tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91949699246494153842024-03-13T23:48:23.214-07:00smart, sexy, supernatural fictionA. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-91108193316277924552014-08-18T11:56:00.000-07:002014-08-18T11:56:12.733-07:00Dangerous Calling is out!It's release day for <i><a href="http://ajlarrieu.com/dangerous-calling.php" target="_blank">Dangerous Calling</a></i>! I'm so thrilled that the next installment of Cass & Shane's story is out in the world, and I'm EXTRA thrilled to be celebrating my release day on <a href="http://vampirebookclub.net/exclusive-excerpt-giveaway-dangerous-calling-by-a-j-larrieu/" target="_blank">Vampire Book Club</a>! I'm there with a giveaway and an exclusive excerpt featuring Cass as she confronts the consequences of her powerful telekinetic gift. <a href="http://vampirebookclub.net/exclusive-excerpt-giveaway-dangerous-calling-by-a-j-larrieu/" target="_blank">Stop by</a> for a sneak peek at the book and a chance to win.<br />
<br />A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-90863979499976067452014-08-10T22:47:00.001-07:002014-08-10T22:47:12.481-07:00Creating CharactersThe second book in my dark, sexy urban fantasy series, <i>The Shadowminds</i>, comes out one week from today. <i><a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/dangerous-calling.php" target="_blank">Dangerous Calling</a></i> follows the adventures of Cass Weatherfield, the powerful telekinetic whose story began with <i><a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">Twisted Miracles</a></i>. The talented <a href="http://veronicascott.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Veronica Scott</a>, who writes science fiction romance, invited me to participate in a meet-your-character blog hop, and I thought this would be a good way to introduce new readers to Cass. The blog hop includes a set of questions about your main character’s identity (see <a href="http://veronicascott.wordpress.com/2014/08/04/meet-my-character-meme/" target="_blank">Veronica’s post</a> about her fascinating heroine--a blind princess!), but I went off the rails and wrote a blog post instead. Sorry.<br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For the past week, I’ve been at a family reunion for my husband’s side. Some of them knew about my “night job,” and some of them didn’t, but since I was on deadline, by the end of it, everyone knew why I was glued to my computer every spare minute. When I tell people that I write novels—and more importantly, that I write sexy dark modern fantasy romances—they usually fall into one of two groups. The wow-that’s-fascinating-tell-me-all-about-your-process group, or the ha-ha-you-write-sexy-books-how-cute-I’m-actually-really-uncomfortable group. On this trip, I found myself answering a lot of questions for the Fascinated Group. (I had some interesting conversations with the Uncomfortable Group as well, but that’s a topic for another post.) <br /><br /> A lot of these conversations forced me to think hard about how I create characters, because non-writers tend to ask some pretty probing questions. What if your character has a profession you know nothing about? How can you tell how she’ll react to situations you’ve never been in yourself? How do you make a character feel real? How do you even start? As I struggled to answer these questions, it occurred to me that my attempts might make a good response to this whole meet-my-character thing.<br /><br /> I’m not much of a plotter. My story seeds are always characters, and I typically spend ten thousand words or so getting to know them before I even think about a plot. Those ten thousand words are a chance for me to explore my main character’s past, to imagine what her best future might be, and to identify the ways her world, and she herself, will get in her way as she tries to get there. <br /><br /> It’s the ways she’ll get in her own way that fascinate me the most. Not that I don’t love some murderous external conflict, but to me, the most compelling stories follow an arc of transformative personal change. <br /><br /> Cass Weatherfield’s basic stats are this: She’s a powerful telepath and telekinetic who, when she was still learning to control her powers, caused a fatal accident. It’s haunted her for years, and she’s done her best to completely suppress her powers. The first book, <i><a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">Twisted Miracles</a></i>, follows her sometimes painful but ultimately redemptive journey to accepting her own powers—and the love she left behind when she rejected them. In <i><a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">Dangerous Calling</a></i>, now that she’s come to terms with her abilities, she has to figure out how to use them. And to do that, she has to encounter the deeper demons of her personality— her tendency to turn inward to solve her problems, her susceptibility to addiction. <br /><br /> Of course, she won’t be alone. She’ll have a band of friends to help her, all with their own flaws and strengths. All have their own complicated pasts--and some have stories of their own to come.<br /><br /><div>
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A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-70291671788144632352014-06-30T08:05:00.001-07:002014-06-30T08:05:11.171-07:00An ultra-nerdy paranormal genre map: Where do your favorite books fall on the axes of sex & death?Today, I'm over at Paranormal Unbound sharing my <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/2014/06/30/urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-hybrids-how-hot-is-too-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-5989" target="_blank">ultra-nerdy genre map</a> for paranormal fiction. How much sex and death do you like in your paranormal romance and urban fantasy? (Not-so-spoilery-spoiler alert: I often find myself in the upper right hand corner.) <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/2014/06/30/urban-fantasyparanormal-romance-hybrids-how-hot-is-too-hot/comment-page-1/#comment-5989" target="_blank">Stop by</a> and tell me where your favorite books live!A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-49759815130494551992014-05-12T08:17:00.001-07:002014-05-12T08:17:11.113-07:00Meet Me at the RT Booklovers Convention!As I write this, I'm sitting in the San Francisco airport with a large coffee and way too much luggage. I'm on my way to my very first <a href="https://www.rtconvention.com/" target="_blank">Romantic Times Booklovers Convention</a>, and I'd love to see you there.<br />
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RT is being held in New Orleans this year, and it just so happens that my first novel, which is set in New Orleans, came out a month ago. How could I resist going? I'm heading down early to spend a few days with my family and some close friends who still live in the area, and I'll head to the Marriott on Canal Street on Wednesday.<br />
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If you're in the New Orleans area, I'd love to see you! Here's where you can find me (besides at the bar) if you're going to the convention:<br />
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Tuesday (5/13), 8:30am: <a href="http://www.tangiradio.net/#!station/c1han" target="_blank">Radio Interview on Tangi 96.5</a><br />
(This is my first radio interview! I'm super nervous.)<br />
Thursday (5/15), 4-5pm: <a href="https://www.rtconvention.com/eventworkshop/southern-urban-fantasy-its-more-just-geography" target="_blank">Panel on Southern Urban Fantasy</a><br />
Friday (5/16), 1:30-2pm: <a href="https://www.rtconvention.com/clubrt/author-appearances" target="_blank">Club RT</a><br />
(A casual place to chat and pick up free stuff)<br />
Saturday (5/17), 11am-2pm: <a href="https://www.rtconvention.com/giant-book-fair" target="_blank">Giant Book Fair</a><br />
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The Giant Book Fair is open to the public, and tickets are $5 at the door. There will be over 700 authors there signing books and giving away boatloads of free swag, so if you like romance and urban fantasy, it's well worth a trip. (Did I mention I'll be giving away my own boatload of swag?)<br />
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I'm also very excited to be participating in a pilot program through Harlequin and Autography that allows me to digitally sign ebooks. I just participated in the training for this technology, and it's a lot of fun. I can snap a picture and electronically sign an ebook right there at the event, and send the book to the reader right away. The picture and signature stay with the book in whatever e-reading device you have. It's a lot of fun, and I'm really looking forward to testing it out.<br />
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Hope to see you there!<br />
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<br />A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-73300065546799569052014-04-24T07:10:00.001-07:002014-04-24T07:10:39.484-07:00On Here be Magic: Writing, Biology and the Value of FailureI'm on <a href="http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2014/04/writing-biology-and-value-of-failure.html" target="_blank">Here Be Magic</a> today, talking about how a career in biology helped prepare me for publishing by teaching me the value of failure. Lots and lots of failure. <a href="http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2014/04/writing-biology-and-value-of-failure.html" target="_blank">Stop by</a> and tell me what you think the value of failure is.A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-33262344504754825182014-03-27T13:46:00.001-07:002014-03-27T15:28:29.074-07:00One Chance to Win an Advance Copy of Twisted Miracles!I'm giving away an advance e-copy of Twisted Miracles to one lucky reader over at Here Be Magic. Want a chance to win? <a href="http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2014/03/win-book-wednesday-withaj-larrieu.html" target="_blank">Stop by and fill out the Rafflecopter form!</a> Only two days left to enter.A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-73684348186454017722014-03-17T22:56:00.003-07:002014-03-17T22:56:45.194-07:00What Revising is Made OfThis is what I'm doing when I'm revising. I didn't include "wasting time on twitter," because that would've been too embarrassing.<div>
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(I might've underestimated the panicking.)</div>
A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-7111669096862022712014-03-06T21:15:00.003-08:002014-04-27T10:13:21.999-07:00Win a Little Piece of Louisiana's (and My Family's) History<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X6B9QmYHeck/UxAoC4vYzsI/AAAAAAAAAYs/QGhH70hCexU/s1600/CARINA_0414_9781426898136_TwistedMiracles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X6B9QmYHeck/UxAoC4vYzsI/AAAAAAAAAYs/QGhH70hCexU/s1600/CARINA_0414_9781426898136_TwistedMiracles.jpg" height="320" title="" width="202" /></a></div>
My first novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">Twisted Miracles</a>,</i> comes out on April 7, 2014 from <a href="http://ebooks.carinapress.com/D58DEF1F-035B-4DD4-8E78-5DE88D28E0F8/10/134/en/Default.htm" target="_blank">Carina Press</a>. It’s a special book to me. Okay, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every</i> book is special, but this one has a
place deep in my heart. At its core, it’s a story about finding home—in
yourself and in the world—and the South will always be home to me. When I was
writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twisted Miracles</i>, I thought
of it as my love song to the South, and now that it’s finally going out into
the world, I want to celebrate by giving away a little piece of Louisiana.<br />
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If you’re not from the area, you might not know that
the Gulf Coast's cypress swamps were all but decimated by logging in the late 1800s
and early 1900s. Cypress makes a beautiful, resilient building material, and when New Orleans and the surrounding areas grew more
populous, the demand for lumber fed a logging frenzy that wiped out nearly all
of the old growth cypress in the marshlands around the city. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The ecosystem never recovered. In fact, when I was in high
school, I spent two weeks living in an historic hunting camp out on the marsh,
shadowing a research team studying the long-term effects logging has had on the
land. When loggers dragged felled cypress trees out of the marsh, they gouged
troughs in the delicate, swampy soil, and those holes never filled in. You can
still see the marks today in aerial photographs, <a href="http://www.natgeocreative.com/photography/1094240" target="_blank">a wheel-spoke pattern of destruction. </a>Where there used to be towering cypress trees, now there are fast-growing plants like bulltongue that choke out hopeful
saplings and keep the forests from recovering. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You can’t pick up old-growth cypress at your neighborhood hardware store. Boards have
to be salvaged from two hundred year old buildings constructed when the logging
was at its height. And new, young cypress isn't the same. Older trees are richer in cypressene, the oil that gives cypress its beautiful red-gold color and protects it from rot. <o:p></o:p>All this means that old growth cypress is a coveted commodity. </div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h8iCZkbT6rQ/UxArRTgqXeI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/_0AgVzosVpE/s1600/photo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h8iCZkbT6rQ/UxArRTgqXeI/AAAAAAAAAZQ/_0AgVzosVpE/s1600/photo.PNG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My dad, in his workshop, dressing one of the <br />
reclaimed cypress planks on his belt sander</td></tr>
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My dad is, among many other things, a woodworker. So was my
mother’s father, and when my grandfather died, he left behind a workshop full
of half-finished projects and scraps of lumber he’d found in salvage yards.
Among those pieces, we recently found a few planks of old growth cypress. (You can
tell from the pattern of the grain and the color.) It's impossible to know for sure how old this wood is, or what sort of building it came from, but I love the fact that whether they were part of a grand house or a humble shed, these planks are a little piece of Louisiana, and a little piece of my family history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The scraps are too small to do much with, but my dad is
creative and inexhaustible, and he decided to trim some of them into bookmark
sized pieces and sand them down. The wood itself is so beautiful, we didn't want to cover it up, so I painted a small fleur de lis, a symbol of
New Orleans, at the top of each one. Now I want to give them to you.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7VaTr6ylaKs/UxbKCvYC-nI/AAAAAAAAAaM/cIDK7C_-HD4/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7VaTr6ylaKs/UxbKCvYC-nI/AAAAAAAAAaM/cIDK7C_-HD4/s1600/photo-1.JPG" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's one of the bookmarks<br />
hanging out in Susanna Clarke's<br />
<i>Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell</i>.<br />
Each bookmark is unique.</td></tr>
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<br />
We’ve only got a handful of these bookmarks, and it’s not
like I can order more on eBay. When the wood is gone, it’s gone. There are two ways to get one:<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>#1</b> Sign up for my <a href="http://ajlarrieu.com/contact.php#mailing-list" target="_blank">newsletter</a>!</span></h4>
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<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Everyone who’s signed up by the end of May gets one entry to win one of three bookmarks. You can follow <a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/contact.php#mailing-list" target="_blank">this link</a> or, if you’re going to the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://ajlarrieu.com/events.php" target="_blank">Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in New Orleans</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">, stop by and see me at the Giant Book Signing on Saturday, May 17</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><sup>th</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> (10:30am - 2:00pm) or at Club RT on Friday (1:30 pm - 2:00pm). I’ll have a sign-up sheet (and the bookmarks, so you can see them in person). </span></h4>
<br />
<h4>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>#2</b> <b>Hang out with me on my blog tour.</b></span></h4>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ll be giving away some of the bookmarks at selected blog tour
stops following the release of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twisted
Miracles. (</i>And, if you want to know more about how they were made, I’ll be
posting a special “how-to” feature on I Smell Sheep’s Arts & Crafts with
Authors segment on April 14th.) My blog tour schedule is below, and <b>the
spots where you can win a bookmark have an asterisk (*) by them.</b> (I'll update this post with live links when they become available, so if you reeeeeeeeealy want a bookmark, you can bookmark (ha!) this page for easy access.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PzfumfcmipM/UxAoI0RqUPI/AAAAAAAAAY8/QE5L2vk4Lew/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PzfumfcmipM/UxAoI0RqUPI/AAAAAAAAAY8/QE5L2vk4Lew/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't you want to spend a night at the B&B?</td></tr>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><u>Twisted Blog Tour</u></span></b><br />
<a href="http://thebookpushers.com/2014/04/04/new-series-spotlight-giveaway-the-shadowminds/" target="_blank"><b>*4/4/14: </b>New Series Spotlight at The Bookpushers</a> (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)<br />
<a href="http://allthingsuf.com/2014/04/interview-a-j-larrieu-giveaway-twisted-miracles.html" target="_blank"><b>*4/7/14: </b>Interview at All Things Urban Fantasy</a> (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://gravetells.com/paranormal-romance/exclusive-excerpt-and-giveaway-us-only-take-a-sneak-peek-into-aj-larrieus-twisted-miracles-the-first-book-in-her-new-shadowminds-universe/" target="_blank"><b>*4/8/14:</b> Exclusive Excerpt at GraveTells</a> (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://suzannejohnsonauthor.com/2014/04/understanding-our-relationship-with-our-roots-with-a-j-larrieu-and-win-a-book.html#comment-26474" target="_blank"><b>4/9/14: </b>Guest Post: Writing Southern Fiction at Preternatura</a> (includes a chance to win a book!) (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2014/04/10/a-j-larrieu-five-things-i-learned-writing-twisted-miracles/" target="_blank"><b>4/10/14: </b>Five Things I Learned while Writing Twisted Miracles at Terrible Minds (Chuck Wendig’s blog)</a><o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="http://whatever.scalzi.com/2014/04/11/the-big-idea-a-j-larrieu/" target="_blank"><b>4/11/14:</b> The Big Idea behind <i>Twisted Miracles</i> at John Scalzi's blog.</a></div>
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<a href="http://carinapress.com/blog/2014/04/eat-dessert-first-a-j-larrieu/" target="_blank"><b>4/11/14:</b> Exclusive (sexy!) excerpt at the Carina Press blog</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.ismellsheep.com/2014/04/arts-crafts-with-authors-j-larrieu.html" target="_blank"><b>*4/14/14:</b> Arts & Crafts with Authors at I Smell Sheep</a> (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)<br />
<a href="http://www.ghfirebirds.com/aj_launch/" target="_blank"><b>4/15/14:</b> Interview at The Firebirds</a><br />
<a href="http://litstack.com/emerging-author-interview-j-larrieu/" target="_blank"><b>4/16/14: </b>Emerging Author Interview at LitStack</a></div>
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<a href="http://badassbookreviews.com/guest-post-review-giveaway-twisted-miracles-by-aj-larrieu/" target="_blank"><b>*4/17/14:</b> Guest Post: Writing Outside the Paranormal Canon at Badass Book Reviews</a> (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://shewolfreads.com/2014/04/18/interview-giveaway-a-j-larrieu-and-twisted-miracles/" target="_blank"><b>*4/18/14:</b> Interview at SheWolfReads</a><br />
<a href="http://www.talksupeblog.com/2014/04/loved-it-twisted-miracles-by-aj-larrieu.html" target="_blank"><b>*4/22/14:</b> Why Telekinesis is the Best Superpower at TalkSupe Book Blog </a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P5iVbonk12M/UxAoJM-9JiI/AAAAAAAAAZE/NohMIVcmr24/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P5iVbonk12M/UxAoJM-9JiI/AAAAAAAAAZE/NohMIVcmr24/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lavender!</td></tr>
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<br />
The rules and terms for every sweepstakes depend on the blog host, so
check by that day for more details. I’m also throwing in a special mug from the
fictional B&B where <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Twisted </i>is
set, plus a hand-tied lavender sachet. Because this is my first book and I kinda got a little over-excited about the swag. :)<br />
<br />
I'm giving away copies of my own book on my blog tour, but if you've already bought it -- Thank You! -- I'll give you a copy of one of the books by an author who blurbed <i><a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">Twisted Miracles</a> </i>instead (<a href="http://kristinmiller.net/" target="_blank">Kristin Miller</a> & <a href="http://www.jennbennett.net/" target="_blank">Jenn Bennett</a>). Your choice, print or digital, any one title by one of these extremely talented women.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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I hope to meet some great new book people (my favorite people!), either virtually or in person, over the next couple of months! </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><u>The Fine Print: Rules for the Sweepstakes</u><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Unfortunately, I have to limit this giveaway to those with
US shipping addresses. You must provide a valid email address where I can reach
you to ask for your shipping address, and if you win, you must respond to my
notification email within a week. I'm not responsible for prizes lost in the mail or damaged during shipping. Blog tour dates subject to change or cancellation without notice. For the newsletter sweepstakes, you must be signed up at the time of the drawing (May 31, 2014) to be eligible to win. Void where prohibited, no purchase necessary and all that jazz.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-49722490905934925982014-02-18T22:18:00.002-08:002014-02-18T23:57:33.290-08:00Cover Reveal for Twisted Miracles!I'm so thrilled to share the cover for my upcoming full-length debut! <i>Twisted Miracles</i>, the first novel in my new urban fantasy series, comes out on April 7th from <a href="http://ebooks.carinapress.com/D58DEF1F-035B-4DD4-8E78-5DE88D28E0F8/10/134/en/Default.htm" target="_blank">Carina Press</a>, and now it has a lovely face to show to the world:<br>
<br>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6D4cNCGKkm4/UwQqGImFi8I/AAAAAAAAAYM/MFXEWMtBhSA/s1600/CARINA_0414_9781426898136_TwistedMiracles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6D4cNCGKkm4/UwQqGImFi8I/AAAAAAAAAYM/MFXEWMtBhSA/s1600/CARINA_0414_9781426898136_TwistedMiracles.jpg" height="400" width="252"></a></div>
<br>
There's so much I love about this cover. First, do you see all the leather?<br>
<br>
Exactly.<br>
<br>
I have nothing against leather-wearing urban fantasy heroines. Lord knows we need them to kick some serious demon/vampire/alien/shapeshifter ass from time to time, and I love watching them do it. But the closest Cass has been to a pair of leather pants is giving side-eye to a mannequin while walking by an overpriced designer boutique.<br>
<br>
I also love her pose. I'd wager there's a less than ten percent chance <a href="http://www.jimchines.com/2012/12/pose-off-with-john-scalzi/" target="_blank">Jim Hines would dislocate a shoulder getting into it</a>.<br>
<br>
The background is a shot of the New Orleans French Quarter, where a large portion of the book is set. See the wrought iron balcony? I've walked past similar buildings hundreds of times, and so has Cass. The Quarter really can look a little otherworldly at night, and I think the dark, gritty feel of this scene conveys the mood of the book very well.<br>
<br>
Finally, there are a couple of subtle details in this cover that hint at some of Cass's extraordinary powers. You might have to read the book to spot them, but... any guesses?<br>
<br>
Here's the official blurb:<br>
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<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cass Weatherfield’s
powers come with a deadly price.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Cass knows it was her telekinetic gift that killed a college
classmate five years back, even if no one else believes her. She’s lived in
hiding from her fellow shadowminds ever since, plagued by guilt and suppressing
her abilities with sedatives. Until the night her past walks back into her life
in the form of sexy Shane Tanner, the ex-boyfriend who trained her…and the one
she left without saying goodbye.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When Shane tells her that his twin sister, Mina—Cass’s
childhood friend—is missing, Cass vows to help, which means returning to New
Orleans to use her dangerous skills in the search. But finding Mina only leads
to darker questions. As Cass and Shane race to learn who is targeting
shadowminds, they find themselves drawn to each other, body and soul. Just as
their powerful intimacy reignites, events take a terrifying turn, and Cass
realizes that to save the people she loves, she must embrace the powers that
ruined her life. </blockquote>
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<!--EndFragment--><br>
<br>
If you're so inclined, you can read the first two chapters <a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles1.php" target="_blank">here</a>, add the book to your Goodreads shelf <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19225840-twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">here</a>, or pre-order it here (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GKBIRHQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00GKBIRHQ&linkCode=as2&tag=ajlar-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twisted-miracles-aj-larrieu/1117366856?ean=9781426898136" target="_blank">B&N</a>).<br>
<br>A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-49814251887936326922014-02-04T22:23:00.001-08:002014-02-05T15:55:17.547-08:00How I got my agent, got a book deal, and finally got around to writing one of these posts<div>
<br /></div>
When I was first learning about the publishing business (something I’m still doing), some of my favorite posts were the “How I Got My Agent” and “How I Got My Book Deal” articles. When all I had was a half-finished manuscript, it was thrilling to hear success stories. At the time, I had my share of daydreams about writing my own such posts, but when those milestones happened for me, I never quite got around to sharing my experiences. So here goes. Sort of. <br />
<br />
Like a lot of writers, I’ve always written. Ever since I learned how to make letters, I’ve been putting stories on paper. I started out with hand-scrawled, two-page epics about unicorns and moved on to sprawling Southern family sagas I never finished. It never occurred to me that writing was something I could pursue professionally. As a kid, I also happened to like math and science, and those were the skills everyone seemed to regard as useful. I majored in biochemistry, went on to grad school in the same subject, and figured I could always write in my spare time. <br />
<br />
I didn't know how rare spare time was going to be. Graduate school was by turns exciting, frustrating and dull, but it was always all-consuming. There was no room in my brain for anything else, and all those half-finished writing projects I'd optimistically kept on my computer gathered digital dust for four and a half years.<br />
<br />
That November, The Enabler and I celebrated Thanksgiving at a friend’s house. Most of our friends didn’t have the vacation time or the money to fly home for such a short break—hell, half of my friends were spending their “day off” in the lab, just like every other holiday. So The Enabler and I found ourselves at a Thanksgiving Day potluck with a large group of friends and strangers, making conversation and trying not to talk about work. <br />
<br />
After dinner, the hostess started a party game. Everyone was supposed to ask a question, and we all wrote down our answers anonymously and shared our lists with the group. The goal was to guess who belonged to which list. A lot of the questions were things like <i>Who’s your favorite Seinfield character?</i> (Elaine) and W<i>hat’s your favorite book? </i>(Pride and Prejudice, of course). But someone—I don’t remember who—asked the following: What are you afraid you won’t accomplish before you die? <br />
<br />
The answer came to me out of the clear blue sky, as so many true things do. <i>I’m afraid I’ll never write a book. </i><br />
<br />
It shocked me. I had no idea writing a book was that important to me. I had no idea it was important to me at all. <br />
<br />
I went home and stared at all the unfinished novels on my laptop. I had stories about estranged sisters and stories about the dysfunctional Southern aristocracy. I had three pages of a silly space opera with lots of techno-babble and no plot. I had fragments of poems from college and a collection of rambling personal essays. None of it grabbed me. <br />
<br />
This happened to be 2008, the year the financial crisis hit. There was a lot of panic floating around my department about how we were going to find funding in the new economy, and that panic was piled on top of my own terror about graduating and finding a real job. I also happened to be reading <i>Twilight</i> at the time—the first vampire romance I’d ever read—on the recommendation of a close childhood friend. All of these things were crammed into my head, and something in there just went <i>click</i>. I thought: This whole vampire thing—it’s not just about sex or lust or power—it’s about fear, and a writer could do some really interesting things to symbolically explore fear in a fantasy landscape. <br />
<br />
It’s possible I’m too dorky for my own good. <br />
<br />
Anyway, I started reading more genre fiction. I started devouring genre fiction. I’d always loved science fiction and fantasy, but now I started seeing these fascinating themes in all flavors of speculative fiction, the way writers played with mythical creatures and made them represent all the scary intangible fears and desires I was grappling with myself. I discovered paranormal romance and urban fantasy: Diana Rowland, Nicole Peeler, Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews, Carolyn Crane, Kelley Armstrong, Jenn Bennett, Patricia Briggs, Jaye Wells, Charlaine Harris. I wrote a paranormal romance of my own. It came pouring out of my head like I’d knocked the tap off a hose. I realized, finally, that this was what I wanted to write.<br />
<br />
The book was terrible. Half of it was set in a city in France I’ve never visited. It featured two first person viewpoints, neither of which was the hero. There were no sex scenes. I didn’t just make all the classic first novel mistakes, I invented new ones. <br />
<br />
But I finished it. I finished it, and I revised the hell out of it, and I queried it. <br />
<br />
Thank goodness no one wanted it. I got a few nibbles here and there, but after a few dozen rejections and half as many revisions, I faced the fact that the manuscript was never going to be fit for public consumption, and I shelved it. <br />
<br />
Somewhat to my surprise, I started another one right away. <br />
<br />
That’s when I knew I wasn't going to quit. The ideas kept coming. I was working on one book and jotting down ideas for the next. A whole world fell into place in my head, a universe of interlocking stories, people and places and relationships, dozens of them. I couldn’t write fast enough. <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, I also had to write my dissertation. For weeks, I did nothing but write. By day, I wrote down my science, detailed technical descriptions of biochemical methodology, a precise accounting of ten fruitless experiments for every one that worked. A litany of failure. Every night, the stories were like therapy. I finished my dissertation and my second manuscript in the same week. I was exhausted. I graduated, and I sent out queries while I looked for a job. This time, I knew I had something worth reading. I got job interviews, I got manuscript requests, and about two weeks before my new job started, I got an email from Sarah LaPolla. I opened that email with my heart in my throat, waiting for a rejection. It wasn’t a rejection. She’d made me an offer of representation. <br />
<br />
We eventually sold that book, now titled <i><a href="http://ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">Twisted Miracles</a></i>, to <a href="http://ebooks.carinapress.com/D58DEF1F-035B-4DD4-8E78-5DE88D28E0F8/10/134/en/Default.htm" target="_blank">Carina Press</a> in a three book deal. This past Thanksgiving was the five year anniversary of the one that sent me to my laptop in a frenzy, and my debut novel comes out in two months. <br />
<br />
I’m pretty excited about it. And I figured this was my last chance to write one of these posts.<br />
<br />
That’s my story so far. Whatever you’re wishing and hoping for this year, I hope it happens for you in the best possible way.A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-26890604032832313222014-01-12T22:05:00.002-08:002014-01-12T22:06:29.351-08:00The Chemistry of Paranormal World-buildingI'm at <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/2014/01/13/the-chemistry-of-paranormal-world-building/" target="_blank">Paranormal Unbound</a> today, talking about how paranormal world-building is just like organic chemistry. (Yes, I really am that big of a dork.) <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/2014/01/13/the-chemistry-of-paranormal-world-building/" target="_blank">Stop by </a>and tell me about your favorite fictional paranormal worlds!A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-56049854115164748272013-12-20T09:52:00.001-08:002013-12-20T09:52:32.651-08:00Renunion RomancesThe Reunion Romance is one of my favorite tropes in the genre. The thrill of a new relationship is unbeatable, but I love the simmering chemistry that comes with people finding each other again. Maybe that's why my own <a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">upcoming release</a> is a reunion romance, and so are some of my all-time favorite books. <a href="http://www.ghfirebirds.com/trope-talk-reunion-romances/" target="_blank">Today on The Firebirds</a>, Kat Cantrell and I discuss what makes reunion romances so powerful. Drop by and share your own favorites!A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-38750111302466992122013-12-18T21:13:00.001-08:002013-12-18T22:57:42.251-08:00Damsel in Distress: The Guy Reading a Thriller on the Train is Clearly
Going to Murder Me
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<i>(Note: I recently read *another* <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/damsels-distress-why-do-so-many-contemporary-women-read-old-fashioned-romance-novels-1512548" target="_blank">opinion piece</a> on romance novels that was poorly informed. The author
has since apologized, for which I truly think he deserves a great deal of
credit, but in his <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/my-view-romance-novels-addendum-explanation-defense-apology-1514782" target="_blank">apology</a>, he claims that he finds modern women reading romance novels to be
counterintuitive. This statement, along with his blanket assessment of the
quality of romance novels, reveals more about his ignorance of the genre than anything else. Fortunately, ignorance is a solvable problem. Here’s my response. It won’t make
much sense if you haven’t read the original piece.)</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<br></div>
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The other day, I was riding the train to work, and I saw a
young man sitting in the seat in front of me. He was well-dressed and carrying
a leather briefcase, and he had neatly combed brown hair and a close shave, so
I naturally assumed he must have a well-paying job and a higher-than-average
intellect. He was also very attractive—the kind of man I might have wanted to
marry someday. He was reading something on an electronic device, and I decided
it wouldn’t be an egregious invasion of his privacy if I craned over his
shoulder to see what it was. I expected him to be perusing the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wall Street Journal,</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New York Times</i>, or perhaps <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Economist</i>. Imagine my shock when I
found he was reading a thriller!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br></div>
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I could tell it was a thriller by the staccato prose and the
vivid descriptions of torture and gruesome killings. Clearly this man must be
dissatisfied with the mundanity of his white-collar life. Clearly he must yearn
for simpler, more violent solutions to the complex problems he must face every
day. I suspected he wished he could pack a Glock in his suit coat and brutally
murder everyone with whom he engaged in unfavorable contract negotiations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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With a shock of dismay, I realized I knew many men just like
him: good-looking, wealthy men with big stock portfolios and upwardly mobile
careers that nonetheless liked to read about the hyper-sexualized
spy-slash-good-cop heroes and casual violence one so often finds in thrillers. This
man must long for a relationship with one of the beautiful-yet-needy damsels in
distress those heroes were perpetually rescuing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Any hope I had of starting a relationship with the stranger
perished. How could he ever appreciate someone like me—someone with a job and
the ability to think for myself? It was like my mother always said. No man was
ever going to fall in love with me while I insisted on wearing pantsuits to
work. As I sat back in my seat, consumed with hopelessness, another, more
disturbing thought occurred to me. What if he had noticed me looking over his
shoulder—would he be angry? Would he respond with the kind of violence he so
clearly valued reading? He no longer seemed like the placid sort of man I might
have a relationship with—he seemed dangerous. <o:p></o:p></div>
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My own destination was many stops away, but I decided to get
off at the next one, just to be safe. The train came to a stop, the brakes
squealing, and I pulled myself out of my seat, resolutely looking away from the
man’s e-reader. To my terror, he stood up, too. Should I leave? Stay? As I
vacillated, the man turned. He saw me. He smiled, and I could only manage a
weak nod in return. This was it. He was going to bash my head in on the back of
the hideous red plastic seat— <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br></div>
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—but no. He was only offering his seat to an elderly
gentleman who’d just boarded the train. I sat back down and returned to my
romance novel, which featured a vampire huntress staking blood-sucking villains
in Victorian England—and falling in love with one of her prey. Sexy stuff, and the vampire hero seemed to appreciate strong women. Too bad it was only a novel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br></div>
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<i>(For the record, I think romance novels serve as far more
than “escapism,” but I’ve already written about that <a href="http://ajlarrieu.blogspot.com/2012/03/why-we-need-romance-novels.html" target="_blank">here</a>. And in case
you missed my point, I think the way people are portrayed in works of
fiction—any fiction—is important. Also, thrillers are awesome. But making blanket assumptions about whole
groups of people based on their reading habits, especially while also making highly generalized judgements about the books in question? That's just plain silly.)</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br>
<!--EndFragment-->A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-37319484273503757852013-12-15T21:00:00.000-08:002013-12-15T21:16:26.169-08:00Lovely News: I'm a nominee in the GraveTells Readers Choice Awards!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i><a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/anchored.php" target="_blank">Anchored</a></i> and I are up for <a href="http://gravetells.com/book-awards/gtrca13-vote-here-for-your-2013-romance-favorites/?src=header" target="_blank">awards</a>!!</div>
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You’ll have to forgive me while I freak out a little. This
is the first time I’ve been nominated for something like this.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back in March, I self-published <i>Anchored</i> as a kind of experiment.
It’s set in the same world as my full-length novels, and I wanted to see how
folks liked it. I didn’t do a whole lot of promotion, but <a href="http://gravetells.com/paranormal-romance/review-anchored-guardian-series-1-by-a-j-larrieu/" target="_blank">DaVinicKittie over at GraveTells News & Reviews happened to pick it up</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4-wtQH0JryE/Uq0j2SVQ9pI/AAAAAAAAAXE/xb5Hem4Vzug/s1600/RC2013Nom_NewAuthor.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4-wtQH0JryE/Uq0j2SVQ9pI/AAAAAAAAAXE/xb5Hem4Vzug/s200/RC2013Nom_NewAuthor.png" width="200" /></a>Now, I’m up for Most Promising New Author in the GraveTells
Readers Choice Awards, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anchored </i>was
nominated for Favorite Novella. <o:p></o:p>Plus, <a href="http://ebooks.carinapress.com/D58DEF1F-035B-4DD4-8E78-5DE88D28E0F8/10/134/en/default.htm" target="_blank">Carina Press</a>, which will be publishing <i><a href="http://www.ajlarrieu.com/twisted-miracles.php" target="_blank">Twisted Miracles</a></i> (the first book in my new urban fantasy series), is up for Favorite Publisher!</div>
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Y’all, saying I’m the underdog in this fight is a little
like saying a sparrow is the underdog against a hurricane. You should see the
amazingly talented folks in my categories. I’m bowled over with astonishment to
even be on these lists. It’s very humbling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you have read my little book and liked it, and want
to drop by the voting and give me a little nudge, I would be proud to have your
vote. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eHwUrhvp4_M/Uq0j3xgY8UI/AAAAAAAAAXM/pP1bB6ESpeA/s1600/RC2013Nom_FavoriteNovella.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eHwUrhvp4_M/Uq0j3xgY8UI/AAAAAAAAAXM/pP1bB6ESpeA/s200/RC2013Nom_FavoriteNovella.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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You can read my GraveTells spotlight <a href="http://gravetells.com/book-awards/gtrca13-author-spotlight-meet-a-j-larrieu-a-new-author-youll-follow-anywhere/" target="_blank">here</a>, and you can vote
for me and <i>Anchored</i> <a href="http://gravetells.com/book-awards/gtrca13-vote-here-for-your-2013-romance-favorites/?src=header" target="_blank">here</a>. The Favorite Novella category is near the top, and the New Author category is near the bottom, but don't scroll too fast! I’ve found a
lot of new authors through GraveTells, and many of them are on these lists. For
example, <a href="http://www.lindsayjpryor.com/" target="_blank">Lindsay J. Pryor</a> is up for Most Original Story Universe and Most Sensual Vampire, and I can assure you those are well-deserved nominations. I adore her Blackthorn series (very very
sexy paranormal romance). So, even if you don’t want to vote, drop by and check
out the nominees, because there are some great new books to discover.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happy Holidays, all. :)</div>
<!--EndFragment-->A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-66335448403044086442013-12-15T11:34:00.000-08:002013-12-15T11:34:01.295-08:00The Power of StoriesLately, I've been thinking quite a lot about how we use stories to communicate. There's a reason politicians like to trot out everyday folks on the campaign trail and talk about Mrs. Smith's personal story of loss or success. There's a reason so much of the Bible consists of parables. Stories are the most powerful way we can use language. <div>
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I'm talking about a pretty mundane example of this<a href="http://herebemagic.blogspot.com/2013/12/story-is-only-language.html" target="_blank"> today on Here Be Magic</a>--one where my toddler stops screaming so much once he hears a story about a kid with similar problems. But if you're only going to read one post this week about the power of story, you should read my friend and fellow writer Amber Belldene's. She published this amazing <a href="http://amberbelldene.com/a-sermon-on-romance/" target="_blank">Sermon on Romance</a> yesterday, and it's a beautiful and articulate statement of what it means to be a storyteller. </div>
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Have a great week, everyone, and I hope whatever stories you're reading, they speak to you in whatever way you need them to.</div>
A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-18372417004869984312013-11-14T08:08:00.000-08:002013-11-14T08:08:06.752-08:00Interview with fantasy romance author Jeffe Kennedy<a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/2013/11/14/an-interview-with-jeffe-kennedy/" target="_blank">I interviewed the very talented Jeffe Kennedy</a> today for Paranormal Unbound, and we could not stop talking. I had to trim whole pages of the interview to make it an acceptable blog post length. Stop by and check it out--we nerd out about everything from mythology to biology to the elements of an awesome villain. And, if you haven't read her <a href="http://www.jeffekennedy.com/category/books/?series=covenant-of-thorns" target="_blank">Covenant of Thorns</a> fantasy romance series, I highly recommend it.<br />
<br />A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-69177094505852473112013-10-29T08:05:00.001-07:002013-10-29T08:05:32.461-07:00Putting the Urban in Urban Fantasy: Kate Griffin's a Madness of AngelsI'm on Paranormal Unbound today, <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/2013/10/29/putting-the-urban-in-urban-fantasy-a-madness-of-angels-by-kate-griffin/" target="_blank">discussing how I fell in love with Kate Griffin's A Madness of Angels</a>. This book was not my type in so many ways, but I fell hard, and now there's no going back. Stop by and tell about the last book that surprised you.A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-53283156305915933632013-10-04T08:59:00.000-07:002013-10-04T08:59:39.996-07:00Hunting for Book Buddies among BiologistsI'm over at <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/2013/10/04/hunting-for-book-buddies-among-biologists/" target="_blank">Paranormal Unbound</a> today, talking about how hard it is to find fellow paranormal genre fiction fans in my offline life. Stop by and share your book buddy discovery stories!A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-4377006197407301412013-04-24T21:44:00.000-07:002013-04-24T22:03:28.828-07:00Adventures in Freelance Cover Design, or How Confident Sports Woman became a Fierce Winged Warrior<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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I'm a detail-oriented control freak. So, one of the nice (or maybe unfortunate?) things about self-publishing <u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BSDT1HG/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00BSDT1HG&linkCode=as2&tag=ajlar-20" target="_blank">Anchored</a></u> was that I got be a detail-oriented control freak about my book cover. I knew I wanted something that conveyed the tone of the story and the nature of my heorine: strong, sexy, and confident.</div>
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I'm not half-bad with Adobe Illustrator. Part of my day job involves making complex graphics describing scientific concepts, so I know my way around the buttons, and I know how to do things like apply blurs and change font kerning. When it came to cover design, though, I knew I needed a professional. I asked friends, did some research, and settled on Kim Killion at <a href="http://www.hotdamndesigns.com/" target="_blank">Hot Damn Designs</a>. The first thing I found out was that I needed to pick a cover model from Stock Photography Land.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Have you ever visited Stock Photography Land? It's an immense and fascinating place, and I spent about twelve hours over two days
immersed in it. I wasn’t very good at navigating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Side note: Stock Photography Land has a lot
of expectant mothers in it. My search for “woman standing profile” turned up a
lot of pregnant ladies in meadows looking peacefully into the distance.) Anyway, after many hours and many open tabs in my browser, I settled on Confident Sports Woman:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2RW14LFz8yk/UTgPgUhUJOI/AAAAAAAAARA/ACWW2xqWBek/s1600/dreamstime_s_21251572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2RW14LFz8yk/UTgPgUhUJOI/AAAAAAAAARA/ACWW2xqWBek/s320/dreamstime_s_21251572.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">photo by ammentorp photography <br />(dreamstime.com)</span></td></tr>
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She was almost perfect. Her hair was in an unfortunate
ponytail, and she was wearing sneakers, but I loved her expression. To me, it
said, “Bring it, asshole. I ain’t even scared.” She just needed wings. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Kim also asked me to hunt down some
covers I liked and thought captured the same feel I was going for. First I found this one:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/042523469X/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=042523469X&linkCode=as2&tag=ajlar-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aOBCPA4XFqg/US6IoIXpVPI/AAAAAAAAAQM/EQcwDp48aX8/s320/Stormwalkerpage.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Don’t you love this cover? All that wind and lightning! There's a hurricane in <u>Anchored</u>, so I was hoping for a similarly threatening sky. Plus, the cover model looks tough without looking contorted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then there was this one:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0451237129/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0451237129&linkCode=as2&tag=ajlar-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4HkaF6INiYo/US6I9A4poWI/AAAAAAAAAQU/mewvtngP6bg/s1600/DarknessHuntsMed1-186x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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I love how forbidding that cityscape looks, and how the
angel on the cover looks strong but weary. </div>
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I gave Kim Confident Sports Woman along with my comparison covers and a bunch of writerly nonsense about “fierce” and “elemental” and “maybe there should be a knife.” Just four days later, she came back with this:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-falzB2m8nAs/US6JG4UTDBI/AAAAAAAAAQc/V7UkLpyA63I/s1600/AJLarrieu_Anchored_cover1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-falzB2m8nAs/US6JG4UTDBI/AAAAAAAAAQc/V7UkLpyA63I/s320/AJLarrieu_Anchored_cover1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Amazing, right? I asked for a handful of tweaks, and: Boom!
The final cover for <u>Anchored</u>!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BSDT1HG/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00BSDT1HG&linkCode=as2&tag=ajlar-20" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rDAfuwDzo7s/UTgQZu9F9pI/AAAAAAAAARM/Uru1iBVV-7Y/s320/AJLarrieu_Anchored_comp3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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I love that she looks sexy without resorting to
a leather corset. (Not that there’s anything <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">at all </i>wrong with leather corsets, but Susannah would kill me if I
even <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">suggested</i> one.) And this woman doesn't need a knife to look scary. She looks like she could kill a vampire with her bare hands. (And she can.) The stormy sky is a perfect backdrop, and I love the nifty title font. I sort of want to email Confident
Sports Woman and say, “Hey, did you know you are an Angel? And you have Superpowers?
And there’s this <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> hot guy who
is totally in love with you and--bonus!--incredible in bed? You are actually Fierce Winged Warrior!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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But that would probably be weird.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-41637873281724039192013-04-05T06:19:00.001-07:002013-04-05T06:19:29.945-07:00New blogging adventure: Breaking Rules with Paranormal UnboundI'm sort of a nerd. Actually, I'm a HUGE nerd. I'm incapable of not overanalyzing everything I get my hands on: books, The Vampire Diaries, movies, chewing gum wrappers. This is why I'm thrilled to be taking part in a new group blog, <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/" target="_blank">Paranormal Unbound</a>.<br />
<br />
ParaUnbound is the brainchild of my writer-friend <a href="http://amberbelldene.com/" target="_blank">Amber Belldene</a>, Episcopal priest and author of sexy vampire romance <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AXREPM4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00AXREPM4&linkCode=as2&tag=ajlar-20" target="_blank">Blood Vine</a>. (Yeah, you read that right.) Amber rounded up a group of paranormal romance and urban fantasy <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/our-authors/" target="_blank">authors who aren't afraid to flirt with the boundaries of the genre</a>. We're going to be indulging in our inner (and not-so-inner) English majors, gushing about books, fangirling over Firefly and otherwise being ourselves. I'm honored to be blogging with these ladies.<br />
<br />
Today is my debut on the blog, and Amber and I are having <a href="http://paranormalunbound.com/2013/04/05/what-makes-a-heroine-kick-ass-feminism-in-paranormal-romance/" target="_blank">a conversation about feminism in paranormal romance</a>. Stop by and chat--we're hoping the blog becomes a place where like-minded dorky genre enthusiasts can hang out. (Oh, and we're giving away books!)A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-79892228095303161962013-03-21T06:51:00.002-07:002013-03-21T06:52:35.532-07:00My First Interview!<a href="http://www.ghfirebirds.com/a-j-larrieus-launch-party/" target="_blank">I'm over at the Firebirds</a> today answering questions about tough heroines, hurricanes, and the science of world building. Stop by and say hello!A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-23216365874533435802013-03-13T22:34:00.001-07:002013-03-23T09:43:46.967-07:00Release Day: My debut novella is now available!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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So, I have some news:</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5dxOj6xJ68M/UTGBPJGj8HI/AAAAAAAAAQs/y2BA9g09cKc/s1600/AJLarrieu_Anchored_800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5dxOj6xJ68M/UTGBPJGj8HI/AAAAAAAAAQs/y2BA9g09cKc/s400/AJLarrieu_Anchored_800.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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My fabulous agent and I have decided to
self-publish a novella! <u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Anchored-ebook/dp/B00BSDT1HG" target="_blank">Anchored</a></u> went on sale yesterday as an e-book. It’s set in the same paranormal world as <u><a href="http://ajlarrieu.blogspot.com/p/books-to-be.html">Questionable Miracles</a></u> (my Golden Heart finaling manuscript), and it tells the story of Susannah March, a winged guardian charged with protecting the city of Biloxi, Mississippi. That’s no
easy task in hurricane country, but Susannah is a brutally powerful supernatural warrior, and there's no problem she can't handle, usually by beheading it.
Her biggest challenge is accepting help when she needs it, which is why the
arrival of an inconveniently sexy supernatural healer named Jason Delacourt
sets her completely off-balance. You can read the full blurb <a href="http://ajlarrieu.blogspot.com/p/books.html">here</a>, and you can get to know Susannah in the excerpt below:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
stood over the body and cursed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“There’s
nothing you could’ve done,” Max said. “She lost too much blood.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
allowed myself a single display of temper: I punched through the wooden railing
of the beachside boardwalk. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“That’s
going to confuse the police,” he said, looking at the splintered wood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Let
it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
turned and strode for the beach. My hand was bleeding, and I picked splinters
out of my knuckles as we walked. I have a high tolerance for pain, but I was
dripping blood all over the sand, so I ripped off one of my sleeves and bound
my knuckles with it. Max politely said nothing and got out his cell phone to
call in an anonymous tip. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
police wouldn’t know what to make of her anyway, a bloodless body without a
mark. It was part of my job to keep them from suspecting the supernatural
existed, but I couldn’t put blood back in that girl’s body, and I wasn’t going
to hide it and make her family spend decades hoping she was still alive. She’d
looked to be nineteen, maybe younger. What a fucking waste.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
was late, almost two a. m., so I didn’t bother with a glamour as Max and I went
up the deserted beach to my diner. My wings drifted behind me, and I walked to the
edge of the water where the sand was firmer, letting my right wingtip trail through
the still-warm water of the gulf. I could already see the lights of my restaurant
ahead. The bastard had killed within two hundred yards of it. It was an insult.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“They’re
on their way,” Max said, pocketing his phone and coming into step with me. “It’s
good we found her before the storm hit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Yes.”
There was a good chance her body would’ve been dragged out to sea by the
hurricane if we’d just left her there. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“There’ll
be more questions this way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“There
will.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He
fell silent while we walked. He knew better than to try and comfort me; we’d
been working together too long. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We
reached my diner, the front covered by a corrugated steel security gate, and I took
out the key and unlocked it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You
going to ride it out here?” Max’s normally carefree face was concerned. He was
a telepath—he knew what I’d planned already—but he liked to give me the
illusion of privacy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You
can go,” I said. “Go take care of Kaitlin or Kathy or whatever her name is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Kellie.”
He flashed a grin that was almost apologetic. “Thanks.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
flapped my hand at him, and he took off for his car.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After
he’d sped down the empty street, I stood on the front porch and looked at the
stacks of plywood waiting to be nailed up. Max and I had almost finished
boarding up the windows when I’d felt the near-death terror of the victim and
gone racing down the beach. There were still three more to go. The Sand Angel Grill
had been through seven hurricanes since I’d owned it, and this wouldn’t be the first
one to blow it down, but Mandy was a small storm, and I was hoping to get away
without too much damage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
picked up the hammer, held a half dozen nails between my lips and went to work
on the last few windows. It had been a long time since I’d gotten an alarm like
that. I was Biloxi’s guardian, a sort of supernatural police chief, so when
something went wrong in the city, I could feel it. Usually, I sensed rogue sups
before they got into any trouble. Not this time. The vampire who attacked that
girl must have been a powerful one. Old enough to have control over his
bloodlust, to know how to keep me from sensing him. It was troubling. I slammed
the last nail in and tossed the hammer behind my cash register. It would do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
should’ve gone inside to get what rest I could before the storm hit, but I was
too unsettled. Natural disasters are difficult times for guardians. There’s not
much we can do about them—nothing to fight—and the chaos was going to weaken my
communion with the city. Max was smart to take off for his girlfriend’s. For
the next two days, I was going to be difficult to be around. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">More</i> difficult, Max would say. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But
the storm wouldn’t hit for a few hours. I had time. I left the security gate
open and walked barefoot onto the beach. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
sky was full of beautiful fury, all rolling blue-grey clouds above a
white-capped sea. The beach was still deserted, so I kept my glamour down as I
walked to the water and stretched my wings. It was a relief after keeping them
furled all day. My glamour kept them from being seen, but that didn’t mean the
wait staff couldn’t run into them. Once, out on the beach at sunrise, I’d been
stretching them out and a jogger had run right into them and gone sprawling. She’d
convinced herself she’d tripped, but I’d never seen her take that path again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
had been a busy day even before I started chasing rogue vampires—everyone
grabbing sandwiches so they’d have more time to board up and batten down. It
wouldn’t make up for the week of lost business after the storm, but it was
something. My feet were sore, my wing crests ached, and my feathers were sticky
with sweat and grease. I wanted nothing more than to dive into the ocean. I
didn’t have my swimsuit, but I didn’t care. I started shucking my clothes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
was down to my bra and underwear when the rain-heavy air shifted behind me. I
already knew who it was, so I didn’t turn around. He landed in the sand with a
soft <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">shush</i> and walked toward me. I
sighed and pulled my jeans back on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Evening,
Susannah.” He stood next to me and folded his arms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Hank.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He
had dark brown skin and cardinal-red wings with black markings to match his
hair. He was the Atlanta’s guardian, serving his city just as I served mine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“What
are you doing here?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He
was four hundred miles from home. Even as old and strong as he was, it wouldn’t
have been an easy trip. Guardians lose strength the farther we are from our
anchor points. Too far, and we fade away entirely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I
have a candidate for you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
didn’t look at him. “It’s not a good time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He
laughed, big and loud. “Not a good time? It’s been ten years and she says it’s
not a good time.” In my peripheral vision, I saw him shake his head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Hank,
this hurricane’s going to hit in three hours, I’ve got a rogue vampire running
around, and my line cook just quit. She can wait a week.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hank
smiled. “He.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“What?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You
heard me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
frowned. Male healers are uncommon. About as uncommon as female guardians. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You
know I’d rather work with a woman.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Ah,
yes, that proved to be a splendid idea with the last one.” His lips twisted. “How
long did she last?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“She
was a disaster. You saw her with that gunshot victim. She went into hysterics.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hank
looked at his bitten-down nails and sighed. “Susannah, you can’t reject
everyone out of hand. Potential healers aren’t exactly common. It took me a
long time to find this one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I
don’t recall asking you to look." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Healers
are like guardians: We can anchor to our birthplaces, draw power from them to
amplify our gifts. But Biloxi isn’t all that big, and the number of
born-and-bred natives with potential is low. I had no idea how Hank had found
this one, but it couldn’t have been easy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Give
him a chance. A trial. That’s all I ask.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
thinned my lips. Hank was the ranking guardian in the Southeast. He was the
sort to see this as his duty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I’m
not going to take that risk again,” I said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“It
was a long time ago.” He turned to face me squarely. “This isn’t just about one
person’s life. And it’s not just about you.” His eyes were kind through the
gentle rebuke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
breeze was picking up. I beat my wings against it, letting it riff through my
feathers with a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">phutt</i>ering sound. I
remembered the dead girl on the boardwalk. Hank, wisely, stayed silent. Deep in
the oncoming wall of rain over the gulf, lightning struck.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“After
the storm passes,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He
inclined his head. “I’ll send him.” He looked up, assessed the sky and took
flight in a smooth burst of muscle and power. I watched him disappear into the
cloudbank.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
took an hour for the drizzling rain to turn pounding and the storm surge to hit
the high-tide mark. The power winked out along the coast in a scattered line,
generators going on in a handful of houses. A few lights were still on in the
high rises, but the smaller hotels were dark. I could have closed my eyes and mapped the shape of the skyline in my mind. My beautiful, flawed, complicated
city. And now I was going to have to let someone else into it and trust him not
to screw up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trust
myself not to screw up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment--></blockquote>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Want more? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BSDT1HG/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00BSDT1HG&linkCode=as2&tag=ajlar-20" target="_blank">Anchored is available in Kindle format</a> for $0.99.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It's been an adventure getting this little book into the world, and I'll be posting some of my experiences with the self-publishing process in the weeks to come. For now, though, I hope you enjoy reading Susannah's story as much as I enjoyed writing it. :)</div>
<!--EndFragment-->A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-3209002874871468292013-01-23T20:29:00.001-08:002013-01-23T20:29:27.888-08:00How to Handle a Manuscript Critique
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--h7ecu7MVnc/UQC1p6SWDuI/AAAAAAAAAOA/Z9NriFcW43A/s1600/llamadrama_edit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--h7ecu7MVnc/UQC1p6SWDuI/AAAAAAAAAOA/Z9NriFcW43A/s640/llamadrama_edit.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m in the editing phase for one of my novels, one that’s especially
close to my heart, and I recently got notes back from my trusted critique
partners and beta readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my
betas is a very dear friend of mine, and when she was done with the manuscript,
we went to a local microbrewery to have pizza and beer and talk about the
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sat down at one of the shiny,
dark wood tables and whipped out our laptops. My beta started scrolling through
my manuscript and telling me all the places where she paused, thought something
was off, found a typo. At one point she asked me, “Joan had sex with Alex*,
right? I mean, is that what you meant to imply in this scene?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was not what I meant to imply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Thanks,” I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It
doesn’t really matter what I meant.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And it doesn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Step one</u></b>
of handling a critique is to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>receive </u></i><u>it.</u></b> <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No explaining, not to your reader, not to yourself. No
attempts to justify the inclusion of, say, llamas in your contemporary romance.
There are only two things you may ever say in response to a critique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first is, “Thank you.” The second is
something like, “When you say you thought the chase scene didn’t make sense,
did you mean the one where they chase llamas across the mall
parking lot, or the one in the kitchen where she’s running after him with a
frying pan?” Thanks, or a request for clarification. That’s it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No explanations, no “But the llamas are
crucial to the plot!”, no “Maybe you just don’t like llamas!” Shut up and
receive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s crucial that you make every effort not to spout off
these explanations and justifications <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">even
to yourself.</i> Just for a little while, pretend everything your reader says
is the absolute truth, because in a way, it is. Her experience of the book is
valid, even if it isn’t the same as your experience. That’s why you asked for her
help in the first place. When those explanatory voices pipe up, have another
beer and say, “Thanks, that’s an interesting point.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now you’re ready for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>step
two</u></b>. Take that critique and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>ignore
it</u></b>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Critiques are like jumping into too-hot bathwater. They <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sting.</i> (For me, anyway. If you’ve
figured out how to take the pain out of statements like “I kind of hated your
hero…sorry!” please tell me your secret.) The way to get through the pain is to
live with it for a little while. Don’t think about it too hard. Let that
critique sit on your hard drive for a day, a week, whatever it takes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ignoring your critique doesn’t just take away the sting. It
helps make those persistent voices shut up. If you think about it too much, the
need to EXPLAIN! will take over. You’ll get into a useless conversation with your
critique and convince it that the llamas are necessary. You’ll be very
satisfied with yourself, because the critique will just sit there saying the
same thing over and over again. Easy argument to win. And the book will suffer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once the critique has been sufficiently ignored, you’re
ready for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>step three: deal with it.</u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now that you’ve calmed down and realized the llamas really <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> unnecessary, it’s a lot easier to
cut them out. There may be points on which you simply don’t agree with your
reader, and that’s okay. It’s critical here not to write off a response as “a
personal thing.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All</i> responses to
books are personal. But it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> okay to
sift through those personal responses for the ones that ring in harmony with your
vision of the book. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many, many times, I’ve gotten notes back from multiple critique
partners, and everybody has a problem with a particular scene. Say this happens
with your parking lot llama chase scene. Somebody hates the llamas, somebody
else thinks it would work better if it took place in an amusement park,
somebody else thinks the dialogue between the hero and the heroine
sounds stilted. What this means is that something is wrong. Nobody—including you—is
sure what, but it’s your job to figure it out, and figure it out you will.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So there it is, handling a manuscript critique in three
simple steps:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ol>
<li>Receive it.</li>
<li>Ignore it.</li>
<li>Deal with it.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
You may have noticed a secret step in there at the very end.
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Step three-point-one: Believe you
will get it right.</u></b> Having faith in yourself during a critique may be
the hardest step of all, but keep believing. Trust in your voice, in your
vision, in your characters. It may take time, multiple re-writes, lots of
chocolate or bourbon or macaroni and cheese with bacon. But as long as you
don’t give up, there’ll be a better book on the other side.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s your favorite trick for handling a critique?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*Names have been changed to protect the unpublished.</span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-55557982421828939792012-09-20T22:52:00.000-07:002012-09-20T22:52:10.801-07:00New Serial Short Fiction Up!I've started participating in a fun, interactive writing project with my fellow 2012 Golden Heart Finalists (aka The Firebirds). Today, <a href="http://www.ghfirebirds.com/fiction-fridays-pray-for-night-part-1/" target="_blank">my first contribution</a> is up on the Firebirds blog. It's an interactive serial short story in which readers pick what happens next, and the next segment will be written by <a href="http://www.daryndajones.com/" target="_blank">Darynda Jones</a>, RITA-winning author of <a href="http://www.darynda.com/first-grave-on-the-right/" target="_blank">First Grave on the Right</a> (and the whole, excellent Charley Davidson series). Darynda has a hilarious voice with a dark edge to it, and I'm thrilled (and more than a little humbled and nervous) that she's going to pick up the story. The rest of the series will be written by a team of talented Firebirds from all over the world (from Australia to India to South Carolina) with all kinds of awards (including the Golden Heart and the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery). It's going to be a blast seeing where our team takes this story.<br />
<br />
So...go check out Part 1 of<i><a href="http://www.ghfirebirds.com/fiction-fridays-pray-for-night-part-1/" target="_blank"> Pray for Night.</a></i> It's a short, fun read for your Friday coffee break. There are zombies. There are nuns. There are phone numbers on cocktail napkins and drunken debauchery at charming pubs. And I have no idea what will happen next, so <a href="http://www.ghfirebirds.com/fiction-fridays-pray-for-night-part-1/" target="_blank">go vote</a> and help us out! A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9194969924649415384.post-46130914555337580732012-09-03T20:29:00.000-07:002012-09-03T20:29:10.635-07:00Burn the Boats<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--pBPFaQUtq0/UEF1mzeHfuI/AAAAAAAAANo/IHAdrwntJtU/s1600/La%CC%88rmfeuer_2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--pBPFaQUtq0/UEF1mzeHfuI/AAAAAAAAANo/IHAdrwntJtU/s400/La%CC%88rmfeuer_2010.JPG" title="" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:4028mdk09" target="_blank">4028mdk09</a> / <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons </a>/ <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/">CC-BY-SA-3.0</a></td></tr>
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When the Spanish conquistador Cortes landed in Mexico in the
1500s, he burned his ships on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was no going back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
survive—conquer—or die.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll put aside for the moment my moral argument with the
Spanish conquistadors, and the fact that this story is utterly false. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_conquest_of_the_Aztec_Empire" target="_blank">According to Wikipedia</a>, he scuttled the ships
to prevent a mutiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But whatever.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes, it’s a pretty useful philosophy
for living your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Choices, second
chances—these things can be paralyzing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I can
always go back, how can I move forward after a decision?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This is how I’ve been feeling revising my latest book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It needs work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to make some big changes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are multiple ways I could take the
story, and I’ve been stymied in a swamp of possibilities for weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way to get out, I think, is to pick
one boardwalk out of the marsh and burn the rest of them to the ground.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Usually, when I’m revising, I save every deleted word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You never know when you’ll need it,
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But not this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m hitting delete on tens of thousands of
words and not looking back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way
out is to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">write</i> my way out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How do you force yourself out of tough spots?<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->A. J. Larrieuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13880636157146909387noreply@blogger.com4