The Smutketeers, particularly RG Alexander, invited me to be part of their annual Christmas video. This year it’s All About the Books. 🙂 Stick through to the end, for all the credits, too! 🙂
All About the Books
////Under His Touch is now on Net Galley!
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Jeffe’s Picks for Five to Follow on Twitter
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I’m over at Word Whores, ranting a bit about the concept of “must follows” – but also giving my picks for who to follow on Twitter.
USA Today, What I’m Working on and the Loch Ness Monster
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Yesterday we enjoyed a long, gentle, soaking rain. Which means this morning we awoke to our typically dry high-desert transformed by an ocean of fog. I felt as if I’d been transported to Inverness and was tempted to hike down to Loch Ness and see if I could spot the monsters.
I’m over at USA Today with an interview about THE TWELVE KINGDOMS you might want to check out. And I have a post at the Contemporary Romance Cafe, talking about what I’m working on and how my agent helps me shape that.
Creating a Mythology
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A serendipitous shot as the setting sun sent rays of light across my desk and lit up the globe that Kensington gave me with the cover of THE MARK OF THE TALA inside. If I’d been thinking, I would have turned it around to show the flip side, with the cover of last week’s release and the sequel, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE. The glow lasted barely long enough for me to grab my phone and snap. Ah well, so goes serendipity.
One of my favorite bits of feedback lately on THE TEARS OF THE ROSE, was when my longtime friend, Kev, commented this on my release day post:
There was an absolutely gorgeous sunrise today. I looked West and the mountains were this perfectly lovely shade of pink against a slightly lighter pink sky. I felt strongly compelled to sketch some circles in the air, but my Lutheran upbringing wouldn’t quite allow it.
If you haven’t read the book yet, that’s a reference to the observances of the goddess Glorianna, which occur ritually at sunrise and sunset, when her circle is drawn in the air. And her color is pink.
There’s something wonderfully invigorating about hearing comments like this, knowing that something you wrote went into another person’s mind deeply enough to invoke this impulse. Even if it wasn’t enough to overcome that childhood programming, alas! Inventing this mythology of the three goddesses came about organically as part of writing the story. I hadn’t anticipated that would even be a factor of the world as I began writing Andi’s story in THE MARK OF THE TALA. While all three goddesses – Glorianna, Moranu and Danu – make an appearance in the first book, in the sequel, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE, part of Ami’s journey is finding her place as an avatar of Glorianna. So I ended up exploring the mysticism and influence of the goddesses much more. I even wrote an entire myth! 
In writing book 3, THE TALON OF THE HAWK, I found myself inventing a martial arts system for my warrior princess Ursula, one that stems from the teachings of Danu. Speaking of which, if you love the cover as much as I do, Addicted to Heroines is running contest to choose the Hottest Heroine from among eight covers and THE TALON OF THE HAWK is one. You can vote daily, even!
(As if you have nothing better to do with your life… but the option is there!)
At any rate, playing with this mythology was so fun that I even wrote an extra bit for Jen Twimom’s holiday Mistletoe Madness event on That’s What I’m Talking About. The post is here and is told from Ami’s point of view about their observation of the Feast of Moranu on the winter solstice. That was a kick to write also. I’m sure it contains many familiar elements that you all will recognize, but it still felt special to me.
Glorianna’s blessings on you all!
Three Ways for Authors to Pay It Forward
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I just love this cover for book 3 in my Twelve Kingdoms series, with my warrior-princess, Ursula, looking all badass in The Talon of the Hawk. So it’s very cool that Addicted to Heroines has it up in round one of their Hottest Heroines Cover Contest. You can vote for it if you like!
I’m over at Word Whores, talking about good karma and how to help others.
A Great Big Thank You – and Giveback
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I’m over at Here Be Magic, offering a very special Thank You giveaway. And being thankful in general for the whirlwind release day yesterday. You all are so wonderful – I’m overwhelmed.
Happy Thanksgiving to my U.S. cohort – and I hope the rest of you find some time to indulge in good food, better company and an excellent book!
Release Day for The Tears of the Rose!
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So happy to see The Tears of the Rose hit shelves today! So much to be thankful for, this week of US Thanksgiving. Blessings to all!
Buy Links!
Giving It a Go at Thanking Everyone
//This week I’m looking forward to the release of the second book in my TWELVE KINGDOMS series, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE. (In fact, today you can read an excerpt over at That’s What I’m Talking About.) So it’s mete that this week’s topic over at Word Whores is giving thanks to all those who’ve helped us in our writing careers.
So Much to Give Thanks For
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Next week should be a great one – US Thanksgiving AND the release of THE TEARS OF THE ROSE!
Do you know what this means? Yes – you can stuff yourself silly and then loll about and read! That’s definitely what I have in mind. Not my *own* books, mind you – but I have some yummy ones in the pile.
For those of you who haven’t read THE MARK OF THE TALA yet, RT Book Reviews – along with saying they love me truly, madly, deeply, which made me a little verklumpt with the smile for the movie reference – is hosting a giveaway of three bundles of both books!
There’s also some great reviews filling my feeds, which I just love to see. This one of THE MARK OF THE TALA at Reading Reality by Marlene Harris is really wonderful. She says all sorts of smart, insightful things about the book – *and*compares it to MALIFICENT, which I finally watched last week. The movie electrified me and blew me away. It it kind of uncanny, some of the story parallels. Now I want Angelina Jolie to play Salena.
Wouldn’t that be awesome?
Also, Lisa A at I Smell Sheep gave THE TEARS OF THE ROSE five transforming sheep to celebrate the heroine’s tremendous character growth, which means a great deal to me also. And Gikany and Una at That’s What I’m Talking About said that TEARS is a gripping and exciting read as Ami explores her own potential and power growing from a spoiled immature princess and into a woman worthy to be a queen. She also discovers that a first love may not always be the only or the true love of your life.
Pumpkin pie (or dessert of your choice) for everyone!