Saturn's Orchard

Surrey International Writers' Con schedule

2008-10-08T06:53:00.000-07:00

So in my last post I mentioned I’d be at the Surrey International Writers’ Conference in Surrey, BC, Canada later this month. It is, arguable, the best writers’ con in north America and I’m honored to be a guest there for the second year running. More about the con can be found at the above link, and if you can’t make it this year I highly encourage you to try next year. It’s useful for writers of all levels - I’ve already picked out the workshops I’d like to attend - and the camraderie between panelists and attending authors can’t be beat.

Here’s my tentative schedule (though I have blue pencil sessions every day as well, and I read some amazing pages there last year!):

Friday, October 24th, 3:30-5:00 pm: Panel -THE SCIENCE OF INSPIRATION.

I am totally qualified to teach this as I learned to French braid my hair in high school chemistry. Trust me. Oh, wait. Here’s the official description:

A peek into the secrets behind best-selling speculative fiction from the weavers of alternate reality - and one guy who really buys into it.

Saturday, October 25th, 1:30-3:00 pm: GET OVER YOURSELF - AND GET WRITING.

How do you keep out of your own way long enough to sustain an idea and write that idea into a finished book? A look at goal-setting, making time, and helping first-time authors stop making excuses and beat the mind games that stand in the way of publication.

Basically, this is where I get to unleash my inner-writing beast and say, “If I have to work this hard, so do you! Neener-neener!”

And then I proceed to give you tools that show you how.

Let me make a sports analogy, if I may: When I was learning to play tennis my coaches would all say, “Footwork is key…move your feet!” which was undeniably true. But the best coaches would then go on to tell me exactly how to do that. This stuff is not necessarily intuitive, and a good coach/teacher/instructor will find you new ways to tell you old advice so that something finally clicks with 1) your way of learning and 2) skill level. (Wow. That was a long ‘aside’.)

Anyway, this is the second year I’m teaching this workshop and I’ve been told that it was one of the most popular/useful last year. My only guess as to why is that all advice offered is done in the Surrey spirit: to connect with other writers and see all our dreams come true. I’d love for you to join me in this.

5:30 - 7:00 pm - Book Fair! All presenters are on hand to sign. I sneak in a glass of wine and goggle at all the other authors. They are my rock stars.

Sunday 11:00 - 12:15: Blood Runs Cold - Fear, Shock and Horror in No-Holds-Barred Chillers. Two best-selling authors discuss handling all the delicate issues (and tissues) of modern horror.

This is with Michael Slade, a wonderful writer and speaker, and I think the ‘No-Holds Barred’ bit means I get to put him in a headlock. Who wouldn’t pay to see that, right?

For those of you who are attending, please say hi if you see me wandering dazedly around the hallways. That's why I'm there. {s}

October events

2008-10-04T16:29:00.000-07:00

An oddity about finishing my latest round of revisions on CITY OF SOULS (fourth in the Signs of the Zodiac series) - I was a zombie for about two days afterwards. And not in a genre-appropriate good way! I finally gave up any pretense of usefulness and watched movies all day in bed. That was yesterday. Today? Refreshed!

So maybe there really is something to all this take a break/fill the well garbage, huh?

As autumn and October in specific is my favorite time of year, I’m not starting anything new. I’m going to enjoy the weather, catch up with my poor Real Life cast-offs - if they’ll still have me - and finish the rewrites on the short for next year’s anthology with Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost and Jocelynn Drake. Speaking of which…

If the crick don’t rise, it shall now be known as UNBOUND. Thematically speaking, it fits these adult UF stories, and I love it. So I’m excited to put that story to rest.

However, it is not all candy corn and sloth, and I do have a couple of work-related events I’m looking forward to in October. First,

Sunday Oct 24th-26th - Surrey International Writers’ Conference/Surrey, BC, Canada. This is my second year attending, though I’d been wanting to attend for a good half-decade before that. This is a con for writers of all levels, and it offers one very important thing that most other cons cannot: intimacy.

This does not mean you get to sleep with the presenters.

(That would certainly alter the auction aspect of the con, though! {G})

It does mean that you get one-on-one time with them during Blue Pencil Cafe sessions (I mean, when else are you going to get the chance to force-feed your work to author Diana Gabaldon or agent Janet Reid?), you get to pepper them with questions over lunch and dinner because they’re not at a separate ‘writers/presenters’ table. And the workshops have been prepped, planned, well-thought out, and aren’t {koff} sessions meant to stroke a certain author/panel’s ego. (Have we not all attended something like that before? Sorry, but if I want to be treated like a pleb, I’ll go shopping at Nordy’s in my flip-flops. I don’t need the attitude when I’m working hard, prepping a manuscript for submission, and have paid good money for professional advice, thanks!)

So, in a nutshell, the goal of Surrey is to offer writers of all levels a venue to come together and support each other. It’s also extremely well-priced compared to other cons. For more info, click on the above link. I’m going to talk about a couple of other events so they don’t get lost in the Surrey-love, but I’ll have my full Surrey schedule up next week.

Next: Something I must mention because I was supposed to be a part of it, and am heartbroken that I cannot:

In Las Vegas

Sunday October 26th - all day: Cheesecake and Crime’s (Mystery Book Shop and Cheesecake Joint) Sunday Spooktacular — “Dracula’s Bite” Blood Drive.

What a wonderful idea, huh? I love this bookstore, and I’m going to go back and take some pictures so I can blog about why I love it so much, but this sort of fun and ingenuity is one good example. Chris Marie Green (who writes the Vampire Babylon series, and whom I got a chance to meet at this year’s Comic-Con) will be there signing her books, and I know they’re going to have a pumpkin carving contest, a costume contest, and they’ll be showing “Dracula” at 6 pm. I am so sorry to miss this event, but if you want to check out more about Cheesecake and Crime (and I highly suggest doing so!) you can find them at the above link.

Thursday Oct 30th - All Soul’s Eve/Halloween Podcast on BlogTalk Radio at 3:00 pm EST. You can call in or text questions you have for me or (drumroll, please): Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost, Mark Del Franco, Jocelynn Drake and Holly Black. It will be an hour program, but if you miss the live feed, it’ll be available for download immediately after. So if you have any question for me or any of these other amazing authors, bookmark the above link and write in or call during the show: 347-826-9684.

Best book club meeting evah!

2008-09-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

So I took a break over the weekend to attend a local book club. I’m friends with one of the members because - let’s be honest here - she likes my books. (What, I’m going to attend a book club where they don’t?) I actually met LeAnne when she carted TSoS up to the register at Borders while I was standing there with “the Cadillac of strollers” and signing books. So after getting the rest of the girls to read my latest (Reading the book is not actually a requirement for this bookclub. Being able to hold your own on a playdate and in a dive bar is) and promising me there’d be mixed drinks, I dropped by their latest meeting.

And by “meeting” I mean to say, “What the hell?”

Because at one point, after a drink or three, I said, “Look, are you guys ever going to talk about my books?”

They said no, and we moved on to more important things. Like:

*Lill knows definitively who killed JFK, but she’s mostly keeping her trap shut about it, so don’t come after her if you’re worried about the truth getting out. (And if you do, she’s second from right in the picture below, not the one in the middle. That’s me.)

*The classic ‘dog-ear book pages or not?’ debate. This was divided, and some people seemed to play favorites with hardcovers. I’m very right-wing about my book use, and not opposed to banging the b*stards against the wall if I feel like it, but I’m also tolerant of those with more exacting standards. As we all liked one another, we declared it a draw.

*LeAnne asked that I inform Harper that my books aren’t terribly well bound. For instance, she was holding SCENT when she fell off her floatie and into the pool, and then left it out in 100 degree heat and the damned binding fell apart, making it hard to read. So I’m here to say, Work on it, Harper! These harsh elements aren’t going anywhere soon!

*Republicans should never, under any circumstance, get laid. This was almost unanimous. (Don’t worry, LeAnne. They’ll never find that body.)

*Keri reads the most of all of us: 4-5 books a week. B*tch has my life.

*I need more sex in my books. (I did not get to vote in this matter.)

*If you want to wear it, you know it’s good champagne. (This is book related because I’m going to put it in one.)

*LeAnne is the queen of the dead. She can tell you everyone who has died recently. Or ever.

*Though some book club members have clung to their classic Catholic guilt, most of us would become Pastafarians (Worshippers of The Flying Spaghetti Monster) if pressed.

*Owning your own business while raising four kids really cuts into your reading time. (Note, Anje, I didn’t say “Boy, you have your hands full!”)

Unfortunately we all had to go home before we drank ourselves sober - a Vegas girl hazard - but we’ll meet again soon for the Haunted Vegas tour.

Thank you, ladies, for the invite, the much needed break, and the laughs.

(BTW, I know it looks like I have to goto the bathroom in the pic below, but I’m really just wringing my hands. I was tired, and pulling on body parts to stay awake.)

Keri, Anje, me, Lillian, and LeAnne

Congratulate her if you must...

2008-09-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

Rachel Vincent announced she finished her book today. What she didn't tell you is that we've been encouraging one another behind the scenes - checking up on our respective progress daily, calling if we need a pep talk - and just being there for one another, if needed. We don't have entirely similar working methods, but we do some things the same. F'rinstance, the whole one-word-in-front-of-the-next-and-don't-stop-until-you're-finished is pretty tried and true.

So are notecards.

For example, here's a shot of mine:

And here's Rachel's:

Gee.

Good work, Rach.

I'm SOOOOO shocked you finished first.

Just a quick note...

2008-09-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

to those of you whom I own an email...

I'm sorry.

I'm behind in all my correspondences.

And I'm going offline for a week or so.

I promise to answer in good time...there's just not a lot of that to be had right now!

So: deadline. Then deadline.

Then Surrey! Yay!

Harper Rocks.

2008-08-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know the majority of authors probably love their publishers. But I really do love Harper. They're such a supportive house, and in addition to the very cool author microsites on their Harper pages, they've now launched a new site for Avon books - www.avonbooks.com - which includes sneak peeks at forthcoming novels, full access to many backlists, videos, essays, sweepstakes and book tour information. IOW, one-stop shopping for the voracious reader.

Better yet, their "Love Gives Back" program allows readers to preview the opening chapter of Avon romances two full weeks before they're in stores! Other books will be available online in their entirety, for free. Avon will track reader visits and donate books to ProLiteracy Worldwide (www.proliteracy.org).

**MUAH, MUAH, MUAH!!!**

Now that's true love.

Also, check out the direct click through to RomanceRadio. They'll be airing interviews will many popular Avon authors.

And speaking of radio, Kim Harrison will be answering questions from readers this Thursday, the 21st, at 2:30 p.m. EST. To call in and ask Kim questions, call (347) 826-9684 during the show. To listen in, click here.

If you can't hear the show, go to this link.The podcast will be up about 10 minutes after the show, and we'll also have links on the Eos blog and on our webside at www.outofthiseos.com.

THE BEYOND is just one of several new radio shows featured on AuthorsonAir.com, so check them all out!

An open letter...

2008-08-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

...to the guy I yelled at while running this morning:

Um ... sorry.

But here's the deal. You looked exactly like my husband.

And when I yelled at you in Swedish, you acted like my husband does whenever I mangle his language.

And when I threw my arms in the air as if to say "What the fuck are you doing?" you responded like my husband, and threw up your arms as well.

And when I chased you, thinking, "Yeah, you'd better run, buddy" you outpaced me, just as my husband would.

Just to clarify, I don't really want you to be at my house watching my toddler while I go for my morning run. I have my husband for that.

Sorry.

But next time, wear something to distinguish yourself from the man I've known for fifteen years, and don't respond to my Swenglish.

And you're welcome for the added kick to your workout.

MIA

2008-08-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note...

If I owe you an email, I apologize for the delay. I'm under deadline and my inbox is suffering. Thanks for understanding!

Back to it...

CITY OF SOULS edit letter...

2008-07-30T18:27:00.000-07:00

...has arrived.

Goodbye.

New Interview!

2008-07-30T15:17:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the release of my first three titles in the UK I've done an interview with the E-Zine, Falcata Times, which can be found here. My interview starts on page 18, but this issue also showcases Charlaine Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton and CE Murphy, among others, so be sure to check it out if you're a true UF lovah.

Thank you to Gareth for the insightful questions, too. You're on notice, G. I'm stealing your name for a book! {wink}

So much going on -- a roundup!

2008-07-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

My girlfriend Stacey and I have blogged about our Comic-Con experiences here (my panel) here (the C-Con sights - OMG!) and here (my own account - not as thorough as Stace's!). They're all on my message board, along with pictures, and I can tell you already that I'll be back next year.

Next, THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF VAMPIRE ROMANCE is now out!

My story is called 'Remember the Blood' and I'm anxious to read the others. So check it out!

And please don't forget that Jocelynn Drake's first book, NIGHTWALKER is also now available. Want a new twist on the vampire genre? Looking for an epic far-reaching story, and characters to (literally) die for? You can buy it here.

Comic-Con itinerary

2008-07-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Here it is, in brief, so if any of you find yourselves in the San Diego area next Thursday, and are willing to brave the Storm Troopers, I can be found at the following:

Panel:

THURSDAY, JULY 24
4:00-5:00 pm Superhero Superfiction Room 5AB

Superheros don't just appear in comics anymore. Authors discuss how to write superhero prose.

Superhero prose authors: Kevin J. Anderson (Last Days of Krypton, Dune novels, Saga of Seven Suns), Michael Carroll (Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening), Professor Christopher Chambers (The Darker Mask), Vicki Pettersson (The Signs of the Zodiac series; The Touch of Twilight, June '08), Gary Phillips (The Darker Mask and High Rollers), Melinda M. Snodgrass (Wild Cards, The Edge of Reason), Caroline Spector (Wild Cards) and Doselle Young (The Darker Mask). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy.

THURSDAY, JULY 24
5:00 – 6:00 pm Superhero Superfiction Autographing Table AA5

I also anticipate crashing Bill Willingham's after-party, and I plan on using my Mysterious Galaxy connections to stalk Joe Hill. The rest of my nefarious deeds must remain top secret. {G} But I'll take pictures this time. I promise.

New (additional) site!

2008-07-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

Hi All!

Harper has gone live with my new microsite. I've toyed with the idea of using it as my primary blog as I (what's the word? Be precise, Vic, you're a writer...oh, yeah, it's...) SUCK at keeping a blog here, but I've come to no definite conclusions yet. I'm sure some of you have an opinion...

Meanwhile, monsoon season has arrived in the valley, something I look forward to every year as it means we're nearing the end of the summer...or at least that we're not still stuck at the beginning of it. Fortunately, I'm readying for next week's Comic-Con in San Diego (I'll post programming soon) and I look forward to lounging on the beach with la familia when not stalking Joe Hill, chasing after Marjorie Liu, having ice cream with Eldon Thompson, or discretely worshipping Bill Willingham. (Overt worship is totally beneath me.)

German covers

2008-07-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

My guess is that these say "THE FIRST SIGN OF THE ZODIAC" and "THE SECOND SIGN OF THE ZODIAC" respectively, to be released in September '08 and February '09. I'm extremely excited about the German release because these are serious, ravenous, demanding and knowledgeable readers. Of course, I trust Harper on the translation side, but if its half as good as what they've done with these covers, then I have no fear whatsoever. I LOVE these! Meanwhile, I'm going to have to get my husband to read my own books to me. His German is a little rusty, but mine is non-existent.

July potpourri

2008-07-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

Little snippets from my working world: I found out last week that Harper sold audio rights to the first three books to audible.com. Yay! This is going to make my grandmother - to whom the third book is dedicated - very happy. She's been having a hard time with her eyes lately, so I love that she can now get it in this format. No word yet on when it'll be released, but I'm thrilled for a chance to hear Jo&Co. come to life, and I'll post that news here as soon as I learn more.

And I've been given the go-ahead to reveal the title for book4 (for some reason they won't let me keep calling it that {g}) so unless sales loathes and hates it, which I can't really see (I love it) book4 will henceforth be known as...

{drum roll please}

CITY OF SOULS

Now doesn't that sound bright and cheery?

THE IRON HUNT

2008-07-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

One of the books I treated myself to upon exiting my cave this weekend was Marjorie M. Liu's THE IRON HUNT. She's a cool chick and she's come up with a complex and compelling idea for a new Urban Fantasy series, and I can't wait to dive into this one. More, she has a fun (dare I say Lara Croft-esque) book trailer here, which only serves to make me want to read it more. Good job all around, and I can't wait to read this one.

Anyone else pick it up?

How annoying.

2008-06-27T12:19:00.000-07:00

Complete radio silence for weeks, and then two posts in one day. Wassup with that?

Well, as I just got two irate phone calls from my mother and grandmother yelling at me for not telling them I was going to be on local television. My grandmother just happened to stumble upon me while channel surfing. Sorry, grandma. So it needs to be said:

If you're in the Vegas area and want to catch my interview on LUNCHTIME WITH IRA, you can do so on Clark County Television (CCTV), Cox Cable Channel 4 tonight (Friday) at 8 p.m. and Saturday at Noon and 8 p.m.

I swear I made a mental note to tell everyone this, but then I lost my mind.

(If anyone is truly upset about this, I'll give you my editor's email. Talk to her. (This means you, Grandma.))

If radio is your thing, you can hear it tomorrow, Saturday, at 9 p.m. on KDWN AM 720 Talk Radio.

For everyone else, the videocast and podcast will be up soon, and I'll post that when it goes live ... as grandma twists my arm.

Shameless

2008-06-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Or is it?

So, when you're extremely excited about a new book, even if it was written by a long-time friend, is it shameless to put up a giddy post about it? Because Joanna Bourne's new historical romance, MY LORD AND SPYMASTER, is out today! As I said, Jo is a friend, but she's also somewhat of a mentor to me. We've spent years together on Compuserve's Books and Writer's forum, and she has probably forgotten things about crafting fiction that I've yet to learn. She's. That. Good. Get thee to a bookstore. (And for more with Ms. Bourne, check out her interview on Susan Adrian's blog.)

In other news, I'm happy to announce I'm finishing up the next book in the Zodiac series - just fiddling with formatting and niggling bits now - and I'll send that off to my editor this weekend. I'm not sure it's hit me yet that I'm done, but I have a light, dizzy feeling which I remember from putting all my books to bed, and it feels good. Next up: the immediate gratification of a short story. Ah, luxury!

And now a writerly hint: Drink Fuze! Seriously, the green tea with ginseng. Does the trick every time. It keeps me awake and aware, but without the jitters that too much coffee can bring. It's my new secret weapon.

See, and you thought Rachel Vincent gave good advice. Ha!

More bits and pieces of news to come, but they can all be combined in another post.* I've a book to ship off.

*Except to say that I can't wait until Jocelyn Drake's NIGHTWALKER comes out in August! I read it in ARC form, but I need to get my grubby hands on that pretty little cover. And it's coming out right after all the big stuff is cleared from my plate. I'll be in the mood for a good read by then!

27!

2008-06-06T13:53:00.001-07:00

Twenty-seven red roses from one's agent can only mean one thing...

New York Times, baby!

Yippee!

A big thank you to everyone who went out and bought THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT in the first week, and who've written to tell me they enjoyed it. I'm working hard on the next book in the series, due at the end of this month (thus the radio silence -- eek!) and I'm thrilled that you're all coming along on Joanna Archer's journey with me.*

Thank you.

*Note: if you'd like to talk about the latest book, or the Zodiac series as a whole, click on the link to the right for my forum. I promise none of the regulars there bite (or, at least, not hard) and we have a great time chatting about books, reading, cupcakes and cocktails. Er...among other things. {G}

2008-06-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

In the near-week since the release of THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT, a couple of other reviews have trickled in. I’ll post those below, with my thanks, but I also must take time to thank my peers for their support and kind words — it has been a year since my last release so it’s nice to know I’m not forgotten. {S} Moreover, it’s nice to have made such amazing friends in the last year, and I look forward to continuing this amazing journey with them. So Melissa, Jeaniene, Susan, Rachel, Jocelynn and Kim…thank you ever so much for your kind words, but especially your friendship.

Ms. Pettersson shares another well-imagined tale with engaging characters and action filled scenes. While Joanna’s first love continues to fill her thoughts, the chemistry she shares with Hunter increases to scorching proportions. The Touch of Twilight is an entertaining read that fans of the series shouldn’t miss.

— Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

A gritty and often dark fantasy, the Sign of the Zodiac series is as entertaining as it is edge-of-your-seat thrilling. Readers expecting a happily-ever-after may be a bit disappointed, but not with the wonderful writing and characters who grab you from the first page and literally hold you hostage until the last word…Along with this wonderful series, I highly recommend readers not schedule anything besides reading when they pick up THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT.

— Kathy Samuels/Romance Reviews Today

Also this mention in the LibraryJournal.com, and an article about Urban Fantasy:

This graphically violent, emotionally intense series isn't for the faint of heart, but readers who can stomach the brutality will be rewarded. As a teenager, Joanna Archer was the victim of a violent attack that should have killed her—but her future may be even darker. She lives in a Las Vegas torn between the battling forces of Light and Shadow. When Joanna discovers that she's equal parts shadow and light, everything changes.

I was a bit surprised to hear that some might consider the Zodiac series more graphic or brutal than some of the other dark fantasy out there. I don't think of it that way, but that may be my shortcoming alone. My only explanation is that I've never tried to write urban fantasy...I mean, I didn't even know what it was when I started pitching SCENT. (My agent had to tell me after taking me on. {g}) I've simply always drawn on my fascination of horror and love of noir to guide my internal violence barometer, plus it just seemed to fit Jo and her world. But hey -- I'll happily take "emotionally intense." {G}

YIPPEE!!

2008-05-27T06:05:00.000-07:00

Get this widget!

To celebrate, I am...{drumroll please}

Working on book4!

But I also have a short interview up at Susan Adrian's blog, and she's kindly running a giveaway as well. Yay!

There have already been some sighting, some pics of my cardboard dumps at the B&Ns emailed to me, and general merrymaking by my family and friends. I had the distinct and rare pleasure of seeing my grandmother go wordless and tear up while reading the dedication. And once she found her voice again, what do you think she said?

"I take it all back."

LOL.

Ayup. That's my grandma.

Do you want a...

2008-05-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

sneaky peekie of THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT?

Because Harper/Eos is offering it up - 20% of the book, that is - for free if you go here. So if you just can't stand the wait until next Tuesday, check it out!

More reviews trickling in...

2008-05-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

This from SciFiChick.com. My favorite part:

Comic book fans as well as urban fantasy fans would all fall in love with this series. Definitely one of my favorites, Pettersson combines comic book super heroes with zodiac legend, which blends flawlessly into an exhilarating story.

Thanks to Angela for that!

More fun stuff coming from Harper...I'll post some of that later today when I get the go-ahead and the link. They have some exciting stuff planned for next week's release, and I'll post all here for those interested. Note: New events/appearances are upcoming, and my site will reflect those by tomorrow. I'm excited about those opportunities as well, and will blather on about them as they draw nearer.

For now, it's scribble time!

Whoa.

2008-05-18T18:23:00.000-07:00

Get this widget!

Double whoa:

Summer really heats up this May 27th with the publication of THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT, the third installment of Peterson's dark fantasy series. There are a lot of characters to keep track of; the Troop, their Shadow counterparts, the lovers, the friends, the rivals, the initiates, the parents...and the city. So stay sharp and pay attention. A Las Vegas native, Pettersson brings the city and its inhabitants to life. A series that borrows from a lot of different mythologies, Pettersson has thrown them all into a pot, stirred it up and come up with a dish completely delicious and all her own.

--Ann/Fresh Fiction (for full review)

post potpourri

2008-05-05T10:35:00.001-07:00

I confess, I've been spending most of my time hanging with my cyber-homies on my bb, here.

I've also cleared the 100K mark in book4, a little later than wished for, but that's always the case. It's speeding up now that I can see the finish line, and it feels like this thing wants to write itself. I'm just along for the ride.

For the June release (technically May 27) of THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT, Harper/Eos is giving away advanced bound copies for reviews to readers. If you want to get an early eyeful, go here.

And my first review from Romantic Times is in:

"At the moment, teamwork and trust are in short supply in Pettersson's complex storyline in her Sign of the Zodiac series. Her characters are truly dark and dangerous--the most devastating injuries may be those inflicted on the mind and heart. This is a chilling and intense first-person

novel!"

Back to work!

ARC winner on Blogger...

2008-04-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I screwed up. (Shuddup, peanut gallery, and just pretend you're surprised. {G})

When I announced the contest for the ARC of THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT here last week, I forgot to mention that you needed to leave your entry on the message board (found on my sidebar) to get it. That's where we were giving it away. So people started posting here, and it certainly wouldn't be fair to disqualify them (you) because of my error, so I called up one of my best literary friends, the woman who helps me with and through every book, who is my support system and accountability partner rolled into one ...

And asked for my ARC back.

She has one. She hasn't read it yet. She's not that good of a friend anyway.

Yes, that's right, I'm what was known in my childhood years as an 'Indian giver' (though no longer, because that's just not PC!). So I'm going to retrieve it (ie. pry it out of her greedy hands) this weekend when I'm in Dallas, and give it to...

{pixelated drum roll...}

pamk!

All of the entries were so good, and I had such a hard time choosing between them that I left you all to the fates of the random number generator. I know. Life isn't fair. Welcome to Vegas. {wry g}

So, congratulations Pam, and if you can pmail me your snailmail address through the contacts page of my website, I'll get that book to you as soon as I steal it back. {bg}

Thank you all for entering!

ARC contest for THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT

2008-04-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

ARC contest!*

Touch of Twilight ARC Giveaway Contest

Vicki's giving away an Advanced Reader Copy of her third novel, Touch of Twilight to one lucky member of this forum.

The theme of this contest is CONDUITS.

Here's what you gotta do to enter:

1~ Name 2 Agents from the series and their conduit. (Jo doesn't count.)

2~ Tell what conduit you would choose and/or design for yourself and why. Remember, Hunter says the relationship between the weapon and its owner is very personal.

Entries can be posted in this thread or sent via PM to me here at the message board.

Deadline is April 17th.

Good luck!

*Note: I'm a little late in posting this because Raven, who rules my BB, put this contest together. This freed me up to write, which I did, but I forgot to blog on this until now. I'm going to see if I can get her to extend the deadline for newbies to the board, but for now, don't lollygag! She has a heart of granite, that Raven. {eg}

The writing front, and a new bulletin board!

2008-04-10T06:27:00.000-07:00

My, it has been awhile, hasn't it?

Quietude is good, though. Unlike the rest of the dark fantasy world, I will not be attending the RT Booklover's Con next week. I'm staying home to scribble. The good thing is I'm grooving and the book is growing and Jo and Co. are talking to me. The bad thing is, this book is growing. I'm looking at its length, and how much story my instincts are telling me I have left, and I could easily double what I already have.

That. Is. Not. Acceptable.

So I'm foregoing my daily word count to drop back ten and punt, reassess and reorder, replot -- which is why plotting up front doesn't really work for me. The story changes the story, so what's the point? (Note to self: Do try to remember this next time, dude.)

In other news, I now have a bulletin board designed and run by one of my readers, Raven. She's amazing in that she's attentive to detail, knows how to spell {wry g} and kicks me off my own boards when she knows I have writing to do. She's also a relative expert on all things Zodiac (though I do get to trump her there on occasion {g}). I couldn't be happier with the way it turned out, and though it's pretty quiet right now, I expect that will change the closer I get to the release of THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT in June. I try to hit it daily, mostly afternoons and evenings - as mornings are reserved for fresh words - so if you want to check it out, you can do so here.

And now I leave you with a quote from my favorite Transcendentalist, Emerson. He's long been one of my literary boyfriends, which makes sense since he's dead and was also allegedly gay. All my ex's are dead and gay:

Emerson: Do you not yet see, that, if the single man plant himself indomitably on his instincts, and there abide, the huge world will come round to him.

Two things...

2008-04-03T13:12:00.000-07:00

I was waiting to post here until Rachel gave the go-ahead, which she just did by announcing ROGUE debuted at 32 on the NYTimes extended list!!!!!!!! (That called for a bevy of exclamation points, don'tcha think?{g})

Congratulations, Rachel! I'm thrilled for your success, and that so many people are getting lost in Faythe's ways and world. (And can I say again? Goooo, Jace! {G})

Secondly, I did a recent interview that was a lot of fun with Harry, aka. Urban Fantasy Fan, and it can be found here.

Other than that, I'm scribbling madly, and not getting out much at all. I am, as my girlfriend Janu would say, "in the cave."

What can I say? The best and most fertile ideas seem to spring up in the dark!

Nellis AFB signing

2008-04-01T09:04:00.000-07:00

The signing on Saturday went great! I've even already heard back from readers who picked up the books and have finished the first...I can't tell what it does to my cold, black heart to hear that it only took one day for someone to read a book it took me two years to finish!
No, really. I can't tell you. {big grin}
Actually, I recognize it for the supreme compliment it is, and I love to get lost in a book that way, so to hear that my stories had someone putting aside their life for a few hours?
Just awesome.

Melanie, at the BX, put together an amazing booth for me, and as I haven't gotten out to meet readers since my signing for HOLIDAYS ARE HELL with Lynsay Sands in December, it was a great way to take a break from the keyboard for a bit.

Now I have to introduce you to Lon. I first "met" him online. He sent me a letter from Afghanistan after reading THE SCENT OF SHADOWS, and as fate would have it, his home base is Nellis. He is also being deployed two weeks from now, so it was fortuitous that my signing coincided with his stay here. I absolutely, clearly remembered him; his was one of the best emails I've ever received, and meeting him alone made the whole day worth it. It was totally unexpected, and to my mind, that's one of life's greatest pleasures - unexpectedly meeting great people. Thank you so much, Lon, for sticking around and talking with me, letting me know about your life and experiences, and letting me know the fate of that original book!*

*It is still in Afghanistan, and the names of all the servicemen who read it are printed on the front page. I'd love to have that page! I'd frame it.

Who let the cats out?

2008-03-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

Um, Mira. That's who.

So you've all read STRAY, right? Here's the long awaited sequel (long awaited by me, anyway), and I picked it up on release day, yesterday, and sat down in the bookstore to start reading immediately. I missed Faythe! I suppose I have a weakness for young women who know their own minds and sport tongues sharper than my favorite stilettos, but it's great to get back into her world (I understand the Marc love, but OMG, one word for you, kids: JACE.). I love reading about someone who is perfect in their imperfections - a work-in-progress, if you will - which is how I feel pretty much all of time. {wry g} Not to mention I respect and genuinely like Ms. Vincent herself. (Even if she won't tell me her secret to writing faster!) You'll never meet a nicer person, and her regular blog posts show just how much she values her readers and enjoys her job. So if you're in need of an UF fix, Faythe is your girl. I know what I'll be doing tonight. Thanks Rachel!

Just a drive-by...

2008-03-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

On my way to the text.

I realize I need to blog more regularly, but my first drafts tend to be all-consuming...at least when I'm doing it right. I stopped, dropped and rolled for Easter - it's frightfully similar to Christmas when you have little people in your life, of which I suddenly have more than a few - but after I kicked the bunny in the tail, I crammed all my appointments and errands into one day, freeing up the rest of this week to write.

I'm having a great time with book4, though it still constantly amazes me (but probably shouldn't) how much time is spent sitting and thinking, sitting and staring, sitting and dreaming ... and wondering and discarding and re-evaluating. It sounds reasonable enough to say "I'm going to write 2-3K a day until the book is done!" but it doesn't work that way for me in practice. Because no matter how much I've planned, if I'm doing it right the book veers off track in places both big and small. I also leave plenty of room for development as I go, which helps to keep things fresh.

For example, in anticipation of a scene I'm writing now, I "outlined" the following: "Jo enters this room to find Diana, who stole her wallet."

This tells me the who and the why...but it doesn't tell me what sort of room this Diana would inhabit. It doesn't describe the surroundings or tell me who else is there. So as I think and sit, and think and stare, and think and discard, I discover more about the setting and more about the character, finding that each influences the other in small increments until I can see the full picture. I jot these images in the text as they come to me, delete some of them as better ones arrive, and once the place is defined and I can see clearly enough, then I'm ready to write.

So what was in that room with the wallet thief and Jo? Well, here's what I emailed my writing buddy who was helping me brainstorm a bit:

BTW, my simple water room has turned into a scene with a dowsing chinaman, and an underground joss temple. WTF?

Remember, I write fantasy. {G}

So this is one more reason why I have no use for the playful idea of a (non-existent) muse. Inspiration is found by digging deep enough and long enough and hard enough into your own psyche that you finally discover what - of course! - you were looking for in the first place. It feels like it was there all along, that the conclusion was inevitable, the story already written somewhere. That feeling is my dowsing stick, and how I know I'm on the right path and ready to set off around the next bend.

And now I must go research joss temples and dowsers and let Diana tell Jo - in a way that won't get her her ass handed to her - why she stole Jo's wallet.

I see more sitting and thinking in my near future. Hopefully there will be a few thousand words by the end of the day as well.

Coming in July...

2008-03-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

Oh my, the UK has been kind to me lately. This cover just in from the wonderful editor of VAMPIRE ROMANCE, the installment to come this summer in 'THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF' series. Even though I don't write about vampires in my Zodiac series, I decided to give that mythos a whirl on my mental dance card, and boy am I glad I did. I had a great time writing 'Remember The Blood' and I can't wait to see it this July ... especially now that I've seen the gorgeous packaging!

UK cover!

2008-03-14T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'm a little late in posting this, but as THE SCENT OF SHADOWS was just released in Australia and the UK, I thought I'd post the UK cover here. Totally different from the one I'm used to associating with it, and an unexpected present from the Voyager team. Thank you all so much! I love it, and there's a slight manga flair in the treatment of the hair and lashes. Olivia Archer and her best friend, Cher, would approve! {G}

Boneyard Tour, Part Two

2008-03-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

Guess where we're going today, folks? Yippee!

There's our girl...a distance shot because she's so purdy...

Getting a sense of how big she is yet? Or an idea of why she captured my imagination? More importantly, can anyone tell me why the heck I'm talking about her like she's a person? {wry g}

See? One really could slide down this puppy into a supernatural underworld. You just need the timing and know how. Remember what happened to Jo the first time. {shudder}

Boneyard Tour, Part One

2008-03-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned yesterday, I went out to tour the Neon Boneyard last week: the sanctuary and default home-sweet-home to Joanna Archer and the agents of Light from my Signs of the Zodiac series. Here are a few pictures from the daytime, when the portals are closed and the mortal population is out and about. If you look closely, however, you can see the footprints our agents leave behind as they enter and exit via the Slipper, and the smaller ones left by initiates playing beneath a full Vegas moon, and a ward mother's watchful eye...

This is from the Horseshoe. I love the geometry here. Can you imagine this all lit up downtown?

Brand new to the Boneyard from the old Nevada Palace. There’s an entrance into the core of this sign … which marries nicely with my worldbuilding.

Just to give a little sense of scale, I stood in front of the Aladdin’s original lamp, which I just love. They actually have this area set up so they can perform wedding ceremonies in the clearing. I think it would be cool if the signage in this part of the boneyard still actually lit up, then they could have sunset weddings. (So stop stealing the copper wiring folks!)

From the Sweetheart Chapel … minus the chapel, plus one additional sweetheart. (And if you believe that, I have some fantasy books I can sell ya…)

And, wait! What’s that? Is that a Silver Slipper I see in the distance? More with her tomorrow…

For now, I'll leave you with a photo of my girl, the Blue Angel. Anyone remember her from THE TASTE OF NIGHT? She's looking a bit shabby these days, but I know if she ever comes down off that pedestal, the Boneyard would treat her right. I know it's kitschy, but I still love her...

An old friend

2008-03-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

I am unfortunately having problems uploading photos to my blog today. I'll try to figure out another way a bit later (when I have time for yet another learning curve, but first a story:

A couple of weeks ago I'm in my study, scribbling furiously to make sure I meet my next deadline (ie., checking for belly lint). I get a phone call from someone who identifies herself as a board member from the Neon Museum/Boneyard. It's been a couple of years since I've last visited, and would I like to come back for a tour.

Would I?

I'd just been thinking of that very think, longing for a visit with my old girl, the Silver Slipper.

So I went out there last week, took lots of photos, and reaquainted myself with the terrain of the entrance to Jo Archer (and co's) sanctuary. I kissed the Slipper, made some new friends (hello Nevada Palace signage) and waxed nostalgic about old Vegas.

The best part? Prior to my visit I asked Melissa (aforementioned board member) what made her think of me. She said she sometimes acts as a ghost on the tours as sometimes people get a little grabby and want to steal lightbulbs and copper wiring from the boneyard, don't ask me why.* But she said she often came away confused because she kept hearing people mention a "portal" in the Boneyard.

LOL.

Melissa happened to mention this odd phenomena to her sister, who said, "Duh. Haven't you ever heard of Vicki Pettersson?" and shoved my book into her sister's hands.

So, I have to say thank you Melanie and Melissa for a wonderful tour, and to Jennifer for 'duh-ing' her sister, and to all the readers who've visited the Boneyard so far. The cost of the tour helps pay for restoration of the signage, and the agents of Light thank you.

*Yes, you can go on a tour of the Neon Boneyard. Info can be found here.

Computer update

2008-03-07T16:48:00.000-08:00

Remember how I said I kept losing work on my computer?

Well, say 'ello to my little friend:

Goodbye PC, with all your nasty viruses and familiar annoyances.

I'm off to be annoyed by something new. {wry g}

More on inspiration

2008-03-06T07:10:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me also knows how I scoff at the mere mention of a muse. Writing is work, you do it – in my case, everyday – and the fickle-minded muse can kiss my ranting ass if she doesn’t like it.

This is not to say I don’t seek out things that inspire me. But those things are often the mundane, usually personal (ie. Something someone else would look past entirely, like the Boneyard) but highly universal, meaning if I can capture this idea in words, other people will get it.

Okay, so today’s example is an article about a guy named Dallas Robinson, who’s ostensibly too big, too old, and without the resources one needs to train to be an Olympic sprinter. Now, I’ve never wanted to be a sprinter, but the best circumstances in my life, including writing, have come about because of impossible dreams, so his story spoke to me.

The full article is here (you may need to register for free to view it) but much about Dallas’ story reminds me of the writer’s life:

He left behind a comfortable, normal life ... driven only by a nagging sense that this is what he is supposed to do.

“I believe I’m going to end up in the Olympics,” Robinson, 25, said. “I don’t know how I’m going to get there. But I guess if the mountain were smooth, you wouldn’t be able to climb it.”

But this is the part I loved:

“Is this stupid? Probably. But I know I am created with a limited amount of gifts. I don’t have the straightest smile, the straightest nose. I’m not the smartest guy in the world. But my legs move fast. That’s one of my gifts that I feel I can share ... It’s the only thing I have to give back right now.”

So often you hear about people focusing on what they’re not. Or what they’re currently not. (I really love that last line: ‘…the only thing I have to give back right now.’ Like he knows he’s going to have more gifts and talents to amaze people with in the future.) This guy is able to dream big – and get others to dream with him – by focusing on what he is. I don’t know about you, but I’d say that’s pretty smart.

And I also know it was when I turned my eyes away from my writing heroes and said, “Yes, but who am I?” that I was able to bring my voice and strengths to the forefront. That was the project I completed. That was the book I saw published.

Of course, it takes more than dreams and hard work. This guy is going to need a sponsor soon. In writing, I think of sponsors as the people surrounding us, who enable and encourage us to get to the page everyday. One of a writer’s greatest assets is a spouse (or friends) who may not understand your dream, but supports it anyway. Anyway, Dallas’ coach sums it up the best:

“How come when we’re kids we want to be astronauts and firefighters and Indian chiefs, and then when we turn 20 years old we give up on our dreams?” Young said. “Dallas is a good example of a guy who’s still trying to be an astronaut.”

And so are pre-published authors.

See? Inspiration is everywhere.

Good luck, Dallas.

THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT excerpt

2008-03-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

I've just received permission to post the first scene from THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT from the Powers-That-Be. All I had to do was perform a small blood ritual and give up my second-born. Easy-peasy.

What won't I do for you guys? {g}

Introducing...THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT

2008-03-01T09:51:00.000-08:00

Say hello to my new baby here on Amazon.

And thanks, J, for letting me know!

One year later...again. {G}

2008-03-01T08:03:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Chandra for reminding me on the 27th that I'd been pubbed for a year. I was busy scribbling, so I guess the answer to "What's changed between then and now?" is ... not a lot! (All in all, a good thing!)

Thanks, too, to Lindsay for hosting this contest for THE SCENT OF SHADOWS, in celebration of the same, over on her blog. If you haven't read SCENT yet, here's a chance to do so for free. The contest ends at midnight tonight, however, so hurry on over.

Other than that, the best thing about this past year has been meeting amazing readers and other authors. A whole new world has been opened up to me, and I love the interesting, generous, and smart folks people-ing it. I'm going to go on at length about one of them later, but two posts are quite enough for one day, and I have to get to work.

Have a great weekend, all!

Vicki

Ah, technology.

2008-03-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

First, thank you to everyone who offered their condolences on my lost words. Now that I'm a bit calmer about the whole thing (read here: have rewritten those words and moved forward in the WiP), I can happily report that this was not operator error (for the third time). Unhappily, then, the common denominator is a crappy PC, and one with a monitor that's been on the fritz for awhile now.

Me to HP support guy: My screen flickers and goes entirely black while I'm working.
HP support guy: That's a serious problem.
Me: Ya think?

Yeah, he thinks. He also thinks it'll cost about the same to fix it as it will to buy an entire new PC.
My response to all this?

Hello, Mac.

Actually, I was extremely proud of myself for not immediately throwing my PC through the window and dumping an iBook on my iCard to be paid at some future date from via an iCheck from my iPublisher. (See, Mom! Impulse control!)

Mind, I'm a bit wary about switching operating systems in the midst of scrambling to meet two deadlines in four months, but I'm more wary about losing time and work on lemon computers. But all the Mac users I know say it's a fairly intuitive switch, though they are, admitedly, serious iCult members. (But smart cult members. Cult members I respect. I might make a good cult member, too. {shrug})

And, not incidentally, there is this. Oh, Teh Shiny!

Rachel Vincent is married to her Word comments feature, but as I had to be dragged to Word kicking and screaming (from WordPerfect, which I remember with the fondness reserved for my first crush) I've always dumped my notes into a working journal. (Which is something I really need to talk a bit about in another post entirely as it's one of my most effective working tools - so don't let me forget!) But it looks like Scrivener will allow me to comment and journal, among other things, and do it all without the annoying clutter of the Word OS. Again, there's a bit of a learning curve up front, but I figure I can mess with it after I've made my word count and answered my reader mail for the day.

Anyway, those are my behind-the-scene issues for now, none too interesting, but honestly? When meeting a deadline, Not Interesting is highly underrated. I like to save the chaos for the page.

A slight change of plans

2008-02-26T09:26:00.000-08:00

Today was supposed to be the day of my "I-heart-Kim-Harrison" post, in which I talk about the woman herself, today's release of her new book, THE OUTLAW DEMON WAILS, and how fabulous it is, and essentially tell you all to go see her on her tour, also starting today.

And then I lost my morning's work.
As in, my computer ate it and spit it out in Sanskrit as I was saving it.
For the third time.
Needless to say, my mood plummeted from my fangirl high to this (you must click on the icon to experience the full breadth of my despair):

So I went to Sbux, got soothing chai and a sympathy slice of coffee cake which I will worry about running off later, and came home to pout, and of course, work. Leave it to my good friend Pam to make it all better with this. Note: there's a small time investment required here, and language, but all her caveats are in place on the post, and all I can add is: Pameladidah, thanks for the therapy.

THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT galleys!

2008-02-21T17:27:00.000-08:00

Who needs Santa when you have the UPS guy?*

I smell another contest brewing in the near future.

Off for some snow play in the mountains now, so I wish you all a great weekend!

*I can't show the artwork until I'm sure sales has seen it. It's only polite, you know.

More inspiration

2008-02-20T11:28:00.000-08:00

This mines a totally different vein than the previous post, but as I'm a mother, I certainly find inspiration in my child, and the universal joys of motherhood. Such as the following:

And especially this:

One year later...

2008-02-18T15:51:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me today as I was gardening that I've been a published author for almost one year now. In celebration (of the year, not of me actually remembering this {G}) I'm going to do some inspiration blogs. See, I don't believe in a "muse" per se, but I find inspiration in the strangest (and sometimes most obvious) of places. I'm like a neurotic magpie that way, hoarding shiny bits of information and getting excited about life's happy surprises.

Some of these are things that I'm not sure anyone else would get turned on about. The NY Times' science section, for example, is something I find unbelievably sexy. (It's all right. You can call me a geek. I don't mind.) Other things, like the Neon Boneyard here in Las Vegas -- which I'm hoping to return to sometime in the next couple of weeks -- have clearly resonated with readers as well. So I'm going to share some images and kernels of inspiration for the world of the Zodiac, and if there's anything you've been wondering about in either of the books, please let me know and I'll riff on that as well.

For now, I thought I'd share something that's playing a heavy role in the creation of book4 (though not in an obvious way). Here's a video of American tribal bellydancer Rachel Brice ... one of my current obsessions. She's a goddess, and a cool chick to boot. Dance is her passion, her religion, her meditation, and the way she expresses herself in this world. Rather like me with my writing. Gotta love that.

Here's her talking a bit about her dance, and her approach to it:

Tribal Style Belly Dance is so incredible on so many levels, the most important I think being community and self-acceptance. The movements themselves are based on body language that communicates strength and poise, and I think that's an amazing partner to femininity. I remember one man telling me after a show that he'd never seen sensuality paired with elegance before, and it transformed the way he saw women. Pretty cool.

One difficulty for me is that it is such a commercial venture, and we have to "sell" our show. I don't have control over a lot of the advertising, and I'm very particular about how the dance is portrayed. Some of the write-ups of our show are very "male": they focus on the skin and sensuality and miss the power, and that's difficult to take sometimes.

I think, however, my main struggle is that of growing as a dancer when there's no time to create. We're always performing, so that leaves very little time to go watch other dance forms, find new music, sneak into the underground for costuming ideas, practice yoga with new teachers, or make new dances ... newness is one of the things I require to feel passionate about my dancing,

IOW, she's a kindred spirit.

Here's a video that shows her style and playfulness and power, though it can't relate her incredible skill in entirety. For that, I suggest you google Rachel Brice.

More soon!
(BTW, cover flats are winging the way to all the winners. Thank you all again for answering!)

The cover flat winner is...

2008-02-11T18:29:00.001-08:00

Er ...
Everyone who answered the post. {BG}

Well geez, ya'll! I couldn't choose, okay? And I called up Madame Editor at Harper and - with a whine in my voice - said, "Could you choose from between these?" And she took one look and called up marketing and said, "Well, could you choose from between these?"

So, you know...
You're all winners.

Which was kinda the point of the post (not that I endorse beating someone over the head with The Theme or anything {ahem}).

So if you posted and you'd like a signed cover flat, send me your email at vickiATvickipetterssonDOTcom. (Using @ and .)

And I thank each of you for opening up to me like that. I love getting glimpses into other people's lives, and especially at the people and things that make those lives so worth living.

Vicki

Cover Flat contest winner...

2008-02-09T04:42:00.000-08:00

Actually, it's winners.

Unfortunately I need to hold off on posting who those winners are until next week, but I promise it will be worth the wait. Your patience is appreciated. {G}

Thanks, too, for all the support and good wishes re. my writing. It must be working because I'm scribbling away...and not taking one solid word for granted. So thank you.

And on the writing front...

So I'm tooling along in Zodiac-land, and I'm awed at the amount of material I have; and at the thoughts and hopes and 'maybes' I'm entertaining and interested in exploring throughout these remaining novels. I employ what I call the "kitchen-sink method" of writing: meaning save nothing, throw everything in there, especially your best ideas, because not only may you not get a chance to utilize them otherwise, but using them and yourself all the way up means there's room for more wonderful ideas to replace them. Ones that build on what came before. This is the same principle (phenomenon?) at work behind the 'writing begets writing' maxim. The more you do it, the more you can do.

Interesting, no?

Anyway, I think so...but I'd forgotten how sometimes a book is so chocked with ideas that not only do some of them get pushed to the last of the 400-500 pages, some get thrown into the next book. I'm seeing this happen now with book4 of the Zodiac series, and since I'm keeping a loose grip on my pen in this first draft, and observing what's going on mostly from my peripheral vision (The idea being to snea up on it so it doesn't spook and run) I can observe it dispassionately. If I need these ideas later, they'll be there. If not, I have faith that something better will come along to replace them. What's still mind-boggling, however, is that some of these shunted bits are things I'd thought would end up in the third book. Now it looks like book5 will be the earliest, though I'm certainly not going to hold my breath.

And the world just keeps on building...it's so awesome!

Talk soon,
Vicki

Cover Flat contest

2008-02-06T17:15:00.000-08:00

So I'm late with this contest.
Don't sue me.

Let me tell you a couple of lies, and then I'll tell you the truth.

We did finally hit the west coast for family fun.
I did drink the cocktail outlined in the previous post. And kept drinking.
Family drama, drama, drama.

Ay-und...

Total crisis of confidence in myself and my writing.

Okay, so none of those are lies. But the last was, and is, a very hard truth.

I suspect I'm not the only writer to suffer thusly (though you wouldn't know it from most of the blogs I read), but it's an exceedingly hard thing to talk about. As a pubbed author, you don't really want to risk others losing confidence in you just because you temporarily (or you hope it's temporary) lose confidence in yourself. You'd love to project an image of the unflappable professional, who doesn't just hit her word count goal, but bitch slaps it into the next year. Someone who has happily put the confidence issues behind her, along with those pesky queries letters and the whole happy submission process. You certainly don't want to give emotional fodder to any of the people who don't like you, your picture, your haircut, your writing, or your mother. So you stay silent and suffer in silence.

This. Is. Not. Helpful.

For any pre-pubbed authors out there, I hate to be the one to say it, but this shit doesn't get any easier. Hopefully, though, you learn the lessons you need to in order to navigate all that difficulty. (In my case, relearn it.* Duh.) And hopefully you have trustworthy friends you can confide in. (I do, but I was too embarrassed to tag half of them. {great rolling of eyes})

Anyway, this isn't a pity post. The whole Ordeal is still rather raw, and I doubt I'll be able to talk about it in any great detail until I'm well through with this draft, but you can bet I'm using my working journal to detail in great length what is happening, what I've done, and what I could do better. This is just an FYI as to the cause for the latest bout of radio silence. (The next bout will come because I'm up and running again, mind and fingers moving across the keyboard at full throttle, so I hope you'll excuse that as well.**)

Anyway, I'm back, though understandably feeling pensive, so if you're interested in winning a signed cover flat - another awesome depiction of Jo and the Zodiac world by Christian McGrath - then you're going to have to share with me as well. On the 'About the Books' section of my website, I explained what drew me to writing this series. One of the questions I wanted answered upon its conception was "What makes a person truly super human?" Of course my answer is camped up and dramatized and drawn out through my series, but the gist of it is this: Living up to your potential.

So what about you? Think of the people in your life, and this world, who make it such an extraordinary place (for the rest of us mere mortals {G}), and tell me who they are, and why you admire them. Oh, and I'm all for nominating yourself. I think too many people shortchange their own accomplishments while lauding others', but working hard, going after what you want, and persevering is worth applauding. Personally, I'm rather proud of coming out of the other side of some debilitating thought processes to be able to keep doing what I love. Thinking too much: my own personal Kryptonite. {wry grin}

Okay, of those who answer, the winner will be drawn and announced Saturday.

Le best to you,
Vic

*One thing I had to relearn, or at least remember: Every book was this hard. It just seems easy now that I never have to write them again.
Another biggie: I don't friggin' outline. Dammit.
Ay-und: Writing begets writing. The more you write, the more you write.
Can't forget: I have damned good friends.
Oh: And I love this shit.
(There are more, but my brain is still smoking.)

**This is one reason I hesitated to start a blog at all. I know people expect regular posts, but there are very few things I can promise to do with any sort of regularity. Even my hair-brushing is spotty at best. (Shoot, that reminds me... {g})

Some Q&A

2008-01-28T20:48:00.000-08:00

Do I need an agent?
And

I've heard of a publisher that print one copy at the time on the order of a customer, though its name eludes me at the time. What's your opinion on the matter?

Good questions, both, and I hope I don’t sound snarky when I say my opinion should be pretty self-evident. I have an agent. I have a traditional New York publisher who pays me for the right to print and sell and profit off my words. As much as this still thrills (and floors) me, I know that paying someone to do that for me is not only bad business sense, but yanno, morally wrong. (You want me to create the work and then pay you to publish it? Um…would you like my first born, too?) My agent made sure this never happened. I would have never gained said publisher – or sold my books in the UK and Russia and Germany – if not for her. There are many reasons for this, but the best is this: the likelihood of my ms ever reaching my editor’s illustrious, messy desk without an agent was not something a Vegas bookie would ever take bets on. Another reason: any publisher printing one copy of a book at a time doesn’t really have the time, inclination, or resources to pimp my pages all over the globe. And that’s what I wanted: someone to love it, to buy it, and to get other people with cool accents to love it and buy it, too. That way I might just get a chance to make a long-term career of this scribbling thing.*

Of course, there’s neither any immediate gratification, nor any guarantees when you do it this way. But good books find homes. (Er…some bad books do, too.) So what if it takes time? While you’re waiting you can write more books. The writing is the only thing you can control anyway.

So I guess my answer is to look inward to what you want. If that’s a POD (print on demand) press that prints one copy at a time, then don’t let anyone sway you from that.** (And talk to some POD authors to get accounts of their experiences and opinions as well.) It’s really that simple.

Oh, and I can’t forget what, in my mind, is the most important thing: finish a book. The questions of agent/publisher/world rights/royalties and so on are all moot if you don’t do that. Until then (and even after that), this should be your only concern.

Hope that helps!

*Actually I’d come to the decision that I was going to write for the rest of my life whether anyone bought my work or not, if only because that’s how I process the world around me, how I make sense of my own thoughts, and how I stay sane.

**My only caveat here would be this: take into account the foibles of human nature. Upon reaching any given goal, no matter how fulfilling or happy that might make a person at the time, it is inevitable that one will set the bar higher, and naturally strive for more. Mere contentment is not what moves this world.

Happy Hour in Saturn's Orchard

2008-01-25T14:37:00.000-08:00

So I’m headed to Cali for some weekend fun, but before I go I wanted to spread some good cheer via my first posted cocktail recipe.* My girly, Lyndsay, sent me this one, and I thought it would be fun since it was created here in Vegas … and I actually have all these ingredients. {G} If (you’re of age and) you happen to try it, let me know what you think! Oh, and as Lyndsay points out: Look at all the ingredients with antioxidents in them! Your body will thank me!

Rosy Pom

The Rosy Pom was created for the Erotic Café inside the ZUMANITY Theatre at New York-New York in Las Vegas. Zumanity is a provocative cabaret-style production with a Cirque du Soleil twist. This playful cocktail, made with SEX Vodka and rose nectar, is the perfect drink to get you in the mood for a sexy show.

1.5oz Sex Vodka.
5oz Sence Rose Nectar.
5oz Cointreau
1oz Cranberry Juice
Splash of POM pomegranate juice

Combine ingredients with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a rose pedal.

(Note from Vic: personally I’m skipping the rose pedals, since I think they meant to say PETALS, and I don’t endore drinking and driving. And not to be a grouch or anything – especially in light of such a great recipe – but I don’t care how sexy your show is… don’t evah tell me what kind of vodka to drink. Kay, thanks.)

*Cover flats to be given away next week. Priorities, yanno! {G}

For Writers...

2008-01-22T20:37:00.000-08:00

Listen up!

I admire, respect, and adore my editor. She makes my work better - keeps me from looking like an @ss, truth be told* - and there is no one whose opinion I value more than hers when it comes to writing.

So if you want to know what an editor is looking for - if you want to know what a Senior Editor at a big house is looking for - she's giving a virtual lesson over on Eos' blog. Here is the entry detailing what hooks an editor (and reader, because that's what she is: a really good reader) and here's her talking about what hooked her about Mario Acevedo's first book, THE NYMPHOS OF ROCKY FLATS (which you should probably buy just because of the ballsy title, but I digress). She'll be continuing her series through {mumble, mumble} so catch it while you can.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Vicki

*In as much as is possible.

The Latest News

2008-01-20T05:48:00.000-08:00

Well, clearly the big news around here are my new digs.

Do ya likey?

I have to praise Dawn from Austin Design Works for taking the tangled ball of yarn I handed her, in the form of a massive amount of new (and used) content, and running with it. She overhauled my site and created this new look within five days of my hiring her.

My closest friends/readers/stalkers will note that there is no long-promised forum up as of yet. ("And for my next trick..." ) but I'm going to be posting here regularly and am always free to answer questions. I promise to work on getting something else going before THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT release in June.

For now, I'm going to give people a chance to find me here, and at my site (www.vickipettersson.com) and to celebrate my new decor I'll be giving away a signed cover flat of the June release. Mind, sales hasn't even seen this yet, so you'll be the first in the know. Details on that coming this week!