Never fear my overseas friends...

Just a quick note: because 1) I have been asked and 2) I haven't really clarified this to my blog readers overseas. All of my contests, the ones held here, by me, on my blog will be open to everyone. Yep, that means worldwide. (Sometimes w/multi-book giveaways, it gets expensive to send overseas, so sometimes you'll find 'states only' contests, which is totally understandable.)

I feel very lucky, and most appreciative, to have anyone interested in my work, so I don't mind shipping to wherever you may be -- as long as there's an address to post to. So my overseas friends, not to worry! ;-)

The next contest here will be held in the next week or two, so please check back soon!

Big urban fantasy ARC giveaway!

Head on over to The Swivet and enter to win four urban fantasy ARCs by authors Molly Harper, Seanan McGuire, Skyler White & Me!

So cool!

Updated my website

Made a few changes to the home page of my website. Wanted to add a new quote for THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS by the uber fabulous Vicki Pettersson. Vicki happened by the Pocket Booth at San Diego Comic Con where my ARCs were being given away. I consider it a serendipitous moment that she passed by when she did... :-)

Being a New Writer on the Block, I've felt a little hesitant at times, but I'm discovering that the writing community is full of amazing, welcoming, generous people. And I can't wait to pay all this generousity forward! :-)

Goodreads

Ever been to Goodreads. com? It's a very cool place. I've got my author page up, have added a few links and books. There is even a review for my book! Check me out.

Two great releases, one great blog

Some really incredible stuff debuts today.

My fellow Pixie Chick and friend, Tracey O'Hara's debut, Night's Cold Kiss is out today (well, it is the 25th in Australia, so I'm posting today...). You guys. Seriously. This book is getting some great reviews!

Also out, and how can you resist these amazing authors together in one book? Unbound, featuring stories by Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Vicki Pettersson, Jocelynn Drake & Jeaniene Frost. Total auto-buy for me!

And an ultra fabulous new blog, Living Your Five, went live today. It features YA authors, Kay Cassidy, Tera Lynn Childs, Alyson Noel and Becca Fitzpatrick.

Showing off the shine

Because it's pretty, and I love it, and realized I never posted it. These are pics of the coverflats for BPOD. My past contest winners received these Shiny Things of Wonder, and I'll include them in future contests, too. They look particularly awesome on the wall, the refrigerator, the front door, strategically left in the waiting rooms of doctor's offices and hair salons nationwide, and duct taped to the sides of buses and the back of T-shirts... Just sayin'.

Feeling out of touch?

You writers and creative folks out there... ever get this bizarre sense of disconnect, like you're hovering between reality and your fantasy worlds and can't touch ground in either one. Is it just me? Please tell me it's not and that I'm not losing my mind. :-)

I've been so deep in writing the last few months, that I'm finding it hard to readjust and take a break from those worlds, to live in the 'present'. The creative well is pretty run down after all that work, but oddly enough my brain doesn't seem ready to leave those worlds alone and just rest.

I'm taking a vacation in September. Hopefully, that'll bring me back down to earth and recharge the brain.

Funny for the day

Because it made me smile:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UMWhJsd0JE

Journals, contests, companion novels...

Oy. Tis Monday.

Realized we're almost at the three month mark until BPOD debuts. Three months!!

Been taking a little R&R, catching up on my reading, spending time with the family, writing in my journal -- my idea journal. I've tried the diary style journaling before, and can't seem to get into that, but I do so love my 'everything' journal. I fill it with ideas, notes, names, words, made-up words, anything that strikes me. I used to have this kind of stuff in several different spiral notebooks scattered around the house, but finally decided to condense this chaos into one easy to locate place. It's working. :-)

Oh, and there will be more ARC contests for The Better Part of Darkness forthcoming. I should have enough to do a contest every month until my debut.

How do you guys feel about companion novels? I really like how Kelley Armstrong did this with her Otherworld series, branching out from Elena into other characters...

Well, folks, that's it for my Monday ramblings. Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

On tap

Lots of books, that's what's on tap for me. It's great, too, because I am woefully behind on my reading and now that B2 is turned in, I can read guilt free. Yesterday, I read two Janet Chapman novels, which is easy to do because they're like chocolate. I can usually read a book a day, but I really must've been starving. :-)

Also reading my CP's latest and greatest new manuscript.

And then on tap will be Vicki Pettersson's latest, Lili Saintcrow's latest, and Chris Evans' latest... Gotta catch up on my series reading!

And, yes, still writing. Got to stay in the habit. So I'm working on plotting the new Charlie book, and the next YA.

Getting back to normal

Okay. Whew! Glad and mightily relieved to report that Book 2 of the Charlie Madigan series has been turned in to my editor, and that my life can now return to some semblance of normalcy.

This book gave me lots of headaches, but it wasn't the book doing so, it was me. First time writing a book already sold. First time writing a book with a deadline not my own. First time writing a book in a series. So, lots of pressure, lots of weight on my confidence as a writer. I was also really worried about writing what I thought everyone else wanted. Pleasing everyone. This kind of thinking can really stifle you, let me tell you.

A friend of mine told me to think back to when I was writing The Better Part of Darkness. I was writing the story I wanted to tell. I was writing the kinds of scenes that excited me and made me happy. And, it showed. That story sold. And, I realized that when you do that, the writing flows, the book works. So, as hard as it was to not feel the pressure (and it was still there, hovering), I forced myself to stop thinking about what I thought others might want to see happen in the second book, and just wrote the kind of book I wanted to write, the story I wanted to tell, and the things that made me excited and engaged.

I brought the Charlie I know and love back to life. I know her inside and out, and this book has allowed me to see her stories, her ordeals, her personal relationships far into the future.

Winner of the ARC is....

Using the random number generator, the winner of the ARC contest for THE BETTER PART OF DARKNESS is . . . okay, I have a surprise. I drew two winners. Yes, that's right, due to the awesome number of entries (wow, thank you all) I drew two winners!

Lexie & Cathy M

Please email me your address. kelly@kellygay.net I'll sign each book and coverflat (but let me know if you'd prefer a different name or if you'd prefer a generic signature.) Congrats, ladies!

Contest closed, winner forthcoming...

Just popping in to say I'll be drawing the winner later today. Thanks to everyone who entered!