TX. Then I head to Houston on Monday. Should be fun -- hope some of you can make it out.

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In addition, I'm hard at work on my new series. I really can't wait until it's officially announced so I can talk about it more! But I'll give you a hint...

Adorable, no? BTW to give credit where credit is due, this little guy was photographed/created by Jan Oliehoek and posted on the Wild for Wildlife and Nature Facebook page. I just love him sooo much! And their Facebook page posts really cute pictures of animals, so I highly suggest you throw them a "like". Just for this dragon awesomeness alone it's worth it!! 


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For those of you who haven't gotten a copy of Blood Forever yet, I'm giving one away over at Literary Escapism blog today as part of their "School's In" series. Rayne talks about having to go back to school in Book #8. Which, let's just say, she is NOT so happy about! Go check it out and WIN! 

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For those of you writers out there, I highly recommend you go check out the film The Words. I saw it this weekend and it was really interesting--especially coming from a writer's point of view. I don't want to give anything away, but a great film with a great cast and a great message for writers. Oh and having Bradley Cooper in it doesn't hurt!! :)

#

That's all for now! Have a great MONDAY!!!

Mari

Random Updates

Hey all, 

Trying to be a better blogger and also keep people informed of where I'll be and what I'm up to! (Well, besides having tea with a 15 month old...) 

For those of you in Texas I have a few upcoming appearances. Here's how they break down: 

September 16th - Austin, TX - The Book Spot - 3pm

Chat and signing with: Tera Lynn Childs and Sophie Jordan 

September 17th - Houston, TX - Katy Budget Books 6-8pm

Chat and signing with: Tera Lynn Childs and Sophie Jordan 

September  22nd - Dallas, TX - Lewisville Barnes and Noble - 2-4pm 

Chat and signing with Tracy Deebs and Tera Lynn Childs 

At each event I will be signing copies of BLOOD FOREVER. If you can't make an actual event, but still want a signed copy, you can go to my store at The Book Spot and place an order online. And yes, I can personalize the book to you - even if you get it mail ordered. AND they *will* ship internationally! 

**

In other news, though The Blood Coven has officially had it's happily ever after, Blood Coven memberships can still be obtained by signing up at my website: www.bloodcovenvampires.com. I'm actually getting in brand new bookmarks with all the books in the series listed. About time! :) If you sign up, you'll also get a welcome letter, a membership card, and a limited edition Blood Coven magnet. And please don't forget to join the Blood Coven on Facebook. I'm always having giveaways and sneak peeks and other fun stuff there. 

** 

So what's up next? Well, I'll be re-releasing a former Dorchester novel, originally called Moongazer, updated  for digital release, at the beginning of October. It's now called Alternity. Isn't the cover cool? It just fits the book SO WELL! 

And Tomorrow Land and Skater Boy will be available as print books within the next month or so as well. I'll keep you posted when they're available. In the meantime, they can be purchased digitally for $3.99. 

And for those of you who like chick lit novels, I hope you'll check out LOVE AT 11. It's available digitally for $3.99 and is a book after my own heart...as I once was a TV producer just like the main character. Just a small warning - it's not a YA and has some adult language/content. :) 

** 

And lastly, if you're not sick of me yet, check me out over at Tynga's Reviews. I do a special "When I'm Not Writing" blog for them. 

That's all for now! More soon!! 

MARI

Dragon*Con recap

Hey all,

This weekend marked my fourth adventure to Dragon*Con, the largest multi-media, popular culture convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film in the universe! (I stole that from their website since I always get asked exactly *what* Dragon*Con is!

In other words - it's this huge gathering of nerds and geeks and the people who love them! There are elaborate costumes, discussion panels, a parade, celebrity guests, and lots of partying!

First up, the work. As a guest of the con, I was asked to be on seven different panels. Some had to do with Young Adult literature and some were just geek culture fan panels. For example, during the panel I talked about post-apocalyptic vs. dystopian literature, the appeal of monster boyfriends (vamps, werewolves, etc.), and vampires vs. zombies on the YA track. (I was on Team Vampire, but sadly we were vanquished by those pesky zombies. What can I say...they had the numbers!) That might have been my favorite panel as they audience was really into it! Somehow it got kind of political, too, with the zombies claiming to be the "99 percent" and the vampires declaring no exsanguination without representation!

Team Vampire! I'm on the right - dressed in costume. More on that in a moment! 

Team Zombie. Look at those brainless losers!

I also had a chance to participate on several fan panels, which was a lot of fun, though a lot of studying up in the months beforehand. You may love a director or series or author but if you have to be on a panel about them, you'd better know some interesting stuff. My Dark Fantasy and Horror fan panels this year were on Stephen King, David Lynch and The Evil Dead series. I have to admit, The Evil Dead might have been the most fun. Especially since I got to be on it with my beloved Sherrilyn Kenyon. Even if she did rebuke me for not bringing Avalon this year! I did WANT to bring Avalon, believe me. I even had the perfect idea for a costume -- I could be Daenerys from Game of Thrones and she could be my baby dragon! Next year for sure! Anyway, at the Evil Dead panel I gave away the most awesome prizes. Little "Evil Pumpkins" containing actual dirt from the site of the real Evil Dead cabin. (Where they filmed the first movie.) They came from Etsy and a website called TheEvilDeadCabin.com. Everyone was really impressed! We also gave out music inspired by The Evil Dead and some other schwag.

Speaking of schwag, I was quite the shopper at this year's Dragon*Con. A lot of the stuff I bought was dragon related, in conjunction with my new book series that I'm not allowed to talk about until it's officially announced. I got some signed prints from Larry Elmore who did the original artwork for Dungeons and Dragons gamebooks. I'm going to get those framed. It was cool to meet him except some annoying guy kept talking to him the ENTIRE TIME he was signing so I never even got to say a word to him. So disappointing. I have to say, it kind of dampened the entire experience. All I wanted to say was how much I loved his artwork and how many hours I used to pour over those D&D books. I guess that's one of the problems with Dragon*Con. When you have 40,000 nerds/geeks in one town center, not everyone's going to have the proper social graces. haha. Oh well, maybe next year.

My most precious buy this year, however, was a corset dress from the Pendragon shop. I'd been wanting one of their corsets ever since I started going to Dragon*Con but could never afford one. This year I bit the bullet and treated myself. I wore it that night!

All corseted up! 

I didn't forget Avalon either! We got her a Vamplet t-shirt that says "I give vampyre kisses" (which if you could see how she does an open mouthed kiss, you'd understand!) and a zombie t-shirt as well.

After shopping so long, we decided it was best to head to the VIP room where food and drinks were free! There we met up with Heather Brewer, Diana Peterfreund, Princess Alethea Kontis, Leanna Renee Hieber and others. Including some pretty awesome celebs. Jewel Staite who played Kaylee in Firefly and a bunch of the True Blood cast members including the actors who played Sam Merlotte, Alcide the werewolf, and Arlene the waitress. Heather totally broke the Green Room rules and took a photo with Sam. Better to ask forgiveness than permission.

That Auntie Heather. Such a rebel!

Though I would have held out for Alcide if I were her. OMG he's hotter in real life than on TV if that's possible! He was hanging out talking by the bathroom and all the girls in our party kept making excuses to go. :)

Unfortunately when hanging out in the VIP lounge he wore a shirt the entire time...

After an unfortunate incident revolving around Heather Brewer and a vampire duck, we decided it was best to leave and go costume gawking. I was actually pretty decked out myself and so was Jacob. I was playing Winona Ryder's character, Lydia Deetz, from Beetlejuice and Jacob was Mad Max. (Though many mistook him for Kyle Reese, from Terminator. Jacob actually does resemble him!)

Beetlejuice...Beetlejuice...Beetle--

For comparison: The real Lydia Deetz from the film.

Mad Max or Kyle Reese. You decide. 

My costume was a bit...elaborate...to go walking amidst 40,000 people, but I managed to make it through alive. In fact, we even went dancing at the Last Party on Alderaan, thrown by the Star Wars track. I do admit to ditching my wig at some point though.

I wasn't as diligent at taking cool costume pics as I should have been, having only my iPhone on hand. But there were some amazing ones as always. Here are a few highlights:

Daenerys and her dragons

An amazing Jareth and Sarah of Labyrinth!

This guy was in the process of putting on a full-on dragon suit. Not sure how he planned to get around the con...

Planet of the Apes!

Female Ash from Evil Dead 2

Wizard of Oz with a Batman scarecrow

Sorry my pics aren't awesome - again, iPhones - what can you do? I'd suggest going to Flickr and looking up the most recent Dragon*Con pics for some better costume viewing.

All and all it was an incredible con and we left feeling tired, but happy. I cannot wait to do it again next year!!

Mari

Blood Forever Release Day!

Today is a very bittersweet day for me! Blood Forever, the 8th and final Blood Coven Vampire book has been released. I could have never imagined, back in 2005 when I first sold Boys that Bite, that this would be such an amazing ride. Back then, Twilight had just been released and no one had any idea how popular vampires would become!

It's funny--sometimes I see reviewers accuse me of following a trend by writing vampire books but these books always came from my heart, not the marketplace. I was fortunate that the marketplace wanted to read them. But for me, vampires have always been special. Ever since I picked up that first Anne Rice book. Or the days I got completely sucked into Buffy the Vampire Slayer. There's just something awesome about those creatures of the night and the fact that I get paid to write about something I love so much -- well, who could ask for anything more?

At first there was only going to be three books in the series. My publisher had decided to stop publishing young adult novels. But readers rallied through the "Save the Blood Coven" campaign we had through MySpace (yes, I'm dating myself!) and my German publisher asked for a book four. I figured I'd write it for Germany and then I'd just give it away in the US or something as an e-book. (Back before e-books were really that popular.) In any case, the popularity of Twilight and other vampire properties convinced my publisher to not only buy a fourth book, but also repackage the first three. One thing led to another and now we end the series at a whopping eight. With the books being translated into at least six different languages.

Some of you ask why I am ending the series--you could read Blood Coven books forever. (And I love you for that!) But I wanted to give Sunny and Rayne a real, definitive happy ending and the only way to do that was to make sure I got to write that last book. Many authors get cut off by their publishers before they can finish what they started and the books just kind of dangle at the end. I didn't want that to happen. I wanted to give readers a satisfying ending to the series.

That said, I do hope to revisit the world of Blood Coven through digital publishing in the future. I'll be creating spin-off stories about Stormy and Spider and some of the other characters, with Rayne and Sunny playing supporting roles. I'll release those novellas at a low price for readers who want to keep going. And for the rest of you? I have a brand new hardcover series that begins next fall. So stay tuned - more to come on that, soon!!

Thanks so much for taking the ride with me. Writing books isn't always easy or fun, but the excitement and enthusiasm of readers has kept me going to the end and makes even the most difficult days worthwhile. I love you all!!!

Hope you enjoy Blood Forever!!!

xo
MARI

Blood Forever is available at:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Book Depository (International)

Dragon*Con Schedule

Tomorrow I head to Atlanta for Dragon*Con! So excited! Dragon*Con is one of my favorite events of the year -- an all out geek fest with the most amazing costume watching EVER! I cannot wait to don my favorite costume this year - Lydia Deetz (aka Winona Ryder) in the wedding scene of Beetlejuice! Yes!

In addition to attending and dressing up and gawking, the powers that be are keeping me busy with lots of awesome panels. In case you're there and want to check them out, here's the list of dates/times/subjects! There are, of course, other fine people with me on these panels (Sherrilyn Kenyon, Heather Brewer, Diana Peterfreund, just to name a few!) but this schedule they sent me doesn't list them, so I apologize for that. 

Also - I *will* have limited copies of BLOOD FOREVER to sell after any of my panels. So if you're looking to score an autographed copy (before the official release date even!) find me and ask. I can take credit cards with my handy little iPhone ap even. :)

Hope to see some of you there!

Title: It's the End of the World
Description: Post-apocalypse reading and zombies for the teen crowd.
Time: Fri 04:00 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Online Interactions
Description: Once you've closed the pages of that fantastic book, how can you extend your reading experience online using Goodreads, blogs, Twitter,and others?
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: My Monster Boyfriend
Description: What is the special appeal of the supernatural love interest, be it demons, angels, vampires, ghosts, or aliens?
Time: Sat 02:30 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Stephen King's Hollywood
Description: A retrospective of the movies based on Stephen King's fiction
Time: Sat 07:00 pm Location: Embassy A-B - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Zombies vs. Vampires
Description: Which is more awesome: zombies or vampires? Ladies and gentlemen, you must choose a side for this debate!
Time: Sat 08:30 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: David Lynch: Inside the Black Lodge
Description: A discussion panel exploring the surrealistic, nightmarish visions of filmmaker David Lynch
Time: Sun 01:00 pm Location: Embassy A-B - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: This Is My Boomstick!
Description: Fans of the Evil Dead, unite!
Time: Sun 02:30 pm Location: Embassy A-B - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

Blood Forever Excerpt

For those of you who are part of the official Blood Coven Facebook page, you know I promised an excerpt once we reached over 3,000 "Likes". Well, you did it! And now it's time to fulfill that promise!

So, without further ado, here's a passage taken from Blood Forever, the eighth and final book of the Blood Coven series! The book alternates point of views - from Sunshine to Rayne. This particular passage is from Rayne.

WARNING: If you haven't read Soul Bound, stop now! There are major spoilers ahead. 

BLOOD FOREVER - BLOOD COVEN #8 - RAYNE McDONALD

I scan the crowd, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. It feels weird to have a beating heart at all, never mind one so active. I'd kind of forgotten what it was like to be human, after spending so many months undead. To feel so frail and weak. Even when I was a gimped vampire, due to the blood virus in my veins, I still felt a lot more, well, immortal, then I do now. At the moment I feel like a light wind could blow me over and a vampire could take me down with his little pinkie. It's a good thing I'm only here to flirt, not slay.

Speaking of flirting... My gaze falls upon a solitary figure in the center of the dance floor, illuminated by a single spotlight. My breath catches in my throat. Could it be?

Yes, I realize as I trace his silhouette with eager eyes. Without a shadow of a doubt.

It's Jareth.

He looks even more beautiful then I remembered him. So elegant, dressed in black leather pants, black boots, and billowing white shirt. His cheekbones are like cut glass and in the dim club lights his beautiful eyes seem to glow in the dark. I stare in awe and delight, taking in his smooth, fluid movements on the dance floor, as graceful as the most graceful of cats. If he were a contestant on Dancing with the Vamps, he'd be a first place winner for sure.

As I watch, it's all I can do to hang back. To stop myself from running up to him and accosting him with wild abandon, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing him tight as tears roll down my cheeks. But I check myself instead. If I want this to work--if I really want a second chance--I have to play it cool. To him, we'll be strangers, meeting for the first time. If I go all Stage 5 Clinger on him right away, he'll go screaming off into the night and I'll lose my chance forever. Sure, it may take some time for him to warm up to me again, but I know, if I do this right, it'll happen. After all, we're destined to be together. To become blood mates for all eternity. If I screwed that up, well, I'm not sure how I'd be able to live with myself--by myself--forever.

My feet feel like lead as I force them to take steps onto the dance floor, dodging other dancers until I somehow manage to reach the center of the room. I'm two feet from him now and suddenly frozen into place. What do I say? What's my opening line? My tongue ties into knots and my brain refuses to work and I realize I should have come up with a better plan before I made my move. Or, you know, any plan at all.

I start to step backward, to retreat, but at that moment the DJ mixes into a rousing VNV Nation tune. The crowd roars in approval and an albino girl beside me, dressed from head to toe in Victorian steampunk, leaps in excitement, inadvertently shoving me straight into Jareth himself.  

Well, that's one way to make an entrance. In fact, maybe this is just the opening I need. I'll fall into his strong arms, he'll reach out to catch me. He won't be able to help but feel the electric spark from our touch. And as he helps me gently back to my feet, he'll wonder why he has the strangest feeling that he knows me from somewhere. Somewhere deep in the recesses of time. Shocked, he'll grip me tighter, searching deep into my eyes, and he'll say---

"Do you mind removing your clod hopping boot from my foot?" 

Guest Post and Giveaway: Trish Milburn

So I've been meaning to start this blog theme ALL MONTH LONG and now it's near the end of March. So let's call it...dystopian April...starting a few days early. (Wow, this year is flying by!)

Anyway, I'm going to be posting guest posts from other authors about their love for dystopia. And you'll be able to win copies of their books! First up we have the lovely Trish Milburn who writes adult romance for Harlequin and paranormal young adult books for Bell Bridge Books. Her latest YA release, White Witch has an amazing quote from one of my favorite authors, Sherrilyn Kenyon. When Sherri says something is "Fresh, fun and dangerous! I can't wait til the next one!" You know you gotta read it.

So go ahead - read Trish's blog below and then comment to win your own copy of White Witch. The question of the day is:

Do you like post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction? If so, what are some of your favorite titles?
(Bonus points if you say Tomorrow Land...just kidding!)

 
The Fraidy Cat and Her Love-Hate Relationship with the Dark
By Trish Milburn

Have you ever met someone, thought you had them figured out, only to learn something about them that surprised you? Take me, for instance. I’m what one might call a, uh, fraidy cat. Or a weenie. I’m afraid of the dark to the point where I can’t walk into a dark room, even if I was just in that room with a light on. Dude, how much sense does that make? I routinely freak myself out when I’m home alone. So it might be surprising to also learn that I love darker-themed movies, TV shows, books and music. I listen to goth/hard rock/metal (Lacuna Coil, anyone?), The Walking Dead is one of my favorite shows (along with Lost Girl, Supernatural and Game of Thrones), and I absolutely love dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction, especially young adult fiction.

So why would someone who is a self-confessed fraidy cat like stuff where the characters are facing the end of the world or at least the end of the world as we know it? I think it’s because those stories really distill things down to basic survival. Some people have what it takes to survive, perhaps even thrive, in a survival-of-the-fittest scenario. Take Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead. Before the zombie apocalypse, he was probably someone a lot of people looked down on, a potentially uneducated “redneck” who liked to hunt. During the zombie apocalypse? Suddenly, he’s catapulted to someone you want with you, him and his mean crossbow, zombie-killing skills. And because he’s no longer looked over or looked down upon, his better qualities can be seen by those who wouldn’t have noticed before.

It’s also interesting to see people who might have been weak or soft or just normal prior to an apocalyptic even find an inner strength and will to survive they never knew they possessed. This could be said of Andrea on The Walking Dead. She went from someone who wanted to commit suicide at the thought of having to live in a world full of zombies to one bad-ass sharpshooter who is more than happy to dispatch zombies to their once-and-for-all deaths. I’d like to think I’d find that type of inner strength should I be faced with an apocalyptic event, but I wouldn’t bet money on it. :)

With the release of The Hunger Games in theaters only a day away as I write this, heroine Katniss Everdeen also comes to mind. Hers is world where the government is the enemy, and it’s a world of polar opposites – haves and have-nots. Katniss lives in the have-not end, a world that looks a lot like Appalachia with its poor residents, deep seams of coal and dangerous mining jobs. While those who live in other districts have easier lives and some even live in lavish excess, for Katniss, her family and friends in District 12, it’s very much a fight for survival each day. That fight is magnified a zillion-fold when she enters the Hunger Games and literally has to fight for her life.

Since I was young, I’ve loved survival stories – Robinson Crusoe, The Swiss Family Robinson, Julie of the Wolves. While these are tales of survival in our world, one free of any sort of apocalypse or cataclysmic event, I think it’s a natural step to also enjoy stories that magnify the fight for survival. And since they don’t have to be based in the world’s realities, it opens up a fantastic array of possibilities.

Some of the great reads from the past few years:

• Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
• The Maze Runner trilogy by James Dashner 
• Midnighters series by Scott Westerfeld 
• Ashfall by Mike Mullin 
• Across the Universe by Beth Revis (also sci-fi)
• Shipbreaker by Paolo Bacigalupi

Do you like post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction? If so, what are some of your favorite titles?

 ~ ~ ~

The first in Trish Milburn’s Coven trilogy about dark witches, White Witch, is out now from Bell Bridge Books. Book 2, Bane, will be out in early summer, and Magick, the final installment in the trilogy, will be out this fall.



Autographed Copies of my Books

If you're looking for autographed copies of any of my Blood Coven books, look no further. An awesome Austin-based bookstore has made them available. And they allow you to order online.

The Book Spot is an amazing indy bookstore in Round Rock. They're the kind of cozy bookstore where you can hang out and read, talk books with the owners and other customers, or even just pet their adorable dogs who wander around the store. Just a feel good, friendly type of shop. They have all the Blood Coven books and also Gamer Girl, autographed and will deliver anywhere in the country. You can pay by credit card, PayPal or Google wallet.

Here's a link to my storefront on their website. You can also email them or call them to place an order as well. If you want the book personally autographed - to you specifically or someone you know, please specify in your order.

Happy reading!
Marianne

Tomorrow Land now available on the Nook

New for you NOOK lovers! Tomorrow Land, the post-apocalyptic zombie YA, is now available for your Nook reader. Go to BN.com to order. As with all my ebooks, it's just $3.99.

It should also be on iBooks later today or tomorrow. Will keep you posted on that! iBooks is great because you can read it on the iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone, etc.

Cover Reveal: Blood Forever!

And here it is! The very last Blood Coven cover! Blood Forever is the 8th and final book in the Blood Coven Vampires series. It will be told from the points of view of BOTH Sunny and Rayne. (For the first time!) I won't give any spoilers away--since I'm sure many of you haven't read Soul Bound yet. But I'm excited to introduce the conclusion to the series!

It'll be out in September.

MARI

Tomorrow Land Now Available on Kindle!

I'm very excited to announce that Tomorrow Land, my post-apocalyptic, zombie YA (previously published in paperback as Razor Girl) is now available for purchase for the Kindle. (Which means you can read it on the actual Amazon Kindle, or download the Kindle ap onto your PC, iPad, iPhone, Droid, etc.)

As with my other ebooks, it's only $3.99.

Here's the description:


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

Tomorrow Land Buzz

I know I promised Tomorrow Land would be out March 1st and here it is--the 7th--and it's not up for sale yet. ARGH! We had a little issue with conversion and so there's been a small delay. But I'm told it'll definitely be up for sale on Amazon by this weekend. I'll keep you posted!

To tide you over -- some great reviews and some guest posts from me about the book!

Over at Dark Faerie Tales, they gave Tomorrow Land a FIVE STAR (or 5 skull!) review. It's a very comprehensive well thought out review, but here's an excerpt.

"I really enjoyed this novel, and the depth that Mancusi put into all of her characters. I kept thinking throughout it that even if it was a minor character, they still felt like a real person. The plot and how Mancusi uses flashbacks to tell the story are really strong and consistent. The emotional battle that Peyton and Chase face with reconciling their past love felt so real. How the characters and plot are crafted together is beautifully done. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves an action packed, zombie filled, romantic tale of human strength."

They also added Tomorrow Land to their Dystopian Reading Challenge 2012. Which is awesome!

I did a guest post over there today. And there's a copy of Tomorrow Land AND a copy of Soul Bound or Blood Coven Vamps Volume 1 up for grabs! So go read and enter to win!

Speaking of giveaways, there's another two copies of Tomorrow Land being given away over at the Book Nerd blog, where I guest blog about vampires vs. zombies.

And then last, but certainly not least!!!, I'm over at Donna's "BITES" blog talking about my favorite zombie things. (There are some AWESOME zombie things out there.) I'm giving away one of these fabulous things and also a copy of Tomorrow Land. Go read that post - here.

Donna also has an AMAZING 4.5 star review of Tomorrow Land! She says:

"Overall, totally epic. I loved every second of it. The world, the characters, their lives, I wanted more. TOMORROW LAND is a stand-out edition to the world of post-apocalyptic fiction and I hope everyone gets a chance to read it. I can't say enough good things about it."

So there you have it! Lots of Tomorrow Land fun and lots of chances to win! And soon you'll be able to have the hot little book, downloaded to your ereader! In the meantime, feed your GoodReads TBR pile here.

Blood Coven #7 - Soul Bound - Out Tuesday!!

Eep! Tomorrow is the official release date of Soul Bound -- otherwise known as Blood Coven #7! It's hard to believe there have actually been seven books in the series--when I originally thought it would stop after three. I'm so grateful to all the readers who demanded more books and to my publisher, Penguin, who allowed me to write them. I'm particularly proud of Soul Bound and how it came out and I hope readers enjoy it. It has a bit of a shocker of an ending--so don't worry, there WILL be a Book 8, called BLOOD FOREVER that will tie everything up.

Soul Bound is told from Rayne's point of view. But it's what happens to Sunny that's particularly crazy. I don't want to give anything away, but I'm excited to hear what you all think! Try not to put spoilers in the comments or on my Facebook page--don't want to ruin it for everyone else!

Thanks and I hope you love Rayne's next adventure!!
MARI

PS I'm doing a giveaway over at GoodReads this week. Three copies of Soul Bound up for grabs!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Soul Bound

by Mari Mancusi

Giveaway ends March 09, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

First Kiss Winners!!

The FIRST KISS contest has come to an end! Thanks to everyone who entered! If you are a winner, you will be receiving an email from the author whose book you won! Congrats especially to Nessa - who won the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Remember - there will be another contest this month, to celebrate the upcoming zombie apocalypse. So stay tuned! :)


LIST OF WINNERS (Chosen by Rafflecopter, via Random.org)


Winner of $50 Gift Card to Amazon: Nessa Kreyling

Winner of "Freaks of Greenfield High" - Kristin McDonald

Winner of "Somewhere Over the Freaking Rainbow" - Lisa Van

Winner of "Blue Eyes and Other Teenage Hazards" - Melissa Mosloski

Winner of "Heaven is for Heroes" - Nessa Kreyling

Winner of "For Always" - Sabina

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