Well, I’m home. And I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here. I think I’ve finally caught up on my emails, but if you sent me something and are still waiting for an answer, it’s possible it got lost in the masses of stuff I had to read through. Just email me again, please. I promise I’ll get right back to you.
Btw, if I promised you an ARC, I’m still waiting for the mail. When I get ‘em, I’ll send them right out.
So this trip was an exercise in extremes, to say the least. Here are the highlights:
- Being driven in a chauffeured Lincoln Town car
- Dancing with my husband
- Browsing in a real bookstore and finding all titles on my Must-Buy list (plus 7 more!)
- Visiting Chichén Itzá
- Walking until my feet bled
- Being rousted as a homeless person
No, I’m not going to give context. You’ll just have to use your imagination, or email me if you’re really dying of curiosity. But the best part of the journey was coming home.
In other news:
My editor at Ace accepted Wanderlust and has approved my D&A (delivery & acceptance) payment, so Jax, book two, is official. Woohoo! I should have cover art pretty soon, and I’ll share that when I get it.
I’ve also been asked to put together a proposal for more Jax books. I have at least two more planned, working titles Doubleblind and Killbox. I think all four titles have a very nice flow. Dionne said they’re butch, but she likes them.
- Grimspace
- Wanderlust
- Doubleblind
- Killbox
What do you guys think?
Moving on…
Barnes and Noble asked to include Grimspace in a special display. The book will be fronted with two urban fantasy novels – DEAD TO ME by Anton Strout and MADHOUSE by Rob Thurman. The standee features artwork from all our covers, showcasing the protagonist from each book: Simon, Jax, and Cal. Jax is the only heroine. For obvious reasons, I’m stoked to the moon about this.
As we get closer to release, I’ll be hosting a huge fiesta here with an amazing prize package as the payout. I’ll try to coordinate something with Jane from Dear Author. Also, look for me guesting on various blogs through Jan and Feb.
After release, I’ll be running a Snapshot contest, sending y’all out to take pictures of the displays in your local B&Ns. Since I can’t go see them myself right in February, you’ll be my street team. And at close, I’ll reward some lucky reader with a big fat B&N gift card. More details to come.
Still no title for Corine Solomon – book 1, but when I have one, y’all will be the first to know. Then I can wrap up the ARC contest I’ve been running for the last two months. I’ve given away one copy of Grimspace so far, and I’m really excited to hear what that reader thought. (I’m talking to you, Laura J!)
Last, but not least, I have cover art for My Valentine. 
My girl April Martinez has done it again. Isn’t it gorgeous? Exactly what I wanted — sensual, romantic, and evocative. There’s symbolism present here too, once you read the book, which comes out 02.05.08. Those you who have been salivating for the Guide sequel, you are soon to be hooked up. And I’ll be giving away a few copies of that too, once I get my final edits.
I have more to talk about and more hush-hush stuff under wraps, but that’s it for today. Did y’all miss me?
Welcome back!
Congrats on having your second Ace book accepted! Yay, you. I’m doing a happy dance for you. I love the My Valentine cover! The cover gods are always smiling on you. 
And the new blog is the hotness!
Gwyneth
Welcome back. I’m glad your trip went well and I’m really happy to hear about all your good book news.
Welcome back! And what a gorgeous cover… love it!
Jeez, Ann, you came back with some serious good news!!! Congratulations!! And you can count on me to snap some pics at my local Barnes and Noble.
Nice to have you back, Ann! Glad you had a good trip. I like the title names a lot! Very cool. Look at you go, girl! I’m so thrilled for you!
Hugs!
Marissa
Thanks, guys. I’m sooo happy to be home. Nothing makes you appreciate that more than traveling and living out of a messenger bag.
I’m also eager to be blogging again. The enforced break made me miss y’all and be eager to start blathering again.
Ha! Even my Spam blocker missed ya, Ann
AMFU4=AM Freakin’ U 4-ic you’re back!
Glad you had a nice trip and how awesome to come home to all that great news!
Welcome back, Ann! That cover is beautiful!
*laughs* Thanks, Lainey! I did have a lot of great stuff happen.
I love it, Susan. The dual tone of the skin represents the reincarnation aspect of the story beautifully.
I re-read this book today, and it actually made me cry. That just doesn’t happen. I mean, I wrote the freakin’ thing. I think y’all are gonna love it.
Welcome back! Grimspace is among the (too many for this impoverished grad student) books I am eager to read this year! Well, a blurb from Sharon Shinn AND a reference to Firefly/Serenity. . .how can you lose? The titles of the other books sound awesome, and the cover for My Valentine is lovely.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Big fan of compound titles, eh? ;-)
Have a lovely day! :-)
Aw, dude, that’s why I haven’t been getting updates–you did the WordPress switcheroo. Ok, I have my bloglines updated now.
YAY for cover! April is amazing. She’s not related to Nicola Martinez, the adorable talent who did my cover for “Sundial,” is she?