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# Claudia Gray, New York Times Bestselling Author

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.claudiagray.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Read An Excerpt of The Haunted Mansion: Storm and Shade](https://www.claudiagray.com/read-an-excerpt-of-the-haunted-mansion-storm-and-shade/) - Read an excerpt of Claudia Gray’s Young Adult novel inspired by everyone’s favorite attraction. Reader beware: there’s no turning back now!
- [A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION WITH THE CREATORS OF STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC](https://www.claudiagray.com/a-roundtable-discussion-with-the-creators-of-star-wars-the-high-republic/) - The authors of Star Wars: The High Republic sat down with Dan Brooks at Skywalker Ranch last March to discuss the top secret Project Luminous. Today you can read this round table interview as he reveals all the behind-the-scenes details! Read the full interview here.
- [Claudia Gray Talks Sequel Trilogy, Possible Sequel to ‘Lost Stars,’ and More!](https://www.claudiagray.com/claudia-gray-talks-sequel-trilogy-possible-sequel-to-lost-stars-and-more/) - Claudia sits down with Christian Corah of Far Far Away News. Read the full story here.
- [Watch Polygon’s new look at the characters and lore behind Star Wars: The High Republic](https://www.claudiagray.com/watch-polygons-new-look-at-the-characters-and-lore-behind-star-wars-the-high-republic/) - The story architects of Star Wars: The High Republic introduce the heroes of a brand new saga, set centuries before the Skywalker saga, and reveal details of the central event that forever changes the galaxy far, far, away with Polygon’s comics editor, Susana Polo. Read the full story here.
- [Interview with Genuine Chit-Chat](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-genuine-chit-chat/) - Claudia recently had a chance to speak with Mike from Genuine Chit-Chat, you can listen to the full interview here!
- [Exclusive: Read an Excerpt From Claudia's New ‘Star Wars: The High Republic’ Novel](https://www.claudiagray.com/exclusive-read-an-excerpt-from-claudias-new-star-wars-the-high-republic-novel/) - Collider has an exclusive excerpt from one of the new "Star Wars: The High Republic" novels, Into the Dark, written by Claudia Gray. The young adult novel follows a Padawan who is forced to take a position on the new space station Starlight Beacon, a symbol of hope and positivity throughout the farthest reaches of the
- [Comic Corner: House of El Shadow Threat is a must read!](https://www.claudiagray.com/comic-corner-house-of-el-shadow-threat-is-a-must-read/) - Claudia recently talked with Aurora Dominguez about all things House of El. Read the full interview here!
- [Building a House of El with Claudia Gray and Eric Zawadzki](https://www.claudiagray.com/building-a-house-of-el-with-claudia-gray-and-eric-zawadzki/) - Claudia and Eric spoke with Justin Partridge of Newsrama about House of El, discussing the process by which the series came about, the design elements of the book, and how the work of creating this Elseworlds-esque new Krypton actually went down. Read the full interview here!
- [Meet Claudia Gray, Author Of ‘Star Wars: The High Republic: Into The Dark’](https://www.claudiagray.com/meet-claudia-gray-author-of-star-wars-the-high-republic-into-the-dark/) - Claudia talks with Megan duBois of Forbes on Into the Dark and what it was like working on this project over the last few years. You can read the full interview here.
- [Claudia Gray on The Living Force](https://www.claudiagray.com/claudia-gray-on-the-living-force/) - Eric Eilersen of Youtini and The Living Force interviews Claudia to go over her past Star Wars literature, chat about the High Republic, and nerd out over her latest Star Wars novel, Into the Dark. Click here for the full interview
- [Sarlacc Digest Podcast Presents: A Special Interview With Star Wars Author CLAUDIA GRAY!](https://www.claudiagray.com/sarlacc-digest-podcast-presents-a-special-interview-with-star-wars-author-claudia-gray/) - Kris and Scott of Sarlacc Digest sat down with Claudia this past week, click here to listen in!
- [Happy first anniversary of Star Wars: The High Republic](https://www.claudiagray.com/happy-first-anniversary-of-star-wars-the-high-republic/) - In this special episode of Star Wars: The High Republic Show, Krystina celebrates the one-year anniversary of The High Republic with special guests, all five original High Republic authors, and the announcement of the Bring Home the Bounty: Galactic Starcruiser Sweepstakes winner. Plus, we get the exciting details of the upcoming Phase II of The
- [Talking About The Fallen Star with Tatooine Times](https://www.claudiagray.com/talking-about-the-fallen-star-with-tatooine-times/) - Claudia was recently interviewed by Fabio Fiori of Tatooine Times on all things The Fallen Star. Read the full article here.
- [Writing Star Wars: A Conversation with Claudia Gray](https://www.claudiagray.com/writing-star-wars-a-conversation-with-claudia-gray/) - Claudia spoke with Caroline Stickel and Rachel Frei from Leading Edge Magazine to talk about her journey to becoming a New York Times bestselling author, her hit novel Star Wars: Bloodline, and her new releases. You can read the full article here.
- [Publishers Weekly Talks with Claudia](https://www.claudiagray.com/publishers-weekly-talks-with-claudia/) - Jane Austen meets Agatha Christie in The Murder of Mr. Wickham. Claudia was recently interviewed by Publishers Weekly about her first adult mystery novel. Read the full interview here.
- [Claudia Talks Wickham on Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb](https://www.claudiagray.com/claudia-talks-wickham-on-book-qas-with-deborah-kalb/) - Want to know what inspired Claudia to write The Murder of Mr. Wickham? Click here to find out!
- [The Reading Life: Claudia Gray](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-reading-life-claudia-gray/) - Susan Larson talks with best selling author Claudia Gray about her new book The Murder of Mr. Wickham. Click here to read the full article
- [WICKHAM is one of the Wall Street Journal’s Best Mysteries of the year](https://www.claudiagray.com/wickham-is-one-of-the-wall-street-journals-best-mysteries-of-the-year/) - The 19th-Century English world and characters of Jane Austen's novels spring to vibrant life in Claudia Gray's "The Murder of Mr. Wickham", a wonderfully done pastiche and sequel to "Pride and Prejudice". Read the full article here!
- [Star Wars: For Light and Life excerpt reveals the day after the fall of Starlight Beacon](https://www.claudiagray.com/star-wars-for-light-and-life-excerpt-reveals-the-day-after-the-fall-of-starlight-beacon/) - EW has the exclusive cover reveal and the first excerpt of the new High Republic YA-anthology featuring tales by all your favorite Star Wars authors. Read the full article and excerpt here!
- [Upcoming 2025 Appearances](https://www.claudiagray.com/1671-2/) - Claudia has moved overseas, but she’ll be back in North America for a handful of events this spring! She’ll appear at FanExpo Vancouver (BC) February 21-23; CollectiveCon in Jacksonville, Florida March 14-16; at the Milbury, MA public library on March 18; and finally at FanExpo Cleveland March 21-23. Hopefully some European dates will be named
- [LUCASFILM TO LAUNCH STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC PUBLISHING CAMPAIGN IN 2020](https://www.claudiagray.com/lucasfilm-to-launch-star-wars-the-high-republic-publishing-campaign-in-2020/) - Later this year, Lucasfilm will launch an epic new era of Star Wars storytelling that will be explored through multiple voices in adult and young adult novels, children’s books, and comics from a variety of publishers including Disney Lucasfilm Press, Del Rey, IDW Publishing, and Marvel. Star Wars: The High Republic, which has previously been
- [Interview with Star Wars.com](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-star-wars-com/) - To celebrate the arrival of Star Wars: Master & Apprentice, the new novel out now, Claudia recently sat down with StarWars.com to give them a glimpse at what this novel has in store for readers, from the Padawan problems of their early relationship to a deeper look at the treasured lore at the heart of
- [Interview with SciFiction](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-scifiction/) - SciFiction's Owen C. Cotter interview caught up with Claudia at Star Wars Celebration 2019 to talk Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Lost Stars, and Master and Apprentice. Click here to watch!
- [Interview with What The Force](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-what-the-force/) - Claudia joined host Marie-Claire Gould for a talk about Star Wars themes in her books, Star Wars in General, as well as the Force and a little about Master and Apprentice. Click here to heck it out!
- [Read an excerpt from Defy the Stars on Entertainment Weekly](https://www.claudiagray.com/read-an-excerpt-from-defy-the-stars-on-entertainment-weekly/) - "In Defy the Stars, a new YA novel from Star Wars: Lost Stars and Star Wars: Bloodline author Claudia Gray, a young soldier named Noemi is enmeshed in an intergalactic war — while also fighting a more philosophical battle closer to home. You see, there’s a robot, Abel, who’s programmed to obey her, but if
- [Let's talk about THE FORCE AWAKENS!](https://www.claudiagray.com/lets-talk-about-the-force-awakens/) - YA author Claudia Gray reviews Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with minor spoilers.
- [Big Star Wars news ... the Force is with us!](https://www.claudiagray.com/big-star-wars-news-the-force-is-with-us/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces her Star Wars novel, LOST STARS, coming to bookstores September 4, 2015.
- [SORCERESS! Girls Gone Sci-Fi! And so much more news -- ](https://www.claudiagray.com/sorceress-girls-gone-sci-fi-and-so-much-more-news/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces the publication of SORCERESS and upcoming stops on the Girls Gone SciFi tour in late March 2015.
- [Get ready for the cover of TEN THOUSAND SKIES ABOVE YOU!](https://www.claudiagray.com/get-ready-for-the-cover-of-ten-thousand-skies-above-you/) - YA author Claudia Gray shows off the cover for the sequel to A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU, the second book in the Firebird trilogy.
- [Want an ARC of SORCERESS? To hear about big news coming this week? Read on ...](https://www.claudiagray.com/want-an-arc-of-sorceress-to-hear-about-big-news-coming-this-week-read-on/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces winners of a contest, calls for bloggers and booktubers who want an ARC of her upcoming release SORCERESS, and teases the impending cover reveal of the second book of the Firebird trilogy.
- [Want to win an ARC from four of the top upcoming YA releases? Read on. ](https://www.claudiagray.com/want-to-win-an-arc-from-four-of-the-top-upcoming-ya-releases-read-on/) - YA author Claudia Gray offers a chance for readers to win RED QUEEN by Victoria Aveyard, NO PARKING AT THE END TIMES by Bryan Bliss, PLAYLIST FOR THE DEAD by Michelle Falkoff, or THE PREY by Tom Isbell.
- [Want to learn what happened just after A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU?](https://www.claudiagray.com/want-to-learn-what-happened-just-after-a-thousand-pieces-of-you/) - YA author Claudia Gray links to a post-book ficlet for her YA scifi novel A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU.
- [Last-minute holiday shopping means last-minute chance to win WINTERSPELL!](https://www.claudiagray.com/last-minute-holiday-shopping-means-last-minute-chance-to-win-winterspell/) - So, if you're like me, you began this holiday shopping season with good intentions. You knew who you'd buy for, what you'd get them, and even picked up the first few things ... and now OMG WTF it's ten days to Christmas??!?!?!?? ALSO if you're like me, you have not been able to wait to
- [Read A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU? Got questions? Ask away!](https://www.claudiagray.com/read-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-got-questions-ask-away/) - YA author Claudia Gray answers reader questions about her book A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU.
- [ATPOY Release Day thanks and gratitude (and blog tour info!)](https://www.claudiagray.com/atpoy-release-day-thanks-and-gratitude-and-blog-tour-info/) - A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU finally went on sale today! I'm out here on the Compelling Reads tour (coming to Greenville, SC tomorrow), trying to write and travel, and so I've been completely unable to keep up with all the wonderful support and good energy you guys have been sending my way. But here's my
- [One week, one day until A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU debuts!](https://www.claudiagray.com/one-week-one-day-until-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-debuts/) - YA author Claudia Gray links to various blog tours and chapter reveals for A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU.
- [Want exclusive swag for A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU? Check out the pre-order promotion!](https://www.claudiagray.com/want-exclusive-swag-for-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-check-out-the-pre-order-promotion/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces the pre-order promotion for A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU, through which readers can receive posters, signed bookplates, buttons and more, if they pre-order via participating independent bookstores.
- [The Fall 2014 YA Scavenger Hunt HAS BEGUN!!](https://www.claudiagray.com/test1/) - YA author Claudia Gray takes part in the fall 2014 edition of the YA Scavenger Hunt, with tons of exclusive content and prizes from dozens of YA writers!
- [Two months until A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU! And where I'm touring to launch the book - ](https://www.claudiagray.com/two-months-until-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-and-where-im-touring-to-launch-the-book/) - Preliminary information about appearances/signings by YA author Claudia Gray to promote the release of A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU.
- [Why I wrote A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU (the absolute true story)](https://www.claudiagray.com/why-i-wrote-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-the-absolute-true-story/) - YA author Claudia Gray describes how she came to write her upcoming science fiction novel A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU.
- [Check out the Pinterest board for A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU, and win the YA book of your choice!](https://www.claudiagray.com/check-out-the-pinterest-board-for-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-and-win-the-ya-book-of-your-choice/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces the Pinterest board for her Nov. 4 YA science fiction book A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU - plus a contest.
- [Who'd like to get a sneak peek at the cover for SORCERESS? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/whod-like-to-get-a-sneak-peek-at-the-cover-for-sorceress/) - YA novelist Claudia Gray unveils the cover of the third book in the Spellcaster trilogy, SORCERESS.
- [News Flash: It's OK to read just for fun!](https://www.claudiagray.com/news-flash-its-ok-to-read-just-for-fun/) - YA author Claudia Gray talks about the weird tendency of book critics to assume reading shouldn't be too entertaining.
- [So this is Wattpad, hmm? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/so-this-is-wattpad-hmm/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces a contest to win YA books simply by following her on Wattpad.
- [Cover reveal for A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU. Behold the glory! Also, a contest -- ](https://www.claudiagray.com/cover-reveal-for-a-thousand-pieces-of-you-behold-the-glory-also-a-contest/) - YA author Claudia Gray reveals the cover for her November release, A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU, the first in her science fiction Firebird trilogy. A contest accompanies the reveal.
- [New anthology at IndieGoGo (ALTERED PERSPECIVES) - and interview with Robison Wells!](https://www.claudiagray.com/new-anthology-at-indiegogo-altered-perspecives-and-interview-with-robison-wells/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces the ALTERED PERCEPTIONS anthology to benefit writer Robison Wells. The anthology features "lost" scenes from leading YA and horror authors.
- [Congrats to the winners of the YA Scavenger Hunt extra giveaway!](https://www.claudiagray.com/congrats-to-the-winners-of-the-ya-scavenger-hunt-extra-giveaway/) - winners are announced for YA author Claudia Gray's extra giveaway tied in to the latest YA Scavenger Hunt.
- [The YA Scavenger Hunt IS ON!](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-ya-scavenger-hunt-is-on/) - Welcome, all of you taking part in the spring 2014 YA Scavenger Hunt! Read on ... Welcome to this year's YA Scavenger Hunt! This tri-annual event was first organized by author Colleen Houck as a way to give readers a chance to gain access to exclusive bonus material from their favorite authors...not to mention
- ["Going to Kansas City, gonna bring my baby back home, oh yeah - "](https://www.claudiagray.com/going-to-kansas-city-gonna-bring-my-baby-back-home-oh-yeah/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces her appearance at the North Independence Branch of the Woodneath Library Center in the Kansas City, MO, area on March 25.
- [The STEADFAST launch contest winners!](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-steadfast-launch-contest-winners/) - The grand-prize winner of the STEADFAST launch contest is ... drum roll please ... ... Eliza K! Congrats to Eliza, who will get a $50 gift certificate to the bookstore of her choice, plus a STEADFAST bookmark in the mail. The second prizes, the exclusive STEADFAST mugs, go to Rachel H., Wendy W.,
- [STEADFAST's launch! Let me explain. No, it will take too long. Let me sum up. ](https://www.claudiagray.com/steadfasts-launch-let-me-explain-no-it-will-take-too-long-let-me-sum-up/) - YA author Claudia Gray goes over the blog tours, contests and appearances surrounding the launch of STEADFAST.
- [Behold the STEADFAST book preview and blog tour in all their glory!](https://www.claudiagray.com/behold-the-steadfast-book-preview-and-blog-tour-in-all-their-glory/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces the reveal of the first four chapters of STEADFAST on top book blogs.
- [Get ready for the STEADFAST blog tour! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/get-ready-for-the-steadfast-blog-tour/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces the blog tour for her March 4 YA paranormal release, STEADFAST.
- [New Anthology from Harlequin Teen: GRIM](https://www.claudiagray.com/new-anthology-from-harlequin-teen-grim/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces the new anthology of retold fairy tales, GRIM.
- [STEADFAST is coming! Want to win swag?](https://www.claudiagray.com/steadfast-is-coming-want-to-win-swag/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces a contest tied to the March 4 release of her novel STEADFAST.
- [Contest winners, upcoming events, and GET READY FOR STEADFAST](https://www.claudiagray.com/contest-winners-upcoming-events-and-get-ready-for-steadfast/) - YA author Claudia Gray reveals contest winners, talks about upcoming appearances in New Orleans, LA and Arlington, VA, and teases the upcoming countdown to her novel STEADFAST.
- [One more ARC giveaway before the countdown to STEADFAST begins!](https://www.claudiagray.com/one-more-arc-giveaway-before-the-countdown-to-steadfast-begins/) - YA author Claudia Gray offers chances to to win INSOMNIA by J.R. Johannson, PANIC by Lauren Oliver or SEKRET by Lindsay Smith.
- [Who wants to win more books? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/who-wants-to-win-more-books/) - A contest for YA books being held by author Claudia Gray. Prizes include UNINVITED by Sophie Jordan, BEFORE MY EYES by Caroline Bock and THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE by Leila Sales.
- [A contest is won, but another contest begins - ](https://www.claudiagray.com/a-contest-is-won-but-another-contest-begins/) - Contests by YA author Claudia Gray for the YA novels DEFY by Sara B. Larson, ALL OUR YESTERDAYS by Cristin Terrill, and NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE YOU by Kathleen Hale.
- [Sign up for the newsletter, WIN BOOKS by Laurie Halse Anderson, Natalie D. Richards and Colleen Gleason!](https://www.claudiagray.com/sign-up-for-the-newsletter-win-books-by-laurie-halse-anderson-natalie-d-richards-and-colleen-gleason/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces a new newsletter, for which readers can sign up by entering a contest for other young adult novels.
- [Now is the time when we talk about "American Hustle"](https://www.claudiagray.com/now-is-the-time-when-we-talk-about-american-hustle/) - YA author Claudia Gray talks about the movie "American Hustle"
- [Now is the time when we discuss "Frozen" ](https://www.claudiagray.com/now-is-the-time-when-we-discuss-frozen/) - YA Author Claudia Gray talks about the new Disney film "Frozen."
- [Bay Area readers - are you available this weekend? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/bay-area-readers-are-you-available-this-weekend/) - announcing an appearance for YA author Claudia Gray at the Belmont Library in Belmont, California on December 15, 2013.
- [I have joined a SEKRIT CLUB ... I mean, the YA Series Insiders!](https://www.claudiagray.com/i-have-joined-a-sekrit-club-i-mean-the-ya-series-insiders/) - Announcement of the YA Series Insiders Tumblr, and of big contests related to the launch
- [Let's talk Catching Fire!!](https://www.claudiagray.com/lets-talk-catching-fire/) - Review of the movie "Catching Fire" by YA author Claudia Gray.
- [Chamber of Secrets, Anyone? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/chamber-of-secrets-anyone-2/) - A rewatch of "Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets" with YA author Claudia Gray for Thursday, Nov. 21, starting at 8 pm CST!
- [Intense music you love? I want to hear it! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/intense-music-you-love-i-want-to-hear-it/) - Win books by telling YA author Claudia Gray your favorite music these days - it's that simple!
- [No such thing as too many witches - ](https://www.claudiagray.com/no-such-thing-as-too-many-witches/) - YA author Claudia Gray talks about the contest to win an ARC of STEADFAST by pre-ordering the novella "The First Midnight Spell," and an article ranking the Top 10 Most Bad-Ass Disney Witches.
- [Witches and Wizards, may I have your attention please? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/witches-and-wizards-may-i-have-your-attention-please/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces a contest, where pre-ordering the novella "The First Midnight Spell" enters you to win an ARC of STEADFAST. Also, there's a prize for tonight's rewatch of "Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone."
- [The Traveling Story, Season Two, Episode One!](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-traveling-story-season-two-episode-one-2/) - YA author Claudia Gray kicks off season two of the Traveling Story, with future installments to come from Ann Aguirre, Victoria Scott, Morgan Matson and Jessica Brody.
- [SPELLCASTER fancasting winner - plus events to come! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/spellcaster-fancasting-winner-plus-events-to-come/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces a contest winner and some public events in the next couple of months, including book festivals in Baton Rouge, LA and Frankfort, KY.
- [STARRY-EYED, THE FIRST MIDNIGHT SPELL, Scavenger Hunt prize winners, and more! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/starry-eyed-the-first-midnight-spell-scavenger-hunt-prize-winners-and-more/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces contest winners and highlights the anthology STARRY-EYED and the upcoming SPELLCASTER novella, THE FIRST MIDNIGHT SPELL>
- [YA Scavenger Hunt -- read on for exclusive content from ANN AGUIRRE! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/ya-scavenger-hunt-read-on-for-exclusive-content-from-ann-aguirre/) - Claudia Gray's blue-team post for the fall 2013 YA Scavenger Hunt, with content from Ann Aguirre!
- [Contest winner - and yet another chance to win. Fancasting contest, anyone?](https://www.claudiagray.com/contest-winner-and-yet-another-chance-to-win-fancasting-contest-anyone/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces a contest to win copies of BREATHE and RESIST by Sarah Crossan and THE BROKENHEARTED by Amelia Kahaney by fancasting the SPELLCASTER series!
- [THE LAST MIDNIGHT SPELL (a SPELLCASTER novella) - plus, contest! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-last-midnight-spell-a-spellcaster-novella-plus-contest/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces a novella for her SPELLCASTER series, THE FIRST MIDNIGHT SPELL, and a contest to win THE DREAM THIEVES by Maggie Stiefvater and THE CHAOS OF STARS by Kiersten White.
- [Our September movie is ... ::drum roll::](https://www.claudiagray.com/our-september-movie-is-drum-roll/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces a Twitter group rewatch of the movie "Mean Girls" for Sept. 26.
- [And now a message from the YA Scavenger Hunt team! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/and-now-a-message-from-the-ya-scavenger-hunt-team/) - Announcement of the authors taking part in the Fall 2013 YA Scavenger Hunt, including Claudia Gray.
- [The bad news: My book lost its title! The good news: My book has a new title!](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-bad-news-my-book-lost-its-title-the-good-news-my-book-has-a-new-title/) - YA author Claudia Gray describes the process for coming up with the new/final title for her scifi novel for fall 2014, A THOUSAND PIECES OF YOU.
- [Join us for "The Traveling Story"! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/join-us-for-the-traveling-story/) - YA author Claudia Gray announces the writers lined up for this year's edition of Jessica Brody's "Traveling Story" project.
- [The unkindest cut of all](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-unkindest-cut-of-all/) - YA author Claudia Gray on "killing your darlings" when editing a manuscript.
- [Cool Things Roundup](https://www.claudiagray.com/cool-things-roundup-2/) - a collection of links from YA author Claudia Gray.
- [And the title of the first book in the Firebird trilogy is .... ](https://www.claudiagray.com/and-the-title-of-the-first-book-in-the-firebird-trilogy-is/) - YA author Claudia Gray reveals the title of the first book in her upcoming Firebird trilogy, which starts publication in fall 2014.
- [Watch "Moulin Rouge" with me tonight and WIN BOOKS!](https://www.claudiagray.com/watch-moulin-rouge-with-me-tonight-and-win-books/) - Contest for Claudia Gray books during the August 8 rewatch of "Moulin Rouge" - find out how to win!
- [Thursday Night Movie = Moulin Rouge! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/thursday-night-movie-moulin-rouge/) - Plans to rewatch "Moulin Rouge" together on Twitter on Thursday, August 8, starting at 8:30 CST.
- [Next movie to livetweet? "Mean Girls," "Iron Man" or "Moulin Rouge"? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/next-movie-to-livetweet-mean-girls-iron-man-or-moulin-rouge/) - YA author Claudia Gray invites readers to choose which movie will be live tweeted next.
- [Reader questions about the STEADFAST cover - ](https://www.claudiagray.com/reader-questions-about-the-steadfast-cover/) - YA author Claudia Gray answers reader questions about the cover of her March 2014 book STEADFAST.
- [Robert Galbraith, or, why pseudonyms are awesome](https://www.claudiagray.com/robert-galbraith-or-why-pseudonyms-are-awesome/) - YA author Claudia Gray discusses the news that JK Rowling has a new book out, albeit under the name "Robert Galbraith," and the use of pseudonyms in general
- [Second Comic-Con Panel added - ](https://www.claudiagray.com/second-comic-con-panel-added/) - Announcement of a second panel appearance at San Diego Comic-Con for YA author Claudia Gray.
- [My Comic-Con Schedule!](https://www.claudiagray.com/my-comic-con-schedule/) - Panel and signing information for YA author Claudia Gray at San Diego Comic-Con 2013.
- [What happens after the first draft? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/what-happens-after-the-first-draft/) - YA author Claudia Gray discusses revisions on a book after the first draft.
- [Part Two of the Hunger Games rewatch! Plus, what other films would you like to watch along with?](https://www.claudiagray.com/part-two-of-the-hunger-games-rewatch-plus-what-other-films-would-you-like-to-watch-along-with/) - The second half of the Hunger Games rewatch/livetweet by YA author Claudia Gray, as well as questions about what other films should come next.
- [Behold the cover for STEADFAST! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/behold-the-cover-for-steadfast/) - Cover reveal for YA author Claudia Gray's book STEADFAST, book two in the Spellcaster trilogy
- [The Hunger Games Livetweet -- so far!](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-hunger-games-livetweet-so-far/) - First Half of a rewatch/livetweet of the film "The Hunger Games" by YA author Claudia Gray.
- [Next Rewatch/Livetweet -- HUNGER GAMES! Thursday, June 20 at 8pm CST](https://www.claudiagray.com/next-rewatchlivetweet-hunger-games-thursday-june-20-at-8pm-cst/) - Announcing a rewatch/livetweet of "The Hunger Games" with YA author Claudia Gray, taking place on Thursday, June 20 at 8 pm CST.
- [Maisie Dobbs, or, in Defense of a So-Called Mary Sue](https://www.claudiagray.com/maisie-dobbs-or-in-defense-of-a-so-called-mary-sue/) - Author Claudia Gray writes about her enjoyment of the Maisie Dobbs series, defends the title character against accusations of being a "Mary Sue," and questions the whole concept of the "Mary Sue" as a slur thrown at virtually any strong female character.
- [Comic-Con! Wordstock! News on upcoming appearances](https://www.claudiagray.com/comic-con-wordstock-news-on-upcoming-appearances/) - YA author Claudia Gray's 2013 appearances at San Diego Comic-Con and Wrodstock in Portland, OR
- [Reader Mailbag: the writer/editor relationship](https://www.claudiagray.com/reader-mailbag-the-writereditor-relationship/) - YA author Claudia Gray answers a reader question about polishing the drafts of sequels and second novels.
- [If Verlaine had a Pinterest board -- oh, wait, she does! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/if-verlaine-had-a-pinterest-board-oh-wait-she-does-2/) - a Pinterest board featuring vintage fashion, as if curated by SPELLCASTER character Verlaine Laughton
- [International Travel for Authors](https://www.claudiagray.com/international-travel-for-authors/) - How authors wind up making international visits or setting up international tours
- [Cool Things Roundup (Dracula, contest winners, your opinion on Russian names)](https://www.claudiagray.com/cool-things-roundup-dracula-contest-winners-your-opinion-on-russian-names/) - First of all, I must apologize for being behind in posting the contest winners; my trip to Argentina was jam-packed with excitement, adventure and very good coffee -- until I came down with some sort of Hell Virus, which is only now releasing its taloned claws. But I can now breathe (most of the time)
- [Next stop - Buenos Aires! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/next-stop-buenos-aires/) - signings, webchats and personal appearances by author Claudia Gray at the 2013 Feria Del Libro in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- [Contest: Josin McQuein's ARCLIGHT (and FATEFUL to boot!) ](https://www.claudiagray.com/contest-josin-mcqueins-arclight-and-fateful-to-boot/) - Win a copy of the new YA novel ARCLIGHT, along with a copy of FATEFUL, by tweeting links to this blog!
- [Serial novels](https://www.claudiagray.com/serial-novels/) - I'm asking as much as a reader as a writer, here: Have any of you guys dipped into the serial-novel format in your reading? As a cliffhanger addict, I admit, I'm very tempted ... but I would love to first hear recommendations for romantic YA or New Adult serials you guys have found. (I'm open
- [Cool Things Roundup](https://www.claudiagray.com/cool-things-roundup/) - Talk about Catching Fire movie trailer, upcoming Dracula TV series, the upcoming YA book ARCLIGHT.
- [Stop thinking about writer's block; start thinking about Michigan J. Frog.](https://www.claudiagray.com/stop-thinking-about-writers-block-start-thinking-about-michigan-j-frog/) - On REFUSING TO BELIEVE in writer's block!
- [Cover Talk with Barnes & Noble](https://www.claudiagray.com/cover-talk-with-barnes-noble/) - How the cover of SPELLCASTER was developed, from original concept to final version, with input from both author and publisher.
- [Cliffhanger?](https://www.claudiagray.com/cliffhanger/) - YA author Claudia Gray discusses whether or not the ending of her book SPELLCASTER can be considered a cliffhanger.
- [SPELLCASTER Character Sketch #3 -- Mateo](https://www.claudiagray.com/spellcaster-character-sketch-3-mateo/) - Description of Mateo Perez from SPELLCASTER by Claudia Gray, and information about tour dates for Dark Days authors in March 2013
- [SPELLCASTER Character Sketch #2 ](https://www.claudiagray.com/spellcaster-character-sketch-2/) - Last week I believed we were three weeks away from the SPELLCASTER launch. Wishful thinking, I guess, because the book will be out one week from today. One week! Yes, I can get done with my revisions and pack for tour in time, hahahahahaha oh please someone help me. AHEM. Maybe we should continue with
- [SPELLCASTER character sketch #1 - Verlaine](https://www.claudiagray.com/spellcaster-character-sketch-1-verlaine/) - Character sketch of Verlaine Laughton from Claudia Gray's novel SPELLCASTER.
- [Writing Q&A - Lightning round](https://www.claudiagray.com/writing-qa-lightning-round/) - Answers to questions about writing, about characters, about favorite lines in books and favorite types of scenes to write.
- [Jane Austen's Advice for Writers](https://www.claudiagray.com/jane-austens-advice-for-writers/) - Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice, writing advice, advice to writers, 200th anniversary, publication, writing, criticism, literature, history
- [Creating characters, and a Mary Sue mini-rant (and contest winner!) ](https://www.claudiagray.com/creating-characters-and-a-mary-sue-mini-rant-and-contest-winner/) - On creating characters, who is and is not a "Mary Sue," and developing characters in the context of the story you want to tell.
- [better late than never: win Lauren Oliver's REQUIEM!](https://www.claudiagray.com/better-late-than-never-win-lauren-olivers-requiem/) - (This post was supposed to go up a few days ago. In some places, it did. But I'm still figuring out the shiny new website, so we have to try this again ...) I very much hope you've checked out my website's new look in the past couple of days. Not only do I
- [Sneak peek at Spellcaster!](https://www.claudiagray.com/get-a-sneak-peek-at-spellcaster/) - Check out a sneak peek at Spellcaster!
- [Dark Days 2013 Kicks Off In March!](https://www.claudiagray.com/dark-days-2013-kicks-off-in-march/) - Claudia will be appearing on this spring's Dark Days tour along with fellow Harper Teen authors Debra Driza (MILA 2.0), Lauren Oliver (REQUIEM), Dan Wells (FRAGMENTS) and Kiersten White (MIND GAMES). Check out the dates and cities to see if the tour is headed toward you! March 6: Provo, Utah at The King's English/Provo Library
- [New Trilogy! New Happiness! And where ideas come from —](https://www.claudiagray.com/new-trilogy-new-happiness-and-where-ideas-come-from/) - One of the most common questions you get asked as an author is, “Where do your ideas come from?” It’s slightly maddening for me, because — like a lot of writers — I don’t really know. You get a glimmer of inspiration here, have a weird dream, read an op-ed in the newspaper, see an
- [Fall 2012 Tour News](https://www.claudiagray.com/fall-2012-tour-news/) - Next up in touring: Ecuador! Claudia will be making appearances at the following dates and times: November 9: Appearance and book signing at LibriMundi Quicentro, Quito, 4-6 p.m. November 9-10: International Quito Book Fair! Claudia will appear at the inaugural event Nov. 9 from 7-9 p.m.; read from her work Nov. 10 at noon; and
- [Claudia did an interview in September for her Spanish-language fans](https://www.claudiagray.com/claudia-did-an-interview-in-september-for-her-spanish-language-fans-via-random-house-mondadori-in-barcelona/) - Claudia did an interview in September for her Spanish-language fans via Random House Mondadori in Barcelona! If you speak Spanish (or trust Google Translate a whole lot), you can read it here.
- [Questions and answers!](https://www.claudiagray.com/questions-and-answers/) - OK, fun fact: There are limits to the number of times you can tweet in a day, and you guys asked so many questions at today's chat that WE BROKE TWITTER. But I wanted to answer as many as I could, so I'm putting the rest of the questions I got (and their answers, obviously)
- [SPELLCASTER is about witches. SPELLCASTER is not about witches. ](https://www.claudiagray.com/spellcaster-is-about-witches-spellcaster-is-not-about-witches/) - One question I've already gotten a few times about SPELLCASTER goes like this: "How much research did you do? How much did you read up about Wicca? Did you speak to any real witches?" The answer is -- nearly none, nearly none, and no. Because SPELLCASTER is a fantasy novel about witches, and should not be taken in any sense to say anything about the reality of Wicca, its practitioners, or really any of the religions/habits/etc. that have been called witchcraft. Why? Well, first of all, witchcraft has always excited people's imaginations. This means that fiction gets woven into fact in so many retellings and legends that, unless you're fully immersed in that world, it's difficult to weed out what's real and what's not. I don't want to add to that confusion. Secondly, real life Wiccans and pagans are SICK AND TIRED of being hauled out to serve as villains-of-the-week on TV shows, etc. I know this because I have friends who practice; while most of them find the bad portrayals more hilarious than anything else, I've also seen how annoyed they get, and I don't blame them. (Yes, the heroine of SPELLCASTER, Nadia, is a witch -- but so is the villain. Her Craft can work either way.) Finally -- and, I'll admit, most importantly for me -- is the fact that using real witchcraft would have been too limiting for me as a writer. Making up my own magic system was fun, and it allowed me to bring in certain themes that I might not have been able to address as well any other way. I wanted that freedom, which meant making it absolutely clear that I was using only my own imagination. That said, there are a handful of real terms that I used. Probably the most significant one is the term Book of Shadows for a spellbook. (I used it for the following reason: That's just beautiful.) (Now that I think about it, that may be the only term I used, save for things like "the Craft," etc., which are a lot less specific.) So I added a bit of dialogue in the book where Nadia says she thinks her Craft and Wicca might once have been connected, but they haven't been for a very long time. Is that enough? I hope so. I'd never want to add to the misinformation out there. Hopefully it's clear that SPELLCASTER is pure fantasy. (Is that an odd disclaimer for a paranormal novel? Not sure -- I still get asked whether I believe in vampires!)(No, I don't believe in vampires.)
- [On outlining, and changing endings](https://www.claudiagray.com/on-outlining-and-changing-endings/) - One of the most frequently asked questions you get as a writer is: "Do you outline or write as you go?" I always outline, and I usually go on to explain that I don't consider the outlining process separate from writing; it's a process that I spend weeks or months on, working my story out in detail, battling the macro issues of plot and characterization before I settle in to work on the prose. Sometimes people ask whether something major has ever changed from my outline to the book, and the answer has generally been "no." Yes, outlines are -- as famed writing instructor Commodore Barbossa would say -- not so much rules and guidelines, so there have been subplots that came or went, minor characters who did things they weren't intended to do, so on and so forth. But no significant plot change ever happened. UNTIL.I'm currently on the very final stretch of working on STEADFAST, the second book in the SPELLCASTER trilogy. (The first one, SPELLCASTER itself, comes out next March; STEADFAST will come out in March 2014. How did I turn into someone who has solid plans for 2014? But I digress.) When I began work on this, I first thought I would create my usual outline -- but for some reason, I thought, I'm going to do this a little more fluidly. After all, I'm always telling people to experiment with different methods that might work for them; maybe it was time for me to take my own advice. So instead of creating a text-heavy outline, I instead sat down with a heap of notecards. Already I had in my head most of the storylines and moments that would go into STEADFAST; I just had no idea what the progression would be, or how things linked together. I made one notecard per scene, put them in a rough order, filled in some connective scenes and links, and got to work. To my surprise, it worked really well. However, as I kept writing, I began to feel more and more uneasy about getting to the ending. Too much was happening that needed to be explored, or followed up on. This book was running long. REALLY long. And then I began to freak out a bit, because it was becoming clear that I hadn't supported my proposed ending enough. And then, yesterday, I realized, That's because it's not the ending. I had indeed been writing toward a meaningful dramatic conclusion -- just not the one I originally envisioned. Now I was free to go for that new ending, one that thrills me no end. Does this mean I'm throwing out my outlines forever? Heck, no. The event that I originally saw as the end of STEADFAST will still occur in the third book (tentative title: SORCERESS); it's something I know the characters have to go through, a dilemma they absolutely must face. So my original planning ahead didn't lead me in a wrong direction so much as it showed me a place a little farther down the road than I needed to go. Also, to some extent, I could be freer writing a sequel because by now I know the characters of Nadia, Mateo and Verlaine well enough to trust their reactions; I'm still very glad I had a far more in-depth outline for SPELLCASTER, because that outlining process greatly helped me to know who they are and how they were going to be challenged. And, of course, even if I did have a thorough outline, I still could have deviated from it. But would I have seen the solution this clearly, this soon? My take-away lesson from this, then, isn't "To hell with outlines." It's "continue to explore who you are as a writer." I really feel that for most of us who try to write, figuring out who we are as writers -- what interests us, what we write well, what methods make us productive -- is more than half the battle. The next time I have the itch to try something new, I'm going to trust my instincts again, because I like where it led me this time. Do you experiment with your writing methods? What worked for you? What didn't?
- [SPELLCASTER Q&A (part two) ](https://www.claudiagray.com/spellcaster-qa-part-two/) - You caught part one of the Q&A about SPELLCASTER (coming March 2013), right? Now we're moving on to part two: From Daniela: Is there any kind of music or song that you associate with this book and characters?"Cosmic Love" by Florence + the Machine. "Lullabye for a Stormy Night" by Vienna Teng. "Pearl's Dream" by Bat for Lashes. "Strange Times" by the Black Keys. "Gabriel" by Lamb. Also -- and I cannot explain this, not in a zillion years -- the score to the movie "Tron: Legacy." (Random fact is random.) From lots of you: Who is your favorite character? Is there one you identify with?I identify with all of them, in different ways, but I always say my favorite character is the one who's easiest to write on any given day. But some characters are easier to write than others - and a character named Elizabeth probably fires me up, writing-wise, more than anyone else. You'll get to know more about her later.From Viki: Do you love these characters as much as the EVERNIGHT characters?Yeah, I do! In different ways. Asking a writer to pick her favorite characters - it's like asking a mom to pick which one of her kids she likes the most. They're all the BEST EVER until they suddenly balk in a scene or do something bizarre and then someone is cruising for a time out. From Christine: in the Evernight series we watched Bianca not only change forms, but really grow into herself. What is it about the new characters that will make us fall in love with them and their story as much as we did Bianca, Balthazar, and the others?Oooh, this answer could take a while. I'll try to be succinct: I think anybody who's had to deal with way too much, way too soon in life, and sometimes feels like the pressure is too much, will relate to Nadia. I think anybody who has felt judged, like they need to break free of what people think about them and just be who they are, will sympathize with Mateo. And I think anybody who's dealt with enduring loneliness will understand Verlaine.From Jane: Have you given any of your characters in Spellcaster any defining quirky habits or funny dialogue tics? (like OCD, stuttering, etc.)Verlaine loves vintage clothing. She pretty much only dresses in vintage clothing - except for shoes, because as she says, she can never find old shoes that fit her boat feet, plus they're usually heels, which would make her the tallest person in school instead of the third tallest. (And yes, she is counting the varsity basketball team.) So she's usually in some awesome vintage outfit -- and Converse. From Britney: If you could take one of your characters from SPELLCASTER on vacation with you, who would you take, where, and why?Oh, gosh. I think I'd have to take Nadia, just because I can't think of a single travel mishap that magic couldn't make better. And the girl needs a break!From Amy: Is this a stand-alone book?I'm happy to say that SPELLCASTER is actually the first book in a trilogy. (Right now I'm hard at work on the middle book, STEADFAST.) From Connie: What about this new trilogy has you most excited?So many things! But the first one that leaped to mind was the villain, who I'm having an absolute blast writing. Maybe I shouldn't admit that I'm having so much fun with eeeeevil. But I am. From Lea: Can you quote a random sentence from the book?Page 59 (of the ARC, anyway) -- "So, you don't look like a witch. Either the haglike, warty, green variety or the mystical pagan sexpot variety." From lots of you:What was the hardest scene to write, and why?Explaining a whole lot about this scene would be way too spoilery, but ... hmm. Let's say there is a Very Big Reveal about one of the characters that took a lot of logistical ironing out. It's after the lighthouse scene. So you'll know it when you see it. (The lighthouse scene itself was a blast.)From Kaitlyn: What was your absolute favorite moment in the production of SPELLCASTER?Weirdly, it was writing a scene with Mateo's grandmother. I knew she was a colorful character, but I had no idea how much fun she'd actually be. A latecomer question from Carolina: I have a question... Is there gonna be a any love triangle?No. Not even a little bit of a triangle. That said -- there are many romantic complications. There are other people our heroes might be attracted to. But an actual triangle? Not happening in this series. (Honestly, it would be out of character for someone as focused as Nadia; even if she liked two guys at once, she'd make a decision and never look back.) And a question that is not about SPELLCASTER but that I just love, from Stacey: Are you ever going to put in a story about your ancient maths teacher who knew maths but not names?For those of you who haven't heard me tell this story, my high school algebra teacher was very elderly and had been teaching for many, many decades in this same small town where I grew up. This meant that she had taught the parents/uncles/aunts of almost all my classmates, and in a couple cases she had taught grandparents. Now, this woman was a wonderful math teacher; she made algebra interesting, which as you know is no mean feat. But she no longer bothered to remember names of students. There had just been too many of us. So she would call on people who hadn't been in her classroom in thirty or forty years - but if you were related to one of them, you knew that meant you. I was most often called on as my Uncle Jim. The answer is no - she hasn't made it into one of my books yet. But maybe she should!Thanks so much to everyone who sent questions! Hopefully we'll have some more contests soon, so stay tuned.
- [SPELLCASTER Q&A (part one), and winners!](https://www.claudiagray.com/spellcaster-qa-part-one-and-winners/) - First, drum roll please: The winners of the SPELLCASTER ARCs are Kaylynn C., Mandy A. and Carolyn R.! Congrats, guys! Your copies will go in the mail this week. (I always choose the winners at random now, but it is so tough to stick to the rules, because you guys write the greatest letters! It is always a thrill to hear what you guys are interested in, and I'm so grateful for every single one of you who entered.Now, to answer your questions about SPELLCASTER -- or, at least, half of them! You asked so much that it goes beyond just one blog post. I'll answer half tonight and show you the questions that will get answered tomorrow ... how's that?From lots of you: Who are the main characters in SPELLCASTER? Tell us more about them. The three main characters -- Nadia Caldani is a young witch, one who has been studying clandestinely with her mother, like most witches do; the Craft is a secret, one closely guarded from the outside world, and most particularly from men. But earlier in the year, her mother left the family, which not only has crushed Nadia emotionally and given her a whole new set of responsibilities, but also has deprived her of the only teacher in witchcraft she has. Nadia loves witchcraft and can't imagine her life without it, but she has no way to complete her training. Right now she has tons of potential and power, but not the knowledge that would allow her to use it well. She's resigned to never being the witch she might have been. But when she moves with her dad and little brother to the small town of Captive's Sound, she immediately becomes aware that there's a dark power there that goes beyond anything she's ever known - and she might not be the ideal person to stop it, but she also might be the only one even able to try.Mateo Perez is a lifelong resident of Captive's Sound, and yet he's always been an outsider. There have always been whispers about a curse on his family, one that drives them all insane and destroys them. He refuses to believe in it - even though his mother ended her own life in despair years ago. The curse supposedly begins when you begin to see the future, so it must be nothing but a tall tale, right? But then he begins having powerful dreams of approaching danger, even disaster, and one dark-haired girl who's often in the heart of it. When he sees Nadia's face for the first time and recognizes her as the one from his dreams, he knows he's doomed. Verlaine Laughton knows she's at the absolute bottom of the social ladder in Captive's Sound. Even that crazy Mateo Perez doesn't talk to her. It's not like people hate her; it's more like they forget she's alive. She doesn't even have any hope of making friends with the new girl, Nadia. However, when an accident reveals Nadia's powers to her, Verlaine doesn't care how dangerous any of this might get; something interesting is finally happening, and she's going to be right in the middle of it. But it turns out there are secrets in her own past that she never imagined before - secrets that witchcraft reveals for the first time. From Kaylynn, :What's Nadia's personality like? Is she outgoing or reserved?Nadia isn't an introvert, but I would have to call her reserved. It's less a matter of her personality and more the way she was raised -- always keeping the most important thing in her life secret. She can't even talk about witchcraft with her dad. So Nadia is someone who is very careful in what she reveals, though a lot of times she wishes she could share more. She's also definitely someone who takes the weight of the world on her shoulders. That's true in good ways (Nadia will defend anyone, stick up for anybody) and bad (she won't let people help her when she needs it, and she can decide she's doing something for someone's own good when that's not what they'd choose for themselves.) She's very determined and driven, and probably needs a little more fun in her life!From lots of you: What are your favorite things about your new series/characters? Coming up with a system of witchcraft has been really fun. And although this is definitely a dramatic series, there's more humor in SPELLCASTER than in most of what I've written so far, which I enjoy. From Alejandra: Is the story based mainly in one character's life or a group of people?I'm glad you asked that, because while Nadia is definitely the main character in SPELLCASTER, it's Mateo and Verlaine's story too. This comes much closer to being an ensemble piece than anything else I've written to date, and Verlaine will ultimately get a love story of her own that's just as intense as Nadia and Mateo's. (Not in the first book, though. Hang on, Verlaine!)From Pavan: It sounds like Mateo is going to be the sexy, brooding hero. Why did you choose this instead of the tough, cocky guys we often see in books? I hope you'll think he's sexy! You know, a couple times I've tried to write the tough, cocky guy, and you know what? I suck at it. When I write those guys, I don't like them. The sexy doesn't come through, but the jerkface definitely does. Lucas is probably as close to "tough and cocky" as I'll ever write. Anyway, that personality wouldn't work with Mateo's backstory. He has a lot of strength to have made it through all the ostracism and his mother's death, but he's also someone carrying around a burden he thinks nobody can truly help him with. When the visions start coming true, he understands that he's essentially doomed. That tends to wipe out any chance of being "cocky." Also tends to make a guy broody. From lots of you: Will there be romance in these books like there was in EVERNIGHT?Most definitely! Nadia and Mateo, and Verlaine and ... you'll have to guess. From a few of you: How does Nadia and Mateo's romance begin? Is it love/hate, immediate love, or something else? They're immediately drawn to one another, though it's not quite "insta-love." However, each of them has a really compelling reason to think that it would be a bad idea for them to get involved with anyone - and specific reasons why they might not be able to trust each other. It doesn't take them a long time to be interested in each other, but it's a struggle to trust each other - and, of course, dark magic may work against them - From several of you: What inspired you to write about witchcraft?Whenever people ask me what paranormal creature I'd want to be, I always say a witch. Why? Because witches have the power. They're in control. I always thought that would be fascinating to write about. From Carolyn: Are any of the characters the same as or based on the characters in your story "I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" in VACATIONS FROM HELL? Very sharp of you to pick up on that! The answer is ... not quite? Basically, that story inspired this series, and there are some links in terms of the personality of the main characters, the setup of her family, the way witchcraft is kept secret, etc. However, it's not the same system of witchcraft, and the characters are totally different. I would say that "I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" is my idea of a supernatural comedy; SPELLCASTER is definitely a drama. So the worlds are different in tone as well. From Sandra: How will this be different from other witchcraft books?I'm not sure how "sexy" an answer this is, but the first answer that comes to mind is that Nadia has to work for this. Witchcraft is a power, but it's one you have to learn to control. It requires more than talent; it requires discipline, knowledge and will. I know that's not necessarily untrue in other witchcraft books, but I feel like it's more fundamental to the main character's personality here. Nadia is someone who has earned all the power she possesses.From Robin: What are your witches' powers and weaknesses? Can anyone be a witch, or are they born that way?There are some limits to witchcraft, both in terms of things no spell can do (raise the dead, at least in any way you'd ever want them raised) and in terms of the First Laws, rules no witch can ever break (never swear yourself to the service of the One Beneath). An individual witch's limits are only a matter of how much she knows, or doesn't. Not anyone can be a witch. Only women can do it, and only women with certain bloodlines, and even if you're born into a family that has the gift, you might not. Still, having the gift for it is only the first step. Witches become more powerful through what they learn, and the life experiences they have. (An analogy -- it's like being an Olympic gold medal gymnast. Not every person has the potential to do this. You have to be healthy, of a certain physical build, with very strong joints that can take a lot of punishment, with excellent balance and coordination, etc. Most of that is something you're born with, or at least born with the potential for (or, in my case, not). Gabrielle Douglas was born with all those things. However, that did not make her a gold medalist. Busting her butt pretty much every day of her life since toddlerhood is what made her a gold medalist. Nadia was born with all the gifts to be a witch - and she's been working hard to be a good one every day.) From Mara: Will there be a Warlock who befriends the female protagonist, whose powers lie dormant until he embraces her...to then join powers becoming a powerful Spellcaster?No warlocks in this universe! And Nadia's already well aware of her powers. If anyone discovers an astonishing inner power through this romance, it's actually Mateo -- but now I'm getting into spoilerville. **That's it for part one! The answers to these questions are coming tomorrow -- From Daniela: Is there any kind of music or song that you associate with this book and characters?From lots of you: Who is your favorite character? Is there one you identify with?From Viki: Do you love these characters as much as the EVERNIGHT characters?From Christine: in the Evernight series we watched Bianca not only change forms, but really grow into herself. What is it about the new characters that will make us fall in love with them and their story as much as we did Bianca, Balthazar, and the others?From Jane: Have you given any of your characters in Spellcaster any defining quirky habits or funny dialogue tics? (like OCD, stuttering, etc.)From Britney: If you could take one of your characters from SPELLCASTER on vacation with you, who would you take, where, and why?From Amy: Is this a stand-alone book?From Connie: What about this new trilogy has you most excited?From Lea: Can you quote a random sentence from the book?From lots of you:What was the hardest scene to write, and why?From Kaitlyn: What was your absolute favorite moment in the production of SPELLCASTER?And a question that is not about SPELLCASTER but that I just love, from Stacey: Are you ever going to put in a story about your ancient maths teacher who knew maths but not names? Hope that was interesting for all of you - and if you have more questions, send them along to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, and maybe I can add them in. :D
- [Goodreads Q&A for FATEFUL (and other stuff) tomorrow, plus contest reminder](https://www.claudiagray.com/goodreads-qa-for-fateful-and-other-stuff-tomorrow-plus-contest-reminder/) - For those of you who have read/are reading FATEFUL and are members/want to be members of GoodReads, I'm doing a Q&A session with a reading group there tomorrow. Want to take part? Check out the questions board here! Many thanks to the marvelous Angie who has put all this together. And remember, you still have a few days to enter the contest for an ARC of SPELLCASTER -- so get your entries in before Wednesday!In other news: Writing busily, watching "Prometheus" in my spare time. I've never tried my TV's 3-D capacity before but that might be about to change. ::dons glasses::
- [So, who would like an ARC of SPELLCASTER?](https://www.claudiagray.com/so-who-would-like-an-arc-of-spellcaster/) - So, anybody out there want a copy of SPELLCASTER?That's the first book in my new witchcraft trilogy, and it doesn't hit bookstores until March ... but the ARCs are so shiny that I want to share a bit of the love. How do you enter? CONTEST RULES1) Send me any question you might have about SPELLCASTER! Some of you have heard me talk about this before; for others, this might be one of the first times you've heard about it. So ask anything, from "how is this different," to "what do you like about the characters," to "who the heck are the characters?" -- you name it! 2) Send this question to me at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line QUESTIONS ABOUT SPELLCASTER! 3) Also include your name and address, or at any rate an address I can use to ship this to you if you win. 4) Do all this before Wednesday, October 17, when I'll answer the most frequently asked/interesting questions on the blog -- and name the three lucky winners!(Yes, winners can come from anywhere in the world. And need I say that I am asking you to take good care of these ARCs and not post all the pages online? After all, if I've sent you the book, I know where you live, bwah hah hah.) Good luck, everyone!And FYI, I hope to have some international tour dates to announce very soon!
- [Who's Afraid of "50 Shades"? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/whos-afraid-of-50-shades/) - Disclaimer the First: I haven't read "50 Shades of Grey." So I'm talking about it in the abstract here. Disclaimer the Second: I am a past, present and future writer and reader of fan fiction, including erotic fan fiction. And here we go. Everywhere you look, people are talking about "50 Shades of Grey." And a lot of those people are making fun of it. Though I haven't read the book, I've read enough excerpts to know that, yes, a lot of the prose is clunky. But there are other clunky books out there that don't have Gilbert Gottfried and Will Ferrell, et al, doing "dramatic readings" designed to make people giggle. The reason invective gets hurled at "50 Shades" is because it's erotica, erotica meant to appeal to women. "That's not it!" you protest. "We hate it because this thing is selling so many copies! More than Harry Potter! That's not right!" First of all, "fair" has zero to do with what sells. Better books than Harry Potter got outsold by Harry Potter, and I say this as someone who loves Harry Potter. "Lolita" is one of the masterworks of 20th century literature; its sales figures (while healthy) will never compare to that of "Valley of the Dolls." Second - why is "50 Shades of Grey" selling so many copies? It's not because it's awful, though at this point it's got the momentum where tons of people are buying it just to see what people are talking about. But it got that momentum by turning a whole lot of women on, clunky prose and all.* (Sometimes I think complaining that the prose in erotica is clumsy is like complaining that the internal workings of a car's engines aren't pretty. No, they aren't. Car parts aren't about being pretty; they're just about getting you where you're going. Not unlike some erotica.) "But why couldn't some good erotica be out there getting all this attention?" is the next complaint, and the thing is -- the success of "50 Shades of Grey" makes it a whole lot more likely that all erotica is going to be given more attention by the publishing industry from now on. The good erotica only stands to benefit from this - though it, too, will be mocked in turn, this next big erotica hit, no matter how good it is, because our culture doesn't like it when women get turned on. That which women find sexy will be mocked as silly and trivial, no matter what or who it is.** And now there are erotica versions of classic literature being published ... i.e., the kind of fan fiction that is already out there for free, if you care to look, but that's almost beside the point. This is NOT the greatest outrage ever perpetrated. This is NOT the end of literature as we know it. If Jane Eyre survived the last couple of centuries, she'll survive a couple nights of bondage with Mr. Rochester.*** And I find it wholly credible that Heathcliff and Cathy had something kinky going on the side; honestly, wouldn't that explain a whole lot? To say that making something erotic automatically cheapens it is to equate the erotic with the cheap. This is not an equation I believe holds true. Oscar Wilde once said there were no immoral books; books were only well or badly written, and that was all. I wouldn't go that far, but it seems to me the natural response to disappointment in the quality of "50 Shades of Grey" is not to knock erotica, but to make sure more of it gets out there. More and better! If "50 Shades" is simply not your cup of tea, then IMHO what we need is more flavors of tea. The main thing I know about "50 Shades of Grey": The other day, I was getting my car serviced and was reading a book (a Maisie Dobbs mystery, for the record) in the oh-so-exciting waiting area of a Firestone. The woman next to me - a total stranger - whispers, "Have you read 50 Shades?" I said no. "You have to! It's so good! The guy, he's so mixed up, but he learns to love." That was her takeaway. It's the first time in a long time a total stranger was so excited about a book that she just had to lean over and tell me, another reader, to check it out. She thought it was sexy. She liked the fact that it wasn't just sex. She didn't care about the clunky prose. For her, it worked. And to me, making endless fun of "50 Shades" comes perilously close to making fun of that woman for loving a book. I'll pass, thanks. *I've seen some people in the BDSM scene - which I'm not, FYI, TMI - argue that "50 Shades" is a very bad representation of that kind of relationship, and that criticism I think is totally valid. That said, once again, the answer is not less erotica but more, and better. **Leonardo DiCaprio is a talented actor who gets a lot of ridicule - usually from men - because he had the nerve to be dreamy in "Titanic." The Beatles were considered laughingstocks in pop culture really until the one-two punch of "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver" started to convince people all those teenage girls were screaming for a reason. So on, so forth. ***Some people have a problem with derivative works, period, and their objections would apply equally to, say, "Pride & Prejudice & Zombies," which to the best of my knowledge contains no erotica - I haven't read that either. But that's another argument altogether, and one that usually degenerates into me calling anti-fanfic people poopyheads, so let's just skip it today.
- [How Not To Respond To Negative Reviews, ULTIMATE EDITION](https://www.claudiagray.com/how-not-to-respond-to-negative-reviews-ultimate-edition/) - OK, so we've all heard of writers getting upset by negative reviews. There is no author in the world so thick of skin that running across a scathing put-down of their work does not lead to a few moments of grumpiness, a strong desire for chocolate, or maybe compulsive whining to significant others and/or house pets. Sometimes, though, it goes further. Some writer might make the mistake of responding to a bad review on Amazon. Another might have the misfortune to run across insulting comments on Twitter late at night, after they have had a vodka martini. So on and so forth.And then you have THIS INSANITY, which is so far beyond the pale, you can't even see the pale from here. I am not blogging about this to say how shocked I am, because I would hope that all but the most pessimistic observers of human behavior would find this shocking. I'm also not blogging to denounce this and say that it's wrong, because, seriously, this could not be more obviously, incredibly wrong if it came with a huge blinking neon sign that read BAD KARMA HERE. What I'm saying to any writer who would participate in this, even as a mere satisfied spectator, is that you have got to step back. There is nothing any reviewer could say that would warrant this response unless they posted your home address and a picture of one of your kids with a bullseye on it (which to the best of my knowledge no reviewers have done.) There is no book so precious that its reputation should be defended to the point of threatening people. Are some reviews hard to read? Yes. Are some negative reviews legitimately shallow or mean spirited? Yes again - being a book reviewer isn't an automatic ticket to virtue, any more than being an author is. But the answer is definitely not for you to be even more mean-spirited in return. Not only is it hypocritical, not only is it counter-productive, but in this case it may well be criminal. Personally I have no idea what the general climate is on GoodReads. Know why? I don't take part in it. Don't read it, don't visit it, don't look up my own books, don't look up anybody else's. Why? Because my own personal line for stepping back from this stuff is way, way short of "homicidal rage." It's closer to, "I spend enough time on work while I'm actually writing, so in my free time, I would rather look up cute pictures of James McAvoy." (We all prioritize.) And the thing is - back before I was writing professionally, I'd have been all over GoodReads. But for now, that's so mixed up with my work life that it's not going to be a place where I hang out and have fun. What I'm saying is that, if you're a writer, and you can't approach GoodReads as a place where you have fun and find books, then you should not go there. If Amazon reviews fill you with anger, then don't go to Amazon. (Fanatically checking your sales rank every 20 minutes does not actually improve it. I know. I tried that.) Whatever thing it is online that triggers you, that gets at your temper, that turns you from a professional into a vengeful loony -- you must have the self control not to go there and do that. The best way to deal with your crazy is to steer around it altogether. (This holds true for more than writers dealing with reviews, but I digress.) Nobody else's bad behavior vindicates your own. You can't control what anybody else says on the internet, no matter how many creepy stalkery websites you create. You can only control yourself. I am no master of this art -- it's a lesson I keep trying to learn every day. But if you've gotten to the point where you're calling book reviewers at night and threatening them, it's a lesson you, too, need to take to heart. ETA: I should mention that the anonymous site runners insist none of them are authors. I find that hard to believe, simply because, while I get but do not condone the insane overprotectiveness of your own books, I really do NOT get such insanity about other people's books. If these people think they are defending writers, all I can say is, "Get the hell off my side; you're making us look bad." **Thanks so much for ALL the wonderful comments to my last post about there being no wrong way to be a girl. I haven't been able to approve them because -- this is embarrassing -- I've sort of lost the password. Ahem. BUT I WILL FIGURE THIS OUT. When I do, I'll have a follow-up post with some of the most interesting comments, so stay tuned!
- [YA Romance Films You Might Not Have Seen But Should -- "Mystic Pizza" ](https://www.claudiagray.com/ya-romance-films-you-might-not-have-seen-but-should-mystic-pizza/) - So many of these come from the 1980s. What can I say? That's when I was YA myself. Also I keep having to remember that this means those movies came out before a lot of my readers were born, and then I laugh, and then I feel ancient and start yelling for people to get off my lawn. "Mystic Pizza"THE PLOT: Kat, Daisy and Jojo are as close as three girls can be; Kat and Daisy are sisters, Jojo is their mutual best friend, and they all work together at Mystic Pizza, serving up the best slices in town to tourists and locals alike. But they’re all drawn in different directions over the course of one summer – partly because of their goals in life, and partly because of love. THE LOVE: Kat’s the overachiever, an aspiring astronomer who’s won a scholarship to Yale but is still working extra jobs to save money and be self-supporting while she’s in college. One of the extra jobs she takes is as a babysitter for a little girl whose mother is in London for the summer – apparently partly because her marriage is breaking down. This means Kat starts spending a lot of time with the father, Tim … who’s very handsome, in his early 30s, devoted to his daughter, and obviously extremely lonely. Kat’s not someone who normally breaks the rules, and she’s conscientious of people’s feelings almost to a fault. So she’s not an obvious candidate for “the other woman.” But Tim might be single again soon. He graduated from Yale himself. And Kat’s drawn to more than Tim himself – she’s also dazzled by the aura of accomplishment and culture around him. That’s the life she wants; is this also the man she wants? Daisy is … not the overachiever. College isn’t on the horizon for her, as her disappointed mother never stops pointing out. While Kat’s hitting the books, Daisy’s putting on her best dress and sneaking out to party in town. But she longs to escape from home someday, and dreams that love might be the answer. Enter Charles Windsor, a gorgeous blue-blood rich kid she meets when he’s slumming in one of the local bars one night. Daisy beats him at pool and doesn’t put up with any of his crap – and it turns out that he loves having someone that authentic in his life. But Daisy always wonders whether he’s just having some summer fun with the “poor girl” before heading back to his upper-crust life – Then there’s Jojo. She loves this town … she thinks. She’s very much in love (and lust) with Bill, her fiancé … unless she’s settling. And she’s going to marry him this summer … unless she freaks out. Jojo doesn’t want to pull away from home, but she wants to be her own person, too. Is there any way to stay in her hometown, with Bill, and still establish her own independence? And can Bill come to understand why this is so important to her, or will she wind up pushing him away? THE BEST PARTS: So many things are awesome about this movie that it’s hard to count them all. First off, the casting director for this movie should get a prize. Daisy was one of Julia Roberts’ first big roles; performers like Lili Taylor (Jojo), Conchata Ferrell (Leona, the proprietor of Mystic Pizza) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Bill) broke out here, and you can even spy wee tiny Matt Damon as rich-kid Charles’s little brother, being bratty at the dinner table. The chemistry between the performers makes the script that much better. And the script is much more nuanced than it first appears – it seems like a feel-good comedy, but the interpersonal dynamics feel very three-dimensional and real. All those romantic dilemmas I described – you’ve probably seen them before, but you probably haven’t seen them quite like this. Just when you think a scene will be clichéd, it zigs where you thought it would zag, and something very different is revealed about the characters. Probably the single best part is the relationship between sisters Kat and Daisy. Although Daisy is openly jealous of Kat’s ambition and intelligence, she also loves Kat fiercely; some of her advice is so acid-tongued that Kat thinks it’s purely meanness, but in hindsight we realize Daisy’s always meant well. And while Kat is usually the one who does the emotional heavy-lifting – providing cover stories for Daisy’s partying, being the first to apologize, etc. – when she discovers her own selfish side, she has to climb down off her high horse. Also, this really feels like a small town, like people who have known one another forever. The girls know which bar Bill is probably hanging out in on any given night; everyone is friendly with everyone else’s parents and siblings; Leona is practically a second mom to all of them. THE WORST PART: Jojo’s story is the least developed of the three. It’s not bad, by any means, but it lacks some of the dimension given to the adventures of Daisy and Kat. Which means that her ending – which is probably meant to feel the most final of the three – feels the least resolved. Then again, this movie feels like a peek into real life, and when does real life ever resolve? Also, the rich guy’s last name is Windsor. Come ON. That is such a fake rich person name. I mean, it’s even fake for the British royal family! (They were Saxe-Coburg and Gotha until WWI, when due to anti-German sentiment they decided to change it, looked around, saw Windsor Castle and thought, right, that’ll do.) HOW YOU WILL KNOW IT’S THE 1980S: Julia Roberts does not have top billing; she does have her original butt, which is of normal human proportions instead of movie-star cut-to-fit. Matt Damon does not appear to have hit puberty. There are several points in the story where a cellphone would fix things very quickly, but too bad; they won’t be commonly available for a while yet. How do the romances turn out? Obviously I don’t intend to spoil the whole movie, but I will say this: We get one happy ending, one disastrous ending, and one where we’ll have to wait and see. The whole point, though, is that Daisy, Kat and Jojo see each other through it – even when it means lying for each other, or forcing each other to see the truth, or doing emergency babysitting, or, as it sometimes turns out, dumping hundreds of dead fish into a convertible. It’s a low-key, laid-back, totally enjoyable movie that reveals a little more each time you see it. On Netflix!
- ["I'm not like the other girls." ](https://www.claudiagray.com/im-not-like-the-other-girls/) - This post comes from two things: 1) A quote I saw making the Tumblr rounds, which said, “I’m not like other girls!” It went on to avow wearing Converse instead of heels, preferring computer games to shopping, so on and so forth. When I saw it, about 41,000 girls had said they weren’t like “the others.” 2) A few weeks ago, I posted a comment on Twitter saying that, if the internet had been around in 1980 (the year “Empire Strikes Back” came out), we’d all be Team Luke or Team Han. Some guy took it upon himself to inform me - to explain to me, like I was not alive and aware during that year – that “girls didn’t like Star Wars.” He insisted that we were, in 1980, only interested in Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy, the heartthrob stars of “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.” (Surely some girls also liked Pamela Sue Anderson as Nancy Drew, but we shall let the heteronormative side of this slide for now.) Let’s try to count everything that’s wrong with that, if we can: In 1980, EVERYONE EVERYWHERE IN THE WHOLE WORLD LOVED STAR WARS. I cannot emphasize this enough. From 1977 to 1983, Star Wars was basically as popular as Harry Potter, Twilight, Hunger Games, One Direction, American Idol, NASCAR, chocolate, and oxygen, combined. Also, EVERYONE EVERYWHERE IN THE WHOLE WORLD includes girls. I personally built an X-Wing fighter simulator in my closet, owned a “Star Wars Passport” that guaranteed me entry to Mos Eisley Spaceport and Cloud City (have not tested this, more’s the pity), and had collected a group of Star Wars action figures that rivaled my brother’s in quantity and desirability. He really only had the edge because the Millennium Falcon playset was his, though I played with it nearly as much as he did. (Once, when allowed to borrow the Lando Calrissian action figure that was clearly and undeniably my property, said brother traded it to another kid – for a lowly Hoth Ranger, no less! – and that remains a point of contention to this day. Yes, we’re in our 40s. Your point?) And no, I was not the only girl out there who felt that way. All my friends loved Star Wars. Lucasfilm made Princess Leia dolls, and Princess Leia bubble bath, and Princess Kneesa stuffed Ewoks with pink headwraps; they knew there were little girls who loved and wanted these things. I’m in a Mardi Gras krewe here in New Orleans called Chewbacchus – cofounded by a woman – in which women and men both dress up in science fiction costumes to parade around. A good friend of mine named Jen Heddle loved Star Wars as a kid, then as an adult, so much and so deeply that she now works for Lucasfilm. Every single one of those women grew up loving Star Wars. No, it wasn’t just me. And you know what? I loved Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy too.* Why? They were cute, damn it. And that is JUST FINE.Because we’re all individuals – we’re all big enough to contain multiple enthusiasm, multiple ways of life. Everyone. And, as I said above, everyone includes girls. It saddens me to see girls proudly declaring they’re not like other girls – especially when it’s 41,000 girls saying it in a chorus, never recognizing the contradiction. It’s taking a form of contempt for women – even a hatred for women – and internalizing it by saying, Yes, those girls are awful, but I’m special, I’m not like that, instead of stepping back and saying, This is a lie. “I know someone like that!” you might be saying. Well, a bunch us know someone like that. But does that description fit most of the girls and women you know? The people you spend time with? Why should those few individuals define us all, and why would we buy into that perception? And also, even the people you think are like that? You might be surprised what’s going on beneath the surface.The real meaning of “I’m not like the other girls” is, I think, “I’m not the media’s image of what girls should be.” Well, very, very few of us are. Pop culture wants to tell us that we’re all shallow, backstabbing, appearance-obsessed shopaholics without a thought in our heads beyond cute boys and cuter handbags. It’s a lie – a flat-out lie – and we need to recognize it and say so instead of accepting that judgment as true for other girls, but not for you. They will tell you that everything girls love is stupid and horrible. They said that about Elvis Presley; they said it about the Beatles; they said it about Frank Sinatra. Guys didn't discover those artists, now recognized to be among the greatest of all time. GIRLS DID. Meanwhile, they will tell you that everything that appeals to guys is actually really cool, in defiance of all reason. There are grown men who will get into arguments about Optimus Prime. And yet -- there are girls who love Transformers! And guys who had huge crushes on Elvis! Me? I wear Converse instead of heels. I definitely spend more time on Tumblr than I do shopping. I continue to be interested in Star Wars. And you know what? Today, I bought two handbags. One of them was pink. That doesn’t make me shallow, vapid, unintelligent or incapable of enjoying absolutely anything I’d like to enjoy. It just makes me someone with a killer cute pink handbag.What I’m trying to say is, There are as many ways to be “girly” as there are girls in this world. There are always going to be people out there telling you that if you like things pop culture tells you are girly, you’re stupid, and that if you claim to like things pop culture tells you are guy stuff, you’re lying. And what I’m saying is that all these people are full of crap. Love what you love. Be proud of it. Anybody who tells you what you “should” or “should not” like, because you’re a girl, is a big fat liar. You ARE like the other girls, like we all are, in that none of us came off some Female Assembly Line. We’re all individuals. We should all get to express it without being judged – either by pop culture or by ourselves. *Though I loved them back in 1977, when that series was actually on; it was off the air by 1980. Stupid Belligerent Pop Culture Dude did not even know Pop Culture. It’s sad, really.I shall now dismount my soapbox and get back to the important work of revising my latest book outline and looking at cute pictures of James McAvoy.
- ["Prometheus" -- movie review!](https://www.claudiagray.com/prometheus-movie-review/) - Apparently this film has been the source of both great love and great derision out there in moviegoer land! I can actually express both emotions for "Prometheus," but I definitely enjoyed it more than not. STUFF I DIDN'T LIKE:1) Some of these scientists were obviously graduates of the "University of People So Stupid They Will Get Themselves Killed Straight Off In Horror Films." I mean, I don't mind the occasional totally human panic-flail by a movie character; I often think we hold fictional people to much, much higher standards of logical conduct than we ever meet ourselves. But several of these guys were morons. "Hey, it's an alien life form I've never seen before! I'm gonna try to pet it!" Then you deserve death. 2) Aside for the moronic bit players, remarkably few of the characters were deeply developed. Some of them were essentially ciphers, sometimes even personable and charismatic ones, but I wanted to invest a little more deeply. In the case of Meredith Vickers, holding back made sense (more on that later), but I'd have liked to know much more about Captain Janek, the Scottish woman whose name I never got (you see the problem?) and above all ...3) Charlie Holloway, played by Logan Marshall Green. Whereas several of the underdeveloped characters were at least played by actors so talented that they managed to breathe life into it (Idris Elba = the master), this part was both badly written and badly cast. I did not for two seconds think that this guy was a scientist, a visionary, in love with Elizabeth Shaw, any of it. The only moments where he was remotely credible were when he was baiting David about being non-human, and that's him at his lowest -- a bad sign. Since the first half of the movie is very much set up to provide tension between Charlie, Elizabeth and Meredith, having one point on that triangle be so weak diminished the whole movie. I mean, LMG is hot and all -- if he ever wants to audition for taking me to dinner, he can read -- but he was not the guy to rescue an underwritten part, at least not this one. 4) Too many plot contrivances took place only for the demands of action-movie pacing, and the action-movie stuff is never the best thing "Prometheus" has going. Better, I think, had they stuck with the suspense, which works wonderfully. There's a gory, over the top action sequence that kills two people in a way meant to be horrible, but which had me and my friend laughing out loud ... and then it's immediately followed by a quiet, low-key scene that, in one two-second camera angle, conveyed more real horror than any of the gore had. We needed more of the latter, less of the former. STUFF THAT MAKES ME GO HMMMM:1) Apparently a lot of people are all huffy because this movie is about a search for Cosmic Truths and we don't get them! Like, yeah, this action movie is going to tell us for once and for all what God is or your money back. Everybody should just lighten up. I was slightly peeved at one point at the fact that the mystery had become more opaque over time, but then as the movie went on, that began to make much more sense to me. It is, I think, the point of the movie: The harder you search for absolutes, the more they slip away. Shaw doesn't give up, but what looked like scientific inquiry in the beginning has now been redefined as a search of faith. And I strongly prefer being given no answers to those kind of cosmic questions than being given lame ones. 2) Why in the name of what did they cast Guy Pearce as a 92 year old? Extreme old age makeup continues to be very unconvincing. I assumed we got that because there would be flashbacks to Peter Weyland as a young man, but it didn't happen. Why not get Christopher Plummer, or Christopher Lee, or -- if he's still in shape for such, about which I have no idea -- the absolute perfect person would have been Peter O'Toole. That said, Pearce gave a good performance. He's just a mystifying choice. STUFF I LOVED:1) Michael Fassbender as David is the best thing in this movie -- and he keeps his clothes on the whole time, so you know my opinion here is honest. David is a robot, but not an automaton, and the constant tease between everything he's not supposed to feel versus everything he does and doesn't feel is probably the single most fascinating part of "Prometheus." He does some terrible things, but for motivations that are ultimately understandable both because of his robotic nature (he must, after all, follow Weyland's orders wherever they lead) and whatever else he may feel (there's a suggestion that Weyland's fatherly emotions toward him may be genuinely appreciated). He's the single coldest character in the film, and yet the few times we sense real wonder and joy, we do so through his eyes. The friend I saw the film with said, as soon as the credits began, "The whole thing should have been about David," and I would agree, except for ... 2) Noomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw. She convinced me she was both a scientist and a person of faith, and if the script sometimes muddied her purpose, her performance kept the character and the film on track. She plays the single scariest scene in the entire film -- the surgical pod scene -- with such intensity that I found myself short of breath at the end. (Also, how much do I love that, for once in film, a woman impregnated against her will with an evil/alien/demonic being doesn't get sentimental as though this were an actual baby and instead says, "This should NOT BE HAPPENING, period"? A lot, that's how much.) Although the script seemed to want to forget the physical trauma she'd been through, Rapace never did; she makes it clear that she is pushing herself through this by will alone, because she has no other choice. 3) I also really enjoyed Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers, although for about 2/3 of the movie I thought she was going to be one of the elements I most disliked. At first, honestly, Vickers comes across as so controlling and so petty that I was thinking, "Man, she got to show a softer side as the Evil Queen in Snow White." But once Vickers' true connection to Weyland comes out, and we glimpse what's underlying her motivations -- particularly her animosity toward David -- her performance suddenly made perfect sense. 4) The visuals on this: WOW. I don't know that I've ever seen more dazzling effects. The holographic displays on both the Prometheus and the alien vessel were awe-inspiring, in a very I-want-to-go-to-there way. The ship itself is a believable, functional and yet dazzling thing. In the scene where they break atmosphere and head for the planet's surface, I wanted to applaud; it was that stunning. And sometimes that design works to haunting effect, as in when David watches "Lawrence of Arabia," or when Vickers' luxurious escape pod is transformed, in the end, to a chamber of horrors complete with classical music and off-kilter chandelier. These weren't only good design, they were also key elements of making me feel that I was truly in another time, on another world. That's the stuff movie magic is made of. 5) I'm just going to call out the surgical-pod scene separately. That FREAKED ME OUT, in the best sense. That's the core of cold, clinical horror that underlay "Alien" so beautifully, and that Ridley Scott does so well. And only on the way home did I realize that the pod's default-male setting was not an annoying contrivance but Big Time Foreshadowing. 6) Finally, I loved the ending. Loved, loved, LOVED. Dude, Elizabeth's riding off into the sunset with David literally in pieces at her side, about to find the gods and ask them some hard questions, just because she can. I can imagine it as brilliant scifi, but it could also be the road-trip movie of all time, or the romcom the 21st century has been waiting for. Whatever they're selling, I'm in line for, is what I'm saying here. One week unt il "Brave," right? This weekend I'm finishing copyedits on SPELLCASTER! So excited for you guys to see this one ...
- ["Snow White and the Huntsman" -- review!](https://www.claudiagray.com/snow-white-and-the-huntsman-review/) - So, I'd been looking forward to this movie for months. Did it live up to my (largely self-created) hyped-up anticipation? Not quite ... but I still liked it. STUFF I LIKED: 1) Charlize Theron is like a huge flaming meteor of awesome that blazes across the night sky. She was over-the-top villainous when it was called for -- but she also had moments of humanity that convinced you some horrible stuff must have happened to turn Ravenna into what she became. 2) Chris Hemsworth = so, so hot. I'm sorry, perfectly attractive guy who plays William, but I am Team Huntsman all the way. He invested his character with more personality than the script did, and to fine effect. 3) Kristin Stewart -- would you believe I've never seen a "Twilight" movie? Or any of her other flicks? So this was my first exposure to her, at all. She draws a lot of flack for her acting skills, but honestly, I thought she did well. There were unconvincing moments, but IMHO they mostly arose from an underwritten script, not from her. And she got a lot out of scenes like her first-ever dance with one of the dwarves, or that first encounter with the Queen's creepy brother. 4) The Queen's Creepy Brother: No, I don't remember his name, but he was One Creepy Mofo. 5) The visual effects were astonishing. Every single sequence involving the Queen's magic was imaginative, beautiful and startling. I even loved the Sanctuary ... and usually, you know, creative imagination falters more with goodness and beauty than it does with evil and terror, but here, I felt like Sanctuary was as well-thought-out as the queen's spells. The mossy tortoise is going to stay with me for a while, I think. 6) The scene with the apple is so perfectly done that I have to pull it out for special awards of merit. 7) I may be Team Huntsman, but William was kind of bad-ass with that bow and arrow, wasn't he? I also liked his trickiness in joining forces with the Queen's men as a kind of double agent. STUFF I DIDN'T LIKE1) That script was really underwritten, particularly in the middle. I felt like we needed to get more depth in the relationship between Snow White and the Huntsman -- if he's able to awaken her with True Love's Kiss, then I want to feel more basis for that love than mere admiration. Just another couple of conversations (or perhaps a dance by the fire) would have gone a long, long way. 2) I'd also liked to have seen a few more flashes of wit. This movie doesn't have much of a sense of humor. Don't get me wrong; I LIKE that it plays it straight, that this is blessedly not "Mirror, Mirror." But the characters could occasionally have a bit of fun with each other while still taking the core concepts seriously. 3) This is more of a "hrm" than a "nooo!", but I would have liked to see the concept that "beauty = goodness" more explicitly contradicted. I mean, it's there: Ravenna is simultaneously most beautiful and most evil for a very long time. We're given to understand that it is Snow White's purity of motive and deed, rather than her physical appearance, that gives her the power she possesses. And Ravenna's link between beauty and power is not something inherent, but the result of a specific spell cast by her equally screwed-up mother. Still, though, I think the point could have been made more emphatically; there was room to deconstruct the story a little more. 4) Okay, every time we were away from the Queen or Sanctuary, it was like the director and art director on the movie would no longer acknowledge any color but "mud." COME ON, PEOPLE. It's hard enough following complicated action scenes when you can tell everyone apart. So, while this movie may not have cashed the check of TOTAL AWESOME suggested by its promos and that wonderful Florence and the Machine song, it was still a good time. Next up: "Prometheus"! Also, you will notice that I am back to my blog! After my long travels came a time of working on proposals, and while that time has not ended, it has at least subsided to the point where I have free time again. Look for more nattering soon.
- [NOW IS THE TIME WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HUNGER GAMES](https://www.claudiagray.com/now-is-the-time-when-we-talk-about-hunger-games/) - First things first -- the tours are almost over and have been a whopping success! So, so great to meet all of you who came to Oxford, Doylestown, Salt Lake City, Miami, Atlanta, LA, the Somerset Festival, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth! Does reading that list exhaust you? Well, doing it has tuckered me right out. I am currently taking a few days of R&R before heading to Auckland, NZ, for my final BALTHAZAR promotional event this Saturday. (If you're in Auckland, or can be, I hope you will be there!) But for now I must talk to you, o kindred spirits, about "The Hunger Games" movie, which I saw in Perth: I LOVED IT. Seriously, I adored it. I had high hopes from the get-go, but the film adaptation went beyond my wildest expectations. Let's get a few quibbles out of the way first, though: Stuff I disliked:1) Diminishing Thresh -- No, Thresh isn't a major character in the book, but we get a very real sense of him as a person with both courage and integrity. IMHO, that didn't come across in the movie. Yes, he agrees to let Katniss go once for Rue's sake ... but he does so angrily, and the moment passes in an instant. Since Thresh was someone I cared about far more than, say, Clove or Marvel, I wish we'd had the two more minutes of screen time that would have defined him more. 2) President Snow Rigs the Games -- Don't get me wrong: of course he rigs the Games. But I thought that element of it was introduced a little too early. President Snow has it out for Katniss in the movie before it should even be clear that Katniss is a threat. The same scene twenty minutes later in the film would have been far more believable to me. Stuff I wasn't sure about:Haymitch -- Woody Harrelson is SO not how I would have gone for Haymitch, and yet I thought he delivered a terrific performance. It's a totally valid interpretation of the character, and one that has me intrigued to learn more about him in a way I never fully felt in the books. However -- is he too together? In every scene he has in the film, Harrelson makes it clear that Haymitch is the guy who outlasted everyone else in his Games, who has taken life many times and could easily do it again. (That moment where he puts his foot against Peeta's chest? I didn't doubt for a second that Haymitch could've killed him with that foot if he wanted to.) And, yes, on one level that's who that character is. But Haymitch is supposed to be a total wreck. While I can accept the different interpretation in this film, in CATCHING FIRE, one of the rationales behind Peeta taking Haymitch's place in the Quarter Quell is that Haymitch wouldn't stand a chance with his aging, alcoholic body. Harrelson's Haymitch? If he went in, I'd lay odds on him to win. Like I say, it's not that it doesn't work, because it does; it's more that I wonder how it plays out long-term. Stuff I loved:ALL OF ITAhem. 1) Jennifer Lawrence - love her, love her, love her. As many of you know, I was kind of rooting for Haylee Stenfield to get the part (and I still think she'd have been good), but that was never an anti-Jennifer Lawrence stand. Have loved her since "Winter's Bone," and she just nailed it here in every scene. 2) Josh Hutcherson -- for the first ten minutes, I wasn't at all sure about him. He wasn't grabbing me; I hardly knew whether to like him or distrust him. And then of course it hit me, That's EXACTLY how you should feel about Peeta at that point. As the film went on, his performance expanded to fill our greater understanding of the character, and in the end I thought he utterly nailed it. 3) Elizabeth Banks -- This is probably the single performance that came closest to my idea of the character in the books. (Which is not the be-all end-all -- I am always open to an interpretation that expands our idea of the people we've read about -- but it is nonetheless satisfying.) She was fabulous, and am I the only one that thought she and Haymitch might have had a very self-destructive thing back in the day? 4) Oh heck all the other performances -- Donald Sutherland = magnificent. Lenny Kravitz = magnificent. Stanley Tucci = I will be building an altar to you at my next convenience. So, so good. 5) The overall look and feel -- this very much captured the Capitol in its decadence, the Games in their ferocity and District 12 in its desperation. (I finally came around to the nicer dresses in the Reaping scene, as that was explained, though I still think Ktniss' leather jacket should look a little more worn, a little less tailored.) And as over the top and futuristic as so much of it was, I thought it retained credibility throughout. I was really able to get lost in it. 6) The suspense -- there were several moments where I found myself holding my breath in fear and, you know, I know how it ends. Good job, Gary Ross.So, did you guys enjoy it as much as I did?BTW, it will be a while before I reply -- this tropical town is short on internet -- but I definitely want to hear what you think!
- [winners of BALTHAZAR Contest #2!](https://www.claudiagray.com/winners-of-balthazar-contest-2/) - Man, you guys love thinking about Balthazar. You imagined him in London stalking Jack the Ripper, on safari in Africa, guarding the Romanovs, dancing with flappers in 1920s jazz halls, wisely fleeing the French Revolution, and even hanging out on Bourbon Street, which as a New Orleanian I appreciate. And several of you pointed out -- correctly -- that he's been at Evernight Academy more than once before, working on building up that self-control, so he doesn't go all Charity on everybody. But without further ado: Congrats to winners Carolina D.V., Rachel C. and Leighjean G.! You get autographed BALTHAZARs (the book, not the guy, more's the pity), which I hope you will enjoy!Speaking of contests -- I still haven't gotten address from two of the winners of Contest #1. Do you want these vampire rubber duckies to remain homeless? Drop me a line, guys!
- [Australian tour dates!](https://www.claudiagray.com/australian-tour-dates/) - Better late than never -- my tour dates for my upcoming trip to Australia! Somerset Celebration of LiteratureSomerset College, Somerset Drive, Mudgeeraba in QueenslandMarch 15: Speaking and signing at sessions @ 10:15 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. March 16: Speaking and signing at sessions @ 11:15 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. BrisbaneMarch 17: Signing at Black Cat Books @ 11:30 a.m.Signing at Dymocks Brisbane @ 1 p.m.MelbourneMarch 18: Signing and speaking at Dymocks Collins Street @ 4 p.m. SydneyMarch 20:Morning event at Hurstville School for GirlsDymocks online author chat @ 2 p.m. (check with Dymocks online for details of how to join in) Speaking and signing at Dymocks Broadway @ 5 p.m. Perth March 21:Speaking and signing at Dymocks Carousel @ 4 p.m. March 22: Speaking and signing at Dymocks Garden City @ 6 p.m. **I will also be doing some drop-ins during the day at other bookstores in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, which means that you may be able to get a book signed even if we don't get a chance to chat. Hope to meet so many of you there!
- [BALTHAZAR Contest #1 winners, and Contest #2 begins!](https://www.claudiagray.com/balthazar-contest-1-winners-and-contest-2-begins/) - Congratulations go out to our_birdsong, carolinarojas, and Lora W. who each won signed copies of AFTERLIFE and adorable little vampire rubber duckies. Way to go, guys!Now it's time for BALTHAZAR Contest #2 --If you've read the EVERNIGHT series*, you know Balthazar has been around a long time and has led a very dark and mysterious life. A lot of answers about his past come out in BALTHAZAR, which means this is your last chance to speculate! BALTHAZAR Contest #3The Rules1) Write up (in a sentence or a paragraph, you pick) your idea about where Balthazar was and what he was doing at some point in history between the early 1600s and today. Serving on a privateer ship in the Gulf of Mexico? Wearing a powdered wig? New York's #1 subway graffiti tagger circa 1975? You tell me!2) Send your idea via email to me at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, along with an address where I can send your prize if you win. 3) Do all this before Wednesday, February 29 when I'll pick five winners at random. Winners will received signed and personalized copies of BALTHAZAR, and they'll probably get to you a day or two before release! Good luck, everybody!* And if you haven't? For a limited time, the EVERNIGHT e-book is free for download onto any e-reader! Plenty of time to get caught up before BALTHAZAR comes out March 6 --
- [Just in case you're in New Orleans this weekend](https://www.claudiagray.com/just-in-case-youre-in-new-orleans-this-weekend/) - ... tonight's not such a great night for Mardi Gras, is it? Endymion is rolling, but through the rain, which means lots of people (most certainly including me) are going to have to find something else to do with their time tonight. Of course, New Orleans provides plenty of entertainment anytime, but what about the throws? How can you make up for all the shiny beads and useless colorful objects that would have been flung into your waiting hands tonight? Well, you can come to the Iris parade Uptown tomorrow; we roll at 10 a.m. (Route is available online through the magic of Google.) And I'm riding! If you get on the sidewalk side, look for float 12. Hold up your sign or yell CLAUDIA! to rider #4 on the lower level, and I absolutely promise, I will throw you good stuff if I possibly can! And by then, the rain will finally have stopped. So it's a win-win --
- [Claudia Gray's Journal 2012-02-15 20:38:02](https://www.claudiagray.com/claudia-grays-journal-2012-02-15-203802/) - It's two weeks and six days until the release of BALTHAZAR -- I know! Where did the time go? -- and that means it's contest time. Those of you who follow me on Twitter, Instagram or Tumblr will have seen ... Wait. Let me back up. Do you follow me on any of those services? You should! As a further FYI, I follow back on Instagram and Tumblr. (At least, I give you a shot. If you spam the ever-living heck out of it, you might get dropped. But I've only wound up doing that once so far, so chances are you're solid!) Anyway, such wise followers have been privileged to see the picture of the freakin' adorable vampire rubber ducks I found in a French Quarter store this weekend. That is correct. Fanged, cute, vampire rubber ducks. I knew I could not leave them all there. What if they swarmed and attacked the store-keeper? Something had to be done. So! This week's prize: THREE lucky winners will each get their very own vampire rubber duckie and an autographed paperback copy of AFTERLIFE. (Which you ought to review, seeing as how BALTHAZAR picks up not too long after ...) What do you have to do to enter? Rules:1) Follow me on Tumblr or Twitter. (Some of you already have this part down. Yay!) 2) Post a review of/quote from/image of one of the books with some notice of the BALTHAZAR U.S. release on March 6. It's also legit to reblog another such post on Tumblr. If you're following me on Tumblr, I'll see it; if you're on Twitter, add the @claudiagray so I'll be sure to see that, too. 3) Do these things before Wednesday, Feb. 22, when I'll pick three winners at random! 4) Respond when I contact you afterward so I can get your address to find out where to ship your mega-cute vampire rubber ducky AND your autographed copy of AFTERLIFE. (And yes, I'll ship anywhere.) And just so you have the link: My Tumblr! My Twitter! (I have not one clue how to link to my Instagram. Both the Twitter and Tumblr link to it, though. Sorry for my technoignorance.)Good luck to everyone!
- [YA romance movies you may not have seen but should. Part 2](https://www.claudiagray.com/ya-romance-movies-you-may-not-have-seen-but-should-part-2/) - The Movie: "Running On Empty" 1988, starring Judd Hirsch (from a sitcom called "Taxi"), Christine Lahti (who won a Golden Globe one time but was IN THE BATHROOM when the award was given and the whole live telecast had to STOP while they waited on her to wash her hands and come out, and as such is the survivor of embarrassment on a truly epic scale), Martha Plimpton (AWESOME in EVERYTHING) and River Phoenix (Indiana Jones, junior edition). The Plot: Danny's family doesn't have much money, but in every other way, you'd think he had it all. His parents are loving, interesting people who talk to him like he's a rational person and five him a lot of trust. His younger brother is almost as funny as he is annoying, which is pretty good as far as younger brothers go. He's an incredibly gifted piano student, as the music teacher at his new school has almost instantly discovered; in fact, he might get to try out for Juilliard. And that music teacher has a daughter, Lorna, who's smart, funny and definitely as into him as he is into her. The problem is that nobody at his new school -- including Lorna -- knows Danny's real name, or anything about the life he actually leads. His family has been on the run from the FBI since the early 1970s when Danny was just a toddler. Mom and Dad opposed the Vietnam War, joined a radical group perhaps similar to the Weather Underground, and bombed a napalm laboratory. What they didn't realize when they set the bomb was that somebody was still inside. Now they move from city to city, never telling the truth to anyone but each other. But Danny's in his senior year of high school now. Does he ever get to go to college? To use his incredible musical talent? Can he ever tell the truth about himself to Lorna? If he can't, then how can he ever honestly let her love him? And now the FBI seems to have caught up with them again -- The Love: Oh, my heart. Danny and Lorna just kill me, every time. Lorna is played by Martha Plimpton (yes! The grandma from "Raising Hope"!), and Danny is played by the late River Phoenix, who sadly was the Heath Ledger of his era, an incredibly talented, devastatingly handsome actor whose life ended too soon because of drugs. At the time, Plimpton and Phoenix were involved in real life; I hate saying the chemistry shows, because actors are actors and they are in the business of faking attraction so expertly we believe it, but ... the chemistry shows. Lorna is snarky and funny, and she never lets Danny get away with anything. This is maybe why he feels so compelled to be honest with her, though telling the truth is the one thing his parents have conditioned him, all his life, never to do. And they have such an offbeat, quirky, real attraction. It's not all mood lighting and pop songs on the soundtrack; it's Danny trying on stupid hats in her room, or both of them trying not to crack up when they're cooking partners in home ec, or a long day on the beach that is simultaneously incredibly romantic and deeply heartbreaking -- because every time he wants to tell her the truth about something, he instead runs ahead of her along the shore. And he runs ahead a lot. There's a moment between them that I've cited as a fabulous example of storytelling through a simple gesture. At one point, Danny sneaks into Lorna's room late at night - they've been fighting -- and when she is startled awake, he tells her to come downstairs with him. She does. Then he insists they go outside. For a moment, Lorna's weirded out and we are too, a little. What kind of guy does this? What is he playing at? Then Lorna says she can't go outside, because it's cold and she has bare feet. Danny instantly kneels down and unlaces his own shoes to give to her. BAM. You know, in that moment, no matter how weird Danny is acting, he would never, ever hurt Lorna. He'll brave the cold himself rather than see her uncomfortable. Her trust in him returns, along with our trust in him. It's a phenomenal piece of characterization, and a great relationship scene. The Best Parts: As great as the romance is, I'd be lying if I didn't say the centerpiece of the movie is really about Danny's relationship with his parents. They're so great to him in so many ways -- but it's in large part because they're aware that they have royally screwed him over. Also, you realize how much the mom and dad don't agree on what should happen to Danny next; it's a difference so profound that you wonder whether they'd even still be married if they didn't have to sustain this family on the run. The Worst Parts> There's honestly not a bad scene in this movie. There is one bad line, though, amid one of the actual greatest scenes -- when Danny's mother meets up with her own dad, whom she hasn't laid eyes on in almost 20 years. It would be criminal of me to spoil this scene, but let's just say that the whole thing goes about making this point subtly and yet powerfully -- but then they make the grandfather just spell it all out, like we're idiots who couldn't get that for ourselves. We got it, honestly. So highly recommended. Available on Netflix, too. **If you foliow me on Twitter (and if not, why not?), then you've seen the announcement of a tour date in New Zealand! I'll be at the Next Page bookstore at 2 pm on March 31, ready to sign and answer questions and whatever else might be in store. Yes, I'll be touring Australia before that, but I haven't received solid dates for that yet; I hope to turn that around this week, though!
- [my adorable stalker](https://www.claudiagray.com/my-adorable-stalker/) - No, I am not arguing that stalking is okay, or that a guy enforcing his presence in a woman's life is not Deeply Creepy. What I am saying is that stalking is adorable IF AND ONLY IF your stalker is a cat.*Those of you who follow me on Instagram** know my stalker, Lola. She is a kitty who belongs to my neighbors, a loving, attentive family who do not neglect her in the slightest. I am but the woman in the next house, who likes to pet Lola when she shows up on the porch but -- being allergic to cats -- offers no other closeness. And yet somehow Lola has decided that WE ARE DESTINED. She sits on my windowsill for hours. And hours and hours. She can stare at me for at least 90 minutes at a go; I have clocked it no farther because I can't take any longer than that, and then I go hide in another room. Sometimes Lola perches on my car so she'll be sure to get me on my way out. Other times she sits on the lid of my garbage bin. I never turn on the porch light until right before I go out, because otherwise she'll be waiting at the crack of the door to dart inside.(She has, to date, achieved House Invasion on three occasions. Once I had to fish her out from under my bed; another time, party guests took care of this. The third time, I was able to tip over a chair, effectively blocking her from leaving the front room, and after a moment she darted back out.)Since Christmastime, Lola's stalking has escalated to the point of murder. Yes, the victims are small creatures -- birds and rats -- but that is still highly disturbing to find on your front steps. They are offered as gifts of love, which I get, but honestly, a Starbucks gift card = so much nicer. What have I done to deserve such devotion? Right now it is more cute than creepy. Will it remain so? (Much has to do with the placement/condition of any future dead animals left on my steps.) * or maybe a chinchilla, I don't know whether they do this kind of thing, but they are super-cute little devils.** FYI, Instagram is the only social media where, if you follow me, you are guaranteed a follow back. I make no promises about Twitter/LJ/etc., but I will definitely give you a shot on Instagram. You can blow that shot, though; I'll unfollow if you spam the heck out of it, but only then.
- [YA romance movies you may not have seen but should, Part 1 ](https://www.claudiagray.com/ya-romance-movies-you-may-not-have-seen-but-should-part-1/) - Lady Jane1986 -- starring Helena Bonham Carter (yes, Bellatrix Lestrange herself), Guildford Dudley (Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts), Patrick Stewart (make it so) and John Wood (greetings Professor Falken). The Plot: The sort of true story of Lady Jane Grey, whom King Edward VI designated as his heir instead of his older, Roman Catholic sister, Mary. Everyone got into this situation thanks to King Henry VIII's wandering eye and convenient conscience, which had led him to figure that OF COURSE he had to start a new church that would allow him to marry his mistress way back when. This meant his eldest daughter Mary was Catholic in a now mostly Protestant nation -- the only reason King Edward's gambit made any sense, because basically, Mary was undeniably next in line. However, for nine days, Lady Jane was hailed as Queen Jane. The movie is of course heavily caught up in these political elements, but it is first and foremost the story of Jane's marriage to Guildford Dudley. They were an arranged match, one intended to create political advantages for their parents. In this movie, they are a very unlikely pair -- she's scholarly, even intellectual, and so prim and proper even her parents are like, Jane, loosen up. Guildford, meanwhile, is first seen boozing it up in a whorehouse. Neither of them is one bit happy about the marriage, and at first it seems as though they'll spend the entire time either fighting or ignoring one another. But then Jane learns why Guildford is so angry, and begins to question whether her own academic pursuits have distanced her too far from the real world. She and Guildford find the unlikeliest common ground, which blossoms into love -- just as King Edward dies and their lives are transformed again, forever. The Love: Maybe they go from mutual loathing to absolute rapture a little quickly, and I for one think Guildford was up to more in that whorehouse than he ever admits, but honestly, I bought the romance here, heart and soul. Mostly it's because the actors are so amazing; they convince me far more than the script does. HBC actually seems delicate and unworldly enough to have no idea of how things work outside of books; Cary Elwes, as Guildford, was hitting his personal hotness apex, which was very hot indeed. There's a lot of romantic (a) destruction of glassware, (b) conversations held while kneeling naked in front of fireplaces, (c) social justice initiatives and (d) gamboling in meadows. I am a sucker for all such. The Best Parts: The way Jane's firm religious convictions are both admired and tested -- it would be easy to simply turn her into a faultless martyr. But the movie makes it clear that, despite her intellectual rigor, a lot of Jane's early arguments have more to do with wordplay and dogma than sincere faith. In the end, she refuses to convert to Catholicism -- but also recognizes that a Catholic clergyman has shown her more Christian charity than almost anyone else in the entire story, and decides faith may be broad enough to hold them both. Also, the Love. The aforementioned meadows. The costumes, which I am a sucker for in any period drama ever. Also this movie contains Patrick Stewart. I am always sort of guilty at book readings, etc., when people ask me who is hotter, Rob Pattinson or Taylor Lautner or some similar matchup, and the fact is -- guys, I'm too old for them. I see that they're very attractive, but because I am nonpervy, men almost two decades my junior just do not do it for me as a general rule. (Although I may call a one-time exception for Nicholas Hoult. Ahem. Moving on.) Patrick Stewart in the 1980s, though? In period costume? YES THAT IS WHAT DOES IT FOR ME SHUT UP. The Worst Parts: The ending. Don't get me wrong -- it's powerfully acted and filmed, and the final scene is still one of the most affecting I've ever seen. But remember how in history class, you never studied Queen Jane of England? Well, there's a reason for that. And you probably did study how Tudor political disagreements usually ended. Not with handshakes. There is also a pretty high cheese level to some of it, but I think of it like a lasagna -- incomplete without the cheese, but all the tastier for it. Historically Accurate? Yes and no. Jane's final words in the movie are taken almost verbatim, and the political factions and religious debates are correctly portrayed. Do not for one minute tell me that men did not wear hats like the one Patrick Stewart has on, because if that's true, I don't want to know. But Jane wasn't a social reformer in real life, and nobody's really sure whether Jane and Guildford ever fell in love. They may not even have liked each other in real life; certainly their beginning was as rocky as portrayed here, and she did refuse to have him crowned king as some (including his politically powerful father) had hoped. But if you've ever toured the Tower of London, you've walked through the cell where Guildford was imprisoned; he carved Jane's name three times in the stone. I've never understood why he would do that if there was really nothing there. But when it comes to this movie, I don't care about the history that much. It's a rapturous period romance, if you're in the mood for the same. **I need to get a new default icon, don't I?
- [Soundtracks, and how songs wind up on them](https://www.claudiagray.com/soundtracks-and-how-songs-wind-up-on-them/) - When I write a book, I always create a soundtrack. Usually the process goes something like this: 1) I choose some movie scores to tie it all together; IMHO, movie score music is the absolute best for writing to. Usually I patch together some songs from the scores of two or three movies. The EVERNIGHT series, for instance, relied heavily on the scores for "Interview With The Vampire," Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow" and "Pan's Labyrinth." I hit on those because I knew I wanted something that would be lush and dreamy, and yet also deeply eerie; each of those scores fit the bill. Those I kept throughout the entire series. Now that I'm working on the SPELLCASTER series, I'm using the scores from Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," "Twin Peaks" and -- of all things -- "Tron: Legacy." (All I can tell you is that it works.) There I always wanted some scariness, but a little more humor and action, plus that small-town-gone-very-bad vibe that "Twin Peaks" provides. In the case of BALTHAZAR, I kept some of the scores from the EVERNIGHT series but also tossed in the score to "Inception," which worked about a thousand times better than I would ever have thought. 2) I also want songs with lyrics, though -- including some songs that the characters could conceivably be listening to. So I begin throwing in things I'm listening to currently, and I add and subtract as I work. Now that I'm writing this post, I find that I'm not wholly sure how, exactly, I find the songs I've never listened to before -- and yet I always do find them, and they always wind up being favorites I adore long after the book is done. BALTHAZAR almost hinges on "The Crow and the Butterfly," and both Bat for Lashes and Vienna Teng are playing a huge part in the SPELLCASTER series so far. The one book I haven't touched on in the above is FATEFUL -- by far the hardest to assemble a score for. I mean, the movie score was kind of obvious (thanks, James Horner!), but I had to find the songs that Alec and Tess would have been listening to and enjoying. I.e., I had to find popular songs from 1912 in recordings that I could listen to the several dozen times I would hear them while writing. So what was hip in 1912? George M. Cohan, for one -- and I did listen to "Give My Regards To Broadway," which would have been the hottest thing going around them. "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now," "I Want A Girl Just Like The Girl Who Married Dear Old Dad" -- it is harder to find zippy versions of these, to say the least. But one I found that I adored was "The Glow Worm," covered by Count Basie, with lyrics obviously celebrating the days when electric power was still shiny and new. One happy fact: the popular songs of that era included a lot of tunes about the moon. "Shine On Harvest Moon," "By The Light Of The Silvery Moon" -- what works better for a book about werewolves? I listen to soundtracks most of the time I'm writing. First they set the mood; later, they recapture it for me -- get me back into the same emotional/psychological place I was when writing earlier. Everything gets tied together through the music, eventually, and usually if I don't feel like I have the soundtrack the way it should be ... it's a sign my thinking about the book isn't the way it should be. It's one of those mysterious things that shouldn't work but does.
- [Some BALTHAZAR tour dates, plus New Year's Resolutions](https://www.claudiagray.com/some-balthazar-tour-dates-plus-new-years-resolutions/) - I promised you guys some BALTHAZAR tour dates for March, and here they are! SOLO EVENTSTuesday, March 6th Time TBADoylestown Bookshop16 S Main StDoylestown, PA Wednesday, March 7th 7:00 PMKing’s English Bookshop1511 South 1500 EastSalt Lake City, UT Thursday, March 8th 4:00 PMSquare Books160 Courthouse SquareOxford, MSGROUP TOUR WITH LAUREN OLIVER AND DAN WELLSFriday, March 9th 6:30 PMBooks & Books265 Aragon AvenueCoral Gables, Fl Saturday, March 10th2:00 PMBarnes & Noble7331 N Point PkwyAlpharetta, GA Sunday, March 11th4:00 PMVroman’s695 E. Colorado BlvdPasadena, CA 91101And after that comes second Australian tour! I am so excited about getting to return to Australia -- something that could not have happened without my US publisher, HarperTeen, and both Lauren and Dan being super-flexible to make it all possible, so I'm hugely grateful. I don't have as many specifics about Australia yet, but I can confirm that, between March 13 and March 23, I'll be appearing at the Somerset festival, as well as events in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth! Obviously I will work to get you guys the details as soon as possible. **My New Year's Resolution this year: Blog more. You see, one of the reasons I've never blogged that much is that -- I'm not sure what to blog about. Sure, there is the occasional tour info, and we'll have some giveaways leading up to the BALTHAZAR release in the US (March 6 -- two months from today, can you believe it?), but other than that, I have sometimes felt at a loss. Others blog so much better about writing/YA lit/etc. than I do, that I've never known quite what to say. But I've finally decided -- maybe my blog can be as weird and random as my brain. (Well, maybe not THAT random. But close!) So look for more, and weirder, posts coming soon. (And also look for me to be concentrating much more on the blog proper than the LJ posting interface I've used up until now; LiveJournal's management has gotten weird, so I'll be transitioning out at some point. But your bookmarks should still work -- )
- [VERY last-minute tour information!](https://www.claudiagray.com/very-last-minute-tour-information/) - To my horror, I realized today I hadn't shared this with you guys, and I've nobody but myself to blame. But if you are available in Seattle, LA, Denver, Boulder or Chicago this week, then you need to come out and see me and the fabulous Amy Garvey, Kiersten White, Jocelyn Davies, and Anna Carey on the Dark Days tour! Need more details?Wednesday, Oct. 12 :7 pm, Barnes & Noble19401 Alderwood Mall ParkwayLynnwood, WAThursday, Oct. 13: 7 pm, Barnes & Noble7881 Edinger AvenueHuntington Beach, CAFriday, Oct. 14: 7 pm, Tattered Cover9315 Dorchester StreetHighlands Ranch, COSaturday, Oct. 151 pm, Barnes & Noble2999 Pearl StreetBoulder, COSunday, Oct. 162 pm, Anderson's123 West JeffersonNaperville, ILDespite the extremely late notice, I hope to see some of you guys there!
- [FATEFUL comes out three weeks from today! Contest time!](https://www.claudiagray.com/fateful-comes-out-three-weeks-from-today-contest-time/) - FATEFUL is arriving in bookstores any day now -- September 13 if you're in the US, August 29 in Australia (for other countries, check with your local bookseller.) I've been so caught up in my big move that it seems like I turned around and the launch date was here. BUT that doesn't mean we don't have time for some contest fun. I'll be running some smaller Twitter-only and Facebook-only contests in addition to those here on the blog, so if you're not already following me there, no time like the present to get started! But wait -- first, a refresher on FATEFUL, for those of you who might not be familiar with the premise: The story revolves around a servant girl named Tess in 1912, who wants to escape from the house where she works, and most particularly the horrible family she has to work for. But that's not her biggest problem. While on a voyage to America, where she plans to escape and start a new life, she meets Alec, who's ruggedly handsome, fabulously wealthy, intelligent and yet so clearly troubled that she'd rather not fall for him, but she does. That also is not her biggest problem. Alec, it turns out, is a werewolf ... one cursed to change every night, unless he surrenders his independence and joins the Brotherhood, a pack of violently misogynistic werewolves who have been tracking him for months. You'd think that would be their biggest problem, wouldn't you?But no. Their biggest problem is that they're aboard the RMS Titanic.So, as you might guess from the fact that I wrote this, I LOVE DISASTER MOVIES. And disaster books. Disasters on television shows. (Fictional disasters, mind you: I'm not some weirdo who likes real ones, which uniformly suck.) If you're interested in this book, chances you have a weakness for these too. The first contest is going to celebrate the whole fictional-disaster genre. THE RULES1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the subject line "FATEFUL Contest #1" or similar. 2) In this email, tell me your favorite movie, book or television episode about a disaster. It can be a real life disaster like the sinking of the Titanic, or one made up for purposes of the story. And tell me why you love it so much!3) Also in this email, give me a name and email address I can use to send you your prize. (What is your prize? FOUR lucky winners will receive $25 gift certificates to the online bookstore of their choice!)4) Tell me the online bookstore you'd choose! 5) Do this before Tuesday, Sept. 30, when four winners will be chosen at random. Good luck to all!
- [FATEFUL -- it's only a month (and change) away! (Contests and more)](https://www.claudiagray.com/fateful-its-only-a-month-and-change-away-contests-and-more/) - So, it's been a while since I got to update the blog ... but in my defense, I moved (from Chicago to New Orleans) and had plenty of other exciting things going on too. I poked my head up from the boxes and piles of stuff to realize that FATEFUL is only just over a month away from its US release. Time flies when you're having fun, or when you're desperately trying to figure out which box you packed the silverware in. Either way. I thought I'd answer a few basic questions first: Q: What is FATEFUL? A: FATEFUL is a stand-alone novel, a YA paranormal. Here's the official summary -- In Fateful, eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, overbearing family she works for. Once the ship they’re sailing on reaches the United States, she’ll strike out on her own. Then she meets Alec, a handsome first-class passenger who captivates her instantly. But Alec has secrets.... Soon Tess will learn just how dark Alec’s past truly is. The danger they face is no ordinary enemy: werewolves are real and they’re stalking him—and now Tess, too. Her growing love for Alec will put Tess in mortal peril, and fate will do the same before their journey on the Titanic is over. Want to read some awesome, nonspoilery reviews? Check out those links. Q: When is FATEFUL released? A: It comes out Sept. 13 in the United States. As for international release dates -- I'm afraid I don't know. Often authors are the last to find out these things! Your best bet, if you live outside the US or Canada, is to check with your local booksellers. Q: How are we going to celebrate the release of FATEFUL?A: With contests! I hope to have plenty of ARCs of other awesome books to give away, but the grand prize will be (as it's always been) the chance to name a character in an upcoming book of mine. We'll start the contests in earnest next Tuesday. Q: What do we do until next Tuesday?A: I'd love to hear from you! What other prizes would be awesome for you guys? What other information would you like about the book? Let me know, via email (with the subject line "FATEFUL Wishlist"), via blog or LJ comment, or via Twitter. I hope you have all had an awesome summer (or winter, if you're reading this in the Southern Hemisphere).
- [ENTHRALLED contest winners!](https://www.claudiagray.com/enthralled-contest-winners/) - No time like the present to announce the winners of the contest for ARCs of ENTHRALLED, the paranormal romance anthology from all the writers taking part in this fall's "Smart Chicks Kick It" tour! So congrats to the victorious Jean B., Keri N., Osasere A., and Kayla P.! You'll all get copies of ENTHRALLED in the mail, signed by me ... and if you want to get the other fabulous authors' signatures, you'll have to join us on the tour this fall. (More dates and details coming soon!) The contest asked you guys to reveal whether or not you'd want to be able to read minds and thoughts (like one of the main characters in my story for ENTHRALLED, "Giovanni's Farewell.") Most of you said no -- pointing out that people's thoughts aren't always kind, and it might be too easy to judge everyone based on their whims or worst moments instead of by what they actually do. But there were plenty of people who voted yes, because it would be undeniably useful! And probably you'd learn to deal with it over time, right? Well -- you'll have to see what Cairo makes of it, in the story.I haven't updated the blog much lately, and won't be doing so tons over the next couple of months. Right now I'm gearing up for the big move from Chicago to New Orleans, and that's pretty much going to eat my free time for a while. But don't worry: You will still be able to find me on Twitter (and Instagram, and Facebook), and we'll be back for a whole new set of contests this fall to get you guys ready for the September 13 release of FATEFUL (aka Werewolves on the Titanic.) Everybody have a great summer!
- [ARCS of ENTHRALLED, anyone? ](https://www.claudiagray.com/arcs-of-enthralled-anyone/) - Hello, all! It's been quieter on the blog lately, mostly because I've been busy busy crazy busy. I went to Colombia! To Spain! To Book Expo America! I bought a house! Let me tell you, there hasn't been a dull moment, unless you count that one time my plane was stuck in a holding pattern over Chicago. But that doesn't mean I don't have more goodies to share. Namely, I have FOUR advance reader copies of ENTHRALLED to give away!What's ENTHRALLED? It's an anthology, edited by the frabjous Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr, with paranormal stories from several authors taking part in this fall's "Smart Chicks Kick It" tour. (I'll update with dates -- in late September/early October -- later.) We've got stories from Rachel Caine, Carrie Ryan, Kami Garcia, Kimberly Derting, Ally Condie, Jeri Smith-Ready, Margaret Stohl, Sarah Rees Brennan, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Mary E. Pearson, Rachel Vincent, Jackson Pearce and Jessica Verday -- as well as both the editors and yours truly. Personally I think we would make the greatest women's softball team ever, but we've put together a pretty awesome anthology too, if I do say so myself. My story, "Giovanni's Farewell," is about fraternal twins, brother and sister, named Cairo and Ravenna. (They debate which one of them was more screwed over by their parents, who named them after the cities where they met and honeymooned, respectively.) They've always been closer than close, but in the last few months, that has changed. Or, rather, Cairo has changed. Ravenna is terrified that he's going crazy, ranting and raving about his supposed ability to read other people's minds. It doesn't even enter her mind to believe him -- until they're on a trip to Rome, where her psychic powers kick in. If you win the contest, you get that story and SO many more! Four copies, each of which will be signed by me (you'll have to hunt down the other ladies) -- they're up for grabs. How can you win? Contest Rules1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the subject line "ENTHRALLED Contest" or similar. 2) In this email, tell me whether or not you'd like to be able to read thoughts, and why!3) Also give me an address and name for me to send your copy if you win. (Yes, I'll ship anywhere.) 4) Do all this before Thursday, June 16, when I'll pick four winners at random.Good luck! **Also, FYI, if you're on Instagram, I've claimed the name of skyetierney there -- if you want to see photos of my daily life in varying quality, check it out! (I still hope to get my tumblr going, now that I may actually have some free time again.)
- [Winners of the FATEFUL ARC, plus BEA signing info!](https://www.claudiagray.com/winners-of-the-fateful-arc-plus-bea-signing-info/) - I just got back from my first-ever publicity tour of Colombia, and WOW -- what an amazing place, and what an incredible welcome! Thanks to every single fan who helped make my experiences in Bogota and Medellin so fantastic and unforgettable. The journey was absolutely spectacular start to finish, and all the events in each city were some of the best I've ever been a part of. On to our next batch of winners! The contest was extended by one extra day, but the time has finally come: The winners of five ARCs of FATEFUL (aka, the story of werewolves on the Titanic) have been chosen! Congrats to Anna H., Jeahnelle W., Bettina Z., Carol T., and Rachel P.! Your copies will be going into the mail shortly, hopefully before I set off to New York City on Monday for Book Expo America.Speaking of BEA! I'll be doing my first-ever signing there this year, specifically this Tuesday, May 24 at 11:30 a.m. If you're attending, you'll be able to find me at Table 11, where I'll be signing yet more copies of FATEFUL. Be there!
- [Who wants an ARC of FATEFUL?](https://www.claudiagray.com/who-wants-an-arc-of-fateful/) - It's been a while since I updated this blog -- sorry about that -- but when you're touring for the release of AFTERLIFE, it's tough to do all the other fun stuff too. And now that AFTERLIFE is out there in your hot little hands (at least, in several countries so far), it's time to start promoting FATEFUL! (FATEFUL, for those of you new to the program, is the book about werewolves on the Titanic, or as the working title had it, YES, ACTUALLY, THE SITUATION CAN GET WORSE.) I just got my ARCs, and that means I have five copies to give away to you guys. Yes, it's contest time again!FATEFUL ARC ContestThe rules: 1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the subject line "FATEFUL ARC Contest" or similar.2) In this email, tell me your favorite bit of trivia or history about the Titanic. (Yes, copping info from Wikipedia is fair game, but I will be interested to see what you guys come up with!) 3) Also in this email, include a name and address I can use to send your book to you if you win. 4) Do all this before Thursday, May 19, when I'll pick five winners at random. (I'm allowing extra time for this because I know lots of people will want in on it and I want to give them the chance -- plus my travels haven't ended yet.) Good luck to everyone!In other news, I am so watching every second of the Royal Wedding. I watched Charles and Di as a wee thing and I'm not going to miss this one either. I want to be an old crone watching the inevitable Wills/Kate spawn get married someday, when it's all broadcast in 3D with interactive monarchy holograms or whatever. Yes, it's silly and doesn't actually matter but it's SOMETHING NICE ALL HUMANITY CAN DO TOGETHER, so let's just relax and enjoy commenting on the dress, okay?
- [AFTERLIFE tour dates reminder, and Lucas doll winner!](https://www.claudiagray.com/afterlife-tour-dates-reminder-and-lucas-doll-winner/) - We have our fourth and final winner of the EVERNIGHT doll -- a miniature Lucas is now the property of Jensine S.! Congrats to Jensine, who had a very eloquent entry about why Lucas should be hers, though tons of you had great reasons. Some of those included: 1) He would be a source of inspiration to never give up.2) He would be well taken care of, as indeed he sorely needs just after HOURGLASS. 3) He would serve as protector against any possible incursion by hostile vampires. 4) He's hot. 5) He would fuel rich fantasy lives. (Is that the same as the above entry?) 6) He would make any room more splendid. (A Lucas goes with everything.) What would he make of all this? I think it's time for a Lucas interview! From Destiny S.: "Lucas, if given the choice again, would you become a vampire by choice rather than lose Bianca to the wraiths?"Lucas: "If that was the only way -- yeah. But I think I'd make her swear to stake me before I woke up." From Ellen C.: "Lucas, exactly what went through your head the night you saw Bianca drinking Erich's blood on the roof of Evernight?"Lucas: "I nearly lost it. I mean, I was already so crazy about her -- Bianca was the most amazing girl I'd ever known. Ever. And the thing was ... I felt like I was living a normal life for the first time. Like I was getting to just be a guy and be with a girl and actually get to act on how I felt instead of being a fighter every second. So when I realized she didn't have anything to do with "normal" -- I don't know. At first I felt really betrayed. But I also knew right away that she wasn't just a monster. I knew some of what Black Cross had always told me was a lie, but I didn't how much or what it meant. So I didn't know where the hell my head was for a while. I got over the betrayal first; it's not like I wasn't keeping my own secret, you know? Beyond that, all I knew was that I had to get back to Bianca again."From Camille: "What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear Bianca's name?"Lucas: "Her smile." From Kirsten B.: "I would ask whether he truly thought that his situation living freely with Bianca in Hourglass would last, or if he had any idea of what was to come."Lucas: "We were making it up as we went along -- I knew that from the get-go. But I truly thought I could take better care of her than that. It all just got so damned complicated so fast." From Anne H.: "What is so horrible about becoming a vampire?"Lucas: "First off, you're dead. Second, you want to drink blood. I've tried drinking blood. Remember? It's disgusting. Third -- and this is the main part -- I've seen a lot of vampires who know how to handle what they are. I've learned that's possible, now. But I've seen plenty of vampires who don't. They become monsters like Charity. They take pleasure in being cruel. They kill. I'd rather be dead than turn into that." From Eniyah W.: "Lucas, at what exact moment did you finally decide that you were so deeply in love with Bianca?"Lucas: "I don't know if it comes down to 'deciding,' but I realized it on Christmas Day that year. Black Cross doesn't exactly make a big deal out of the holidays. I was imagining how different things would be if I were with her, how it would finally feel like the kind of Christmas I've seen in movies, and I just didn't give a damn whether she was a vampire or not. And I knew that could only be love." From Aurora M.: "Lucas, is it better to follow your heart or your head?"Lucas: "Follow your heart, but use your head along the way." From Jackie M.: "After all the pain & suffering, has it been worth to be with Bianca?"Lucas: "Absolutely. I'd do it all again. I'd just plan further ahead next time."**I hope to get all the dolls in the mail to you guys tomorrow morning (I just got them from the designer last night), but it might be when I return -- the tour is coming up fast, and there's still much to do! AFTERLIFE is coming out Tuesday! Want to know if I'm coming to your area? Check out the dates below! Tuesday, March 8 Phoenix, AZ 7:00 PM Reading/Q&A/Signing Changing Hands 6428 S McClintock Drive Tempe, AZ 85283Wednesday, March 9 San Diego, CA 7:00 PM Reading/Q&A/Signing Mysterious Galaxy 7051 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard San Diego, CA 92111-1040Thursday, March 10 Dallas, TX 6:00 PM Reading/Q&A/Signing Barnes & Noble Stonebriar Center Mall Frisco, TX 75034Friday, March 11 Charlotte, NC 4:30 PM Reading/Q&A/Signing Park Road Books 4139 Park Road Charlotte, NCThursday, March 17 Minneapolis, MN 7:00 PM Reading/Q&A/Signing Dark Days of Winter event w/ Kimberly Derting and Courtney Allison Moulton 2100 North Snelling Avenue Roseville, MNFriday, March 18 Chicago, IL 7:00 PM Reading/Q&A/Signing Dark Days of Winter event w/ Ellen Schreiber, Kimberly Derting and Courtney Allison Moulton 123 West Jefferson Ave Naperville, ILSaturday March 19 Miami, FL 7:00 PM Reading/Q&A/Signing Dark Days of Winter event w/ Kimberly Derting and Courtney Allison Moulton 265 Aragon Ave Coral Gables, FLI can't wait to meet you guys there and to hear what you think of AFTERLIFE! It's a Sunday, and you may have noticed -- I've not posted about The Artist's Way. Though I continue leading the group, I wasn't getting much FB from you guys. Is this of interest to any of you? Even a couple of yeses will get me posting again; just let me know. Now, in a great hurry, I shall pack.
- [EVERNIGHT doll contest #4, plus Bianca interview](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-doll-contest-4-plus-bianca-interview/) - First of all, congrats to our next winner -- Sarah C., who will be taking home the Bianca doll! She has three nifty outfits: Evernight Academy uniform, formal dress and wraithly jammies (complete with coral bracelet, which is pretty important.) (The doll has these, I mean; I cannot speak to the number of outfits Sarah C. has, nor whether her jammies are of a wraithly nature or not.) This means we have a few interview Qs for Bianca: From Rachelle: "Does being in that same outfit (the pjs) make you crazy? Personally if it was me I'd be extremely upset that everyone would see me in my embarassing pjs every time they look at me." Bianca: "Well, it gets kind of old. When I turn myself corporeal, I can put on other clothes, but they just fall to the ground when I disappear, and then, boom, pajamas again. It could be worse. At least the pajamas are comfortable. What if I had to wear a strapless bra for eternity? That would suck."From Wendy: "Bianca, when you first came to Evernight, did you ever picture yourself where you are now? Why or why not?"Bianca: "Never ever ever ever ever. That's true in some bad ways -- I never imagined I could be a wraith, or have Black Cross after me, and I definitely never thought I'd be separated from my parents ... well, ever, but especially not as unhappily as this. It's true in some good ones, too, though. I know I'm stronger and tougher than I used to be; I stand up for myself more, and for the people I love. And I never imagined having anyone like Lucas in my life." From Rebecca: "In the end would you still have risked everything to be with Lucas, even though you betrayed your parents?"Bianca: "That's not an easy question to answer. Well, I mean, it is -- yes, I would -- but I would have tried harder to get other answers first, and to try to get both Lucas and my parents to understand each other. I don't know if I would've made any headway; possibly the only person in the world more stubborn than my parents is Lucas Ross. But I would feel better knowing I had really tried, and I would feel more like maybe they understood. That's the worst part about being away from my parents like this -- feeling like they'll never understand me or accept the decisions I made." From Cristal: "Well, hello, Bianca, how are you doing today?.. Thank you so much for doing this Interview. I wanted to ask you, if you had a time machine, would you go back in time to change anything that has happened to you from EVERNIGHT to HOURGLASS, and if yes, what would that be?"Bianca: "How polite you are! I'm doing very well today; once you're a wraith, you're pretty much okay on the average day. If I had a time machine, what would I change? I think I'd go back to the beginning, tell Lucas that I knew about him being Black Cross and start trying to find a way to meld our worlds together before Mom, Dad and Mrs. Bethany turned him into public enemy number one. I'd warn Courtney about Charity, too; I mean, I didn't like Courtney much, but nobody deserved that. And I'd definitely figure out a better way for us to escape from Black Cross. Everything got so out of control afterwards!"From Alejandra: "Until now we've seen how your unconditional love for Lucas has overcome every possible (and impossible) obstacle, but do you think it will also overcome the problems that are about to come after HOURGLASS, and will you do all it takes to save him?"Bianca: "I don't know how we get through this -- I honestly don't. It's like all our worst nightmares have come true at once. But I am not giving up. Lucas is my only constant in a world that seems like it's gone crazy. I will never give up on him, and I know he won't let me go either. We're finding our way through some dark times, but we're doing it together." From Eibhlin: "If Lucas didn't exist, would you have received Balthazar's affections for you?"Bianca: "... wow, I'm not sure. Probably yes. Would we really last, though? I don't know. It might just have been incredibly hot for a little while... there are worse things. But, happily for me, Lucas does exist."From Andrea: "Do you believe in love at first sight like when you saw lucas after he tried to "save" you in EVERNIGHT?"Bianca: "Since meeting Lucas, I think I have to believe it! But it takes so much more than that first sight to hold on to that love, and to find out who it is you really care about. I think only time can tell whether love at first sight is true. I think ours is." **Only one more doll remains -- and that's Lucas! He and his crossbow long for a new home. And we have only a week and a half until AFTERLIFE comes out in the US! So surreal. Let's find this Black Cross hunter a home, shall we? Lucas Doll Contest1) Send me an email with the header "Lucas Doll Contest" or something similar, at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com. 2) In this email, tell me why Lucas belongs in your home and no one else's! 3) Also tell me a name and address I can use to send Lucas to you if you win. (And yes, I'll ship anywhere.)4) Do all of this before Sunday, March 6, when I will pick the winner!I realize I owe you guys an Artist's Way post from last week; the conference I was attending didn't leave much free time for getting the information online. I'll try to make up for it tomorrow. AFTERLIFE -- it's almost here!
- [EVERNIGHT doll contest #3!](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-doll-contest-3/) - Sorry this is coming out so late, guys, but as you may know, I'm on the road this week ... on a (personal only) trip to Southern California. If you are in SoCal, you know that I somehow managed to arrive here in time for cold winds, torrential rains and flash flood warnings. Do I have great timing or what? (What I do NOT have is an umbrella. I do sometimes take packing light to an unfortunate extreme.) The conference I'm attending here has been tremendously fun but also tremendously busy, which is how I come to be posting this contest at midnight on Saturday. But! You still get a week to enter, and both Bianca and Lucas still wait to to find homes. So how do you enter? 1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "Doll Contest #3" or similar. 2) In this email, tell me what you'd do at the beach when it's raining! 3) Also tell me whether you'd like the Bianca doll or the Lucas doll, and give me a name and address to use so I can mail your doll to you if you win. 4) Do all this before Saturday, Feb. 26, when I'll pick the next winner! We're SO CLOSE to AFTERLIFE I can almost taste it! Did you see the tour dates on my website (www.claudiagray.com)? If not, check them out, US guys -- I can't wait to meet you!(And I'll have a couple new international trips to announce very soon ...)
- [DOLL Contest #2 winner announced, plus an interview with Patrice!](https://www.claudiagray.com/doll-contest-2-winner-announced-plus-an-interview-with-patrice/) - I'm sincerely sorry to be a day late with this, guys, but I was prepping for a trip to California yesterday and, in all the hubbub, forgot to pick the winner of Doll Contest #2. But now that I'm outside San Diego, kicking back and relaxing, I have time to announce that congratulations go to Juiliana R.! She chose the oh-so-glamorous Patrice doll, which will be headed to her soon, complete with both Evernight Academy uniform and gorgeous evening gown. In celebration of this win, and of Patrice's return to the story in AFTERLIFE, we have a few interview questions for her: From Camille: "Will you ever come back? I kinda miss your character!"Patrice: "I'm back, darling. Read AFTERLIFE and you'll find me again. But I haven't been wasting time; there are stories about me in two anthologies that tell you all sorts of things about my past, both when I was alive and a certain romantic misadventure of mine during World War II." From Joelene: "How will you feel about your friend Bianca now that you know she's a ghost? Will you stand by her and try to help her figure things out?"Patrice: "Wraiths don't bother me nearly as much as they do some vampires. The reasons for that ... well, they're complicated. But I don't go running away in terror the first time I see a little frost on the windows." From Rachelle: "What do you have against humans? Is it just because they're not like you or is there more to the story?"Patrice: "It's not that I hate humans. I'd even say I have a bit of a weakness for human men -- but I'm getting off the subject. Let's just say that I try not to fool myself that humans and vampires can have much to do with each other anymore. I've made that mistake before; I'd prefer not to do it again." From Alejandra: "Why whenever nobody was around were you all nice to Bianca, but whenever somebody came around you hated her....and also why did you have a change of heart on how you felt about Bianca at the end of Evernight?"Patrice: "I never hated Bianca; I just wanted her to get with the program, you know? She acted like everybody at school was out to get her, all the time, which was crap. Then she expected me to feel all sorry for her. Um, sorry, I believe you make your own fate in this world. Plus, she was not the world's best roommate. Do you ever in these books read about her cleaning up our room? Yeah, that would be because I had to do it myself, because somebody's too busy being in eternal love to get her towels up off the floor. But I didn't hate it. When she was chilling out about stuff, I really kind of liked her. And I felt bad when Lucas turned out to be Black Cross - I mean, ouch." From Sarah: "Because you have been a vampire for a long time, did you know that if you were born a vampire, you would turn into a wraith just like Bianca?"Patrice: "I can't give away too much about AFTERLIFE, I'm told, so let's just say that I know a lot more about wraiths than most vampires do. That's largely due to this wonderful woman I met soon after I died in New Orleans; Marie Leveau knew all kinds of interesting things ..."**The interview's got to be cut a bit short -- if I'm going to get to my dinner party on time, it would probably be nice to be, like, dressed and have my hair dried. It's classier, you know? So I'll go over some of your votes for your favorite scene - and open up the next doll contest (Bianca and Lucas still remain!) -- later on tonight or first thing tomorrow. Keep watching this space!
- [The Artist's Way, Week Two](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-artists-way-week-two/) - This week, in The Artist's Way: Recovering a Sense of IdentityThis week's exercises are really all about looking at our priorities -- when we say, "I don't have time to X, Y or Z," often what we really mean is, "I don't value X, Y or Z", or, even more tellingly, "I won't let myself admit that I value X, Y and Z." Basically, we're asked to make lists of things we like to do and ask ourselves how long it's been since we did them; then we're asked to make lists of the activities that take up most of our time. Yes, things we must do usually hit the list of "activities" that take up most of our time: school/work, duties at home, family responsibilities, etc. But when I made this list, I was struck that a couple of the things I spent the most time doing weren't in that category OR on the lists of things I like to do. They were just time-sucks -- ways I let my energy get siphoned off into stuff I don't care about. And I'm guessing I'm not the only one. Some of the things I like to do are a little more difficult to incorporate into my daily life; for instance, I used to take pottery classes and really enjoyed them. I'd love to do that again sometime, but the cost, time and materials are a major investment. But so many things were so simple! Why hadn't I gotten my butt down to my crochet circle in six weeks? Why am I not listening to the classical-music radio station sometimes instead of leaving the TV on to blast some meaningless, useless noise? How did I let myself fall out of practice with yoga? So last Thursday, I went back to crochet circle (and am now making myself a lovely peacock blue computer sleeve -- or at least am trying). I hope to return to yoga this week. The classical music is playing right now. How do these play into a sense of identity, you might ask? Well, I think it's important to know what inspires and recharges us, and to invest some of our time and energy into those experiences and activities. That's how you feed your creative side -- and it's how you reaffirm to yourself that your creativity is an important part of your life. If you want to be a writer, you need to identify as a creative person and invest the time to express yourself.For me, because writing is now my job (YAY), I definitely do make the time to write -- both the books I write for publication and pleasure writing I do on the side, because I know how important it is that I never lose the sense that writing is fun. But I was surprised how slack I'd become in keeping up the many other activities that keep me cheerful, creative and inspired. I'm grateful for the reminder and reenergized for the future. The only thing that might keep me from yoga this week is that I may have a wee bit of a stomach virus coming on. At any rate, the nausea has now been around for about six hours, which is somewhat ominous. Here's hoping a good night's sleep knocks that out!But even if I am laid up in bed for a while, I can still crochet ... And don't forget: You have until Wednesday, Feb. 16 to enter the second EVERNIGHT doll contest! For details, check out the previous entry on the blog!
- [Doll Contest News, plus interview Qs and the Artist's Way!](https://www.claudiagray.com/doll-contest-news-plus-interview-qs-and-the-artists-way/) - First of all, the first doll claimed was Raquel, and her bad-ass vampire hunting self is going to the lucky Averi A.! Congrats, Averi! Raquel will be making her way to you soon, assuming the postal service doesn't try to confiscate her weapons. If you didn't win this time, don't despair: Three more dolls need homes! And we'll get that contest started soon --- but first, there are some interview questions that need answering. You guys asked SO many terrific questions that I want to get to plenty of them, so I'm just going to "interview" each character as his or her doll is given away. Which makes today "Raquel Day." (Note: Spoilers for EVERNIGHT, STARGAZER and HOURGLASS below!) From Averi: "Do you think that you will be the next Buffy the Vampire Slayer; is that your MO?"Raquel: "Buffy was banging vampires all the time. I'll pass, thanks." From Precious: "What is it like being a member of the Black Cross?"Raquel: "Well, at first it was kind of awesome. I was so sick and tired of being scared all the time, you know? Black Cross finally gave me a way to fight back. Plus, I got to be with Dana, which was and is definitely awesome. But lately -- since all that stuff with Bianca and Lucas -- I don't know. I guess I'm wondering how much we're supposed to give up. Maybe it's too much." From Paz: "Now that you know that Bianca is a vampire/wraith. Will you try to look past that and still be her friend?"Raquel: "Seeing as how I kind of totally turned her in and nearly got her and Lucas killed, I figure there's no chance she'll ever forgive me. So that kind of kills the friendship, huh? But I'd do it a lot differently if I had it to do over. Of course, I don't." From Aranxta: "Raquel, how do you manage to always stay so strong and brave??"Raquel: "Me? Brave? I feel like I'm scared to death half the time. But you just have to be strong enough to keep going anyway; if not, whatever it is that's trying to keep you down -- it wins." From Melanie: "If someone wrote a biography about you, what do you think the title should be?"Raquel: "BAD MAMA JAMA. Okay, that's silly. But I'd take it. Given how I'm feeling about Black Cross lately -- maybe DOUBLE-CROSSED." From Harman: "Raquel, you sort of found your soulmate at/in blackcross, what do you think of her?"Raquel: "Dana's the best person I've ever known. She's totally courageous -- you should ask her about staying strong and brave sometime. She knows how to fight every evil supernatural thing out there, because she's grown up in Black Cross -- but she doesn't let Black Cross think for her. Plus, she's hilarious. And gorgeous. I still can't believe I'm lucky enough to have her in my life." From Eniyah: "Raquel, deep down do you really, really love being apart of an exhilarating group such as Black Cross?"Raquel: "Exhilarating? Try eating oatmeal for 30 days straight and see how exhilarating you think it is then. I admit, though - they really have taught me how to fight, and I'm grateful for that." From Jennifer: "It seems like you're pretty psyched and gun ho about being a slayer but what do you not like about it?"Raquel: "The early mornings. Oatmeal. Not knowing who to believe or trust. What they did to Bianca and Lucas. Also, oatmeal. Feeling like Dana and I never get any time to ourselves. The kind of cult-like mentality of the whole thing. And did I mention the endless, endless oatmeal?"From Monique: "In the first books you were so scared to do anything; you didn't talk to many people. What made you overcome your fears and join the Black Cross team?"Raquel: "Well, I don't know if I ever would have had the guts to leave Evernight Academy if it hadn't been on fire at the time. That kind of simplified things. Once I learned there was actually a group of people out there dedicated to fighting the supernatural stuff that used to scare the hell out of me, though, I was in. ... Maybe I should have asked a few more questions first." From Camille: "What would you do if the time comes that you have to kill Bianca?"Raquel: "Oh, my God. I could never do that. Not ever. I mean, it freaks me out that she's a vampire -- I know they're evil -- but I just couldn't. Don't make me even think about it." **Bianca, Patrice and Lucas will answer the great questions you guys sent for them in weeks to come. Beginning, shall we say, next Wednesday, February 16, when I'll give another doll away! What are the rules for entering this time?THE RULES:1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject header EVERNIGHT doll contest #2 or similar. 2) In this email, tell me your single favorite scene from the EVERNIGHT saga so far. 3) Also give me a name and address I can use to mail your doll if you win (and yes, I'll ship anywhere in the world) -- and tell me which of the remaining three dolls (Patrice, Lucas or Bianca) you'd most like! 4) Do all this before next Wednesday, when I'll pick the winner at random, and answer some more interview questions. Good luck, everyone! (By the way, if you need to remind yourself of how awesome these dolls are, check out the original post. And for those of you who have asked: Balthazar will wait for his own doll when he gets his own book ... in other words, only one short year from now. So keep watching this space!) Now, because I somehow forgot to post this on the weekend: The Artist's Way, Week One: Recovering a Sense of SafetyNot every week speaks to everyone in the same way, when it comes to this book. Some weeks, the program is really dealing with an issue that strikes home; other weeks, it's not anything you particularly need to hear.That's what this week was to me. It's mostly about identifying the people who have discouraged you from being creative, but I have to say ... almost nobody has ever done that. I've had the odd flame for some fanfiction I wrote, or a bad review or two on Amazon, but those are just nicks and scratches. This chapter is mostly about administering to the wounded, to people who have really been told that they have no creativity or that it's a waste of time for them to express it. I know there are a lot of people for whom that's true, and I'm glad they have the tools in this chapter to help them get past that. But I wouldn't say this was a waste of time for me. The chapter doesn't ask us to only look for the people who discouraged you; it also asks who encouraged you. And I've been so lucky and fortunate to have people who believed in me all along the way. I really believe a sense of gratitude is one of the key ingredients of happiness, so reconnecting with that in a big way was amazing. Onto next week, and "A Sense of Identity" --
- [The AFTERLIFE countdown begins! (new contest!) ](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-afterlife-countdown-begins-new-contest/) - Can you believe the release of AFTERLIFE is only six weeks away? Me either! But it's past time we got some contests started. I have a few slightly different prizes this time, and I'm curious to see if they're prizes you'll enjoy. What are they? Well, thanks to my web designer -- and custom doll enthusiast -- Tara, they are Evernight Academy dolls. Check it out: Bianca:Lucas:Raquel: Patrice: How fabulous are they, right? And each of them comes with multiple outfits, so you can have Black Cross Lucas: Or Autumn Ball Patrice: Or even wraithly Bianca: But they ALL have Evernight Academy uniforms (even with the little crest! Isn't that awesome?), so that's guaranteed. They could wear regular Barbie-and-Ken clothes, should you wish to costume them to your heart's content at home.I hope you guys think these are as great as I do. I'm going to give all four dolls away -- one doll a week -- via contests. Each week, you'll be asked to choose which of the dolls you'd like to win; I'll pick a winner at random, so there's no telling which dolls will go first and last. CONTEST RULES:1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject header "EVERNIGHT Doll Contest #1 or similar." 2) In this email, give me the name and address I should use to tell me where to send your prize if you win (and yes, I'll ship anywhere). 3) Also in this email, tell me which of the four dolls you'd like, and include an interview question for that character. For instance, if you love the look of vampire hunter Raquel, you could ask, "Raquel, do you feel bad about what you did to Bianca in HOURGLASS, or do you stand by your decision?" Except not that one b/c I just gave it to you. (Also, feel free to enter once for each doll you'd like, up to four times, once for each doll; repeat entries beyond that are uncool.) 4) Do all this before Thursday, Feb. 10, when I'll pick the first winner. Bonus: I'll answer several of the questions you send in for each of the characters during the subsequent week!Good luck to everyone!
- [The Artist's Way: Getting Started](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-artists-way-getting-started/) - So, as I've discussed here previously, I have just begun leading an Artist's Way group at my church. For the next three months, way more people from my church than I ever dreamed would be interested, and I, are going to go through the 12 weeks of the program laid out by Julia Cameron in her book THE ARTIST'S WAY. The program helps "unblock creativity" -- in other words, it helps people prioritize creativity in their lives, remove their inner censors and embrace that amazing creative energy that's pent up inside. When I first did the program, more than a decade ago, I hadn't written a word in three years. Now I'm a full-time novelist ... which might make you wonder, like one person at my church, about why I feel the need to do it again. I mean, it worked the first time, right? And it did. But I'm interested to see how different the experience will be to me now, and I think it's important for professional writers to remain connected to the primal enjoyment of/passion for writing. That can be difficult to hold onto with the pressure of deadlines, reviews, tour dates, etc. For each week of the program, I'm going to post here about some of the basics of THE ARTIST'S WAY and what it's like for me this go-round. If you're interested in following along, I suggest getting a copy of the book (it should be available in most new and used bookstores, all online venues and in most libraries.) There are lots of essays/extra tasks/etc. that the book lays out, which I think are key to success. But I'll share a little bit each time, starting this week with -- "The Basic Tools" Each week of THE ARTIST'S WAY has separate tasks, a separate function within the program. But there are two things you have to commit to throughout the entire twelve weeks: 1) The Morning PagesEvery morning -- I mean, every single morning -- very early in your day (as in, before breakfast, not before lunch) -- you need to write three pages. Three pages of what, you ask? It doesn't matter. Journal the day before. Start a short story. Recount the dreams you remember from the night before. Write a letter to the imaginary friend you forgot about when you turned six. There's literally no wrong way to do it. If you can't think of anything to write, just put down, "I can't think of anything to write" over and over until you fill three (full notebook size!) pages. What purpose does this serve? Well, there's no one purpose, just as there's no one way to do the pages. Some people end up working on something creative; others use it as a way to vent the emotions that otherwise tangle them up throughout the day. What's important is doing some writing so early on that your day hasn't had a chance to interfere. As you keep going, in about week three or four, chances are you'll start to see what the pages are going to do for you. 2) The Artist's DateOnce a week -- every single week -- you must go out and do something that is (a) totally new to you and (b) potentially interesting for you, for two hours. And you must go alone. It can be an art exhibit. It can be rollerblading. It can be a walk down a street lined with old Victorian houses you always thought were pretty as you drove past in a hurry. It can be a cooking class. ANYTHING ... as long as it interests you and is unfamiliar to you. By providing your mind with repeated new, stimulating experiences, you are waking up your imagination. Filling the well, as Cameron calls it. And why go alone? Because that way, you can't filter the experience through someone else. Your thoughts have to be free to wander -- to make new connections. You have to move at your own pace, free of anybody else's expectations. **Not only do these tools have intrinsic value, but they also help you fight one of the oldest enemies of creativity: The belief that you don't have the time. What you're usually saying, when you say that, is "I don't think it's important enough to make it a priority." Doing THE ARTIST'S WAY helps you stand up and say that creativity is a priority for you. You learn to find the time. Next week, I'll go over the topic for week one -- "Discovering a Sense of Safety." And Tuesday, I'll be announcing new tour dates, plus new contests leading into the impending release of AFTERLIFE!
- [ONCE IN A FULL MOON winner, and "The Rite" ](https://www.claudiagray.com/once-in-a-full-moon-winner-and-the-rite/) - Sorry this is going up so late, guys; I finally started to feel better today (thanks in part to all your awesome cold remedies -- seriously, I appreciate each and every one of them.) However, as I'm sure you know, after you've been in the house sick for a few days, the first thing you want to do when you feel better is get out of the dang house. So I took myself off to see "The Rite," because nothing says "I'm on the road to recovery" like a good old-fashioned exorcism. Due to my questionable taste in filmgoing, I am very late announcing that the winner of Ellen Schreiber's ONCE IN A FULL MOON is none other than Angela F.! So congrats, Angela! I'm sure you're going to enjoy it. If you didn't win, don't despair: More contests are coming starting Tuesday. We're leading into AFTERLIFE now, so the good loot is about to start coming. In the meantime, in case you were wondering, "So, how is 'The Rite'?" -- Probably better than you'd think! It's not brilliant, and really, after "The Exorcist," has any film come up with something genuinely new on this topic? But thanks to some hard work by Sir Anthony Hopkins, I found the film's fundamental question interesting (can you believe in the devil without believing in God?) and some of the sequences genuinely scary and unsettling. And the photography of Rome made me deeply nostalgic for the place. You could do worse with your moviegoing dollar. You could also do better, this time of year ("127 Hours," "The King's Speech," "Black Swan," "True Grit"), but sometimes, you just need a horror movie, you know?
- [ONCE IN A FULL MOON Contest!](https://www.claudiagray.com/once-in-a-full-moon-contest/) - I had more ambitious plans for today's post, but the head cold I've had since Saturday has equally ambitious plans to take over my body and leave me incapable of doing anything but drinking hot tea. So, today I'm just announcing another contest ... though for an awesome prize. Do you want a hardcover copy of ONCE IN A FULL MOON by the awesome Ellen Schreiber? You know you do. The heroine, Celeste, already has a perfect boyfriend in Nash ... but mystical visions are drawing her to the woods, to legends of werewolves and to the very mysterious, very hot Brandon. This is a juicy read by one of my favorite people, so you should snap this up. How do you win? The Rules:1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the header "ONCE IN A FULL MOON Contest" or something similar. 2) In this email, include a name and address I can use to ship your prize if you win. (And yes, I'll ship anywhere.) 3) Also in this email, tell me your best remedy for a head cold. I need to know!4) Do all this before Friday, Jan. 28, when I'll pick the winner. This is a quick one, guys, so act now!
- [VACATIONS FROM HELL contest winners!](https://www.claudiagray.com/vacations-from-hell-contest-winners/) - And who are the many, many lucky winners of autographed copies of VACATIONS FROM HELL? First, the Aussies! Congrats to Kamsajini T., Ashling H., Stacey B., Terril-Lee F., and Millie T.! But there's lots more of you, too: Way to go, Amy C., Gina L., Lea K., Elizabeth K., Jamie T., Nicole B., Laurel F., Ala T., Angela L., and Dawn D.! Hope all of you enjoy your copies and all the paranormal stories within.I just returned from New York City, where I met with my publishers to talk about all the good stuff coming up, mostly about FATEFUL in the fall (when werewolves meet the Titanic, the fun never ends), a little about BALTHAZAR (who wants to guess what color his cover is going to be?) but also about the release of AFTERLIFE ... which is only six weeks from today. Actually, I'm getting this posted after midnight, aren't I? So five weeks and six days from today. Leading up to AFTERLIFE's release, I'm going to be having tons more contests, interviews and fun stuff, so stay tuned. But we're going to start tomorrow, because it's after midnight, and I'm just so grateful not to be on a plane. :D
- [Aussie box set winners, and a whole new contest for you](https://www.claudiagray.com/aussie-box-set-winners-and-a-whole-new-contest-for-you/) - A day late, but better late than never: Congrats to Genesis G., Kristen R., Heather S., Kristina S., Destiny P., Kamie N., Alexis L., Samantha C. and Ashley G.! You're all receiving copies of the Australian box set. Most of you plan to keep your box sets for yourselves, but there are kind souls out there who are giving them to friends or coworkers, or donating to the library. Keeping or giving away, you're all awesome. Writing news: Yesterday I finished the first draft of BALTHAZAR! So you'll be seeing that in March 2012 -- after all the long, long edits get made ...As for "The Artist's Way," which I mentioned here about a week ago, I've decided that I will be posting about for for twelve weeks, starting Sunday, January 30. If you've ever been interested in doing this course, which teaches you how to enhance your personal creativity and give it priority in your life, please feel free to follow along. I'll just be blogging my thoughts as we go, so it might be a good support system or tool for those of you who have always considered doing it. The only things you need to take part are a copy of THE ARTIST'S WAY by Julia Cameron (ought to be available, new or used or library copy, most anywhere) and the will to give this program the (considerable) time it takes. Now, more contest news: I have some extra copies of the anthology VACATIONS FROM HELL, which includes my story "I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" along with other tales by Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Cassandra Clare and Sarah Mlynowski. Want a copy? All you have to do is this: THE RULES1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "VACATIONS giveaway!" 2) In that email, tell me a name and address I can use to send your book to if you win. *3) Also tell me what you like to read on vacation! 4) Do all this before Tuesday, Jan. 25, when I'll pick the winners! (Number TBD, but I think I've got plenty here to give away! It will be AT LEAST fifteen.)To make up for the fact that the Aussies weren't eligible for the box set giveaway, I hereby pledge that at least five of the winners will be Australian! Everybody has a chance, but the Aussies get that little extra chance they didn't get last time. Hope you guys enjoy!*This part is important, guys. No fewer than two of the winners originally chosen for this week's contest failed to give me addresses, and so their entries got tossed. Don't let it happen to you!
- [Australian box set giveaway!](https://www.claudiagray.com/australian-box-set-giveaway/) - OK, enough of you were interested in the Australian box set (paperbacks of EVERNIGHT, STARGAZER and HOURGLASS all together for you) that I'm going to do a giveaway! I have nine copies of the box set, for nine lucky winners; I'll autograph each box set. How do you enter?1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the header "Australian Box Set Contest" or something similar.2) Include a name and address I can use to ship your box set if you win! (This contest is open to readers worldwide except in Australia -- because you are the lucky guys who can already get the box set on your own! Don't worry; I'll get you Aussies on our next contest.) 3) In this email, tell me what you'll do with your box set! (Give it away? Keep it and give away your old copies? Have a hard copy instead of just your ebooks? I want to know!)4) Do all these things before Monday, January 17, when I'll pick the nine lucky winners! Good luck, everybody! **I hope to soon start offering some more interviews -- and there will be more contests -- but right now, I'm on deadline with BALTHAZAR. So bear with me while I finish up, and keep watching the blog!And for those of you interested in "The Artist's Way": I'm definitely going to do this, and blog about it, for the 12 weeks beginning the final day of January. All you need to do is get a copy of the book (available throughout the US at least, and I'm guessing internationally too; you can find it in most bookstores, new or used, online, or at your local library) and follow along with us!
- [Happy New Year!  plus, seeking your thoughts on "The Artist's Way" and giveaways](https://www.claudiagray.com/happy-new-year-plus-seeking-your-thoughts-on-the-artists-way-and-giveaways/) - Hope everyone out there had a wonderful New Year's Eve and is now looking forward to a terrific 2011. I'm definitely looking forward to a very busy one: Two books of mine are coming out this year (AFTERLIFE, the fourth book in the EVERNIGHT series, will be in the US March 8, while werewolves-on-the-Titanic romance FATEFUL comes along September 13), and I'll be touring to support them; in addition, I'll be writing two novels, first of all finishing up BALTHAZAR (about guess who) and then the first book of my upcoming witchcraft trilogy, SPELLCASTER. So, naturally, I'm looking for more to do. This is where you guys come in. This week, I agreed to lead an "Artist's Way" group at my church, starting in late January. I was thinking of providing some check-in posts on my blog each week, after the group meets, for those of you who might be interested in trying it too. What is THE ARTIST'S WAY, you ask? It's a book by Julia Cameron and Mark Bryan that provides a 12-week program to get yourself creatively unstuck. The program helps get writers writing (and painters painting, and people who just want to think more creatively about their work and lives thinking) through a series of exercises each week. This would NOT be me teaching anybody to write*, nor teaching anybody anything; THE ARTIST'S WAY is fundamentally something you do on your own. The two key elements are the morning pages (every single morning for the entire 12 weeks, no matter what else is going on, the first thing you do in the morning is write 3 pages) and the artist's date (every single week, for at least two hours, you go out by yourself to do something you've never done before). My posts would just be a chance to check in for those of you who are interested.I personally did THE ARTIST'S WAY in 1999. There are some things about the program I find deeply goofy. I did it anyway. When I began, I hadn't written one single word in three years. That program didn't single-handedly make me a professional writer, but it got me writing again -- writing regularly -- and I've never stopped. So I have to give the program credit for that, and I think it really can be helpful for people who are trying to kick-start their creative process. What I'd do here is make a post each week about the upcoming chapter, some of my reflections on it, etc. You can just read along if that interests you, or you could feel free to post your own thoughts about your process. What do you guys think? Also! I have several EVERNIGHT box sets from Australia here -- very lovely! -- but also not very useful to me, as I have lots of my own books already. I want to hang on to a couple, but I'd like to give some others away. Of course, most of you (I hope!) have copies of EVERNIGHT, STARGAZER and HOURGLASS already. But you could give these to other people you want to get into the series, or save these for yourself and give away the old copies (as these will be autographed). Not sure whether that's a good prize, though. Let me know your thoughts! * Nor is this about me reading any writing. Lots of people ask, but I honestly do not have time; sorry about this! I hope I can provide some indirect guidance through TAW, though.
- [Book Club Giveaway Questions!](https://www.claudiagray.com/book-club-giveaway-questions/) - Those of you who follow Crissi's Book Club (which is all of you, right? Because you love YA books as much as she does!) know that today is my day for the Holiday Giveaway! You have three questions to answer, and here they are: Santa's sleigh can fly because of this.Instead of attempting to put real snow on your Christmas tree, you can use this instead.What plant do couples usually kiss under during the holidays?Signed copies of STARGAZER go to two lucky winners! For further info on the rules (and just great book info), check out Crissi's blog. Good luck to everyone!(And sorry this is going out late today -- I took the train overnight last night, and was awakened at 3:30 a.m. by a conductor who then said, "Oh, do I have the wrong room?" I feel the time for him to ask himself this pertinent question was before he banged on my door. At any rate, I'm a little bit bleary today, but I had a great Christmas holiday and hope you guys did too.)
- [ETERNAL contest winners announced! ](https://www.claudiagray.com/eternal-contest-winners-announced/) - Congrats to Royce Anne V., Kimberly S., and Patrycja R! Each of them will be receiving a signed copy of the vampire romance anthology ETERNAL. This was one of my favorite contests -- your answers were really ingenious, and all the EVERNIGHT characters would be touched by how thoughtful you guys were. Kimberly feels that Bianca needs a new pair of tennis shoes, considering all the running around she has to do. Royce Anne would give Ranulf the HUNGER GAMES trilogy boxed set, because she thinks his take would be interesting (you and me both!) Patrycja plans to go the extra mile and hand-make a tie-dyed T-shirt for Vic, which he would appreciate very much. Because I've seen a lot of questions on FB and Twitter lately, an update on what I'm working on now: AFTERLIFE is written, done, out there, getting printed; I hope to post an excerpt for you guys in the new year. FATEFUL (aka WEREWOLVES ON THE TITANIC) is written and edited, and will be making its debut on September 13. (That ship is always unlucky, isn't it?) Currently I'm writing BALTHAZAR, about the life, death and subsequent adventures of one Mr. Balthazar More; although this novel is obviously connected to the EVERNIGHT series, it's more of a stand-alone than a fifth book. (I consider Bianca and Lucas' story complete with AFTERLIFE.) And soon I will have many tour dates to announce! MANY. In March alone, I'll be in Chicago, San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, Raleigh, Minneapolis, and a city in Ohio to be designated later! I'll also be attending Book Expo America in NYC this May, and the ALA conference in New Orleans this June. That doesn't even get into the September tour dates for FATEFUL, which are still up in the air at present. I'll post more event details as we get closer to the dates. Can't wait to meet you guys there!
- [Tis the season for giving gifts -- ](https://www.claudiagray.com/tis-the-season-for-giving-gifts/) - -- and it turns out I've got three more copies of the vampire romance anthology ETERNAL (which includes my Patrice story "Bloodshed") to give away. And these I can autograph for the three lucky winners! What do you have to do to win? The Rules1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the header "Holiday ETERNAL Contest." 2) In that email, tell me what you'd buy or make for Christmas if you were giving a gift to someone in the EVERNIGHT books! 3) Also give me an address I can use to send you your prize if you win. (And yes, I'll ship anywhere.) 4) Do all this before Tuesday, Dec. 7, which is when I'll choose the lucky winner! In this brief lull between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday madness, I hope to have a few interviews for you guys, so keep visiting the blog --
- [Heads up, MS and LA: Last call for November signings!](https://www.claudiagray.com/heads-up-ms-and-la-last-call-for-november-signings/) - Just a reminder that I've got a couple of appearances coming up very soon: Thursday, November 18, New Orleans, LA: I'll be back in my old stomping grounds, specifically starting at 5:30 pm at the Garden District Book Shop at 2727 Prytania. No idea what the event will be like, but as it's likely to be smaller, I should be able to sign and chat as much as you'd like, if you're able to come. Also no idea how long it will last, as a lot depends on turnout, but we're planning on an hour and a half. Maybe call ahead to the bookstore and let them know you're planning to come? (504) 895-2266. That's THIS THURSDAY, guys! Monday, November 22, Jackson, MS: I'll be at one of my very favorite bookstores, Lemuria at 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North. At this store, they do signings before readings/Q&A, so the signing begins at 5, the rest at 5:30. (But if you're late, let's face it, I'll sign anyway.) Again, you might want to let the bookstore know: (601) 366-7619.This blog has been quieter than I meant to let it get! But this is what happens when you have both an editorial letter to work with AND houseguests. We'll have some interviews and further fun after Thanksgiving -- just in time for the holiday season.
- [Contest winners for Halloween!](https://www.claudiagray.com/contest-winners-for-halloween/) - So I just chose the winners of the AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA #10 -- the five people who are getting their hands on ARCs of the fourth book in the EVERNIGHT series, AFTERLIFE. So, congrats to Gabrielle B., Jacquelyn K., Amy B., Tawni C. and and Elizabeth H.! I'll send your signed ARCs to you soon.For everyone else -- and holy cow, did a lot of you enter this contest -- don't give up hope. I should get some more advance copies after the new year (actual hardcovers, this time), so other giveaways may yet occur. But the EXTRAVAGANZA is over for now. As we head into the holidays, you'll be seeing more interviews here on the blog, and fewer prizes. But only for now. You never know when the next extravaganza will begin. Hope everyone had an awesome, happy Halloween!
- [This one's for the AFTERLIFE ARCs: Welcome to AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #10!](https://www.claudiagray.com/this-ones-for-the-afterlife-arcs-welcome-to-autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-contest-10/) - I'm slightly under the weather today, but not so much that I forgot to pick the winners of Contest #9: Congrats to Viki S. and Kelsie K! One of these ladies put "surprise me" as her choice, so I won't say what they've got here, but their books will be en route shortly. I also got to take a look at you guys' Halloween candy preferences. While chocolate is, as always, a dominant force, and candy corn has a surprising number of adherents, it looks to me like the Reese's company basically has Halloween sewn up. The peanut butter cups, the peanut butter pumpkins, Reese's Pieces -- you guys are crazy for the stuff! Now I know what to bring to future book signings ....And now, the contest you've all been waiting for - AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA #10! The prizes: Five (5) copies of the ARC for AFTERLIFE, the fourth and final book in the EVERNIGHT series!(Well, if you don't count the book I'm writing right now, BALTHAZAR. But while this book is obviously connected to the series, it's more of a stand-alone. AFTERLIFE is the real, true conclusion of Bianca and Lucas' story.) Five lucky winners, chosen at random, will get a signed copy. What do you have to do to be among them? Contest rules:1) Email me at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject header "AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #10" or some variation thereof.2) In this email, give me a name and address I can use to mail your book if you win. (And yes, I'll ship anywhere.) 3) Also tell me your favorite Halloween costume -- whether it's one you wore, one you made, one you saw, whatever. 4) Do all this by Halloween, October 31, because that's when I'll choose the five winners! Good luck, everybody! **And just a reminder about my November signings! This is what I said last time, and I hope to see you guys out for these: Thursday, November 18, New Orleans, LA: I'll be back in my old stomping grounds, specifically starting at 5:30 pm at the Garden District Book Shop at 2727 Prytania. No idea what the event will be like, but as it's likely to be smaller, I should be able to sign and chat as much as you'd like, if you're able to come. Also no idea how long it will last, as a lot depends on turnout, but we're planning on an hour and a half. Maybe call ahead to the bookstore and let them know you're planning to come? (504) 895-2266Monday, November 22, Jackson, MS: I'll be at one of my very favorite bookstores, Lemuria at 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North. At this store, they do signings before readings/Q&A, so the signing begins at 5, the rest at 5:30. (But if you're late, let's face it, I'll sign anyway.) Again, you might want to let the bookstore know: (601) 366-7619.
- [New tour dates, plus AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #9 is now underway!](https://www.claudiagray.com/new-tour-dates-plus-autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-contest-9-is-now-underway/) - First, congrats to the winners of Contest #8 -- Holly H., who will receive INVISIBLE THINGS, and Mason J., who will receive WICKED GIRLS! It's heartening to see how many of you love historicals -- that gives me hope you'll have fun with FATEFUL (Werewolves on the Titanic, or as one of you wisely suggested on Twitter, Weretanic). Now, onto Contest #9, the next-to-last in in the Extravaganza; this one is short, so you'll want to act fast! Our prizes this week: Do you love paranormal YA? I'm betting you do, seeing as how you're here and all. Maybe you also like a little humor thrown in for good measure? This means you'll love Cloaked by Alex Flinn. Johnny is a guy trying to deal with a curse and an evil witch; he's also trying to deal with receiving a magical mission to the Everglades, a flock of swans and a talking fox named Joe. Fairy-tale magic turns into fairy-tale madness, but Johnny doesn't care, as long as he can get the girl. This one doesn't come out until February, so this ARC is way ahead of release! Even if you love paranormal YA, you might sometimes prefer something a little more down to earth - but maybe even more unrealistic, in a glamorous way. That means you might like Wanted by Sara Shepard, the conclusion to the hit Pretty Little Liars series. Want to know what really happened the night Ali DiLaurentis went missing? The final secrets are about to spill out! Here's how to win: 1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject header "AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA #8" or some variant that lets me know what you're talking about. (I'm not a stickler, but I've found entries by people after contests were over that I didn't count because the subject lines were wrong - so be careful!) 2) In this email, tell me what your favorite Halloween candy is! 3) Speaking of treats, also tell me which of the books you'd like, or just say, "Surprise me." 4) Include the name and address I should use for sending your prize if you win (and yes, I'll ship anywhere. With all my contests, you can assume that I'll ship prizes anywhere unless I specify otherwise.) 5) Do all this before Wednesday, October 27, when I'll pick the two winners! **Now, tour dates! These are just a couple of events not long before Thanksgiving, but they're in two cities near and dear to me, so I hope I'll get to see some of you there: Thursday, November 18, New Orleans, LA: I'll be back in my old stomping grounds, specifically starting at 5:30 pm at the Garden District Book Shop at 2727 Prytania. No idea what the event will be like, but as it's likely to be smaller, I should be able to sign and chat as much as you'd like, if you're able to come. Also no idea how long it will last, as a lot depends on turnout, but we're planning on an hour and a half. Maybe call ahead to the bookstore and let them know you're planning to come? (504) 895-2266Monday, November 22, Jackson, MS: I'll be at one of my very favorite bookstores, Lemuria at 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North. At this store, they do signings before readings/Q&A, so the signing begins at 5, the rest at 5:30. (But if you're late, let's face it, I'll sign anyway.) Again, you might want to let the bookstore know: (601) 366-7619.And for both of the above -- and, for that matter, any event you attend at a bookstore -- strongly consider buying a book or books while you're there. You may already own HOURGLASS (I hope so!), but if you're an avid reader, there will be more books there waiting for you to discover. It costs bookstores time and money to host events, and making sure they also sell books in the process is the best way to make sure there will be more readings and author events near you in the future. A cracking big thunderstorm has begun here in Chicago -- impressive lightning! -- so I should end this before I get electrocuted. Get to entering #9, unless you too are in a lightning storm, in which case, shut off your computer and enter later, when the weather is fine.
- [A little late, here comes AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #8!](https://www.claudiagray.com/a-little-late-here-comes-autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-contest-8/) - If I completely blank out on a contest deadline again, you guys feel free to nudge me via Twitter, okay? But I have at last found the winners of Contest #7 -- Congrats to Jennifer K., April X. and Tiffany H.! At least one of this winners chose the option "Surprise me," so I won't specify who gets what, but THE DUFF, I AM NUMBER FOUR and MATCHED are all on their way to one of these fabulous winners. Only three more contests to go in the Extravaganza: Ready for Contest #8?Our prizes this time? One fabulous book that's already out and you must have, and one ARC for a hot December release. First up -- WICKED GIRLS, by Stephanie Hemphill from right here in Chicagoland. It's based on the true story of the very first supernatural scare in the United States ... the Salem Witch Trials. Lies, delusion, hallucinogenics, religious fanaticism, genuine dark magic, hysteria: They all have roles in this story, told in an original, part letter, part poetry style. Looking for something paranormal but definitely different? This is for you. Then -- the ARC of INVISIBLE THINGS by Jenny Davidson. 16-year-old Sophie has lost her parents, and she suspects there's more to the story of the deaths than she's been told. Who can help her learn the truth better than Mikael, her long-time best friend who is on the verge of becoming more than just a friend. But their quest involves taking on the resources and secrets of one of the world's most famous, powerful and mysterious men. Bonus: This is another historical, so fresh and dynamic you'll swear it's happening right now. Want to win? Then check out the contest rules:1) Email me at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, and include a name and address I can use to mail your prize if you win. 2) Tell me which one of the boks you're interested, or say "surprise me!" 3) And maybe share a bit about which historical period you find most interesting!4) Do all this before Sunday, October 24, when I'll pick the winners (and I won't run late this time.) Good luck, get set, and go!
- [AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #7 starts today!](https://www.claudiagray.com/autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-contest-7-starts-today/) - First, I should announce the winners of Contest #6: Congrats to Jaime A., Lisa S. and Astrid R. They wanted to room with the easygoing Dana, the interesting Bianca and the creative and artistic Raquel, respectively, so no squabbling over room assignments next year at Evernight Academy. That's a relief. They'll each be getting a copy of the vampire romance anthology ETERNAL straight from the publisher, BenBella. This week I'm in Vancouver, where I will have dinner, as promised, with the winning bidder in the Nashville Flood Relief auction earlier this year. I'm really looking forward to meeting her, and it's been fabulous to visit up here, too. Vancouver, you are the only city on earth that wears more black than New York, and I salute you for it. I also salute you for the incredibly high number of dogs I'm seeing on the streets. I get to vicariously enjoy all sorts of dogs. Especially pugs. Good times. When not traipsing around dog-watching, I'm hard at work on the outline for BALTHAZAR. So it's a big week! But it's not so busy that I can't get AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #7 off the ground! Three fabulous books could be yours for the taking, all very different, all very fabulous: 1) THE DUFF, by Kody Keplinger. Bianca Piper's cynical attitude helps disguise the insecurity she feels about being her group of friends' DUFF ... "Designated Ugly Fat Friend." It also helps her give class jerk Wesley as good as he gives, matching him insult for insult. But when hormones overcome hostility -- and Wesley turns out not to be so awful after all -- she's about to find out if the DUFF can get the guy in the end (if he's worth getting). Smart, funny and sexy! 2) I AM NUMBER FOUR, by "Pittacus Lore," IF THAT IS YOUR REAL NAME. Ahem. This hot science fantasy title is going to be a big movie early next year, but you know you want to check the book out first. Nine kids came to Earth to hide from the alien race hunting them down; three of them have been killed, so far. Doesn't feel good to be Number Four, aka John Smith, who's trying to lead an average life in Ohio. Suspenseful and mind-bending stuff. 3) MATCHED, by Ally Condie. This is one of the most anticipated YA releases for fall, but you can get the ARC in your hot little hands first. Cassia lives in a futuristic dystopian world where everyone is told what to do, what to be and whom to love. But when she goes to be "matched" with her eternal partner, she's shown not one image, but two. Will anyone believe her? Is the guy they're pushing her toward really the one she belongs with forever? Or does Cassia need the freedom to explore her own heart? Three awesome books, three lucky winners. How can you be one of them? Check out the contest rules!1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "Contest #7". In this email, also include the name and address I can use to send your prize if you win -- and yes, for this one, I will ship anywhere. 2) In this email, tell me which of the three books you'd like ... or just put, "surprise me." 3) Do all this before Monday, October 18, when I'll choose the winners at random. Good luck to all, and stay tuned -- we're getting closer to Halloween, which means we're getting closer to the AFTERLIFE ARC giveaways --
- [AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #6 begins now!](https://www.claudiagray.com/autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-contest-6-begins-now/) - First of all, congrats to the winners of Contest #5 -- Way to go, Dawn M., Heather P. and Mandy A.! A couple of these ladies chose "Surprise Me" as their option, so I'm not going to say here which ones they won; they'll find out when they open the packages. But as THE FRENZY, NIGHTSHADE and ASCENDANT are all awesome, nothing but good things are happening here. This brings us to Contest #6! Some of you read the anthology IMMORTAL, which came out a couple of years ago and told the origin story for Patrice from EVERNIGHT, Bianca's first and most glamorous roommate. Although Patrice didn't appear in the last two books, she's one of my favorite characters; basically, I figured if I didn't have really fabulous stuff for her to do, she would rather spend her time in Scandinavia with a hot guy named Thor. But Patrice is about to return, and she's got plenty of awesome stuff to do now -- and information Bianca and Lucas would really like to have -- but I digress. Even before her return in AFTERLIFE, you can read more about Patrice (specifically, her dramatic history during World War II) in the sequel to IMMORTAL: the BenBella anthology ETERNAL. More vampires, more romance and more Patrice. You know you want to get your hands on this, and three lucky winners will get copies for free! How do you enter?1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "Contest #6." 2) In this email, include the name and address where your copy can be sent if you win. (And, as these are going out from BenBella, I'm afraid entries can only come from the US or Canada. Sorry, international guys; we'll make it up to you next time!) 3) Also tell me who from the EVERNIGHT series you would most want to room with. Would you rather make funky art projects with Raquel? Take it easy with Dana? Borrow from Patrice's fabulous closet? Hang out with Bianca? (Or, if you're a guy, would Vic's crazy posters be a pro or a con?) 4) Do all this by Wednesday, October 13, which is when I'll pick the winners. The 13th could be your lucky day! Good luck, everybody!
- [AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #5 is underway!](https://www.claudiagray.com/autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-contest-5-is-underway/) - First of all, congrats to the winners of Contest #4: Anne V. will receive the autographed copy of PARANORMALCY, Lani A. gets HOTHOUSE, and Donna S. is the lucky winner of I SHALL WEAR MIDNIGHT! Today, while browsing through the Halloween superstore looking (in vain, what is wrong with people) for the missing components of my Sue Sylvester costume, I came across the novelty socks and promptly snapped up a pair with skulls on them. They will be worn long after October ends; I am sort of stupidly pleased with them, really. Sometimes, the funniest things will brighten up your whole day. So, in honor of these socks -- and all the weird little pleasures life can provide -- we now have AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #5! Don't panic. The prize is not socks. The prizes are three ARCs (though the book are just now coming out, so they're not that far in advance -- but the books are so cool it hardly matters.) They are: THE FRENZY by Francesca Lia Block. Everything FLB touches is gold, so you know you want to check out her werewolf romance. Something happened to Liv when she was 13, something that changed her whole life. Now she only feels like herself when she's out in the woods -- or with her boyfriend, Corey. But danger lurks in the woods, and secrets too ....ASCENDANT by Diana Peterfreund. Did you love last year's RAMPANT, with the truth about unicorns and the need for unicorn hunters? Then you're already eager to get your hands on the sequel. Astrid has a chance to leave the Cloisters, now that she's a fully trained hunter. But she starts questioning everything she knows, from her love for Giovanni to the justice of her fight. NIGHTSHADE by Andrea Cremer. One of the fall's most anticipated books! Calla has grown up as a werewolf, knowing she will someday be the mate of their sexy alpha, Ren. But when she rescues a handsome human male in the woods -- violating the laws of the pack -- she has to decide whether she can fulfill what she thought was her destiny, or whether she has to create her own path. These all sound pretty great, right? So you want to know how to enter! 1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, and include the name and address I would send your prize to.2) Tell me the weirdest pair of socks you (or your friend, or your mom, or your freakish brother) have ever owned! 3) Also tell me which of the three books you'd like, or simply say, "Surprise me!" 4) Do all of this before Thursday, Oct. 7, when I'll choose the winners. Good luck, everybody!**In other news, FATEFUL -- aka "Werewolves on the Titanic" -- is now complete! Next up for me to write: BALTHAZAR.
- [AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #4 begins!](https://www.claudiagray.com/autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-contest-4-begins/) - First of all, congrats to the Contest #3 winners: Way to go, Van P., Lucas W. and Angelou R.! It was interesting to me how much agreement there was among the entries. For instance, pretty much everyone agreed that Ranulf would definitely be in Glee Club. And pretty much everyone agreed that Raquel wouldn't. You guys are definitely right on that last one -- Raquel does Not. Do. Glee Club. When one contest closes, another opens, which means it's time for AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #4! This week's loot: PARANORMALCY by Kiersten White! This book debuted on the NYT bestseller list earlier this year, and when you get to read it, you'll see why. Evie's a 16-year-old girl who loves pink and dreams of going to the prom -- but she's too busy working for a secret anti-paranormal government agency to have anything like a normal life. Not just fun but genuinely funny: If you enjoyed TV shows like "Supernatural" or "The X-Files," you'll love this one. Bonus: Autographed copy! HOTHOUSE by Chris Lynch! If you're an aspiring YA writer, particularly one interested in the more literary side of YA, you'll want to check this out. Russ and DJ are high school friends brought closer after the deaths of their firefighter dads, who are being celebrated as heroes. But as more about the fatal accident is revealed, Russ has to learn what really happened and ask himself who his father really was. Deep and intense. I SHALL WEAR MIDNIGHT by Terry Pratchett. If you haven't discovered Terry Pratchett -- one of the most hilarious and brilliant writers of scifi/fantasy/paranormal fiction during the past few decades -- it's time to start. (If you HAVE discovered Pratchett and his wonderful Tiffany Aching series, then you're already eager to get your hands on this one!) I SHALL WEAR MIDNIGHT is the final book in the Tiffany Aching series, and special bonus: It's an ARC, so you get your hands on it a wee bit early. How do you enter? Just follow these easy steps: 1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "Autumn Giveaway Extravaganza Contest #4," or maybe just "Contest #4," because it is increasingly clear to me that this is a really long title. 2) In the email, tell me which of the three books you'd like to get, or if you'd be interested in any of them, just say, "Surprise me!" 3) Also in this email, give me the name and address I should use to mail your copy if you win. (Yes, I'll ship anywhere worldwide.) I'll choose three winners (one for each book, at random) on Monday, October 4. So get those entries in now!
- [AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #3 -- lightning round!](https://www.claudiagray.com/autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-contest-3-lightning-round/) - First of all, congratulations to the winners of Contest #2: Way to go, Ellen C. and Aydrea R.! Ellen will be receiving THE UNIDENTIFIED by Rae Mariz, and Aydrea will get an autographed copy of FIRELIGHT by Sophie Jordan. It was interesting seeing what you guys thought the characters might be reading -- by far, the most common response (and a logical one!) was that Bianca would be really interested in FIRELIGHT, seeing as how she knows what it's like to fall in love with someone who hunts your own kind. Several people also thought that iconoclastic Raquel and rebel Lucas might find identify with the main character of THE UNIDENTIFIED. This post is going up on a Tuesday, which as viewers in the US (and maybe other places too?) know is "Glee" day. And I've written an essay for FILLED BY GLEE, a new book from BenBella looking at all the twists and turns of our favorite non-ironic musical teen comedy. (My essay is about all the baby-mama drama of season one.) Want a copy? You'll have to act fast: This contest is only running for two days! How do you enter? 1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with "Glee Contest" as the subject header. Give me a name and address where the publisher can send your book if you win -- and for this contest, I'm afraid, we're looking at entries from the US and Canada only. (Sorry, international fans, but your day is coming again VERY soon.) 2) Tell me what you think the Evernight Academy Glee Club would be like! Do you think they'd have to convince Ranulf that Gregorian chants are out of style? Do they kill Vocal Adrenalin to improve their chances at Regionals? Is the Sue Sylvester/Mrs. Bethany face-off as epic as it is in my head? (And this is one where I will definitely want to share good answers, so don't send in anything you wouldn't be comfortable seeing reprinted in this blog!3) Do all this by Thursday, Sept. 30, when I'll pick three winners at random. Copies won't be autographed, as they're coming to you from the publisher, but hey -- that gives you something to bring to a future signing. Speaking of which, I should soon have some new US tour dates to announce, so stay tuned. And good luck with Contest #3!
- [The AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA continues!](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-autumn-giveaway-extravaganza-continues/) - Many of you contributed my favorite entry -- "extravaganza" -- so I chose the three winners from that group: Congratulations to Alicia W., Chelsee B. and Ellie R.! They'll all be receiving copies of "The Vampire Diaries" essay book A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO MYSTIC FALLS. If you didn't win, don't get discouraged. First of all, A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO MYSTIC FALLS will soon be in bookstores near you, and second, the Autumn Giveaway Extravaganza is only now getting started! This week's goodies: FIRELIGHT, by Sophie Jordan. Jacinda's a dragon -- that is, a drakyn, one who can live as a human and does most of the time, at least until her mother tears her away from their controlling group so their family can try normal lives. Now Jacinda's human all of the time, and she hates it. When can she let her wild side and her powers free? The guy she's just met, Will, definitely brings out the beast in her ... but she thinks he might be a dragon hunter. Very romantic and very sexy stuff. Extra bonus: Autographed copy! and --THE UNIDENTIFIED, by Rae Mariz. Katey lives in the Game, a "school" actually run by a corporate conglomerate that wants to study, and manipulate, the student body. At first she takes her market-research life for granted -- the only one she's ever known -- but slowly she becomes aware of a rebel group, the "Unidentified," who want to reclaim their minds and their lives. But can even rebellion be packaged for mass consumption? The conglomerate thinks so, until Katey finds a way to change the Game forever. Dark, sharp and funny. Extra bonus: It's an ARC, so you'll get it before the bookstores do! How do you enter? Follow these simple rules: 1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the header "AUTUMN GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA Contest #2." 2) Say in the body of your email which one of the books you're interested in (if you'd be interested in either one, say so), and which one your favorite character from the Evernight series would pick up to read. 3) Also give me a name and address where I can send your book if you win. (And yes, I will ship anywhere.) 4) Do all this before Monday, Sept. 27, when I'll pick two winners -- one for FIRELIGHT, one for THE UNIDENTIFIED. Good luck, everybody!
- [Autumn Giveaway _____ begins!  Plus, upcoming Chicagoland appearances!](https://www.claudiagray.com/autumn-giveaway-_____-begins-plus-upcoming-chicagoland-appearances/) - I'm back from Australia, and slowly but surely catching up on everything I missed ... though not yet "The Vampire Diaries." Thanks to everyone out there who hasn't spoiled me; I plan to be caught up by this weekend, and because all of you have been so great, I still have every surprise waiting for me, including not knowing when or how Stefan and Damon will remove their shirts. The fact that I'm behind on "The Vampire Diaries" should not be taken as lack of love for this amazing TV show. Actually, I love it so much that I'm one of the contributors to A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO MYSTIC FALLS, a book of essays all about "The Vampire Diaries" to be published by BenBella this fall. (My essay? Is about the changes from L.J. Smith's fabulous book series to the equally fabulous -- but very different -- TV show, both what I think works and what I think they need to deal with more. But EVERY essay is going to be well worth reading.) I know you guys are going to want to get your hands on A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO MYSTIC FALLS. But I know that's not all you want to get your hands on: Surely you also want copies of hot new YA paranormal releases like FIRELIGHT and PARANORMALCY, right? Or ARCs of some of the biggest YA books for next year? Or maybe, hmmm, a few advance copies of AFTERLIFE? So! Now through Halloween, we'll be having the Autumn Giveaway _____. I don't know what noun to use! Cavalcade? Bonanza? Jamboree? What? I want to hear suggestions from you.For our first giveaway -- THREE (3) lucky winners will each get one copy of A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO MYSTIC FALLS. It won't be autographed (BenBella's sending them out directly from Texas, where I'm not), but it will be deeply, deeply awesome. How do you enter? Check out the rules below: 1) Email me at evernightclaudia@gmail.com and tell me what we should call the Autumn Giveaway _______. Among the lucky winners will be the person who suggests what I actually use (or chosen from the people who suggest the same thing), but I can pick other winners at random. 2) Also include a mailing address where BenBella can send your book. (Yes, I'll ship anywhere, though keep in mind I only have copies in English.) 3) Do all this before Tuesday, Sept. 21, when I will pick the winners. Get to entering, guys! I'll be having multiple giveaways every week between now and Halloween. **And, because Australia doesn't get to have ALL the love, I have some events coming up next weekend in the Chicago area: Saturday, Sept. 25: The YA Literature Conference at the Hotel Arista in Naperville, IL! I'll be appearing on panels with the awesome Sophie Jordan (author of FIRELIGHT) and Kiersten White (author of PARANORMALCY) from 1-3 p.m., then taking part in an autograph session at 4 p.m. Sunday, September 26, 2010: Discussion and Book Signing at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL!Kiersten, Sophie and I will be together yet again, forming a cohesive team unit, for this event too, which will be held between 2-4 p.m. at Anderson's (1300 N. Mill St.) For more information, contact Becky at 630-355-2665. Monday, September 27, 2010: Discussion and Book Signing at Barnes & Noble in Skokie, IL! Kiersten, Sophie and I will be together again and by this point will probably be blood sisters and possibly have formed a band or something. (I call tambourine.) We'll be there (55 Old Orchard Center, to be precise) from 6-8 p.m. For more information, contact Elaine Hankin at 847-676-3047.Be there!
- [Facebook facts, and just being in touch generally](https://www.claudiagray.com/facebook-facts-and-just-being-in-touch-generally/) - As many of you know -- just shy of 5000 of you, to be more exact -- I have a Facebook account as Claudia Gray. But unfortunately, I have almost maxed out my friends there, so I am now unable to friend people back. :( However! I now have the Official Claudia Gray Fan Page, which you can like/follow/etc. Right now I am responding to comments on both the CG account and the fan page, but within a few weeks, I'll transition to talking mostly on the fanpage. So stay in touch!Also: While I try to respond to everything sent to me via my website and the address there (at least I do now -- the first couple years while I had the day job were pretty short on time!, I don't generally answer FB or MySpace private messages. There's a LOT of mail to get through, so I stick to the stuff that comes through the website, particularly as the social networking sites are so spam-heavy. If you've been trying to get through some other way and gotten no response, try emailing via the website. Right now, I'm in Sydney, visiting some friends and family here before I head back to the USA. Once I return and get over the jet lag -- I had none on the way over, but that probably means I'm due for double on the other side, right? -- we'll have more author interviews, more US tour dates, and some awesome ARC giveaways. Which will include, oh yeah, AFTERLIFE. I'm so excited to finally start letting this book out into the world.
- [Interview with Nicole Murphy!](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-nicole-murphy/) - While I'm here in Australia (in Cairns right now, actually, though only on a tourist basis), I thought it would be great to talk to an Aussie author. Happily, I got a chance to talk with Nicole Murphy, the author of SECRET ONES, about the lines between fantasy, urban fantasy and romance; hot guys named Lucas; and whether e-readers will kill us all -- CG: Tell us about the Asarlai trilogy and the world you've built for it -- and specifically how we learn about that world in SECRET ONES. NM: The world revolves around the gadda - they look like us, live amongst us but come from different ancestry then humans and as a result can access the energy of the world around them and use that power in ways we'd describe as magical (they HATE human terms like that). For a variety of reasons, the gadda keep themselves secret from humans, however this means that their abilities are also kept secret. One person - Asarlai - has decided this isn't such a good idea - what's the use of having all this power if you aren't the ones WITH all the power. So Asarlai has set out to change all that, and it's up to the six guardians of the gadda to stop her.In SECRET ONES, we're introduced to the world of the gadda and Asarlai's plans through the romance of Maggie Shaunessy and Lucas Valeroso. Maggie's a troublemaker - she's not all that happy about being gadda and tries to avoid it as much as she can. Lucas used to be a bad boy, but he's turned his life around and is now a well renowned scientist. What Lucas doesn't know is that a secret race lives on Earth, and that he's one of them. Now he has to find a way to bring it all together and win the girl, while she's struggling with finding her destiny is much more gadda then she'd like. The great thing about Lucas not knowing he's gadda is that I get to introduce the readers to the world through him - the infodumping is actually part of the story. CG: So, I see you, too, have a male lead named Lucas. Why is that name so darned sexy?NM: I've been thinking about this - notice that most male heroes names are quite short - one to two syllables? And there's generally a hard sound in the middle of it somewhere. For me, there's a feeling in my mouth as I say a name that works for the image I'm trying to project. Lucas is a strong, sharp name that can also be drawled in a very sexy way - perfect :) CG: I am all for sexy drawling of Lucas' name. I want this on the record. Now, back to book talk: My personal experience with EVERNIGHT was that I knew from the start that I'd be writing a series -- but not how long that series would be. Did you know the Asarlai books would be a trilogy from early on, or did you discover this as you worked? NM: I knew they were three books almost from the start, but not that it would be an interlinked trilogy. Initially they were three romance novels and the world of the gadda was just a setting. They shared characters, followed each other chronologically but there was no shared storyline. It wasn't until several years after the first drafts, when I went back to work on them, that a reader suggested an overarching storyline. It made it a more difficult task for me - covering a romance in each book plus the storyline of Asarlai - but I think it's worked really well. CG: Urban fantasy has been one of the most popular genres since it emerged about 15-20 years ago. Why do you think that is?NM: I think there were a lot of women (like myself) who were reading fantasy but were getting heartily sick of not seeing strong female characters portrayed. So that's what urban fantasy gives us - the fantasy escape that we love, but we're also seeing women and we're seeing them strong and sassy and sexy and everything that women can be in reality but weren't being on the page. And there's also men who aren't afraid of seeing a strong women, so they joined the bandwagon too. CG The Asarlai books are categorized as urban fantasy, and yet they don't follow all the conventions of the genre. In what ways do your novels fit in with the best of urban fantasy, and in what ways did you want to strike out on your own path?NM: I didn't see it as urban fantasy at all - I came at it from the romance angle, not the fantasy angle. As the fantasy got overlaid, it strengthened and became the frame within which the romance took place. So I think that's why I'm not following all the conventions eg first person, the noir feel. My novels are definitely at the lighter end of urban fantasy - I can't really do dark - and I think they really mix in well with the desire (particularly with as dark as our world has been lately) to believe that there's more than what we're seeing in our every day lives. I think they also showcase great female characters - not the kick-arse vampire-hunting type (which are FABULOUS) but strong women within their personality, their life - I want to celebrate all the ways in which women can be strong.I think the difference is that I've got a strong fantasy storyline that melds strongly with the romance which was my aim in writing the trilogy. You can't separate the two, so it's not just a paranormal romance, but it has the happy ever after that isn't always necessary in urban fantasy. I also enjoy some of the political intrigue that I've got working there - I grew up in Australia's capital city so thinking of politics is ingrained in me :) CG: Will e-readers kill books or save us all -- or something in-between?NM: In-between. Reading habits will change - I've been reading electronically for a few months now and it doesn't give a freedom books don't have. I'm in New Zealand at the moment and was able to come with half a dozen books to read in something I hold in my palm - not possible normally. I think people will read more as it becomes easier to cart books around. I think paper books will become a specialised thing - it's going to be a long time (if ever) before people give up books and bookshelves and the smell and the feel of books. You'll have your favourite books in a physical form, and the rest on your e-reader. That's my view at the moment. I'll see what I'm thinking in a year or so :) **Thanks to Nicole for talking with me! More Aussie travel reports as the great trek continues --
- [post-Australian tour updates](https://www.claudiagray.com/post-australian-tour-updates/) - So, my hotel here in Adelaide doesn't have wireless -- WHY DOES THE GOD OF WIRELESS HATE ME -- and I'm now typing this in a 24-hour-convenience store, between the prepaid mobile phones and men's socks. This update must be swift!1) Australian tourWas amazing! So many of you came to the events in Brisbane, Morayfield and Melbourne, and more to the stock signings in Sydney and here in Adelaide yesterday. It was great meeting/signing for/answering questions for/denying having tasted Vegemite to each and every last one of you. I'm afraid that this is it for signings on this trip -- the rest of my time in Australia will be of a touristy bent -- but hopefully I can come back sometime and do this again. 2) Writing updatesAFTERLIFE = done, already in ARC form, out in the world. FATEFUL (aka WEREWOLVES ON THE TITANIC) = first draft complete, undergoing revisionBALTHAZAR = still being outlined, will be written this fallSPELLCASTER = patiently waiting its turn, but not for too much longer!3) Next appearancesNo firm schedule yet, but I'll be doing a few appearances in Chicagoland in late September, and I'm trying to set up something for Vancouver in October and New Orleans in November. And you guys in Jackson, MS, know I'll be at Lemuria the Monday before Thanksgiving, right? Now I must sign off -- time is expensive here at the convenience store --
- [late-breaking Adelaide details!](https://www.claudiagray.com/late-breaking-adelaide-details/) - OK, people in Adelaide and neighboring environs, here are the bookstores I'm signing stock in next Monday. There are some in after-school hours, so hopefully a few of you can make it. I'll basically be around the first half-hour of each hour, and while there will be no public signing set-up, if you ask the bookstore staff for me, I'll be able to say hello and sign your copies of the books. (And as the bookstores have been so good as to agree to this, consider picking up a new book or two while you're there!) The schedule: 1-00pm Dymocks Adelaide - Rundle Mall2-00pm A&R Norwood3-00pm Dymocks Burnside4-00pm A&R Edwardstown5-00pm A&R GlenelgThere's a signing in Morayfield tomorrow, then some Melbourne events on Saturday and Sunday; check my older blog posts for more details there. Tonight's event at Dymocks Brisbane was absolutely brilliant -- it was so great to meet and talk with so many of you! -- and I hope the rest will be just as fun. The chances of any further events/signings being scheduled at this point are fairly remote, so if I haven't gotten to your neck of the woods this time, I'm truly sorry. But already I am hoping to be able to return to Australia; no way one month will be enough!
- [Down Under Lowdown](https://www.claudiagray.com/down-under-lowdown/) - Is it really only my fourth day in Australia? Already I'm in Brisbane, the day after getting to meet some of you (and, in the case of one Jordana, talking to you on the phone) back in Sydney. You guys were right -- the first Sydney event WAS canceled, and I'm sorry not to have been able to let you know. But I only found out after I arrived. Everything else looks like a go, though, so I hope to meet some of you today and tomorrow in Brisbane, and after that in Melbourne -- and, yes, Adelaide, as you know if you've been following the tweets. We're not doing a big event in Adelaide, but I will be stopping by some bookstores next Monday and can sign for you there. No set schedule yet, but I'll try to post that tonight or tomorrow. More Australia adventures to be had - will report!
- [LOW RED MOON contest winner, plus your take on "personal demons"](https://www.claudiagray.com/low-red-moon-contest-winner-plus-your-take-on-personal-demons/) - First things first: We have a LOW RED MOON winner, who will be receiving an ARC of this awesome werewolf romance: Congratulations, Alejandra S.! It (along with a couple of slightly delayed prizes) goes in the mail tomorrow -- just beating my trip to Australia. The next ARC giveaways I do will have AFTERLIFE written all over them ... but that's got to wait until after my Australian tour. Some of you have been posting on Facebook about a canceled signing; all I can say is, I haven't heard anything about it. It's entirely possible that it has been canceled, but sometimes the author is the last to know. If you have any questions, don't check with me; use the contact information from my blog posts or call your local bookseller. Hopefully all will be made clear. In the mad rush to write more FATEFUL (my own werewolf romance aboard the Titanic), I haven't had time for this before, but your answers to the questions about the EVERNIGHT characters' personal demons were too good not to share. Here are some that I thought were really insightful: Renee M. -- I think the personal demons for Lucas are his inherent prejudice against vampires -- and paranormal creatures, in general -- despite his love for Bianca, which makes him so deliciously tortured and conflicted, and makes him take drastic measures for their love ... Lucas also has this need to be the aggressor and in charge, so that he is never on the defensive, probably from his nontraditional upbringing with the Black Cross, making friendships and relationships difficult for him, so when they do happen -- like with Dana and Bianca -- they are that much more intense and special. Sasha G. -- I think a personal demon for Bianca is honoring who she is and what she is. She's in love with Lucas, whose life revolves around killing her kind. She feels guilty for lying to everyone and might feel like she's betraying her family and friends. Kye S. -- I think Mrs. Bethany has the most demons. There's got to be a reason why she is hunting Wraiths ... guilt for a past love perhaps, someone she loved but accidentally killed. She could also be jealous of Bianca's parents because they have Bianca and she doesn't have children or her children died long ago.Britney W. -- I think Dana is torn between who people want her to to be and who she is (probably not really knowing herself). Her personal demon could possibly be that she's so busy trying to make other people happy that she forgets what makes her happy. Anne S. -- Bianca's parents -- did they do the right thing in keeping her origins a secret from her all these years? ... They love her but could they accept her if she made a different choice than the one they have planned for her.Ba D. -- Constantly fighting with the demons of his past, Balthazar is working to create a future in which they will go away, or at least one where he can be at peace with them. Every time he sees Charity, his sister, he relives all the guilt, pain and horror of that night that, crazy with thirst, he changed her into one of them.There were other fabulous entries (in particular, I'm looking at you, Raquel G. and Daniela S.), and thanks to every single one of you who shared your thoughts. I hope to post your thoughts on demons and angels before I leave for Australia -- but that's less than 48 hours away!
- [Interview with Lisa Desrochers! Plus, LOW RED MOON ARC giveaway!](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-lisa-desrochers-plus-low-red-moon-arc-giveaway/) - Sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of PERSONAL DEMONS Contest #2, but I delay no longer: Congratulations, Lauryn S.! I'll get your books in the mail to you this week. And the author of PERSONAL DEMONS, the awesome Lisa Desrochers, took time out of her busy schedule (as in, during her trip to Singapore) to talk with me a little about her debut novel:CG: Your MC, Frannie, has a truly enormous mission to fulfill, even by the standards of paranormal heroines. Without giving too much away, how did you set out to build a character dynamic enough to carry such a burden? LD: Honestly, I wasn’t thinking in terms of “dynamic” when I started writing Frannie. I was thinking more in terms of “real.” As the story progressed, she found herself in tough situations and she had to figure out how to deal with them. It was really a matter of her character learning to roll with the punches, and, on occasion, punch back. But most of all, I wanted her reactions to come across as genuine.CG: PERSONAL DEMONS has plenty of sizzling sexual tension. If you were going to name one cardinal rule for creating that kind of chemistry on the page, what would it be? LD: I didn’t really know what I was doing when I wrote Personal Demons, so to break it out into “rules” is hard. I guess chemistry goes back to what I said in the last question. It needs to be organic to feel genuine. In other words, it needs to flow from the characters. They have conversations in my head and I take dictation. It’s when I try to manipulate those conversations that I get into trouble and lose the chemistry.CG: This book is your debut novel. Can you talk a little bit about your path to publication, and what parts of the publishing process have been most surprising to you so far? LD: I think my road has been pretty standard. I wrote Personal Demons in February and March 2009, revised and polished it in April and May, queried in June and July, and landed my truly fabulous agent in September. The part that hasn’t been standard is Macmillan putting Personal Demons on the shelves in nine months. That would be the most surprising thing so far. Personal Demons sold at auction Christmas week and I thought we were looking at a summer 2011 release, so when my editor told me September 2010 was our target, I almost fell off my chair.CG: Frannie's family is much different from most of those in YA fiction, as is the role they play in the book. Can you talk a little about the importance of her parents' influence? LD: Frannie comes from a religious family, with the traditional Catholic upbringing, including a parochial school education. Her family has been through some rough patches, however, that have Frannie questioning their belief system. The biggest of those is the accidental death of her twin brother, which both she and her mother have taken especially hard. She and her sisters (all four) have learned to cope in their own way, but her mother still struggles with the loss ten years later, so her father is the primary emotional support system for the family—but he’s also much more. (That’s an Original Sin teaser :p)CG: Where do you usually like to write? What's the most unusual place you've ever ended up writing a chapter? LD: I like to write in my family room. My “office” is the loveseat, one end of which is piled with books. I started writing there because, until I had my agent, my husband didn’t know I was writing (I know: #wifefail) so we’d sit together in the family room and I’d write while he was watching TV in the evenings. The most unusual place I’ve ever written was last summer in a turn out of a windy little road that lead down to Monterosso al Mare, Italy when my husband stopped to take some pictures (he still didn’t know I was writing) and I scribbled about three pages on some napkins in the glove box. CG: In what ways are you like Frannie? In what ways are you totally different? LD: Frannie has her insecurities, but she puts up a tough front. She doesn’t want anyone to know when she doubts herself. I’m also like that, especially in the writing and publication process. I’ve had huge moments of self-doubt, but I just smile and pretend that I couldn’t be more confident. We’re different in a lot of ways. For one, I don’t have a drop-dead gorgeous angel to protect me, or a totally hot (both literally and figuratively) demon after my soul. Seriously, Frannie is a much more emotional creature than I am. Because of that, she doesn’t let go of things very easily. But she’s passionate about the things she believes in—something I could learn from her.**I hope to have more interviews -- and, of course, more yummy ARC giveaways for you guys in the near future. (And yes, an AFTERLIFE ARC giveaway will be part of that!) But I'm only having one more contest before I leave for my Australia tour late next week (aiee!), and that is a giveaway for a much-anticipated YA werewolf romance I really enjoyed: LOW RED MOON by Ivy Devlin. Want the ARC? Then enter the contest: 1) Email me at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the subject line "LOW RED MOON Contest."2) In that email, tell me what you like best about werewolf stories! 3) Also in that email, include a name and address where I can send your copy if you win (and yes, I'll ship anywhere.) 4) Do all this by Wednesday, Aug. 11, when I will choose one winner (just one -- I only have the single copy!) at random. Good luck!
- [PERSONAL DEMONS Contest #1 ends, and PD Contest #2 begins!](https://www.claudiagray.com/personal-demons-contest-1-ends-and-pd-contest-2-begins/) - First of all, congratulations to the winner of PERSONAL DEMONS Contest #1, Jansci C.! There were a ton of good entries, and some time this weekend, I'll post a summary of your thoughts about the personal demons of the characters in the EVERNIGHT series -- you guys had some really compelling answers. (Why am I not posting this right now? As those of you who follow me on Twitter know, my brother and nephew are visiting Chicago this week, so I've been extremely busy. The planetarium! The Sears Tower! Navy Pier! You name it. So I will need more time to (a) sleep for a zillion years and recover and (b) post.) But I can wait no longer before announcing PERSONAL DEMONS Contest #2! The loot: A much-sought-after ARC of Lisa Desrochers' PERSONAL DEMONS, along with two more awesome ARCs -- LEGACIES, the first book in the upcoming Shadow Grail series, from Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill; and ALL THAT LIVES MUST DIE by Eric Nylund, the sequel to MORTAL COILS. So we are talking about some amazing reads here. How can you be the lucky winner? 1) Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the subject line "PERSONAL DEMONS Contest #2." 2) In this email, tell me whether you believe in angels, demons or both!3) Include an address where I can send your books if you win. (And yes, I'll ship anywhere -- though at this point, if the winner is Australian, I might just bring them down there with me!) 4) Do all this before Tuesday, August 3, when I'll pick the winner at random. Good luck, everybody!
- [Interview With Kelley Armstrong!](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-kelley-armstrong/) - As anybody who's asked me this at an event knows, I'm a big fan of Kelley Armstrong's "Darkest Powers" series, which is only the latest in a long series of incredibly popular books from Kelley, a longtime bestseller in the adult urban fantasy genre. I'm also a fan of Kelley herself, since we were able to tour together on Supernatural Summer 2009, and I got to know what a fun, down-to-earth person she is. So I'm really excited to be able to feature her interview here on the blog -- read on to see her thoughts on the transition from urban fantasy for adults to YA paranormal, how she handles her evolving universe, and why your characters can never be too happy. **CG: So far, I've had relatively little input on my covers -- though I've been lucky to get great ones. But you're a longtime bestseller in the urban fantasy world, so you must have gotten lots of say in your YA covers, right? KA: Not...exactly. I was thrilled with the cover design they chose for the YAs, though. Well, except for that changing jewel thing (if anyone ever wants to know why Chloe's jewel really changes colour, ask me at an event, where I can tell the truth!) I've come to accept that a cover is really a marketing thing, and I know nothing about marketing. Ones I don't particularly like caught the eye of more new readers than the ones I do.CG: What surprised you most about the move from writing urban fantasy for adults to writing YA as well? KA: Two things surprised me. One, how little of a difference there was in the actual writing of the books. The YA are paced a little faster and the characters must be teens with teen issues, but otherwise, there's not much difference. Except for the second thing...the audience. Fantasy readers can become very invested in a series--quick to let you know what they like and dislike. But they have nothing on teens!CG: I was really impressed by how smoothly you incorporated the universe you'd built in your urban fantasy novels into your YA work; readers were given the exact right amount of information to understand what was going on, even if they were visiting your fiction for the first time. How did you manage to strike that delicate balance? KA: I have very good editors. Seriously, that's what it takes. I think I've developed a decent sense of how much to give--the balance between giving enough not to confuse new readers but not so much that bore current readers with repetition. But I do lean toward "not enough," and that's where I rely on my editors to say "You need to explain this for new readers, Kelley."CG: Chloe is a very strong lead character for someone who begins the series in a rather vulnerable position. How do you walk the line between creating a dynamic main character and putting that character in enough jeopardy to keep things entertaining? Is this a tougher line to walk KA: Characters need to be tortured. It sounds sadistic, but if the character is never "tested" he/she can't grow and develop. Testing usually means torture, in the sense that life goes very awry. Chloe has led a very sheltered life so when she's first hit with trouble, she's very vulnerable and unsure. The options at that point are to curl up in a ball and pray for rescue or to develop the skills to deal with the threat. In fiction, option B is a must, at least for main characters.CG: Do you ever feel the urge to write non-paranormal/urban fantasy fiction? ("Realism," I think it's called; I wouldn't know personally.) Or is your universe big enough to hold your stories? KA: I do have two books out in a non-paranormal series--straight crime thrillers. Considering that the main character is a hitwoman, though, "realism" might not be the right term to use! They still gave me a lot of room for world building within a subculture, and I think that's what I need to keep me interested. **Thanks to Kelley for stopping by! Hopefully Kelley and I will share some more tour stops in the future -- but that's another announcement for another day. You still have a little while to win some awesome ARCS, so check out the contest details and enter now!
- [Australia travel plans (partial)](https://www.claudiagray.com/australia-travel-plans-partial/) - OK, at long last, I have some tour dates for Australia! This is NOT a final or complete list, but this is the larger part of my public appearances Down Under, so take a look: SYDNEY:Event name: Author talk with Dymocks SydneyDate: Monday 16th August Time: 6.30pm Venue: Dendy Opera Quays Cinema, 9/2 Circular Quay, SydneyCost: $20 members of SMH Dymocks Events / Students & Non-Members $22. Talk and signing sessionI have no idea what it is I'm supposed to be doing that's worth $20 to get in. I hope they don't ask me to pole dance. A NIGHT OF ADVENTURE. Event name: Signing at Big W EastgardensDate: Tuesday 17th AugustTime: 4pmVenue: Big W at Westfield Eastgardens, Level: 2, Store M1, 152 Bunnerong Rd., Eastgardens NSW 2036Cost: FreeNo pole dancing here.BRISBANE:Event name: Author event with Dymocks Albert StreetDate: Wednesday 18th AugustTime: 5pmVenue: Shop D17, 177 Albert Street (Cnr Elizabeth & Albert), BrisbaneCost: FreeThis will be my first day in Brisbane! (They have scheduled me to spend my first day in Sydney -- after plane trips that total about 19 hours -- just sort of sitting around blinking. Trust me, this is for the best.)Event name: Public signing at Angus and Robertson MorayfieldDate: Thursday 19th August Time: 4pm Venue: Angus and Robertson Morayfield, Shop 62 Morayfield Shopping Centre, Morayfield Road, Morayfield, 4506Cost: FreeIt is my opinion that this venue does not have enough "Morayfield" in its address.MELBOURNE:Event name: Author event with Dymocks MelbourneDate: Friday 20th August Time: 5pm Venue: 234 Collins StreetWhoo, Melbourne! I watched a Food Network special about great restaurants in Melbourne, so I plan to essentially eat my way across the city. Look for me to perhaps still have a napkin tucked in my collar. I'm hoping I'll be able to add a couple more events, maybe in some places a bit farther afield (though not so far as Perth, I'm afraid -- please forgive me!) But that's all tentative. What you see here is for sure. I am SO looking forward to this and to meeting as many fans as possible!BTW, I will also have some Illinois events to announce for September before too long, so the signings continue -- **Check back at the blog tomorrow for an interview with the fabulous Kelley Armstrong, of THE RECKONING, THE SUMMONING and all kinds of other awesome books. :DAnd have you entered the PERSONAL DEMONS contest yet? If not, what's stopping you?
- [Free books!  Get 'em right here!  Brand-new contest!](https://www.claudiagray.com/free-books-get-em-right-here-brand-new-contest/) - One of the most hotly anticipated YA paranormal romances this fall is Lisa Desrochers' PERSONAL DEMONS, I book I loved so much I blurbed it. And now I have a couple of ARCs, which I'll be giving away in two separate contests! This week, you'll not only be getting an advance copy of PERSONAL DEMONS, but also copies of the first two books in Cat Adams' YA series -- BLOOD SONG and SIREN SONG. What do you have to do to enter? Tell me what you think are the "personal demons" of any (or all!) of the characters in the Evernight books. What makes Balthazar feel guilty? What's troubling Dana between wisecracks? Let me know!1) Send your answer to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "Personal Demons Contest #1." 2) Include an address where I can send your books if you win (and yes, I'll ship anywhere!) 3) Do all this before Tuesday, July 27, when I will choose a winner at random. Good luck to everyone!**Rumor has it that a comprehensive tour schedule exists for my trip to Australia -- as soon as I see it, I will confirm!
- [July Q&A session, day seven!](https://www.claudiagray.com/july-qa-session-day-seven/) - Katrina N. asks: If I ever feel ready to publish a story of mine and I did all the research and such, and I got a contract and would be published I want to do it under a pen name. Legally what did you have to go through to do that? Did the publishing company know who you were in real life? Legally, you don't have to do anything. The copyright will be kept under your real name, unless you set up a company to hold the copyright for you, but you can slap any nom de plume on your book that you like. It's just something you and your publishing company decide to do, and it's highly unlikely that they'd object to your using a pen name. The publishing company had better know who you are in real life! They're going to make the checks out to the name they've got -- and you'd like to cash them, right? Your agent will know your real name too. Most pseudonyms are pretty open secrets; few of them are intended to provide complete cover anymore. And these people are going to be working with you closely, hopefully for years and years. Amy M. asks: What is the best part about traveling, and what has been the most adventurous place when you go to book signings?The best part about traveling is the constant new sources of stimulation and inspiration. Though I like having a comfort zone in my own home and neighborhood, and being able to fall back on the familiar when I want, there's something energizing about being in new surroundings. You have experiences you couldn't have any other way, and you learn more about yourself as a result. I suppose the most adventurous place I've been so far would be Madrid, for the book fair there -- oh, wow, was that only last month? Australia is a contender next month, though!Sydney D. asks: When we will see audiobooks for some of your work?Good question! Right now my publishing house owns the audiobook rights, but they haven't sold them yet. That said, the rights will soon revert to me (if the publisher doesn't sell them first), after which I intend to work hard to get some audiobooks for the EVERNIGHT series out there. Kayli M. asks: Does being the author of the Evernight series take away from how easy it is to get lost in the books?Well, yes. It's not that I don't love the books I've written, but I have a very different relationship to them than I do with the books I read. I remember the entire writing process, what pushed me toward certain choices, the various names I thought of for each character, so on and so forth -- it's always going to be different for me. (Though I wonder if maybe, 10 years or 20 years from now, I'll be able to return to them with fresh eyes and have the readers' experience in full.) But it's no less wonderful! Just different, that's all. **And that's it for this set of Q&A -- but we'll have to do this again sometime.Check the blog again tomorrow for a brand-new contest!
- [July Q&A session, day six!](https://www.claudiagray.com/july-qa-session-day-six/) - Tina from South Africa asks: I was just wondering, are you starting a new series after Evernight?Yes, I am. My next series will be the SPELLCASTER trilogy from HarperTeen. It's about a young witch named Lia who's just moved to a new town with her father and younger brother. Once she gets there, she realizes that the town is heavily shadowed by dark magic, and that there's another spellcaster in town -- someone dangerous. And she meets this guy named Mateo, who's handsome, charming, and apparently cursed. It's going to be fun. tsoetzie asks: Can you tell us more about FATEFUL? Like what's it about or the release date!FATEFUL is the book about werewolves! On the Titanic! (I always write it like that.) I'm deep in the heart of writing it at the moment. Tess, a young maidservant, gets to journey to America with the wealthy family that employs her, aboard the most luxurious ship in existence. What they don't know is that she's secretly planning on getting away from them, and some of the darker secrets of that household. What she doesn't know is that Alec, the guy she's just met, has an even darker secret. The release date isn't set yet, but it will be in the second half of next year. I'll probably find out something more concrete in a few months. Heather S. asks: How would someone like me go about getting anything I've done published? How did you get started?First of all, don't start trying to get published before you're ready. How do you know when you're ready? When you've got a novel/short story/whatever that you've completed, edited and polished until you feel rock solid about it. Then, if you haven't started already, you need to begin educating yourself about the business. You'll want to visit good agent websites (Nathan Bransford and Kristin Nelson run good ones) and other good online resources, such as the Agent Query website. There you'll learn about publication markets, when you need an agent, how to get one, and many of the pitfalls along the way. How did I get started? It's a long story, but I have to admit: I did almost NONE of this. I got really lucky. Like, pinch yourself lucky. Daniela S. asks: What would you write about if you decide to leave the supernatural for a while?I keep lists of realistic YA fiction ideas that I would like to get to eventually. There's this one idea about a politician's secret daughter that keeps tugging at me ...**One more day! Four more questions! Send them in to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com!
- [July Q&A session, day five!](https://www.claudiagray.com/july-qa-session-day-five/) - Pamela U. asks: I was wondering for a long time, has Mrs Bethany ever been in love? and with who?Now that's a very interesting question. I can't go into it too much, though, because you're going to learn a lot more about that in AFTERLIFE. Emma M. asks: How do you respond to fans telling you about how they are like Bianca or Lucas? It's always wonderful when somebody responds deeply enough to the characters to glimpse something similar within them. I hear this the most about Bianca, but also Lucas, Balthazar, Raquel and even Vic. So I love reading that or listening to fans who feel that kind of connection. The only thing that worries me is when people say that they're just like Bianca/Lucas/whoever, and therefore they should play that character in the movie. First of all, there are no movie plans, and second, if there were movie plans, I doubt I'd have that much control over casting!Evelyn B. asks: Do you have plans for book signings?First up is my Australian tour -- dates are finally getting firmed up, and I hope to post some events very soon! (Like, within a day or two.) Then things are a bit quieter in the fall, though we're trying to put together a couple of signings in October and November. Probably I won't be doing regular book signings again until AFTERLIFE comes out next March. Kristy C. asks: I would love to know what inspires you when you write!!!Lots of different things, really. Music is a big one -- I always put together a playlist for whatever project I'm working on (though that's proved a little tough with FATEFUL, because of the big hits of 1912, remarkably few are available on iTunes). And I always try to find ways in which the characters' actions or feelings resonate with something I've actually felt or done, like arguing with a friend, or trying on a beautiful dress for the big dance, or getting caught up in the war between vampires and vampire hunters. **Two more days to go! If you have a question, send it to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, and soon!
- [July Q&A session, day four!](https://www.claudiagray.com/july-qa-session-day-four/) - The euphoniously named hnybrwnmxcn asks: What was the hardest obstacle to overcome while you were first trying to get published?Myself. Both in acquiring the discipline to write, and in gaining the confidence to try. Kameren asks: What inspired you to write the Evernight series?I wanted to write about an unusual kind of high school, and at the time, a boarding school for vampires seemed unusual indeed. Of course, about ten other authors all had the same idea around the same time -- but happily, we do different things with the concept, and there's room out there for all of us (thanks to you guys.) Fundamentally the idea of Evernight springs from the high school I dreamed of when I was in high school: Someplace totally different, far away, mysterious and romantic. Caila D. asks: Can you tell us anything about what's to come for Bianca and Lucas!? Now, THIS is how you ask for spoilers -- vaguely, to give me enough wiggle room that I can actually respond! Let's see: (1) The time gap between HOURGLASS and AFTERLIFE is the shortest of any of the books in the series, just a few hours. (2) We haven't seen the last of Bianca's parents or Lucas's mother, and if you've read HOURGLASS, you can imagine how good a mood they're not in. (3) Either Bianca or Lucas is going to find themselves surprisingly well able to deal with what they'd thought would be a nightmare situation. The other one isn't going to be able to handle it AT ALL. Sejlha A. asks: I just need to know how far along you are to finishing Afterlife? Is there a release date in Australia (soon I hope)?AFTERLIFE has been complete for a while now. (Currently I'm hard at work on FATEFUL.) The box that arrived this morning probably contains my ARCs! It's being released in the US in March, but I have no idea about Australia or any other international release dates; for some reason, authors are usually the last to know these things. I suggest checking with your local bookseller, who might be able to look it up in an online catalog for you. **I still have some unanswered questions waiting in my in-box, but that doesn't mean I'm not taking more! If you have a question, send it to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "July Q&A Session." Hope to hear from you!
- [July Q&A session, day three!](https://www.claudiagray.com/july-qa-session-day-three/) - Amy B. asks: If you could chose any author to write about your life (yourself excluded), who would you choose and why?Danielle Steel. Because then the book would be all about how I blossomed into unearthly beauty at an early age, was snatched from my idyllic childhood by a cruel twist of fate, grittily fought my way to the top of a glamorous profession, and had any number of hugely passionate affairs before being at last reunited with my first, and only true, love. Which is of course exactly how it's all gone down. Estefania A. asks: Which are your favorite classic movies, books and paintings?Some of my absolute favorite classic movies (which I'm defining as 1960 or earlier) include "Notorious," "Holiday," "Singin' in the Rain," "Father of the Bride" (the original), "Roman Holiday," "Bringing Up Baby," "My Man Godfrey," "Ninotchka," "Some Like It Hot," "The Thin Man," "The Third Man," "North by Northwest," "To Catch A Thief," "Citizen Kane," "Gaslight," "Imitation of Life" (both versions), "Now, Voyager" -- you know, this list could go on a while, and the books and paintings as long on their own. I'm going to stop here. (You will notice that Cary Grant appears frequently in this list.)Petra I. asks: I can't begin to understand how difficult it is to write a novel, but maybe you could explain your process. Do you use a pin-board where you stick up all your ideas? Do you write an extensive or brief history/biography on each character?Neither of those -- the ideas get jotted down in the "starter concepts" folder of my laptop until they've grown out of being Little Baby Ideas into Plot Thoughts, when they get their own folder. I usually work out an extensive outline over the course of a few weeks or months, and once I've got that together, I get to work. Although I write out what I think are the most important things about each character, I don't give them full bios at the start. I feel like I find out more fully who they are while I write. I basically get to know the most important things about them and let the rest develop more gradually. As I said, I'm an outliner, and I'm one of those who has to start at the beginning and work my way through to the end. And I work on separate files for each chapter -- which makes it seem less like One Monumental Task and several Big But Manageable Tasks. Serenity asks: What do you like most about writing?This is going to sound like a dorky answer, but it's the writing itself. I am never happier than when I am working my way through a story, and it's all going well. (Slightly different when it's not!) **Got a question of your own? We still have four days to go in the Q&A, so feel free to send your questions in to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject header "July Q&A Session"!
- [July Q&A session, day two!](https://www.claudiagray.com/july-qa-session-day-two/) - Britney W. asks: Since you are already a successful author with many published books, where do you see yourself in 10 years? What are your goals and how much do you aim to accomplish? I think it's important for people to realize that even those who have obtained certain goals they have set for themselves, they still raise the bar and go one step further. It's the proverbial ladder. What do you do when you get to the top of your ladder? Do you stop and be satisfied or do you grab another one and keep on truckin'?You'd better keep climbing. I don't think it's a ladder -- it's an escalator, and it's headed down, and you have to keep climbing really fast to make any headway, not to mention avoid sinking. In 10 years, I very much want to still be writing full-time. By then I hope to be writing for adults as well as for young adults. I want to be a "commonly searched term" on Barnes & Noble.com. :D It's harder for me to define long-term goals more strongly than that: Right now, I'm focusing harder on the very next steps on the escalator, which include defining myself and promoting my YA paranormal series to the best of my ability, and improving my pacing and story structure. Karen R. writes: I was wondering if you ever thought about making [the EVERNIGHT series] into a movie.The question really is, has anybody in Hollywood (or any other film capital) thought about making the books into a movie? And the answer to that is, nope, not yet. Keep your fingers crossed, but for now there's no prospect of a film or TV series. Alexandra S. asks: Do you ever get writers block? If so how do you get past it? Have there been any points while writing the Evernight series where you've hit a serious writers block? If so which parts?Knock wood as I say this: I generally don't have big problems with writers' block. No idea why this is, though I wonder if it isn't because I am a diehard outliner, so I don't run into the two issues that most often create writers' block: not knowing what comes next or writing yourself into a plot corner. That said, I do sometimes have days or even weeks where the writing seems to be coming slowly and badly. When that happens, I don't let myself stop writing, but I might take a little while to work on something else, or I ask myself if I'm getting bogged down for a reason. Sometimes it's a sign the scene just needs a little shaking up. Lucas W. asks:As an aspiring author myself, I often wonder if my characters are believable, so, my question is, What made you happy with Bianca, what little idiosyncrasy or flaw made her believable to you?Partly it was her love of astronomy, because it just summed her up so well to me: Smart, somewhat romantic, solitary, and good at focusing on the big picture but sometimes terrible at seeing what's right in front of her face. I also really liked her relationship with her parents; I knew it would be different for her than it is for most teens, which was a fun dynamic to play with. **If you already asked, and I didn't answer, don't despair: I am picking four questions a day every day this week, so yours might be up next. And if you haven't asked a question yet, what are you waiting for? Send them in to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "July Q&A Session." Hope to hear from you!
- [July Q&A session, day one!](https://www.claudiagray.com/july-qa-session-day-one/) - OK, for the first four questions!KellyRose M. asks: As an aspiring author who has given this A LOT of thought, how did you choose your pen name? And why did you choose to use a pen name? Did you make lists of possible first and surnames, look at name meanings, choose something symbolic? How did you know when you had "the one?!"First: Don't give this a lot of thought yet. This is the kind of thing you should worry about only after you've got a publishing contract in hand, not only because, before that, it's kind of a case of cart-before-the-horse, but also because you might want input from your agent and publisher. For me, I chose to use a pen name for one reason alone: I thought it would be fun. It's turned out to be a good move for other reasons, too, though -- it lets me keep my private life and writing life separate on Facebook, etc. I didn't go through any big lists or anything, but I knew that I needed to hew to the basic pseudonym rules. These rules are: (1) Make it something people can spell, because you want them to be able to find you online. (2) It should be unusual enough to be memorable and distinctive, but no more unusual than that. (3) Make it something you like and feel some emotional connection to. In my case, I picked Claudia because my all-time favorite miniseries, "I, Claudius," was in my DVD player at the time. Originally the last name was going to be Lake, as in Veronica Lake, for old-movie glamour. But it turned out that "Claudia Lake" was the name of the Vampire Lestat fan club. (ALWAYS Google your chosen pseudonym early on!) And, well, Gray is a similar length and sound to Lake. There you have it. Amy M. asks: Before you even started the EVERNIGHT series, when you were in high school, did you expect you'd be where you are today? Although I always dreamed of being a full-time novelist, I have to say I never, ever expected it -- not in high school and really not even until a couple of years after I'd sold the EVERNIGHT series. This has been the most unexpected and wonderful surprise. Marnee K. asks: With everything you have experienced as being an author, what has been the most challenging, and the most thrilling, and why? What's most challenging is balancing my desire and need to reach out to readers with the need to keep writing and leading a normal life. It's tough to know when you're not putting yourself out there enough, or when you're overdoing it and the writing is suffering, and sometimes it feels like you're somehow managing to do both at once, even though that should be impossible. The most thrilling thing was finding the first fanvids and fanfiction for the EVERNIGHT series. That's when I knew that the books weren't just being read; they were being enjoyed. Terrii-Lee F. asks: What type of writing do you specifically look for? Is vampires the only type you you really enjoy writing about? As a reader, I'll try nearly any kind of book. I went on a book-buying binge today and bought YA lit (paranormal and realistic), historical fiction for both WWI and the Roman Empire, nonfiction books about science and criminology, plus a romance novel. It's fun to check out as many kinds of books as possible!As a writer, I love writing about vampires, but they're not the only supernatural creatures I enjoy: I'm writing my werewolf novel now (FATEFUL), and I have a witchcraft trilogy coming soon. And I keep a little list of realistic fiction ideas -- you never know. **Want to get your question answered? Send me an email at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject line "July Q&A session." And be careful -- a couple people asked really good questions, but I couldn't answer because they were too spoilery for HOURGLASS. Try again, maybe?
- [congrats to the winners of the Italian Souvenir Contest!  Plus, ask me questions, get answers!](https://www.claudiagray.com/congrats-to-the-winners-of-the-italian-souvenir-contest-plus-ask-me-questions-get-answers/) - I brought back five lovely Murano glass rings from Italy, and now I've chosen, at random, five lucky winners: Congratulations to Evelyn B., Susan R., Jessica R., Laura H., and Jennzah C.! I'll be mailing their rings out sometime this week, so that they will be gorgeous and sparkly this summer. You guys had some wonderful ideas about things to add to the blog: In particular, you seem to be interested in more writing advice, more updates on what I'm reading and watching, etc. I do not know that I'm going to take all the advice -- many people requested video blogs, and I sort of feel that the whole point of being a full-time writer is not having to worry about bad hair days. But I am definitely going to use some of it going-forward. For instance, several of you wanted more opportunities for Q&As, so, we're going to have one this week! Every day for the next seven days, I'm going to answer four of the questions sent to me at evernightclaudia at gmail dot com, with the subject header "July Q&A Session." I'm probably going to choose the questions at random, though if you've asked a question I've already replied to, obviously that's going to get tossed. (So get creative with those questions.) I won't only pick questions sent to me on any one specific day this week, so feel free to ask early or late. So ask away! You also appear to love contests, and I've lined up some ARCs to give away later this month -- no, not AFTERLIFE ARCs, though they ought to start showing up in the fall. So hopefully next week I can share a little of that joy with you guys. :)
- [slow news days, plus reminder about Italian Souvenir Contest](https://www.claudiagray.com/slow-news-days-plus-reminder-about-italian-souvenir-contest/) - I have been shamefully lax in updating this blog over the past week, but wow, no matter how hard I tried to keep up with things while I was traveling last month, I still came home significantly behind. I'm writing a short story and doing essay edits while taking care of non-writing business ... little things like, oh, renewing my lease so I actually have a place to live next year, which I kind of had to do in a hurry. Ironically, when I'm busiest with the things you guys are most interested in (the writing), I have the least news. Because my days look something like this:9-11 a.m. -- Write 500 words, squint at them.11-11:30 a.m. -- Take out 100 of those words. Change one adjective in one sentence five times.11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. -- Add another three hundred words. Wonder if this is even the right scene to have in this story. Give into despair.1 -2 p.m. -- Lunch, HGTV2 -5 p.m. -- Take out half of remaining words, write 300 more, decide to rename a character.5 -6:30 p.m. -- Peruse baby-names book in effort to find new name.6:30 p.m. onwards -- Write like mad to make up for lost time. Also, dinner. Maybe yoga. It's the way the work gets done, but it's not exactly a Tilt-A-Whirl of excitement for the observer. I shall work on having more colorful exploits as soon as this short story is done. Just in case some of you guys didn't see it before: It's time to enter the Italian Souvenir Contest! You have a few days yet, so let me know what you'd like to see on this blog, and you could win a Murano glass ring I bought in Rome!
- [Italian Souvenir Contest!](https://www.claudiagray.com/italian-souvenir-contest/) - I'm back in the United States! Still a bit jetlagged, but I've unpacked all the bags, done all the laundry and even gone through my voicemail. (Helpful tip: If you're leaving the country for a month, it might be a good idea to say so on your voicemail message. Whoops.) Tomorrow I hope to post the rest of my Rome photos and share them with you guys. We'll have some other ARC giveaways and author interviews this month, but the first contest is for souvenirs I brought back from Rome -- specifically, Murano glass rings! That is not a picture of one of the actual rings -- my photos of them aren't turning out for some reason -- but this is what they look like. I have five rings, all in different colors (let me pick for you), all of them adjustable so they'll fit anyone. I bought them in a little shop one block away from the Pantheon, where I thought the jewelry was incredibly cool. (Possibly I also purchased a couple things for myself. Ahem.) Anyway, here are the rules for the Italian Souvenir Contest:1) Send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the subject line "Italian Souvenir Contest." 2) Tell me what kind of content you'd most like to see on the blog in the future -- giveaways, photos, interviews, writing tips, knock knock jokes, whatever! There's no wrong answers; I'll pick the winners at random. 3) Also tell me the name and the address for sending the ring, if you are one of the five lucky winners. (And, yes, I'll ship anywhere!) 4) Do all this before Tuesday, July 13 -- this contest will run two weeks instead of one so that people celebrating the Fourth (or Canada Day, or watching the World Cup, wherever you might be) will have plenty of chances to enter. That's it! I hope you guys enjoy the contest, and it's good to be back home.
- [a few questions as I prepare to leave Italy](https://www.claudiagray.com/a-few-questions-as-i-prepare-to-leave-italy/) - Only three more days left here in lovely Rome! I broke down and did a bit more shopping today, but from now on I am mostly taking it easy and revisiting a few favorite places. (Plus FINALLY getting to the Roman Forum ... aka the very first place I attempted to go and the only major attraction I've not gotten to even once!) But I have a couple of questions for Roman/Italian readers, things I have not been able to puzzle out on my own:1) Prego is usually translated in English as "you're welcome," but I notice that people in stores and restaurants frequently say it even before they are thanked or have done the activity for which they would be thanked. So what does it mean really? Is it something like, "I am happy to help?"2) A few days ago, when I was in the Borghese Gardens, I was going along, minding my own business and attempting to reach the Piazza di Spagna, when suddenly my only option was to take some stairs down and then take some more stairs down and suddenly I was in a series of subterranean tunnels and then I was in a Carrefour supermarket in the bowels of the earth. And then I kept going and I was in ... the Piazza di Spagna. What happened, exactly? I didn't dream the Carrefour, did I?3) What in the name of our sweet baby Jesus are those Amore ads? The ones that appear to show an orgy in progress (European ads = not like American ads), but everyone involved is wearing dog and cat masks, which is just astonishingly disturbing. I have attempted to parse out the Italian beneath it, but if I understand correctly, these are ads for PET FOOD, and so I can't possibly understand correctly, can I?I've almost maxed out Flikr, so the rest of my vacation photos will be up in my first July update, but I promise many more to share then!
- [fun facts I have learned about travel in Rome](https://www.claudiagray.com/fun-facts-i-have-learned-about-travel-in-rome/) - 1) Even if the train from Ostia Antica to Rome appears to be heading in the exact opposite direction than it should, you should probably go for it asap instead of waiting until the doors nearly shut on you. 2) If the doors are nearly shutting on you, do not assume that they are configured like US subway doors, which will bounce open upon bodily contact to preserve human life. These Italian doors mean business. In or out, they say (in Italian). 3) This means that if you just barely manage to get in the train car, you will NOT be able to keep the doors open for your friends. Who are now outside the train. While you are inside the train. Which is leaving. 4) Yelling a curse word really loudly, in panic, as the people you obviously meant to remain with stand helplessly on the track while the train rolls away, turns out to be a LAUGH RIOT for people from many nations. (Though the laughter was not of the mean variety, more of the "dude, that sucks" variety.)5) If you go to the next transfer point on the train and remain there, your friends will find you in the end. So at least there's a happy ending!
- [hello from Rimini](https://www.claudiagray.com/hello-from-rimini/) - Today I traveled from Rome to Rimini, Italy, for the Mare di Libri festival. Tomorrow morning, I'll be on a panel (at 10 a.m.) called "More Than Vampires," where we'll talk about the paranormal trends in YA literature and in publishing overall. If you are in the vicinity, please come -- I would love to meet some of you there!I'm really loving Rimini so far, though this may be because I got to travel here via train, enjoying the lovely countryside. Or maybe because my hotel here HAS INTERNET, which is a luxury I will never take for granted again. Or maybe it's because I went to dinner tonight with a lot of writers and publishing people, and it started with us all being very formal, like, "So tell me how people go to dinner in YOUR country" and ended up with us all drinking wine at midnight and discussing how freaky it is that Johnny Depp never ages or what we consider our favorite parts of the "Spider-Man" movie. Good times, people. Tomorrow I return to Rome, so more luxurious train journeys (yay!) but not nearly enough time to explore the town (boo). Soon I hope to have more photos to share with you, but of course in order for me to do that I will need to find the blessed, lifegiving internet in Rome. But certainly I will have more stories. :)
- [Sniffles abroad](https://www.claudiagray.com/sniffles-abroad/) - Well, I've had an absolutely marvelous trip in Rome so far, the high point of which was probably my birthday yesterday, which involved not only the best risotto ever but also a chocolate cake so good I suspect its consumption is a sin in some minor religions. But this morning I woke up with a cold. :( It promises to be a bad one, too; my throat's been swelling tighter and tighter throughout the day. Happily, "decongestant" turns out to translate just fine. If I need to spend the next few days in Rome piled up in my bed, writing and hiding from the heat, there are worse things to have happen ... and as soon as I get better, I'll still be in Rome. Rome adventures included the epic trip to Pompeii two days ago. Only a handful of new photos, but check them out. Will be in touch soon, to either report on my recovery and continuing adventures, or to whine about the sniffles.
- [Today in Rome: Dem Bones](https://www.claudiagray.com/today-in-rome-dem-bones/) - I went out and about, but decided that my touristy activities were going to be highly concentrated on museums and churches ... i.e., cool places, because the blazing summer heat has arrived here in Rome. No photos today, because the single coolest/creepiest place I went doesn't allow photography: the Capuchin cemetery, where the monks used the bones of lots and lots and LOTS of people to create, um, decoration. As in ribs and vertebrae embedded in the walls to create deceptively delicate floral patterns. Or skulls stacked on top of skulls to create high arches. Or a child's skull with scapula on either side to look like cherubim wings. Some complete skeletons have been dressed up in monk's robes. I hope they really were monks. One thing to be displayed after death as what you were; another to have someone come along after you're deceased and gad your corpse up in the equivalent of a Halloween costume. The writing is going really well here. Maybe I write better when I eat lots of pasta. Oh, I hope this is true.
- [Viva Madrid!](https://www.claudiagray.com/viva-madrid/) - Well, my four days in Madrid were absolutely sensational, thanks to all of you who came out to the book fair. My internet connectivity problems continue, and look likely to persist throughout my time here -- there always has to be ONE thing keeping the trip from being perfect, right? -- but while I have a moment of online time, I can point you to the photos here, which show you the high points of my time in Madrid, including lovely street scenes, the madness of the fair itself, and the two valiant fans who came all the way from Lyon for the signing. Today is a fairly lazy day in Rome -- after the big whirl in Madrid, I needed a day to read, write, eat pasta and loll around in the sun, in no particular order. But tomorrow, I fling myself into the city once again. :) I'll keep checking in ... when I can.
- [some Rome pics, plus rough Madrid schedule!](https://www.claudiagray.com/some-rome-pics-plus-rough-madrid-schedule/) - Hello, everybody! I am now settling in here in Rome -- just in time to leave for the Madrid Book Fair tomorrow. It's quite a whirl. But so far I am having a wonderful time. My internet access here is a little unreliable, so I am going to post this link to my Rome pictures so far; hopefully soon I can figure out how to be online long enough, stably enough, to post the pictures here direct. Today's adventures: I figured I would begin with the Forum, but this turned out to be the king of all bad ideas, which rules over lesser bad ideas; a massive protest or rally was being held at the Colosseum, meaning that the ancient areas were all but inaccessible, and the side streets were thronged with ever-thickening crowds of tourists detoured as I saw. I ducked into the first church I could find to get my bearings; this being Rome, that church turned out to be St. Peter in Chains, and I had therefore accidentally gone to see Michelangelo's Moses. After that, I escaped to another area of the city altogether and visited San Giovanni in Laterno. Not only was the church an amazing sight, but I also was able to take a long walk in the park nearby. I tried to go to St. Croce in Gethsemane, but it was inexplicably closed. Well, I have a month to try again. Now, Madrid! Here is where and when I'll be appearing. This is as detailed a schedule as I've got, so bear with me, Spain fans: Thursday 3rd June: * 7pm -9 pm. - Signature at Madrid Book Fair (Vips)Saturday 5th June: * 12 – 2pm. - Signature to be confirmed (who knows?); * 7pm - 9pm- Signature at Madrid Book Fair (Casa del Libro)Sunday 6th June: * 12- 2pm - Signature at Madrid Book Fair (Bertran)And fans in Italy, don't forget that I'll be at the book fair in Rimini on the 20th of June. More details there if and when I get them. I'll report in again from Madrid!
- [False alarm!](https://www.claudiagray.com/false-alarm/) - The zombies just hadn't had their coffee yet.
- [test post 2](https://www.claudiagray.com/test-post-2/) - One more test post, guys. The zombies draw closer. Do not panic.
- [test post](https://www.claudiagray.com/test-post/) - We're testing a new posting interface -- stand by for further instructions in case of zombie apocalypse.
- [Interview with Adam Rex!](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-adam-rex/) - First of all, time to announce the winner of May ARC Giveaway #3 -- Congratulations, Dana W.! Your books are already on their way to you. As you guys remember, one of the books in May ARC Giveaway #2 was FAT VAMPIRE by Adam Rex, who kindly stopped by to answer a few questions about
- [Interview with Aprilynne Pike!](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-aprilynne-pike/) - One of the books from the previous ARC giveaway was SPELLS, the second book in the WINGS series from Aprilynne Pike. She's taken time out of her crazy-busy touring schedule to answer a few questions about her inspiration, love triangles and parents in YA fiction. Interested? Read on ... CG: Aprilynne, tell us what we
- [May ARC giveaway #3!!](https://www.claudiagray.com/may-arc-giveaway-3/) - Hello all! I hope to have more interviews to bring you shortly, but right now I only have more ARC giveaway goodness -- I trust you guys don't mind. First of all, congrats to the winner of May ARC giveaway #2, Andye E! She'll be receiving copies of FAT VAMPIRE, SPELLS and SAVING SKY. Now,
- [Interview with J.T. Dutton, another ARC giveaway, and reminder: I'm coming to Ohio TOMORROW!](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-with-j-t-dutton-another-arc-giveaway-and-reminder-im-coming-to-ohio-tomorrow/) - First of all, congrats to the winner of May ARC Giveaway #1: Way to go, Shalayna W.! She'll be receiving copies of WAYFARER by R.J. Anderson, EARLY TO DEATH, EARLY TO RISE by Kim Harrison and STRANDED by J.T. Dutton. Speaking of the fabulous J.T. Dutton, she was kind enough to talk with me about
- [Do the Write Thing for Nashville -- Let's have lunch!](https://www.claudiagray.com/do-the-write-thing-for-nashville-lets-have-lunch/) - Just wanted to announce that I'm taking part in the awesome Do the Write Thing, in which several authors, agents and bloggers are chipping in for a charity auction to benefit flood victims in Nashville, TN. Check out the details here: http://dothewritethingfornashville.blogspot.com/2010/05/lunch-surprise.html Basically, if you're the winner, I'll fly to the nearest big city in
- [May and June tour dates, plus ARC giveaway and interview with RJ Anderson!](https://www.claudiagray.com/may-and-june-tour-dates-plus-arc-giveaway-and-interview-with-rj-anderson/) - Hello everyone! We're just one week away from my May tour dates in Ohio, so this seemed like a good time to remind you guys about exactly where and when you can come talk about the books/get your copies signed/etc. in the next two months. MAY Tuesday, May 18, 7 p.m.: Joseph-Beth, 2692 Madison Rd.,
- [Questions and answers!](https://www.claudiagray.com/questions-and-answers-2/) - OK, fun fact: There are limits to the number of times you can tweet in a day, and you guys asked so many questions at today's chat that WE BROKE TWITTER. But I wanted to answer as many as I could, so I'm putting the rest of the questions I got (and their answers, obviously) in this post. First of all, for those of you who weren't able to be with us on Twitter earlier, a link to what I got to answer in the chat itself: a transcript! NOTE: Both parts of the chat inevitably contain some spoilers for HOURGLASS, though in this section, I've moved the spoilery ones to the end and put in a line, so you can stop reading there if you need to. Now, the rest: Chocolated limon: how did you find a town like arrowwood for bianca? I've been looking places for my vampires but i can´t find any...help me??Arrowwood is 100% fictional. I highly advocate making up locations you need for your fiction if reality doesn't fit the bill. keyra89: will u be doing tours soon? If u are will u be in the boston areaI have a number of stops coming up (Cincinnati and Dayton next month, Spain and Italy in June, Australia in August and New Orleans and Jackson, MS in November), but no current plans for Boston. I could definitely return there, though, and will keep you guys posted!AcousticAngela: thank you so much for answering my question! Will the dates/ places in europe appear in your site?Yes, I'll post the Spain and Italy info fairly soon -- I expect to have confirmations on exactly where and when on those within a few days now. chocolatedlimon: will you ever come to Mexico City?? Will that be soon?? please! I'd love to meet you!No plans for Mexico City right now, but I loved my first visit to your country last year for the Guadalajara Book Fair and hope to return! how did you choose the name for the books??EVERNIGHT was originally the name of a scifi novel I tried to write but could never really get into. So when the time came for me to name a creepy vampire school, I had it ready and waiting!fingrsxxcrossed: What do you find most important in aiding your writing process?Interesting question. I'd have to say, honestly, my outlining process is pretty important to me. I fight out a lot of the not-fun stuff of plot mechanics before I get into the book itself, which helps the writing be more fun and more productive. Also I feel surer of myself and the story. chocolatedlimon: hello! is any character of the saga based on someone you know??Not really, though if Vic met my friend Steve from New Orleans, they would really hit it off. And probably take out on some epic insane road trip. GenesisTouchard: Which book is your favorite so far? And Why?That's a tough one! In some ways, STARGAZER; in others, AFTERLIFE. Jennylynne116: how did the idea of lucas come to mind? is he based on someone in your life?I only WISH I'd known a guy like Lucas in high school. The basic idea of him was -- you know, I wanted to have a female main character who was supernatural and a male main character who was human. But I still wanted him to be the frightening, threatening figure her family would always have told scary stories about. If her family members are vampires, then that means the scary figure is a vampire hunter. What I love most about Lucas is that he fell for Bianca thinking she was this nice normal girl, and what he loves most about her is what she cherishes most about herself -- not her powers, but just who she is as a person. Majoo953: Would u come to Peru?I would if I were invited by my publisher! I have only been to South America once but would love to return and finally to visit Peru. SandraSara04: why that much?? its not fair!! pls.. there is no way to publish it before??I'm guessing this is about AFTERLIFE coming out in March of next year. Honestly, if it were up to me, I'd publish it sooner. But it's not up to me. The publisher in each individual country/region makes that decision based on their own needs/market/etc. And really, after a book is written, there's still a lot of editing to do, and bookstores have to see it, and the cover has to be designed, etc. -- it takes longer than you'd think. jhmontilla: wthat abaut the 4 book of evernight, its ready?It's written. See above for why it's not exactly ready. MariBacallado: when will be it come "Hourglass" to Latin America??No idea. You would think authors would be told all their international release dates, but in fact, we are often the last to know! Your best bet is to check with local bookstores or the book's publisher in your country. jenduffey: What book are you reading right now? FALLEN by Lauren Kate. I just started it, so no spoilers, please! MT0089: Do you read YA vampire books? If yes, which books?I used to -- I mean, obviously, I love them -- but I've had to take a break while I am working on my own vampire books. Although this seems impossible, there is such a thing as vampire overload, and I never want to get there; I want to be interested in them forever. So I am piling up all the awesome vampire YA books for a read-a-thon once the Balthazar book is done. Realcheese98: do you often meet fans when you go out on shoping trips in airports... ect?I've never run into a fan who recognized me at random, or vice versa, I guess. Babigirl84: is afterlife goin to be the last book in that serisIt's the last book in the EVERNIGHT series proper. I will then be writing Balthazar's book, which is connected but stands on its own. Whether there will be more books after that -- at this point, I have no idea. Dreamer_Jk: When do you will be in Italy?????? And, Where do you'll be in Italy???? *---*I'll be in Italy in June, appearing at the "Book Festival by the Sea" (?? my Italian translation is not so hot) in Rimini. I think the date is June 20, but do NOT take that as final; I'll post definite details once I get them. Realcheese98: How did you make it, so we could relate to Bianca so well?I think everybody remembers what it feels like to be in love for the first time. I'm glad you feel like you can relate to her!FangsUpBarbie: Are you by any chance coming to LA soon?No LA stops scheduled right now, but I loved visiting there on my first tour and hope to return! iceypurple: True Blood or Vampire Diaries?THIS IS A CHOICE NO HUMAN SHOULD BE ASKED TO MAKE. But if I could only pick one? Vampire Diaries. cindee13: what is one of your fav quotes?"Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love." -- Albert EinsteinXXmissabiXX: Who is your favourite character from Evernight?Honestly, I don't have a single favorite character; I'm happiest with whoever is giving me the best lines/actions/moments in the scene I'm writing that moment. That said, some characters who often give me good stuff to work with include Balthazar, Dana, Ranulf and Mrs. Bethany. aimeedorothy: what do you do if you get writers block? How do you get back in to a story after you haven't written it for a while?Knock on wood: Writer's block hasn't generally been a big problem for me. I always outline/plan ahead, so I generally know what I'm doing next. That said, yeah, sometimes I don't get to turn to a story for a while, and that means it can be hard to get back into it. I try to just play with the idea again, daydream about it, and rediscover what made me fall in love with it in the first place. jhmontilla: hi, i just estar reading hourglass, but please tell me that the principal caracters dont die?I make no promises. But I can tell you that I'm not a fan of unhappy endings ... at least, not for a SERIES. YOU ARE ENTERING THE HOURGLASS SPOILER ZONETURN BACKTURN BACK NOWOK, WE WARNED YOU --9t9: why didn't they destroy Lucas at the end of Hourglass? He has always clearly indicated that was what he wanted in that case.Let's just say that question comes up at the beginning of AFTERLIFE. MariBacallado: There will be some love between Bianca and Balthazar in Hourglass? I love this couple (: Balthazar is back, and he still loves Bianca, but Lucas isn't exactly out of the picture. ailen_aros: You say that Bianca is not done changing in Hourglass, That's mean that Bianca can return to be a half vampire?I hate being vague, but I have to! All I can say is that this isn't exactly the right question to ask. Thanks again for doing this, guys! It was absolutely awesome. Next time I will figure out a better chat method than Twitter --
- [Glee and Vampire Diaries = two great tastes that go great together](https://www.claudiagray.com/glee-and-vampire-diaries-two-great-tastes-that-go-great-together-2/) - I wanted to let you guys know about two very fun projects I'm taking part in this fall, both essays I'll be writing for BenBella collections about a couple of my favorite shows. First, I'll look at the complicated Civil War history in the TV show (as opposed to the completely different but equally complicated history in the books) of "The Vampire Diaries" in the anthology A VISITOR'S GUIDE TO MYSTIC FALLS, which you'll be able to buy in October. Then, I'll be writing about all the baby-daddy drama on "Glee" for an anthology called FILLED WITH GLEE, which will be out in November. As you can imagine, doing all the research for these -- by watching tons and tons of TV -- is so difficult, but I soldier on. You guys know you'll want to check these out! Also, speaking of the Q&A -- you guys are emailing me about it, but you're mostly emailing to ask for live chats! So we're going to get started via Twitter. Next Tuesday (April 27), I'll sign on to Twitter in the early afternoon US Central Time, and I'll be answering questions, well, pretty much throughout the rest of the day, off and on. Keep checking in on Twitter and Facebook for more details!
- [Glee and Vampire Diaries = two great tastes that go great together](https://www.claudiagray.com/glee-and-vampire-diaries-two-great-tastes-that-go-great-together/) - I wanted to let you guys know about two very fun projects I'm taking part in this fall, both essays I'll be writing for BenBella collections about a couple of my favorite shows. First, I'll look at the complicated Civil War history in the TV show (as opposed to the completely different but equally complicated
- [Announcing the winner of HOURGLASS Contest #6, plus Q&A time!](https://www.claudiagray.com/announcing-the-winner-of-hourglass-contest-6-plus-qa-time/) - It's time to announce the winner of HOURGLASS Contest #6 -- in which you guys told me your favorite scenes from HOURGLASS, and the victor (chosen at random) gets to name a character in an upcoming book. Before I do, though, let me clarify; some people who won't be able to read the book until
- [Reminder about tonight's signing, plus a Very Important Announcement](https://www.claudiagray.com/reminder-about-tonights-signing-plus-a-very-important-announcement/) - First of all, I wanted to remind everyone about tonight's reading/signing in Illinois -- I hope to see plenty of you there! April 1 @ 7 pm Borders 1 N. LaGrange Rd. LaGrange, IL Second, it's time for me to make an important announcement, one I've been mulling over for some time. As I complete
- [still more tour dates!  plus, egg drop soup](https://www.claudiagray.com/still-more-tour-dates-plus-egg-drop-soup/) - Howdy all! First of all, thanks to each and every one of you who helped HOURGLASS debut at #4 on the NYT YA Series list -- I am very happy and very grateful. If you guys did not invest in these characters and put up with my wild, cliffhanger-loving ways, I would have a lot
- [Contest winners, new contest, and, oh yeah -- HOURGLASS is out tomorrow!](https://www.claudiagray.com/contest-winners-new-contest-and-oh-yeah-hourglass-is-out-tomorrow-2/) - We've finally made it to the end! If HOURGLASS isn't already in your local (US and Canadian) bookstore, then it will be as of tomorrow. I am so hoping you guys are going to enjoy this one, and terribly excited to head out on the big tour where I will get to meet so many
- [HOURGLASS Contest #5! -- plus, blog tour info!](https://www.claudiagray.com/hourglass-contest-5-plus-blog-tour-info/) - First of all, this fourth contest was amazing; you guys sent me SO MANY incredible songs that I still haven't been able to listen to them all yet! But I'm really enjoying what I'm hearing and expect to put a lot of these on the Balthazar and SPELLCASTER soundtracks. Ten winners were chosen at random,
- [HOURGLASS Contest #4!](https://www.claudiagray.com/hourglass-contest-4/) - It's that time of the week again -- time to name the winners of Contest #3 and begin Contest #4! So first of all, the happy winners of their very own star lamps are Debra S., Van P., Viki S., Jessica B. and Courtney V.! I've emailed you guys to let you know when the
- [HOURGLASS tour dates (plus a trip to Spain)!](https://www.claudiagray.com/hourglass-tour-dates-plus-a-trip-to-spain/) - I'll be doing a few events in connection with HOURGLASS' release (in the United States March 9!) and I wanted to give you the heads-up: Tuesday, March 9 Anderson's Bookshop 7:00 PM 123 West Jefferson Naperville, IL 60540 Thursday, March 11 BookPeople 7:00 PM 603 N. Lamar Austin, TX 78703 Saturday, March 13 Barnes &
- [Book Trailer!](https://www.claudiagray.com/book-trailer/) - HarperTeen has put together a book trailer for HOURGLASS -- check it out on YouTube! Or, you know, right here. I am pleased not only at the awesome trailer, but because the links take me through to look at all the awesome castings and trailers you guys have put together for the EVERNIGHT series so
- [HOURGLASS Contest #3!](https://www.claudiagray.com/hourglass-contest-3/) - The second contest was a great deal of fun -- I now have a long reading list, comprised of some books I'd already been eager to read (like the Lisa McMann series, Alyson Noel's books and BEAUTIFUL CREATURES) and some new ones to add to my list. You guys are all avid, intelligent readers, which
- [HOURGLASS Contest #2!](https://www.claudiagray.com/hourglass-contest-2/) - First it's time to announce the winners of HOURGLASS Contest #1 -- congratulations to Alicia S., Natascha T., Ashlyn G., Ashly F. and Kim W.! I've emailed all of you guys to get the addresses for your signed advance copies of HOURGLASS. Hope you will enjoy it! This is my absolute favorite contest I've ever
- [decorating?](https://www.claudiagray.com/decorating/) - Then CHECK THIS OUT! Yeah, that has absolutely nothing to do with books, vampires or anything else, but a friend of mine linked to it and I laughed very hard. Remember, you have until Monday night to enter HOURGLASS Contest #1! Just send an email to evernightclaudia at gmail dot com with the subject line
- [HOURGLASS Contest #1!](https://www.claudiagray.com/hourglass-contest-1/) - Yes, it's that time of year again! We're at five weeks (whoa!) until the release of HOURGLASS. Finally, at last, I have a few copies in my hot little hands ... and I am giving away FIVE signed copies (early!) to winners who will be chosen at random from those who answer this question: Which
- [Next stop: WEREWOLVES](https://www.claudiagray.com/next-stop-werewolves/) - My big news! I'll be publishing another novel with HarperTeen in fall/winter 2011 -- no title yet, but it's about a servant girl named Tess in 1912, who wants to escape from the house where she works, and most particularly the lecherous young lord of the manor. But that's not her biggest problem. While on
- [Happy New Year!](https://www.claudiagray.com/happy-new-year/) - I hope everybody had wonderful holidays so far --- I definitely have. But I wanted to make sure to give you guys a treat for New Year's, and here it is: the prologue and first chapter of HOURGLASS! Read and enjoy (I hope). After a long trek through the cold to find what were, apparently,
- [the blog awakens from the dead!](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-blog-awakens-from-the-dead/) - In very vampiric fashion! At first I wasn't posting much because (a) we were low on news, and (b) I've moved my more frequent updates to Facebook and Twitter (where you should follow me, if you aren't already!) -- but that only explains about two of the last five months. The rest of it got
- [same party, different room](https://www.claudiagray.com/same-party-different-room/) - You will have noticed that I don't blog here as often as I used to. This is not b/c I'm reaching out less, but more of my activity has moved to my Facebook account (search for author Claudia Gray) and Twitter (ditto). I believe I'm linked on the website. These are the places to look
- [Happy Fourth of July, everyone -- plus, awesome interview](https://www.claudiagray.com/happy-fourth-of-july-everyone-plus-awesome-interview/) - I hope everyone is having a great Fourth of July, whether you're celebrating in the U.S. or just having a great Saturday somewhere else in the world. Mostly I'm writing today, but I am making a celebratory meal tonight: soft tacos and refried beans, because Mexican food is a fabulous way to celebrate American independence.
- [Happy Fourth of July, everyone -- plus, awesome interview](https://www.claudiagray.com/happy-fourth-of-july-everyone-plus-awesome-interview-2/) - I hope everyone is having a great Fourth of July, whether you're celebrating in the U.S. or just having a great Saturday somewhere else in the world. Mostly I'm writing today, but I am making a celebratory meal tonight: soft tacos and refried beans, because Mexican food is a fabulous way to celebrate American independence. My personal extra reason for celebration: this fun interview by the good people of YA Highway! Take a look, check it out and be rewarded with a few small spoilers for HOURGLASS, AFTERLIFE and the SPELLCASTER series.
- [Tyson's Corner, VA -- BE THERE!](https://www.claudiagray.com/tysons-corner-va-be-there/) - Just reminding you guys in the DC area that I'll be appearing (together with the fabulous Elizabeth Scott) at the Barnes & Noble in Tyson's Corner, VA on Saturday, June 27 at 1 p.m. That's this Saturday! I hope to see some of you guys there! I don't think we are doing any major event
- [Evernight Academy alma mater!](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-academy-alma-mater/) - YOU GUYS. The awesome seanan-mcguire, an agency-mate whose wonderful book Rosemary and Rue debuts in September, decided that Evernight Academy needed a theme song. I love it! And the illustration is so perfect. Go and marvel! Figure out what tune it goes to! Sorry I have been quiet here of late -- I keep wanting
- [VACATIONS FROM HELL debuts today!](https://www.claudiagray.com/vacations-from-hell-debuts-today/) - The new HarperTeen anthology VACATIONS FROM HELL should be arriving in bookstores today! Those of you who have read the other books in the FROM HELL series know that each one offers a series of supernatural short stories on a various theme -- in this case, summer vacations gone very, very wrong. I will be
- [upcoming appearances, and winner of Contest #7!](https://www.claudiagray.com/upcoming-appearances-and-winner-of-contest-7/) - Sorry I am so behind on posting -- I knew that I had some appearances coming up (and soon!), but I didn't get all the dates locked down until recently. First things first: Although I was late in picking (at random) the winner of STARGAZER Contest #7, the lucky winner has now been chosen. Congrats
- [Big news -- New book deal!](https://www.claudiagray.com/big-news-new-book-deal/) - Well, I've been saying for months that I'm behind, that things are crazy, that I'm way behind on the reader e-mail: At last I can reveal why, and what I've been working on, now that we've reached this very happy result. This is what my super-duper agent, Diana Fox, will be sending in to Publishers
- [London vacation pics, contest](https://www.claudiagray.com/london-vacation-pics-contest/) - Sorry I've been gone so long -- the days leading up to my break were pretty busy, and then I spent one wonderful week in London. But you know what that means: Ah, London. On Sunday, we went to visit the Tower of London. This is the info sign in the courtyard, which gives helpful
- [rule I should have learned by now, horror movie liveblog?](https://www.claudiagray.com/rule-i-should-have-learned-by-now-horror-movie-liveblog/) - I cannot count on eating dinner while watching "Bones." Particularly not when my chosen dinner is pizza, and the victim was -- well, like the one last night. Will I never learn? Between being very, very busy and having a cold this week, I have not been posting or replying to e-mail as quickly as
- [some very limited overseas release info](https://www.claudiagray.com/some-very-limited-overseas-release-info/) - I promised I would let you guys know when I had it -- and now I sort of do, though not very concretely; all I have are months, not actual release dates, and not even all of those. But I thought I would share what I had, for what it's worth. SPAIN: You get STARGAZER
- [THANK YOU!](https://www.claudiagray.com/thank-you/) - I am thanking each and every one of you who helped make STARGAZER -- (::drumroll::) -- #4 on The New York Times Bestseller List for chapter books! It's not in the paper yet, and I'm sort of confused still about when it will be, but the announcement came out last night, at which point dianafox,
- [o be still my heart](https://www.claudiagray.com/o-be-still-my-heart/) - IMPORTANT VAMPIRE BULLETIN IAN SOMERHOLDER HAS BEEN CAST AS DAMON IN 'THE VAMPIRE DIARIES.' CUE HYPERVENTILATING GLEE BY CLAUDIA GRAY END TRANSMISSION
- [STARGAZER's release date is here!](https://www.claudiagray.com/stargazers-release-date-is-here/) - Yes, it's March 24 -- release day at last! Although plenty of you managed to find STARGAZER in your local bookstores ahead of time, all of you should be able to find it now. I'm tired and relieved and thrilled: You name it. I also picked the winners for STARGAZER Contest #6 this morning. Congrats
- [STARGAZER Contest #6 -- one week until the launch!](https://www.claudiagray.com/stargazer-contest-6-one-week-until-the-launch/) - For STARGAZER Contest #5, I asked you guys to send in your favorite movies made before 1960. I admit, I had no idea you all would have such incredibly good taste in films. This list is pretty impressive: The Thin Man Roman Holiday Top Hat The Maltese Falcon North by Northwest Sleeping Beauty Rebel Without
- [Is it silly --](https://www.claudiagray.com/is-it-silly/) - -- to be really excited that STARGAZER has cracked the Amazon Top 1,000? It had been hovering just beneath that for a while now, but for this hour at least, it's at #968, baby! Okay, possibly this is quite silly. In any case, it is certainly time for bed. (You still have a few hours
- [Time for STARGAZER Contest #5!](https://www.claudiagray.com/time-for-stargazer-contest-5/) - Sorry I'm so late getting this up, guys -- things are wild. Can you believe it's only two weeks until STARGAZER comes out? So, for Contest #4, I asked all of you to tell me your strangest dreams, so it seems only fair that I share my strangest dream with you. Essentially, I was fighting
- [Calling all Goths](https://www.claudiagray.com/calling-all-goths/) - I am doing an interview tonight for a journalism student who is putting together a magazine pitch as part of her project -- basically, she is envisioning a smarter, edgier magazine for teen girls. She wants to write about the vampire craze, how it connects to the Goth scene and the reasons people find it
- [Where I went wrong (this time)](https://www.claudiagray.com/where-i-went-wrong-this-time/) - I don't know how many regular readers of this LJ are following the current online discussions about racism in scifi and fantasy. (If you aren't, magicnoire has a very good summary here.) I've been reading this with great interest, and sometimes sadness, at the recognition of how badly scifi and fantasy writers have often let
- [STARGAZER Contest #4 begins!](https://www.claudiagray.com/stargazer-contest-4-begins/) - First of all, I loved reading the answers you gave to the question for Contest #3, namely, "What's the most romantic gift you can imagine receiving?" People named everything from jewelry of various kinds (go Lucas go!) to scrapbooks or keepsakes boxes of important moments in the relationship to special outings together to flowers, and
- [snowy day music](https://www.claudiagray.com/snowy-day-music/) - As you might already know, we've had quite a lot of snow in New York, and more is supposed to be on the way -- the sky has that gray, anticipatory look. I am perverse enough to like this, now that we've had a little break from the brutal cold that gripped the city all
- [Twitter, Hungary and Contest #3](https://www.claudiagray.com/twitter-hungary-and-contest-3/) - First of all, any of you out there on Twitter -- you can now find me as claudiagray. I will be synching this up with my website soon, but for the next week or so you might want to friend me direct. Second, we've sold yet more foreign rights for EVERNIGHT, this time to Hungary.
- [It's time for STARGAZER Contest #3!](https://www.claudiagray.com/its-time-for-stargazer-contest-3/) - First of all, the big winners of the STARGAZER ARC are Marcy, Amiee, Ingrid and Audra! That's right, there are four winners -- I finally got my ARCs and advance copies in, so I upped the prize count. (If you have a review blog and want to request a copy, now is the time to
- [Fun with Facebook groups](https://www.claudiagray.com/fun-with-facebook-groups/) - So, you want one of the STARGAZER ARCs and have already entered the second contest, by friending me on Facebook and/or starting and joining groups dedicated to the book and the characters. So now you can be a member of Evernight fans -- or the Bianca Olivier Fan Club -- or For the Love of
- [Repost and clarifications on STARGAZER contest #2!](https://www.claudiagray.com/repost-and-clarifications-on-stargazer-contest-2/) - You might not have seen it, because I posted late last night, but the second STARGAZER contest has begun, and you can check it out here! To sum up, it's easy: Friend me on Facebook -- and maybe be one of three people who gets the advance copy of STARGAZER! And taraljc has made it
- [At long last!  The results of STARGAZER contest #1 and the start of STARGAZER contest #2!](https://www.claudiagray.com/at-long-last-the-results-of-stargazer-contest-1-and-the-start-of-stargazer-contest-2/) - I sincerely apologize for the long delays, guys. As I've said before, I still have a day job, and this week, a couple of people were out on vacation -- and then illness took out someone else -- so those of us who remained have been extraordinarily busy. But! I can at last announce the
- [Contest Results Coming!](https://www.claudiagray.com/contest-results-coming/) - They'll be up tonight, along with the new contest (and THIS is the one for the ARCs). Stay tuned!
- [quick apology and notice of delay](https://www.claudiagray.com/quick-apology-and-notice-of-delay/) - I'm so sorry, guys -- the day job was horrendously busy today and I did not get a chance to pick the winners of the first STARGAZER contest, much less post the second contest. Tomorrow has to be better (right? Right?), so I'll do it then. But hey, one more evening to send your entries
- [Zombie haiku, plus last-day warning for the contest!](https://www.claudiagray.com/zombie-haiku-plus-last-day-warning-for-the-contest/) - A friend of a friend got the best gift ever for Valentine's Day: a book of zombie haiku. A few samples: You are so lucky that I cannot remember how to use doorknobs. Biting into heads is much harder than it looks. the skull is feisty. Getting trampled on used to eventually kill you. Now
- [prize hunting!](https://www.claudiagray.com/prize-hunting/) - I have been coming up with more prize ideas for future contests and have found at least one thing that I truly love but had never thought of before. (You have to wait for me to unveil that one.) In the meantime, though, I am still accepting entries for the first STARGAZER contest! If you
- [EVERNIGHT is out in paperback!  Plus -- the first STARGAZER contest begins!](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-is-out-in-paperback-plus-the-first-stargazer-contest-begins/) - First of all, this entry was meant to go up yesterday. But the pulled muscles from the snowy hike meant I was sort of laid-up on Monday, trying to learn how to move again; Tuesday was all about catching up from Monday. But at last, here we are, with two big announcements: EVERNIGHT is now
- [Awesome write-up in the New York Post](https://www.claudiagray.com/awesome-write-up-in-the-new-york-post/) - I am very, very hyped to see Evernight and Stargazer in this list of After-Twilight Reads in the New York Post. Yay! Hiked today -- five miles through about eight inches of powdery snow, which for some reason is about the same as hiking a HILLION JILLION miles, or so my legs are currently informing
- [just a quick squee moment](https://www.claudiagray.com/just-a-quick-squee-moment/) - I just got the first draft of the jacket copy for HOURGLASS -- i.e., the third book in the Evernight series. How can this publishing process simultaneously be happening so fast and yet seem to last forever? Though there's room for a couple of small edits, I love it. And I find myself surprisingly thrilled
- [SUGGESTION BOX OPEN!](https://www.claudiagray.com/suggestion-box-open/) - OK, starting next week, I'll be revving up six weeks of contests to prepare for the launch of STARGAZER. (Yes, it's really that close!) So I want to hear from you guys: What kinds of contests would you want to participate in? What kind of prizes do you want to win? (Requests for diamonds and
- [HarperTeen blog is now up!](https://www.claudiagray.com/harperteen-blog-is-now-up/) - I'm extra busy right now, and if you want to know why, you need look no further than my latest blog for HarperTeen. Check it out! If it seems like it's been a long time since there were any hike pics, well, sadly, it's been a long time since there were any hikes. Although I
- [Great news about IMMORTAL -- and a contest!](https://www.claudiagray.com/great-news-about-immortal-and-a-contest/) - It's official: IMMORTAL, an anthology of vampire romance edited by P.C. Cast and featuring stories by many writers (including yours truly), will be rereleased in October 2009. You should be able to find it throughout the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia then. The cover will be slightly revised (and I hope to share
- [Paperbacks, tour dates](https://www.claudiagray.com/paperbacks-tour-dates/) - I got to have a talk with the publisher on Monday, which is why I now have all sorts of new information. First of all, I received my first copies of the EVERNIGHT paperback, and they look fabulous. I admit, I was a little worried about how the cover would look in paperback, but the
- [great review from "Just Blinded Book Reviews"](https://www.claudiagray.com/great-review-from-just-blinded-book-reviews/) - Because I am STILL hacking my way through the jungle of unanswered e-mail, I only now found out about this terrific review from Kelsey at Just Blinded Book Reviews. Check it out! I don't know if I'll get all caught up this weekend, but hey, at least I'm almost into 2009 by now --
- [Can you hear, can you hear the thunder?](https://www.claudiagray.com/can-you-hear-can-you-hear-the-thunder/) - Quick post with good news: We've sold the EVERNIGHT rights in Australia/New Zealand! The entire series will be coming out down there, and starting soon: EVERNIGHT will make its Down Under debut in March. Yes, that fast! Whoa. Those of you in Australia, New Zealand and thereabouts keep watching those bookstore shelves!
- [Big thanks to Karin the Librarian](https://www.claudiagray.com/big-thanks-to-karin-the-librarian/) - -- who named EVERNIGHT one of her Top 10 Reads in 2008! I was talking with a friend about how my beloved Cary Grant chose his stage name. (His birth name, Archibald Leach, was clearly not going to work.) Originally he wanted to be "Cary Lockwood," but the studio vetoed that; finally, he decided on
- [New Year's Resolution](https://www.claudiagray.com/new-years-resolution/) - Mine is to be a better blogger! Though I guess the holidays get to all of us, I fell crazily behind in virtually every way. But I shouldn't have to travel anywhere for about four months at least, and I'm about to go into book mode (book four of the EVERNIGHT series is about to
- [An important new chapter in vampire mythology begins](https://www.claudiagray.com/an-important-new-chapter-in-vampire-mythology-begins/) - -- brought to us by the genius at Dinosaur Comics. Hee! Thanks for the good-health wishes, all. Though I am still under the weather, I think I am finally beginning to get over this rotten cold.
- [the key to your inner creativity: Nyquil?](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-key-to-your-inner-creativity-nyquil/) - I've been fighting off a truly, truly wicked cold for nine days now -- ugh -- and as such all productive activity (writing, blogging, cooking, Christmas shopping, housecleaning) has ground to a halt. This is mightily annoying, as is the cough, but there's this one weird side effect to being super-sick: All of a sudden,
- [Great post on creativity](https://www.claudiagray.com/great-post-on-creativity/) - Technically, this post by Merlin Mann is about photography. But the advice he gives applies equally well to writing and, I suspect, to any other kind of creative endeavor. It's all about having the courage to fail -- to take a picture that doesn't come out, or write a story that doesn't sing, or whatever
- [the great trek begins](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-great-trek-begins/) - Packed clothes: check Packed incredibly bulky hiking gear: check Packed books: check Packed iPod: check Packed recharger for iPod ... Uhoh. Arranged only flights that were not insanely expensive, even though they were at crazy times: check Arranged to stay at airport hotels night before and night after, because still cheaper than other flights or
- ["Teen girls rule the earth."](https://www.claudiagray.com/teen-girls-rule-the-earth/) - The single greatest element of Twilight's box office success this weekend: "Teen girls rule the earth," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers. "If you look back at the `Hannah Montana' movie, how well that did, and now this movie, the teen girl audience will never be ignored again or underestimated. It was always
- [unlike my characters, I am not actually dead](https://www.claudiagray.com/unlike-my-characters-i-am-not-actually-dead/) - .. though you could be forgiven for thinking so, after the incredibly long time I've gone without blogging. I got so incredibly behind on answering my reader mail that I kept thinking, Right, I've got to get all that done FIRST THING, and I'd get part of the way there and then get busy again,
- [Halloween contest winner announced!](https://www.claudiagray.com/halloween-contest-winner-announced/) - We are home at last from the Pitch Black tour, which was an exhausting and wonderful experience. Every single event went just wonderfully, and it was so much fun meeting so many of you! I now think I can recite my chosen reading from Evernight (i.e., the sequence where Erich is after Raquel in the
- [quick situation report from the Pitch Black tour!](https://www.claudiagray.com/quick-situation-report-from-the-pitch-black-tour/) - We're in Southern California in a beachside hotel, with a balcony and a view and everything. I could almost believe that being an author is glamorous -- if I hadn't been lumping my bags through the Boston airport at OMGearly this morning. However, I am having a lot of fun on the tour, especially getting
- [Book Tour, Halloween Contest!](https://www.claudiagray.com/book-tour-halloween-contest/) - OK, I'm mostly packed and sort of ready to go -- no, not back to South America, though you know I'm already dreaming about that. What I mean is that tomorrow is the first day of the PITCH BLACK TOUR! I will be hitting the road with fellow vamp scribes Nancy Collins (Vamps) and Ellen
- [South American Vacation Picspam](https://www.claudiagray.com/south-american-vacation-picspam/) - Sorry this has taken me so long to post -- I returned last week, but was promptly felled by an after-vacation cold, and then Flickr behaved very oddly the first, oh, five or six times I tried to upload photos. But they're uploaded now (mostly -- I'm at the monthly limit) and the post can
- [Hello from Argentina!](https://www.claudiagray.com/hello-from-argentina/) - Hi, guys! I am sitting in an internet cafe in Buenos Aires, killing a few minutes until the restaurants open (they start late here!) I am having the most wonderful time in South America. You are not going to believe the massive picspam you´ll see once I get back next week. My internet time is
- [Hello, Goodbye](https://www.claudiagray.com/hello-goodbye/) - I haven't blogged in a while now, mostly due to extreme naughtiness -- not of the "Girls Gone Wild" variety, but more like "OMG, I am so busy, and how am I ever going to leave for vacation at this rate?" Well, I'm still insanely busy, but I am still leaving for vacation today, so
- [Immortal contest winners announced!](https://www.claudiagray.com/immortal-contest-winners-announced/) - Sorry I'm posting this later today, guys -- I had a big project to work on this morning, but I've finally got a couple of seconds to announce that the winners of the Immortal anthology giveaway are: Amy K., Lauren T. and the enigmatic speed reader! Congratulations, guys! I will be e-mailing all of you
- [no hike pics today](https://www.claudiagray.com/no-hike-pics-today/) - So, I got up early and met with the hiking group, as usual. Gorgeous day, with bright sunny skies. Our Fearless Leader guided us out to a park near Westchester, and after the usual orienteering speech, we set out. It was cool and quiet, very leafy, and promised to be a wonderful day. We reached
- [research where you least expect it, plus last call on the IMMORTAL contest](https://www.claudiagray.com/research-where-you-least-expect-it-plus-last-call-on-the-immortal-contest/) - Today I went to the doctor to get my travel vaccinations for my upcoming trip to South America. (Two weeks from today, I'll be on my way to Chile and Argentina!) While the nurse was giving me the preliminary once-over, I remembered a scene in a doctor's office in Hourglass (i.e, book three) and thought,
- [News From Abroad](https://www.claudiagray.com/news-from-abroad/) - I have received many e-mails about this from fans in Spain, so I am happy to report that Stargazer will be released there in February 2009 -- in other words, a whole month before it comes out in the United States. You guys will be good with the spoilers, right? Right? ::crickets:: Also, it turns
- ["True Blood"](https://www.claudiagray.com/true-blood/) - I went to a party last night for the premiere of "True Blood." Although this was not my most hotly anticipated new show of the year (that prize would go to "Fringe"), I was obviously interested. Vampires! Anna Paquin! What's not to love? Then I read some iffy reviews and was less sure -- but
- [Book Tour Dates!](https://www.claudiagray.com/book-tour-dates/) - We can announce them at last! The Pitch Black Tour, featuring me, Nancy Collins (Vamps) and Ellen Schreiber (Vampire Kisses) will be coming to: Saturday, Oct. 25: 2 p.m. at Anderson's Bookshop in NAPERVILLE, IL Sunday, Oct. 26: 3 p.m. at Borders in PORTLAND, ME Monday, Oct. 27: 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in
- [IMMORTAL contest!  Plus, awesome review and interview](https://www.claudiagray.com/immortal-contest-plus-awesome-review-and-interview/) - The bad news: I still don't have final, set-in-stone book tour stops to announce to you guys, but it should literally be any day now. The good news: The wonderful Book Review Maniac has posted a great review of Evernight, and I did an interview with her too. So check those out! Finally, it's CONTEST
- [Immortal -- it exists!](https://www.claudiagray.com/immortal-it-exists/) - The Borders online store still seems to be convinced that Immortal: Love Stories With Bite doesn't actually exist -- but you might be able to find this in stores now. How do I know? I just got my copies in the mail! Yes, it's a real book at last. I'll update with another link if
- [Fanlisting time!](https://www.claudiagray.com/fanlisting-time/) - Want to sign up at the Evernight fanlisting? Now you can, thanks to Mai! Still no final tour details, but it shouldn't be long now --
- [BOOK TOUR!](https://www.claudiagray.com/book-tour/) - It's been more than a week since my last update, mostly because I kept thinking I'd have big big news at any moment and I wanted to wait and put that in the next post. Well, I still don't have all the details but I can at long last report: I'm going on tour the
- [HarperTeen blog is live!](https://www.claudiagray.com/harperteen-blog-is-live/) - I'm this week's blogger for the HarperTeen MySpace site -- if you'd like to read my offering, you can check it out right here! And although I now have some good questions for the interview with Bianca, I STILL need more and figure anytime during August is game. Ask away, people! A longer trip update
- [Writer's Block: Immigration](https://www.claudiagray.com/writers-block-immigration/) - There are tons of places I'm fascinated by -- Argentina! Canada! Japan! Spain! -- but the first choice would have to be either Ireland or the United Kingdom. One of my very best friends lives in Northern Ireland, and were I to relocate to a whole other country, I know I'd want a good friend
- [Square Books, Oxford, MS, Sat., Aug. 2 = BE THERE](https://www.claudiagray.com/square-books-oxford-ms-sat-aug-2-be-there/) - I thought I was going to my hometown this weekend just to do some new-nephew cuddling, but no: It turns out I'll be appearing at Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi, on Saturday, Aug. 2 at 4 p.m. We're not doing any big event, as this is all rather last-minute, but I'm going to sign the
- [Hola, fans in Spain!](https://www.claudiagray.com/hola-fans-in-spain/) - If you're in Spain or reading Evernight in Spanish (where it is known as Medianoche) or Catalan (!), you might want to check out this blog and this forum. Thanks to Idoia and Ginny for putting them together! ETA: And don't forget this blog, put together by Amanecer! I speak no Spanish but trust you
- [today, in hiking news](https://www.claudiagray.com/today-in-hiking-news/) - Early Morning. GUIDE: Okay, so, we see a few clouds up there, but usually they blow over without any trouble. Lots of water on the trail, so it rained last night, and let's hope that's all we get. ME: ::is glad she brought rain poncho:: 40 Minutes Later. Rain begins to fall. GUIDE: Let's hope
- [Review!  Plus, another call for Bianca questions --](https://www.claudiagray.com/review-plus-another-call-for-bianca-questions/) - We have another review of Evernight up here at Reader Rabbit! In other Evernighty news, I am still woefully short of submitted questions for the interview with Bianca. I'll need a few more questions before I can proceed. Any question you wish you could step into the book and ask Bianca? Let me know! The
- [Stargazer excerpt! Interview! Comms!](https://www.claudiagray.com/stargazer-excerpt-interview-comms/) - I have a boatload of goodies to link to today: First of all, if you'd like to read an interview with me -- and, just maybe, get a look at the first few pages of Stargazer, all you have to do is check it out at TeenLibris! Second, we have some Evernight communities springing up
- [nephew ahoy!](https://www.claudiagray.com/nephew-ahoy/) - As of about three hours ago, I have a brand-new nephew! We think his name is Ari, but the parents are still wavering, so we're unsure. But he's 8 pounds and perfectly healthy; my sister-in-law had a home birth she was extremely happy with. In a couple of weeks I will be headed home to
- [revisions!](https://www.claudiagray.com/revisions/) - I am deep in Hourglass revisions. It's sort of hard switching gears like this -- I had been in the thick of working on some other ideas, and really making some progress -- but at the same time, I'm grateful to get the chance to make Hourglass everything it can be. It's the third book
- [Big Anthology News: IMMORTAL will be in bookstores soon!](https://www.claudiagray.com/big-anthology-news-immortal-will-be-in-bookstores-soon/) - I had thought this wasn't out until October, but I was wrong! Immortal, an anthology of romantic YA vampire stories, will be available as a Borders exclusive starting in August. I'm one of the authors taking part, and my story, "Free: A Story of Evernight" tells the history of Patrice Devereaux, Bianca's friend and roommate
- [Poll time!](https://www.claudiagray.com/poll-time/)
- [The winner of Evernight Contest #6, plus character interview announcement](https://www.claudiagray.com/the-winner-of-evernight-contest-6-plus-character-interview-announcement/) - Sorry to be posting so late, but I spent my day in the studio filming an interview that will eventually appear on the HarperTeen website. Very exciting, except for the part where I worried about my hair quite a lot. (When it goes live, I'll let you guys know. Unless I think my hair looks
- [One more day to enter Evernight Contest #6!  Plus, the widening vampire genre](https://www.claudiagray.com/one-more-day-to-enter-evernight-contest-6-plus-the-widening-vampire-genre/) - I've been a rotten blogger this week, but what a week it was. Let's see if I can't get caught up. There is one more day to enter Evernight Contest #6. Many have sent their photos with the book and the receipt (or the online ordering screen), but you've still got a day to get
- [Interview link, plus Kindle edition news](https://www.claudiagray.com/interview-link-plus-kindle-edition-news/) - That interview I mentioned with And Another Book Read is posted now -- check it out! This is one of the first that gets into what happens in Stargazer, though only a little bit. Speaking of Stargazer, I know a few of you have been asking about when/if there will be Kindle editions of the
- [Another review!](https://www.claudiagray.com/another-review/) - And Another Book Read has a fabulous review of Evernight up today. I'll be doing an interview with this site too, and will link once that's ready. For some reason I can no longer remember, I signed up for a "fun run" in Central Park. I do not usually put the words "fun" and "run"
- [Nearly forgot to mention --](https://www.claudiagray.com/nearly-forgot-to-mention/) - -- that the website has been updated! Some news (already outdated -- hmm, must fix) has been added, along with a little extra info about Stargazer and, thanks to you guys, an actual FAQ. Remember, you've got almost two weeks left to enter the sixth Evernight contest -- take your picture with the book and
- [Reviews and interviews](https://www.claudiagray.com/reviews-and-interviews/) - I intend to post some great pics people have sent me, but no time to upload just yet. However, I can link to a couple of Evernight reviews (one of which comes complete with an interview) for you guys to check out. Darque Reviews Reviewer X Reviewer X has the interview goods (ETA: including an
- [hike pics, MySpace nudge, important notice](https://www.claudiagray.com/hike-pics-myspace-nudge-important-notice/) - Yesterday, despite the fact that it was NINETY ZILLION DEGREES, I went on another hike -- this time to the Delaware River Gap, which is not in Delaware but in New Jersey. A few pictures within: We had a really big crowd for this hike, despite the heat, so I never felt remotely alone: We
- [Fun with blogs, plus announcement of my first-ever reading](https://www.claudiagray.com/fun-with-blogs-plus-announcement-of-my-first-ever-reading/) - First up, I am shamefully late posting a link to my guest blog at the wonderful Story Siren site. Then there's a fabulous, nonspoilery review of Evernight up at the faboo YA Mansion. Check them out! Also, for those of you in the New York area, I have my first-ever reading coming up on Saturday,
- [Share my bliss](https://www.claudiagray.com/share-my-bliss/) - Last weekend -- which feels like it was about ten years ago -- I went to Balticon in Baltimore to meet folks, hang out with friends and talk up Evernight. Great fun was had by all, at least at the panels I attended: "GLBT issues in YA SciFi," "42 Reasons You Should Write YA" and
- [It's release day!](https://www.claudiagray.com/its-release-day/) - Today, Evernight finally hits bookstores! (Though I have heard from a couple of folks who got theirs early.) Woohoo! I have plenty to post about (especially the fun that was had at Balticon this weekend), but for today, I just want to celebrate the book's release and thank all of you who have given such
- [It's release day!](https://www.claudiagray.com/its-release-day-2/) - Today, Evernight finally hits bookstores! (Though I have heard from a couple of folks who got theirs early.) Woohoo! I have plenty to post about (especially the fun that was had at Balticon this weekend), but for today, I just want to celebrate the book's release and thank all of you who have given such
- [Boston pics, Balticon and blog interviews](https://www.claudiagray.com/boston-pics-balticon-and-blog-interviews/) - I've been wiped out all week -- my Boston trip last weekend was tremendous fun, but I haven't really had a chance to catch up since. Mostly I've been busy with fun things (like seeing "Macbeth" on Broadway -- WOW), at least. Also, I've had time to upload some photos: I went to Boston for
- [Evernight Contest #6](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-contest-6/) - First, the results of Contest #5: The fictional school most people wanted to attend: Hogwarts. The fictional school most people hoped fervently never to attend: Sunnydale High. There were also fabulous entries that called out schools as fabulous as Spence and the Gallagher Academy for Girls; as frightening and unfair as Miss Minchin's (oooh, the
- [Rain Delay](https://www.claudiagray.com/rain-delay/) - Well, not rain, but it's one of Those Days here at work -- I'll have to wait and announce the results of Contest #5 tomorrow. (And link to a great review, too!) So check back then!
- [Hello there, Floral Park Memorial -- plus "The First Book" interview](https://www.claudiagray.com/hello-there-floral-park-memorial-plus-the-first-book-interview/) - You are probably wondering, "Who are these attractive, savvy, fabulous people?" They would be some of the students (along with librarian/super-organizer Mrs. Rosenbloom, who is holding Evernight, and Mrs. Gray, my long-lost cousin) that I spoke to at my very first school trip to Floral Park Memorial. A great time was had by all. I
- [Evernight Contest #5!](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-contest-5/) - Okay, on the fourth contest, you guys OUTDID YOURSELVES. This was very tough to call! There were great arguments for everybody from Roger and Mimi from "Rent" to Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala from "Star Wars" to Monica and Chandler from "Friends." You guys love Edward and Bella, Remy & Dexter, Jace and Clary, Anne
- [Evernight Contest #4 (this is a good one)](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-contest-4-this-is-a-good-one/) - The entries for the third Evernight contest were so amazing: You guys really know how to argue for your favorite vampire! There were very good arguments for Louis from Interview With a Vampire, for Edward, Jasper and Alice from the Twilight books, for characters from BTVS, ATS, "Blood Ties" and "Being Human," and even an
- [New extras, plus hike pics](https://www.claudiagray.com/new-extras-plus-hike-pics/) - Check out my new icon! This is just one of the many icons now available on my site's extras page. There's mobile phone wallpaper available too. Doesn't taraljc do gorgeous work? My last act before coming down with a cold Saturday night was taking another hike, this one along a fairly easy stretch of the
- [Evernight Contest #3 -- this one's for the ARC](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-contest-3-this-ones-for-the-arc/) - The big winner of Evernight Contest #2 is -- Nabi! She'll be receiving a gift certificate to either iTunes or Amazon (her preference) to pick up some new music. Thanks to absolutely everyone who sent in suggestions; I've already made some great new finds. I'm getting a later start today, because I'm home sick. I
- [Fight for Reading Is Fundamental](https://www.claudiagray.com/fight-for-reading-is-fundamental/) - Reading Is Fundamental provides books and literary education to the children in the United States who need it the most. If you read this LJ, chances are you love books as much as I do and want every kid to have the opportunity to enjoy reading -- and are probably as appalled as I was
- [What's your vampire name?  Plus, great review](https://www.claudiagray.com/whats-your-vampire-name-plus-great-review/) - Supposedly, my vampire name is: The Great Archives determine you to have gone by the identity: Marion de Pompadour Known in some parts of the world as: Iseult of The Crows The Great Archives Record: Intelligent, knowing, wise and shrewd. This winged one was cast from the firmament. Huh. These vampires sound fancier than the
- [Evernight Contest #2 -- plus, website update, and the winner of Contest #1 is announced](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-contest-2-plus-website-update-and-the-winner-of-contest-1-is-announced/) - The big winner of Evernight Contest #1 is -- Jennifer Marie! She's already received her Barnes & Noble gift certificate, to spend on all kinds of lovely books. Thanks to absolutely everyone who sent in questions for the FAQ. I have tons of questions to answer now, and a real true Frequently Asked Questions Update
- [Very Wrong Quiz Results, plus Balticon question](https://www.claudiagray.com/very-wrong-quiz-results-plus-balticon-question/) - You Are 28% Nerdy You sometimes get into nerdy things, but only after they've become a part of mainstream culture. How Nerdy Are You? Either this quiz is seriously off, or there are levels of nerdiness at which I had never dreamed. ::glances sideways at Harry Potter poster:: Last year, I attended Balticon for the
- [Anthology stories away!](https://www.claudiagray.com/anthology-stories-away/) - As of last night, I've turned in both of the short stories for anthologies that I had due today. One is for a Borders-exclusive anthology that will be out around Halloween; I'll pass on more info about that one as I get it. The other is for Vacations From Hell, which is coming from HarperTeen
- [Evernight Contest #1!](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-contest-1/) - Yes, as of now, it's only six weeks until Evernight hits bookstores. To celebrate, and hopefully to get the word out, I'll be holding a contest a week (Monday to Sunday), with different prizes each week. The contests will be as different as the prizes: some weeks, all you'll have to do is throw your
- [Ireland visit photos!](https://www.claudiagray.com/ireland-visit-photos/) - I'm back from vacation, and yes, FINALLY, I understand how to use the digital camera. (Really, I understood before; I just didn't get how easily -- and fatally -- it could all go so wrong.) This is how and why I can offer a few photos: I sort of forgot about the camera until the
- [not quite on the plane yet --](https://www.claudiagray.com/not-quite-on-the-plane-yet/) - -- though I will be soon. I just had to post to share this really terrific review of Evernight up now at TeensReadToo. I'm so excited! Other good things happening this morning: * I just saw the cover art for Stargazer, and it's AMAZING. (Will share when I return --) * Amazon kindly delivered my
- [Eastward ho!](https://www.claudiagray.com/eastward-ho/) - Tomorrow night, I leave for a much-needed vacation in Ireland. Of course, with deadlines looming, this is going to be a working vacation -- but the day job will be far behind, and I'll be doing my writing between museum visits and trips to the chip shop and, if the weather permits, even a short
- [contests -- so, what do you guys like?](https://www.claudiagray.com/contests-so-what-do-you-guys-like/) - I've been too busy to think up a good April Fool's gag, which is a shame. But I leave for Ireland in four days -- ack! -- and the list of things I don't have done is much, much longer than it needs to be. Hourglass revisions, short story revisions, packing, and more: The next
- [my bio bluff is redeemed!](https://www.claudiagray.com/my-bio-bluff-is-redeemed/) - So, today was my first real hike -- six miles in a state park in New Jersey. And yes, it turns out, I DO love hiking. I mean, right now both my knees hate me and I am unbelievably exhausted, but I enjoyed it so much. It was cold today, but not too much, and
- [so, this whole "writing novels" thing was on the wrong track, huh?](https://www.claudiagray.com/so-this-whole-writing-novels-thing-was-on-the-wrong-track-huh/) - You Should Be a Film Writer You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life. Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling. And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!
- [just went to a personal trainer for the first time](https://www.claudiagray.com/just-went-to-a-personal-trainer-for-the-first-time/) - Ow. Send help. Mommy?
- [Review copy time!](https://www.claudiagray.com/review-copy-time/) - I finally have a few ARCs to distribute. A few of them are spoken for, and another few I'll be distributing via the pre-launch contests for Evernight. (I can't believe those contests will be starting soon. I am currently hunting up goodies besides the ARCs, so stay tuned.) But I also have a couple left
- [Thanks, anonymous giver!  Plus -- my first poll!](https://www.claudiagray.com/thanks-anonymous-giver-plus-my-first-poll/) - Thanks so much to the anonymous source who upped this to a paid account! I'm very grateful, not least because this means I can now post polls. This is a very good thing, because I've been meaning to ask you guys a question: I'm preparing one of my anthology stories -- the one about the
- [I HAVE MADE FICTION](https://www.claudiagray.com/i-have-made-fiction/) - As of about 30 minutes ago, the first draft of Hourglass is complete! Woohoo! This gives me six whole weeks to polish. And, uh, write two anthology stories. But that's OK, because as long as I've got a draft of the book to work with, the rest will fall into place. The draft will need
- [shout-out for Evernight, more anthology news](https://www.claudiagray.com/shout-out-for-evernight-more-anthology-news/) - Evernight gets the briefest of mentions in this New York Observer article about the popularity of all things teenage and vampire, most particularly Twilight. Although agents everywhere are groaning that they're seeing too many vampires, this article speculates that the market isn't close to saturated yet. Let's hope not. I can also announce that I've
- [aftermath](https://www.claudiagray.com/aftermath/) - It's after 1 in the morning. I'm still up. I finished writing more than an hour ago, but I can't possibly go to sleep. You see, I just killed a character. I knew this was going to happen; I knew this person would die in the third book long before I'd even finished the first.
- [Who you gonna call?](https://www.claudiagray.com/who-you-gonna-call/) - British government pays for exorcism. I've known not one but two people who had "castings-out" of what they considered to be spirits in their homes. One was an aunt of mine who believed strongly that there was something Not Right on the little-used third floor of her old house. Several relatives who stayed there reported
- [So, speaking of Mick and Beth on "Moonlight" --](https://www.claudiagray.com/so-speaking-of-mick-and-beth-on-moonlight/) - Is this bad news for the show or good news? The showrunner has been fired, which is usually a sign of trouble, and as I was enjoying the show as-is, I'm not sure how "Moonlight" would be poised to change. OTOH, does this mean "Moonlight" is being renewed for sure? Seems like CBS wouldn't go
- [Anthology news!](https://www.claudiagray.com/anthology-news/) - I'm happy to announce that I'll have a story in the upcoming HarperTeen anthology, Vacations From Hell, due in a bookstore near you for summer 2009. My story is unnamed right now, but thanks to you guys, its heroine is not: Cecily will get to have a few adventures of her own. So much for
- [tales of the surly chicken](https://www.claudiagray.com/tales-of-the-surly-chicken/) - The surly chicken is outside my office again. He is a man about my height wearing a chicken suit that has presumably seen better days, although it is hard to know in what days the chicken suit would have been considered "good." For one, it is made of yellow fur, which is less "chicken" and
- [A Valentine's Day message for the single out there](https://www.claudiagray.com/a-valentines-day-message-for-the-single-out-there/) - I just got this in e-mail from a friend, and -- unlike 99.99% of all mass internet forwards I have ever received -- it made me smile. "Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl 'Will you marry me?' The girl said:'No!' And the girl lived happily ever-after and went shopping, dancing, shopping (again),
- [Calling my own bio bluff](https://www.claudiagray.com/calling-my-own-bio-bluff/) - So, on my website, it says I like hiking. When I wrote that, it would probably have been more accurate to say that I like the idea of hiking. It just seems like a pleasant way to spend time. Beautiful scenery! Fresh air! Reveling in health and vitality! Wearing casual-yet-fetching clothes made of natural fibers!
- [Stargazer is available for pre-order!](https://www.claudiagray.com/stargazer-is-available-for-pre-order/) - Thanks to Tez (hi, Tez!), I now know that the second book in the Evernight series, Stargazer, is now available for pre-order. (Of course, so is Evernight, though I guess that goes without saying.) Apparently the on-sale date is Nov. 18, although I'm learning that can change. (For instance, Evernight was slated for a June
- [We are live!](https://www.claudiagray.com/we-are-live/) - I'm excited to announce that my official website is up and running! (And none too soon, either -- the ARCs have just gone out, so I went right up to the wire on this one.) Please take a look and let me know what you think. We'll be adding wallpapers, banners and icons for people
- [happy news](https://www.claudiagray.com/happy-news/) - The Evernight launch is getting closer -- seriously, it seems like, overnight, the situation changed from "someday, eventually, the book comes out" to "OMG TOMORROW TOMORROW TOMORROW." May 27 is not tomorrow, but it feels like it, particularly when I have so much left to do. At least I've finalized my web copy, and with
- [Help me name a character!](https://www.claudiagray.com/help-me-name-a-character/) - This is not for the Evernight series -- it's just an idea I have, right now, but I'm interested to see what you guys think! She is 17 years old, a witch by birth and by training, very spirited and funny. She goes after what she wants and can be fierce about it (if bordering
- [Roller coaster week](https://www.claudiagray.com/roller-coaster-week/) - UP: Lots of snow predicted! DOWN: Predicted for yesterday, which was bone-dry. It's finally started snowing a teeny bit here in Manhattan, but it is not the fluffy winter wonderland we were promised. UP: FedEx is sending my very, very final edits to Evernight back to HarperCollins! DOWN: But first, they mistakenly sent them to
- [It's never a bad time to talk about Cary Grant](https://www.claudiagray.com/its-never-a-bad-time-to-talk-about-cary-grant/) - Because the main character in Evernight loves classic black-and-white movies, I thought I'd like to this great article about Cary Grant. Grant was, of course, a beautiful, beautiful man. He was also a fantastic actor. But there's another reason why Bianca idealizes him in Evernight, though she isn't entirely conscious of it -- Cary Grant
- [in which I am not dead](https://www.claudiagray.com/in-which-i-am-not-dead/) - It's been far too long since I posted, but it's been a tough few months. My gallbladder decided to stop functioning -- so there was surgery -- and I had to move -- so there was packing, and moving, and unpacking -- and then there was a sidewalk slip that left my right arm a
- [Ursula K. LeGuin, first drafts and the biggest hole in the world](https://www.claudiagray.com/ursula-k-leguin-first-drafts-and-the-biggest-hole-in-the-world/) - No, really, it's the BIGGEST HOLE IN THE WORLD. They've banned flying over it because, apparently, it's so large it creates suction and has taken out a couple of helicopters. That's a mean, mean hole. (It's actually a diamond mine.) Apparently there's a copper mine that argues it is even larger, but based on my
- [I really, really want to know the story behind this one](https://www.claudiagray.com/i-really-really-want-to-know-the-story-behind-this-one/) - Misunderstanding of the concept of communion? Exorcism gone horribly wrong? Mistaken for Easter cookie? "Crucifix In Throat Removed Without Knife." Apparently the writer considered the knife-free aspect to be the oddest part of this story.
- [World, you are awesome](https://www.claudiagray.com/world-you-are-awesome/) - The strangeness of life is delightful, sometimes.
- [So, you want to sell your haunted house](https://www.claudiagray.com/so-you-want-to-sell-your-haunted-house/) - Believe it or not, there's a lot of jurisprudence on this, including the famous Stambovsky v. Ackley case in New York that requires sellers to disclose the existence of a ghost. (Haunting, they find, is a defect that even a reasonably prudent buyer probably could not discover on his own during inspections.) Because the seller
- [Today's Creepy Moment in History](https://www.claudiagray.com/todays-creepy-moment-in-history-2/) - Scroll on down to the bottom of the page to get an eerily sexist slice of life from the 1950s: Your Kitchen Can Fit Your Wife (or vice versa).
- [Revising my revisions process](https://www.claudiagray.com/revising-my-revisions-process/) - Usually, once I've got my outline together, I start writing at the front of the book and work my way right to the end before I get any revisions going. If I jump ahead to the stuff I'm most looking forward to, I generally find I end up having to redo it because ultimately, the
- [Copyediting!](https://www.claudiagray.com/copyediting/) - I got the manuscript for Evernight back from the copyeditors this week and have been proofing it in the evenings. Just got done about half an hour ago. And let me tell you something: I am so deeply, humbly grateful that I would run over to 55th St. and start hugging people at HarperCollins if
- [OK, it's not Wednesday --](https://www.claudiagray.com/ok-its-not-wednesday/) - But still, after Write-A-Thon 2007, I can report that I got about 22,000 words in during those five days -- not bad! My rough drafts are fairly rough things (and I already see that Stargazer is going to require a lot of restructuring), but at this point, the main thing is to get the whole
- [Not actually dead -- close, but not yet --](https://www.claudiagray.com/not-actually-dead-close-but-not-yet/) - It's been much too long since I updated. I hereby blame a grueling set of deadlines at work and a nasty summer cold, both of which contributed to my also falling behind on my novel deadlines. About two weeks ago, I was well on my way to a full-bore panic. However, last weekend I was
- [Writer's Five!](https://www.claudiagray.com/writers-five/) - First of all, the fangs_fur_fey contest has announced its winner, and lucky #102 gets to send her pages to Rachel Vater. I think the pages are terrific and I'm very eager to read the whole book -- which, hopefully, we'll be able to do by picking copies up in the bookstore someday. (Someday soon, I
- [Saturday night's all right for plotting](https://www.claudiagray.com/saturday-nights-all-right-for-plotting/) - While going to and from a Cinco de Mayo party, riding the subway, I worked on plotting for the very last book in the Evernight series. Not only did I make a lot of story progress, but something I hadn't realized about the mythology finally came clear to me -- it's like it was always
- [Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Wretch Day bunt, Mary Worth](https://www.claudiagray.com/pixel-stained-technopeasant-wretch-day-bunt-mary-worth/) - I would love to have something to post for the first (annual) Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Wretch Day, a movement started within sfwa to share work for free. Why? Because it's a good way for readers to find writers they like and then, we hope, buy more of their work. However, I have nothing to offer. I've
- [On judging the FFF hook contest](https://www.claudiagray.com/on-judging-the-fff-hook-contest/) - I thought I should thank everyone who sent in hooks for the fangs_fur_fey contest -- not only because it's both flattering and humbling that you guys would be willing to listen to our opinions about your writing, but also because it's been a learning experience for me, too. Asking questions about other people's clarity or
- [Evernight revisions are complete!](https://www.claudiagray.com/evernight-revisions-are-complete/) - At long last, I've finished the revisions to Evernight, both editorial and self-imposed. The book is the better for it. I simultaneously feel very, very accomplished and very, very tired. Tomorrow I'll e-mail it in to the editor, and tomorrow night, after drinks/dinner with some friends, I hope to complete some synopses for the whole
- [Hook Contest!  (Also -- the more things change, the more they stay the same)](https://www.claudiagray.com/hook-contest-also-the-more-things-change-the-more-they-stay-the-same/) - After book revisions (woo!), a trip to Paris (woohoo!) and a nasty bout of the flu (bah humbug), I am again back in the swing of things. During the next week, I'll complete my final edits to Evernight and gear up to begin the second book, Stargazer (Unless they switch titles on me -- who
- [Book Review: "Uglies," by Scott Westerfeld](https://www.claudiagray.com/book-review-uglies-by-scott-westerfeld/) - I realize everyone else in the world read this book a couple of years ago, but I just now got to it: Uglies At first I thought this book was going to be too bluntly allegorical for me to sink into; the phrase "New Pretty City" nearly did me in. But thankfully, I stuck with
- [Blog rec: Elyse Sewell](https://www.claudiagray.com/blog-rec-elyse-sewell/) - Most of the people whose Livejournals I follow are friends of mine, either in real life or online -- people that I share interests with and have plenty to talk about. I've started following a handful of publishing blogs, and I might possibly have found several pug owners who post pictures of their dogs frequently.
- [New release dates!](https://www.claudiagray.com/new-release-dates/) - From the beginning, I'd thought that Evernight would come out in fall of this year, but it turns out I'm wrong; apparently the plan has long been for the book to be published in summer 2008. Although I'm eager to see my book in print, I really think the later date is going to work
- [Updates of several sorts](https://www.claudiagray.com/updates-of-several-sorts/) - Good news: Evernight went to the editor January 16. I don't have an editorial note to work from yet, but I know that my editor is happy and isn't asking for major revisions. This is definitely a relief and frees me to dive into the second book in the series, which is tentatively titled Stargazer.
- [looking up from the depths of revision just to say --](https://www.claudiagray.com/looking-up-from-the-depths-of-revision-just-to-say/) - -- that writing a sexy scene you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, will in fact be read by your parents? SOUL DEATH.
- [I need some icons](https://www.claudiagray.com/i-need-some-icons/) - ::taps mic:: Is this thing on? This LJ will be focused on my professional writing, specifically starting with the Evernight series of vampire novels that HarperCollins will begin publishing next year. This post is mostly just to get the journal started, but I'll write more about how the writing/editing/etc. is going as time passes.

## Pages

- [Books](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/) - Jane Austen's The Watsons Star Trek Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney series Star Wars The X-Files The Haunted Mansion DC Constellation series Firebird series Spellcaster series Evernight series Stand-Alone Anthologies Books A-Z
- [Star Trek](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/star-trek/) - Star Trek: Deviations - Evermore (2026) Quoth the raven…“Evermore.” This spooky one-shot features Dr. Joseph M’Benga of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds as he encounters various crew members turned characters and creatures from the worlds of Edgar Allan Poe aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise! Dr. M’Benga’s daughter, Rukiya, has always loved a good bedtime story—especially if
- [Books A-Z](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/books-a-z/) - A Thousand Pieces of You Afterlife Balthazar Bloodline Defy the Stars Defy the Fates Defy the Worlds Enthralled Eternal Evernight The Fallen Star Fateful The First Midnight Spell Grim The Haunted Mansion: Storm and Shade Hourglass House of El: The Enemy Delusion House of El: The Shadow Threat House of El: The Treacherous Hope Immortal
- [Stand-Alones](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/stand-alones/) - Fateful Eighteen-year-old maid Tess Davies is determined to escape the wealthy, troubled family she serves. It's 1912, and Tess has been trapped in the employ of the Lisles for years, amid painful memories and twisted secrets. But now the Lisle family is headed to America, with Tess in tow. Once the ship they're sailing on—the
- [Anthologies](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/anthologies/) - Star Wars: The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life Thrilling short stories featuring fan favorite characters from the beloved High Republic series each written by a New York Times bestselling author. The High Republic authors share unmissable short stories that bridge Phases, resolve mysteries, and offer tantalizing hints of what is to come. Rejoin
- [The Haunted Mansion](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/the-haunted-mansion/) - The Haunted Mansion: Storm and Shade (2023) Welcome, foolish mortals, to an original and eerie novel inspired by the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disney Parks! When high school student Audrey Perez moves to a town that’s supposedly home to a haunted mansion, she and a few of her new friends decide to investigate. Audrey is
- [Evernight Series](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/evernight-series/) - Evernight The Evernight series, four books from HarperCollins beginning in May 2008, follows the story of Bianca Olivier. When the story begins in Evernight, Bianca has just left the small town where she's spent her whole life. She's a new student at Evernight Academy, a creepily Gothic boarding school where her classmates are somehow too
- [Spellcaster Series](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/spellcaster-series/) - Spellcaster (2013) When Nadia's family moves to Captive's Sound, she instantly realizes there's more to the place than meets the eye. Descended from witches, Nadia can sense that a spell has been cast over the tiny Rhode Island town--a sickness infecting everyone and everything in it. The magic at work is darker and more powerful
- [House of El](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/dc-young-adult-graphic-novel/) - House of El: The Shadow Threat (January 5, 2021) Welcome to a brand-new vision of one of comics' most famous tragedies from New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray and illustrator Eric Zawadzki. In this first graphic novel in a trilogy, explore Krypton like never before: through the eyes of two teenagers on opposite sides
- [Firebird Series](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/firebird-series/) - A Thousand Pieces of You (2014) ORPHAN BLACK meets CLOUD ATLAS in the first book of this epic dimension–bending trilogy about a girl who must chase her father’s killer through multiple dimensions. Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple
- [Constellation Series](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/constellation-series/) - Defy the Stars (2017) Noemi Vidal is a teen soldier from the planet Genesis, once a colony of Earth that's now at war for its independence. The humans of Genesis have fought Earth's robotic "mech" armies for decades with no end in sight. After a surprise attack, Noemi finds herself stranded in space on an
- [The X-Files: Perihelion](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/the-x-files-perihelion/) - The X-Files: Perihelion (2024) The Truth Is Out There . . . But So Are Lies. #1 New York Times best-selling author Claudia Gray extends the story of The X-Files beyond its eleventh season in this thrilling—and romantic—original novel. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are still reeling from the death of their son William, but
- [Star Wars](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/star-wars/) - Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Lost Stars (2015) This thrilling Young Adult novel gives readers a macro view of some of the most important events in the Star Wars universe, from the rise of the Rebellion to the fall of the Empire. Readers will experience these major moments through the eyes of two
- [Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery Series](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/mr-darcy-and-miss-tilney-mystery/) - The Murder of Mr. Wickham (2022) The happily married Mr. Knightley and Emma are throwing a house party, bringing together distant relatives and new acquaintances—characters beloved by Jane Austen fans. Definitely not invited is Mr. Wickham, whose latest financial scheme has netted him an even broader array of enemies. As tempers flare and secrets are revealed, it’s clear
- [Jane Austen's The Watsons](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/jane-austens-the-watsons/) - Jane Austen's The Watsons (2026) From New York Times bestselling author and creator of the beloved Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney mystery series comes a continuation of Jane Austen’s famous unfinished novel Jane Austen’s unsung heroine, Ada Watson, is a privileged girl living with her wealthy aunt and uncle absent any meaningful contact with her
- [FAQ](https://www.claudiagray.com/faq/) - Frequently Asked Questions Quick Links: About the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery Series About Writing For Star Wars About Me About Writing About the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney Mystery Series Where did you get the idea for this? I can’t fully explain without giving spoilers for another book, but in short: I read
- [Contact](https://www.claudiagray.com/contact/) - Please direct all rights inquiries to my agent,Laura Rennert at ljrennert at mac dot com Please direct all convention invitations to Kat Fox at katfox at comicsketchart dot com Sign up for my newsletter by clicking here Please direct all media inquiries to contact at claudiagray dot com or send a message via the contact form below
- [About Claudia](https://www.claudiagray.com/about-claudia/) - Claudia Gray is the pseudonym of Amy Vincent. She is the author of the Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney mystery series, which began with The Murder of Mr Wickham. Claudia is also the writer of multiple young adult novels, including the Evernight series, the Firebird trilogy, and the Constellation trilogy. In addition, she’s written several Star Wars novels,
- [News](https://www.claudiagray.com/news-events/)
- [Evernight Prologue](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/evernight-series/evernight-prologue/) - Evernight -- Prologue The burning arrow thudded into the wall. Fire. The old, dry wood of the meetinghouse ignited in an instant. Dark, oily smoke filled the air, scratching my lungs and making me choke. Around me, my new friends cried out in shock before grabbing weapons, preparing to fight for their lives. This is
- [Spellcaster Preview](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/spellcaster-series/spellcaster-preview/)
- [Stargazer Prologue](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/evernight-series/stargazer-prologue/) - Stargazer Book 2 in the Evernight Series Prologue Frost began to creep up the walls. Transfixed, I watched lines of frost lace their way across the stone of the north tower's records room. The pattern swept up from the floor, covering the wall, even icing the ceiling with something flaky and white. A few small,
- [Hourglass Prologue](https://www.claudiagray.com/books/evernight-series/hourglass-prologue/) - HourglassBook 3 in the Evernight Series Prologue "GET OUT," I PLEADED. "GET OUT OF TOWN FOR good. That way we don't have to kill you." The vampire snarled, "What makes you think you could?" Lucas tackled him, and they fell to the pavement. Those were bad odds for Lucas; short-range fighting always worked to a
- [Submit a Question](https://www.claudiagray.com/faq/submit-a-question/)
- [Extras & Downloads](https://www.claudiagray.com/extras-downloads/) - Fateful Wallpaper 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 Afterlife Wallpaper 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 Hourglass Wallpaper 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050 | 1024x768 1680x1050

## Events

- [Dragon Con](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/dragon-con/) - Click here for more info
- [FanExpo Boston](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/fanexpo-boston/) - Click here for more info
- [The Murder of Mr. Wickham Tour](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/the-murder-of-mr-wickham-tour/)
- [Into the Dark and Flood City Virtual Event](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/into-the-dark-and-flood-city-virtual-event/) - Hosted by Octavia Books Monday, February 8th at 7pm CT Book purchase required to register Click here for more information
- [NCTE Conference](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/ncte-conference/) - NCTE Conference November 16-19 St. Louis, MO
- [DragonCon](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/dragoncon/) - DragonCon Sept. 1-4 Atlanta, GA
- [Conneti-Con](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/conneti-con/) - Conneti-Con July 6-9 Hartford, CT
- [Library Comic Con](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/library-comic-con/) - Library Comic Con May 5-7 Kenosha, WI
- [Yallwest](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/yallwest/) - Yallwest April 28-30 Santa Monica, CA
- [San Antonio Book Festival](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/san-antonio-book-festival/) - San Antonio Book Festival April 8 San Antonio, TX
- [Indiana Comic Con](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/indiana-comic-con/) - Indiana Comic Con April 14-16 Indianapolis, IN
- [Coast Con March 3-5 Biloxi, MS](https://www.claudiagray.com/event/coast-con-march-3-5-biloxi-ms/) - Coast Con March 3-5 Biloxi, MS

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://www.claudiagray.com/category/uncategorized/)
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