Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Iron Knight arc contest: A day with Ash (or Puck)

















Today is September 1st.



I think its time for a contest, with a signed arc of THE IRON KNIGHT being the prize. What sayest thou? Good? Excellent, read on.

Since THE IRON KNIGHT is Ash's story, I thought making an Ash-centric contest would be appropriate. So, let me ask you this question:


"If you had one day with Ash (or Puck), what would you do?"


















That's right, for one day, I'm letting you borrow Ash or Puck. What you do with them is up to you. It can be a date, an outing, a mischief-laden evening where you set all the zoo animals free and throw tomatoes at mimes (this would probably be with Puck), or whatever. Post your perfect day with Ash or Puck on your blog, facebook, other, link it in the comments, and be sure to tweet it using the hashtag #DaywithAsh (or Puck).

Just one rule:

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep this G-rated. I will not be amused if either of the boys ends up shirtless in mango-jello, if you know what I mean. (Okay, so I'll be amused, but that post is not going to win an arc.) Also remember that while Puck might tolerate a friendly kiss, Ash is already taken and Meghan will be very annoyed with me if something non-platonic happens. Please respect the established boundaries of the Iron Fey world, that's all I ask. :)

Other then that, have fun with them. ;)


Details:

One Ash winner and one Puck winner. I will choose my four favorites and let Random.org decide the rest. U.S. and Canada only this time, sorry. Contest will run to September 25th. "Inappropriate" posts will be disqualified. Don't forget to post your perfect day on your blog or other public forum. Thanks!

That's it! Good luck, and have fun. Ash, Puck, be nice to your dates. No turning them into icicles or hedgehogs. Without reason, of course.

Ash: I'm going to kill you for this.

Puck: *Snickers* Oh, they don't know what they're in for.

Me: Maybe this wasn't such a great idea, after all...






Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Teaser Tuesday

Poor blog. I've been so busy lately, all it has to look forward to is Teaser Tuesdays. I will have to work on that.

Anyway, another Tuesday has rolled around, so you know what that means.

Teaser Tuesday.

The evil version:

***









"Did you think this would have a happily-ever-after? Between a mortal and a fey? How did you think this was going to end?"












Bwahaha. #EvilAuthor. *Ducks tomatoes, hides behind Puck.*


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Twisted Tour Stop





No Teaser Tuesday today, but I have something even better.

If you didn't know already, author Gena Showalter wrote this awesome book called TWISTED, the third book in her Intertwined series. TWISTED is set to release at the end of this month, and to celebrate, does she have an opportunity for you!

But first, the cover! (God, Aden is hot.)








His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he's never felt more out of control. There's a darkness within him, something taking over…changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.



Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker—just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.



Life couldn't get any worse. Could it?



So, now that you know what an awesome book TWISTED is, on with the totally awesome contest:


TWISTED Tour contest:

How do you define the “Best Night Ever?” Does going on a mini shopping spree for a chic new outfit, dinner out with your bestie and seeing your favorite music act live in concert sound like it would do the trick? If so, read on!



To celebrate the release of, TWISTED, the third book in her Intertwined series featuring Aden Stone, Gena Showalter is rocking out with her author buds on The TWISTED Tour. The tour spans almost two weeks and 11 author websites, including this one, from August 22nd through September 2nd. The Grand Prize winner will be awarded all the essentials for a perfect night out, including:



- $250 Ticketmaster Gift Card (WANTS!)

- $100 American Eagle Outfitters Gift Card

- $100 Visa Gift Card for Dinner

- Glam Urban Decay Makeup Gift Set



A Second Prize winner will receive an autographed set of Gena’s Intertwined series, including INTERTWINED, UNRAVELED and TWISTED.



HOW TO PLAY: Visit The Knight Agency blog and check the tour schedule. Visit the sites of each author on their assigned tour date and locate the concert ticket image.



At the end of the tour, fill out the form on the aforementioned TWISTED Tour contest webpage by matching the images you found to the authors’ websites that they were located on before Sunday, September 4th at 11:59pm ET. The winners will be randomly drawn and notified on or around September 9th, 2011.




I am seriously envious. Anyway, here is your image for the contest. Good luck to you, and don't forget to visit the other author blogs on their assigned days to win.





Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Teaser Tuesday













Another Tuesday is upon us.


And, though Iron Knight is Ash's story, he is not the only star of the show. Today's teaser comes from the mouth of the infamous Robin Goodfellow and a certain furball.



***

Puck snorted. "Yeah, your perfect kitty vision does us no good if you don't warn us that something is coming once in awhile. Poofing away doesn't count. That way, we can at least have a heads-up."

The cat thumped his tail. "Additionally, you can paint a neon sign over our heads that says, 'Easy meal, follow the flashing lights.'"

"Or we could use you for bait..."


***









Also, Stacey from Page Turners Blog found me THIS pic. Grim and Puck, perhaps? You tell me. :D



Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Teaser Tuesday: Special

Congrats to Cassandra Clare and Jace for their win in the YA Crush Tourney. Couldn't have asked for a better, tougher opponent then Jace.

So, no shirtless Ash scene (I will save that for something special), but since today is Tuesday, I'd thought I'd post an extensive teaser from Iron Knight.

A HUGE, HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for Ash. You gave Jace a good fight, and that's all we could ask for.

So, today's Teaser Tuesday is for Team Ash. Thank you again.

***

The door past the sphinxes opened to another narrow corridor, empty of fire-breathing dragons this time, but no less strange. It stretched away into the darkness, lit only by orange candlelight, flickering against walls. The flames seemed to float in the air, reflecting off the surfaces of hundreds of full-length mirrors lining the corridor on both sides.

Glancing at my own image, I paused, faintly surprised at the stranger in the mirror. The pale, dark-haired reflection stared back grimly, clothes tattered around the edges, eyes touched with exhaustion. I barely recognized myself, but maybe that was a good thing. After all, that was why I was here; to become something else, someone else. If all went as planned, Ashalyn’darkmyr Tallyn, third prince of the Unseelie Court, would no longer exist.

What will it be like as a human? I wondered at my reflection. Will I still be myself? Will I remember everything about my life in the Winter Court, or will all those memories disappear?

I shook my head. It was useless to wonder about that now, when we were so close, but still…

“Come on, handsome.” Puck put a hand on my shoulder, and I brushed it off. “Quit preening. I think we’re almost there.”

As we started down the corridor, wary of traps and pits and ambushes, I thought of Meghan, back in the Iron Kingdom. It would be dreadfully ironic, I mused, if once I earned a soul, I forgot everything about being fey, including all my memories of her. That sort of ending seemed appropriately tragic; the smitten fey creature becomes human but forgets why he wanted to in the first place. Old fairytales loved that sort of irony.

I won’t let that happen, I told myself, clenching my fists. If I have to have Puck tell me everything, even if he has to go through our entire history, I will find a way to make it back to her. I will not become human only to forget it all.

The hallway went on. The flickering candles cast strange lights in the opposite mirrors, endless rows of flame, stretching to infinity. From the corner of my eye, I saw my own dark reflection, walking along beside me. Smirking.

Except, I wasn’t.


***

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Ash's toughest challenge yet

So, two things:

Tomorrow I will be in Nashville, TN for the final stop on the Ash to Nash tour with Beth Revis (Across the Universe), Victoria Schwab (The Near Witch), and Myra McEntire (Hourglass). We'll be at Barnes and Noble from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, and there will be a panel and giveaways and a good time will be had by all.

Details here.

AND...

Tomorrow (Monday, August 8th) is also the YA Crush Tourney, and its Ash vs. Jace Wayland, in his toughest battle yet! So, if you want to give Ash a sliver of a fighting chance against the mighty Jace, go here to vote for him. The voting starts at 8am Central time and will continue until 8pm.

Oh, and one more thing. If, against all odds, Ash manages to win against Jace Wayland, I will post another Ash/Meg scene.

And Ash will be shirtless. :D



(If it happens to be a tie, Cassie Clare and I discussed writing a scene with both Jace and Ash. Shirtless. Wrestling in jello. But only if there's a tie. How's that for a visual, lol!)

So go forth, and vote!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Ash and Meghan: Deleted Balcony Scene

"Breathes deep*

Okay, so if you didn't already know, yesterday Ash faced his biggest challenger yet in the YA Crush Tourney; none other then the infamous Patch of Hush, Hush fame.



















Both boys had oodles of fans (a whole army in Patch's case), and loyal supporters on either side. It was a nail-biting fight to the finish, with both Patch and Ash pulling ahead throughout the day. At one point, all seemed lost for Ash, as he was down by over 200 votes. But, amazingly, the Ash advocates rallied and closed the gap, and this morning it was a race down to the wire, in the closest, most exciting battle yet. Sometimes only 1 to 2 votes separated the prince and the fallen angel, as they both pulled ahead or fell behind.

Finally, the clock ran out. And the one to emerge victorious, though tired and bloody and completely exasuasted...

...was Ash.


First off, a HUGE thank you to everyone who voted, tweeted, re-tweeted, and kept the support for Ash going. Without you, Ash definitely would have been defeated.

Thank you to Patch's army for an awesome, exciting battle. It really did come down to the wire, and it could have fallen either way.

And of course, to fellow author Becca Fitzpatrick and her thoroughly terrifying, yet completely swoonworthy Patch. If Ash and Patch ever teamed up for anything, they would be unstoppable. ;)


I am so grateful to everyone who participated in the tourney, Ash's team especially. As a thank you, I promised to post a short deleted scene with Ash and Meghan if Ash emerged victorious. Think of this as Ash's last hurrah before his next match, which will be against...

Jace Wayland.
















Yep, THAT Jace. And here is where Ash's streak will come to an end, I fear. I am under no illusion that he will be able to stand against the reigning YA Crush King; all I hope is that Ash will give him a good fight.

So, with that in mind, here is the deleted scene for Ash's victory. If you enjoy it, and if you're so inclined, remember to vote for Ash in his next match: give him a fighting chance, at least. ;)



Deleted Scene: This is from THE IRON QUEEN, so spoilers ahead for those who have not read it yet. It takes place at Glitch's base, right after Ash has stormed off after having a small spat with Meghan, and she goes to the balcony to find him.

Remember, this is a DELETED scene, one that didn't make it into the final book. Please don't ask me what comes next, because I don't know, lol. (Also, this is YA, just throwing that out there.)

Okay, here we go:

***

Extended Balcony Scene


I stepped close and slipped my arms around his waist, hearing his quiet intake of breath as I pulled him against me. “That was a long time ago,” I murmured, pressing my cheek to his back, listening to his thudding heart. “You’ve changed since then. That Ash wouldn’t protect a silly human girl with his life, or become her knight, or walk into exile with her. Every step of the way, you’ve always been there, right beside me. I’m not letting you go now.”

“I’m a coward.” Ash’s voice was subdued. “If I cared for you as much as I should, I would end my life and the curse along with it. My existence puts you in danger. If I were no longer here—”

“Don’t you dare, Ashallyn’darkmyr Tallyn.” I held him tighter, even as he flinched at the sound of his True Name. “Don’t you dare throw your life away for an unknown superstition. If you die—” My voice broke, and I swallowed thickly. “I love you,” I whispered, fisting my hands against his stomach. “You can’t leave. You swore you wouldn’t.”

Ash’s hands came to rest over mine, twining our fingers together. “Even if the world stands against you,” he murmured, bowing his head. “I promise.”

For awhile, we just stood like that, content not to move, as the wind howled around us and tugged at our hair and clothes. Ash, true to form, was perfectly still. I closed my eyes and lost myself in his quiet breathing, in the rise and fall of his chest, in the beat of his heart. It was hard to believe, sometimes, that this—this beautiful, solemn, immortal prince in my arms—was mine.

“Meghan.”

His voice rumbled in my ear, low and hesitant. “Yes?” I whispered, and he shifted around to face me, taking my hands in his. For a few moments, he gazed at our interlocked fingers, running his thumb gently over my skin, as if gathering his thoughts.

“Be patient with me,” he said at last, furrowing his brow. His gaze finally shifted up to mine, bright and soulful. “It’s…difficult sometimes, to watch you fight, to see you throw yourself into danger again and again.” One hand came up, long fingers gently touching my cheek. “I can’t bear the thought of anything happening to you,” he murmured. “I wish I could protect you from everything.”

“I know,” I said, smiling up at him. “But, it’s my turn now. You’ve done so much already, Ash; now it’s my turn to protect you. You and Puck and the Nevernever, and…and everyone.” I sighed and looked past him, at the clouds sweeping over the iron realm. “If I could just figure out a way to do that.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.” Ash’s voice was resigned, and he drew me closer, wrapping his arms around my waist. Sighing, he lowered his head, soft strands of his hair brushing my forehead. “Just…try not to give me a heart attack when you do.”

“I can’t promise anything,” I whispered back. “But, I’ll try.”

His expression twitched in a faint smile, and he gave a tiny shake of his head. “I suppose that’s all I can ask for—” But before he could finish, I slipped my arms around his neck, leaned up, and took his lips with mine.

He made a faint noise of surprise, before his eyes fluttered shut and he leaned into me, pulling us closer. I savored the feel of his lips against mine, breathing in his scent, that sharp mix of frost and peppermint. He breathed my name, just one simple word, and it turned my stomach inside out and set my whole body on fire. It made me desperate to get closer, made me bolder then I’d ever been. I pressed forward, pushing him against the railing, standing on tiptoe to trail kisses down his neck. He groaned, tilting his head back, hands sliding up to tangle in my hair. I couldn’t get close enough, it seemed. Never close enough.

Ash ducked his head, meeting my lips again, his kisses suddenly crushing, devouring. One arm snaked around my waist, the other cupped the back of my head, pressing us together, like two puzzle pieces that finally clicked. I held him as tightly as I could, feeling the hard, lithe muscles of his back, shifting through his armor. Wishing it was suddenly gone, that I could feel his cool skin under my fingers. His cloak fluttered around us, like the edges of tattered wings, cocooning us both, and I didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.

Ash drew back suddenly, breathing deep, trying to control himself. I felt his heart beneath his armor, hammering in his chest. He dropped his gaze, shoulders heaving, though his arms didn’t loosen their grip, and resisted my attempt to pull back.

“Ash?”

The look he gave me was almost frightening in its intensity. “Command me,” he whispered, bringing his face close to mine. His eyes seared into me, challenging and pleading all at once. “Tell me to stop, and I will.”

I gazed at him, well aware that my own heart was doing its best to crash through my ribs. Ash watched me, silver eyes blazing with desire, and love. I reached up and touched his face, and he closed his eyes, putting his hand over mine, pressing it to his cheek, before his gaze flickered to me again.

Waiting. He wouldn’t go any further unless I told him to. He was letting me decide, like he’d promised. I could walk away from him now, and he wouldn’t follow. Or I could tell him to go, and he would. We could stop this, right now, if I wasn’t completely ready.

I swallowed hard, pulled his lips down to mine, and whispered:

“Stay.”

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Teaser Tuesday

Oops, I forgot that Teaser Tuesdays were set to come back in August. And, here it is, August 2nd. Well, better late then never, right?

So, here is the first Teaser Tuesday of the month, starring our two boys, and their eternal war...

***

“Having second thoughts?” Puck’s voice was soft and dangerous, a far cry from his normal flippancy. “I thought we put this behind us for now.”

“Never,” I said, matching his stare. “I can’t ever take it back, Goodfellow. I’m still going to kill you. I swore to her I would.” Lighting flickered overhead, and thunder rumbled in the distance as we faced each other with narrowed eyes. “One day,” I said softly. “One day you’ll look up, and I’ll be there. That’s the only ending for us. Don’t ever forget.”


***