Monday, October 20, 2014
2014 Schedule and events
Hey all!
I'm gradually moving all my posts to my new website, so this one won't be active for much longer. If you want to check out my schedule for 2014 and where I'll be visiting, the full list is on my website here.
Thanks!
Julie
Friday, October 10, 2014
Draw a Dragon contest: the dragons
Hey everyone!
So after much time, work, and effort, I finally finished the dragons for the Draw a Dragon contest. Granted, they're not perfect imitations, but I tried my best to make them very similar to their pen and ink counterparts. These little dragons will be headed to their new homes very soon, but I wanted to show them off here before I had to give them up.
Winner #1
The cool little headphone wearing dragon. He was a lot of fun to work on, even though getting his headphones perfect was a challenge. Still, he had an awesome personality and I love how he turned out. So, here here is, jamming out to his favorite tunes.
So after much time, work, and effort, I finally finished the dragons for the Draw a Dragon contest. Granted, they're not perfect imitations, but I tried my best to make them very similar to their pen and ink counterparts. These little dragons will be headed to their new homes very soon, but I wanted to show them off here before I had to give them up.
Winner #1
The cool little headphone wearing dragon. He was a lot of fun to work on, even though getting his headphones perfect was a challenge. Still, he had an awesome personality and I love how he turned out. So, here here is, jamming out to his favorite tunes.
Winner #2
I originally wasn't going to try to sculpt these fabulous dragons, because there is a ton of detail and my sculpting skills are not that good. But the artist asked very nicely if he could still receive one of my dragons, even if it wasn't the two in the picture, so I decided to give sculpting them a shot. Again, they're very simplified versions of the picture, but I hope I at least captured the personalities of a little dragon always getting into trouble, and his dad/big bro coming to his rescue.
Winner #3
Ah, the fluffy fairy dragon. By far, this one was the hardest and most time consuming to make. Not only was she PINK, which is the second most difficult color to work with (the first being white because it picks up EVERY tiny speck of dust and lint), she had a massive fluffy mane and an insanely long tail that took some serious thought about how to place it. And that's not even mentioning her wings. In any case, she was a real challenge, and it took me over a week to finish, but I'm pretty pleased with the results.
Behold, the fluffy fairy dragon...
So there are the winning dragons forever captured in clay. I want to thank everyone who participated, and I hope you had as much fun drawing a dragon as I had sculpting them. Which one is your favorite? Let me know, and maybe I'll do another dragon contest soon. :)
-Julie
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
New website, Talon tour
Hey everyone!
I have a new website! It's very snazzy, with lots of neat features and some gorgeous artwork, and I love it lots. Go to juliekagawa.com to check it out, and be sure to read the newest blog entry for some awesome news about a contest.
I'll be gradually moving everything over to the new site, including this blog. Hope you enjoy it, and check out the fabulous artwork on the various pages, especially Talon. =)
Also, the Talon blog tour began this week. For some really cool prizes, including a Talon hardcover and 1 of 5 handmade dragons...
...go to Step Into Fiction for your chance to win, and see the rest of the tour stops.
You can also meet Riley, the bad boy rogue dragon of the Talon series.
More exciting things to come very soon!
-Julie
I have a new website! It's very snazzy, with lots of neat features and some gorgeous artwork, and I love it lots. Go to juliekagawa.com to check it out, and be sure to read the newest blog entry for some awesome news about a contest.
I'll be gradually moving everything over to the new site, including this blog. Hope you enjoy it, and check out the fabulous artwork on the various pages, especially Talon. =)
Also, the Talon blog tour began this week. For some really cool prizes, including a Talon hardcover and 1 of 5 handmade dragons...
...go to Step Into Fiction for your chance to win, and see the rest of the tour stops.
You can also meet Riley, the bad boy rogue dragon of the Talon series.
More exciting things to come very soon!
-Julie
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
The Draw a Dragon contest: Winners!
Holy lizard balls, you guys.
Do you know how HARD it was to judge this contest? So many awesome dragon pics. So many talented artists. I wanted to pick them all!
Sadly, I could only choose two, and it took me a looooooong time to finally decide. Basically, the winners were chosen based on which dragons I would like to create out of clay. But, it was HARD, you guys. Omg, it was hard. I finally narrowed it down to these two.
And the WINNING ENTRIES of the Draw a Dragon Contest:
Winner #1:
So. Fluffy. Fluffy fairy dragon FTW.
Winner #2:
He has headphones on! How awesome is that?
Winner #3
Yes, I'm naming another winner, because this pic was too fabulous not to mention. This entry will receive a copy of Talon as a prize, since I'm pretty certain my clay sculpting skills will not do this pair justice. Wow, I say.
So those are the winners of the Draw a Dragon contest. I will be emailing winners soon for their mailing info. I will also be posting the winning entry's clay dragons when I make them. But there were SO MANY great pics. This was by far the hardest contest I've ever had to judge. Here are some honorable mentions and more awesome looking dragons.
And many more! Over a hundred, in fact. Thanks to everyone who entered and took the time to draw a dragon. Getting to see so many wonderful dragons made my night. =)
Also, Honorable Mention winners, if you email me your mailing address at juliekagawa@juliekagawa(dot)com, I will send you a signed Talon bookplate. Thanks again, everyone! And keep checking back for more exciting Talon stuff in the weeks to come.
-Julie
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Free Talon stuff
Hey everyone!
So, check this out. This is a totally awesome gift pack you can receive if you pre-order your copy of Talon now. It has a cool poster, a signed bookplate (yes, I hand signed every one of them), and a 22 page, never before seen sample booklet of Talon.
To get your free gift, all you have to do is go here and pre-order Talon. It's super easy, but there are limited quantities available, so order now.
And, just because it's Tuesday, here is a quick teaser for Talon. First one ever. Ready? Here we go:
***
"Rnesh karr slithis," I hissed back, which was Draconic for "eat your own tail," the dragon version of "go screw yourself." No extra translation needed."
***
Happy Tuesday!
-Julie
So, check this out. This is a totally awesome gift pack you can receive if you pre-order your copy of Talon now. It has a cool poster, a signed bookplate (yes, I hand signed every one of them), and a 22 page, never before seen sample booklet of Talon.
To get your free gift, all you have to do is go here and pre-order Talon. It's super easy, but there are limited quantities available, so order now.
And, just because it's Tuesday, here is a quick teaser for Talon. First one ever. Ready? Here we go:
***
"Rnesh karr slithis," I hissed back, which was Draconic for "eat your own tail," the dragon version of "go screw yourself." No extra translation needed."
***
Happy Tuesday!
-Julie
Saturday, August 30, 2014
The Draw a Dragon contest
Hey everyone!
Happy September 1st! We are nearly two months away from the release of TALON, and today kicks off the first of many cool events, contests, and giveaways that will happen between now and then. I'm pretty excited, if you can't tell.
So, let's begin with a super awesome contest! And, since TALON is all about dragons, this will be a very dragon-centered contest. Artists, are you ready? Here we go:
1. Draw/sketch/doodle/scribble/color/paint the most awesome (or scary, or cute and fluffy) dragon you can think of. All mediums are accepted. The drawing can on your computer, an easel, a scrap piece of paper, it doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be colored. It doesn't have to be a work of art.
It DOES have to be of a dragon. And it DOES have to be your own original work.
2. Post a pic of your awesome dragon, along with an image of the TALON cover, to your blog, Facebook, twitter, Instagram, wherever. Include a message about the contest and a link to it, as well.
3. Leave me the link to your post in the comments. Please include your email. :)
Two winners will receive a signed arc of TALON, and a handmade clay dragon in the likeness of their entry.
For example, if you drew something like this:
You might get something like this:
So break out those pens, inks, and colored markers, and go draw some dragons! :D Contest will run until September 22nd. It is open to everyone, and it is international.
The dragons are coming!
-Julie
Happy September 1st! We are nearly two months away from the release of TALON, and today kicks off the first of many cool events, contests, and giveaways that will happen between now and then. I'm pretty excited, if you can't tell.
So, let's begin with a super awesome contest! And, since TALON is all about dragons, this will be a very dragon-centered contest. Artists, are you ready? Here we go:
1. Draw/sketch/doodle/scribble/color/paint the most awesome (or scary, or cute and fluffy) dragon you can think of. All mediums are accepted. The drawing can on your computer, an easel, a scrap piece of paper, it doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be colored. It doesn't have to be a work of art.
It DOES have to be of a dragon. And it DOES have to be your own original work.
2. Post a pic of your awesome dragon, along with an image of the TALON cover, to your blog, Facebook, twitter, Instagram, wherever. Include a message about the contest and a link to it, as well.
Dragons. Slayers. Destiny. The flames of war begin October 28th.
3. Leave me the link to your post in the comments. Please include your email. :)
Two winners will receive a signed arc of TALON, and a handmade clay dragon in the likeness of their entry.
For example, if you drew something like this:
You might get something like this:
So break out those pens, inks, and colored markers, and go draw some dragons! :D Contest will run until September 22nd. It is open to everyone, and it is international.
The dragons are coming!
-Julie
Sunday, August 24, 2014
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (Or I get a freezing bucket of icewater dumped on my head).
So, I was challenged by author Michelle Madow (also Leon Regenberg and blogger Elise Carstairs) to do the Ice Bucket challenge. Nothing more to say, really, except I hope Katie McGarry, Adi Alisaid, and my editor Natashya Wilson have as much fun as I did. ;-P
Here we go!
-Julie
Friday, August 15, 2014
Signing in Cinci this weekend
Hey everyone!
So, first off, congratulations to Xsarea Powers, who won the giveaway for the signed Talon arc. Thanks to everyone who entered, and if you didn't win, don't worry. As we get closer to the release date, there will be many exciting things to come, so stay tuned.
Second, this Saturday (16th) I will be at Joseph Beth booksellers in Cincinnati OH with a bunch of other cool YA authors for our annual Beachy Keen event. There will be a panel, a Q&A, some awesome giveaways (see below), and of course a signing. It's a ton of fun, and hilarity always ensues, so we hope to see you there.
I will be bringing some awesome swag to give away, including some new Talon bookplates, and two lucky people will snag a Talon arc or a tiny handmade Ember. Even more reason to come say hi.
Full event details are here. Hope to see you in Cinci. =)
-Julie
So, first off, congratulations to Xsarea Powers, who won the giveaway for the signed Talon arc. Thanks to everyone who entered, and if you didn't win, don't worry. As we get closer to the release date, there will be many exciting things to come, so stay tuned.
Second, this Saturday (16th) I will be at Joseph Beth booksellers in Cincinnati OH with a bunch of other cool YA authors for our annual Beachy Keen event. There will be a panel, a Q&A, some awesome giveaways (see below), and of course a signing. It's a ton of fun, and hilarity always ensues, so we hope to see you there.
I will be bringing some awesome swag to give away, including some new Talon bookplates, and two lucky people will snag a Talon arc or a tiny handmade Ember. Even more reason to come say hi.
Talon swag.
Full event details are here. Hope to see you in Cinci. =)
-Julie
Friday, August 1, 2014
New giveaway: Signed TALON arc
Hey everyone!
So today is August 1st, and what better way to start off a new month than with a giveaway?
This time, you guys got to choose the giveaway prize, and the signed arc of TALON won by a landslide. I guess everyone is excited for dragons!
Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.
Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.
Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons
***
Anyway, you know what to do. Rafflecopter thingie is below. Giveaway ends August 15th and it is international.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
So today is August 1st, and what better way to start off a new month than with a giveaway?
This time, you guys got to choose the giveaway prize, and the signed arc of TALON won by a landslide. I guess everyone is excited for dragons!
Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.
Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons
***
Anyway, you know what to do. Rafflecopter thingie is below. Giveaway ends August 15th and it is international.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Friday, July 25, 2014
Giveaway winners and a poll
Hey everyone!
So, we did it! The final entry count for the giveaway of a Talon arc and custom dragon was 4056! You guys are awesome, thanks so much for all your tweets, shares, and the like. This means I got to choose TWO winners to receive a signed Talon arc and a little clay dragon.
And that brings us to the actual winners, so...
Congratulations Yvonne Jefferson and Konstanz Silverbow! You are the proud owners of a signed Talon arc and a tiny pet dragon. ;) I will be emailing you both shortly for dragon colors and mailing addresses and such. Thanks again for playing.
So, did everyone enjoy that giveaway? If I do another in the future, what kind of prize would you guys like? Actually, let's make this fun and do a poll! You guys decide: for my next giveaway, which of the following prizes should I put up?
-A signed arc of TALON
-Choice of any (1) signed book from the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, or Call of the Forgotten series.
-A handmade, custom clay dragon.
-A handmade clay chibi character of Ash, Puck, or Allie.
-A signed bookplate with a doodled chibi character (from any of my books) of your choice.
So which of these five choices would YOU like the most? Let me know in the comments, and the one with the most votes will be my next giveaway.
-Julie
So, we did it! The final entry count for the giveaway of a Talon arc and custom dragon was 4056! You guys are awesome, thanks so much for all your tweets, shares, and the like. This means I got to choose TWO winners to receive a signed Talon arc and a little clay dragon.
And that brings us to the actual winners, so...
Congratulations Yvonne Jefferson and Konstanz Silverbow! You are the proud owners of a signed Talon arc and a tiny pet dragon. ;) I will be emailing you both shortly for dragon colors and mailing addresses and such. Thanks again for playing.
So, did everyone enjoy that giveaway? If I do another in the future, what kind of prize would you guys like? Actually, let's make this fun and do a poll! You guys decide: for my next giveaway, which of the following prizes should I put up?
-A signed arc of TALON
-Choice of any (1) signed book from the Iron Fey, Blood of Eden, or Call of the Forgotten series.
-A handmade, custom clay dragon.
-A handmade clay chibi character of Ash, Puck, or Allie.
-A signed bookplate with a doodled chibi character (from any of my books) of your choice.
So which of these five choices would YOU like the most? Let me know in the comments, and the one with the most votes will be my next giveaway.
-Julie
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Vlog post: Why I write YA
Hey guys!
New vlog post! Why I write YA (Which is really hard to say on camera. Try saying "Why write YA" five times fast; you'll see what I mean, lol).
Please excuse sound quality. We were fighting the wind all through filming.
-Julie
New vlog post! Why I write YA (Which is really hard to say on camera. Try saying "Why write YA" five times fast; you'll see what I mean, lol).
Please excuse sound quality. We were fighting the wind all through filming.
-Julie
Friday, July 11, 2014
Dragon Friday: Talon arc and custom dragon giveaway
Happy Dragon Friday!
Today's very special giveaway will be....
*drumroll*
A signed arc of TALON
Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.
Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.
Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.
And....
A custom clay dragon figurine!
Which means that, if you win, YOU get to decide what you want your dragon to look like. You get to pick two colors and whether it is sitting or lying down. You might want a black and green dragon:
Or a red and black dragon.
Or a blue and white dragon.
The choice will be up to the winner. And don't forget the signed TALON arc, as well. Giveaway will run until the 25th, and it is international.
So enter the Rafflecopter thingie below, and spread the dragon love!
(Giveaway is for one normal, two color custom dragon in the poses described. No crazy standing on head dragons or dragons with rainbow bellies. ;) After giveaway ends, I will contact the winner via email to determine what colors and poses they want for their dragon.)
ETA: WOW, 3000 entries! You guys are awesome. So, I'm adding a second prize. IF we can get up to 4000 entries, I will add a SECOND Talon arc and a SECOND custom dragon figurine! So keep spreading the dragon love, and good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Today's very special giveaway will be....
*drumroll*
A signed arc of TALON
Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.
Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.
Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.
And....
A custom clay dragon figurine!
Which means that, if you win, YOU get to decide what you want your dragon to look like. You get to pick two colors and whether it is sitting or lying down. You might want a black and green dragon:
Or a red and black dragon.
Or a blue and white dragon.
The choice will be up to the winner. And don't forget the signed TALON arc, as well. Giveaway will run until the 25th, and it is international.
So enter the Rafflecopter thingie below, and spread the dragon love!
(Giveaway is for one normal, two color custom dragon in the poses described. No crazy standing on head dragons or dragons with rainbow bellies. ;) After giveaway ends, I will contact the winner via email to determine what colors and poses they want for their dragon.)
ETA: WOW, 3000 entries! You guys are awesome. So, I'm adding a second prize. IF we can get up to 4000 entries, I will add a SECOND Talon arc and a SECOND custom dragon figurine! So keep spreading the dragon love, and good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Friday, July 4, 2014
Dragon Friday: Happy 4th of July
Hey everyone!
Happy Fourth of July! And remember, only dragons are fireproof, so please be careful when playing with things that can explode.
-Julie
Happy Fourth of July! And remember, only dragons are fireproof, so please be careful when playing with things that can explode.
-Julie
Monday, June 30, 2014
Monday Musings: ALA in pictures, Part 1
Hey everyone!
So I'm back from ALA and Vegas and man, what a trip! I had an awesome time, and took a LOT of pictures. So many, that I'll have to recap the journey one day at time or the post length will be ridiculous. Also, the the recap will be mostly pictures, hope you guys don't mind.
So, here we go. Day 1.
Arriving in Las Vegas
Literally the first thing I saw after stepping off the plane. Slot machines. Yup, I am definitely in Vegas.
The gorgeous lobby of the Venetian hotel.
Trying to find my room. You have to traverse the casino floor to get anywhere in the hotel, including the elevators to the guest rooms. I took ten steps away from the front desk and immediately got lost.
Finally I found my room. Quite possibly the biggest hotel room I've stayed in. I think my sister's apartment in LA is smaller than this.
After I checked in, I went on a quest to find the gondolas, which I heard were in the Venetian somewhere. There was much excitement when I finally tracked them down (on the SECOND floor of the hotel, think about that for a moment.) and I immediately sent out an Instagram post announcing that I HAVE FOUND THE GONDOLAS.
And yes, the ferrymen do sing.
Then I had dinner at Canonita, a restaurant right next to the canal. This was my view from my table. Watching the gondolas drift by, listening to the ferrymen's haunting voices while sitting in one of the biggest hotels in Vegas: here was the moment where it all felt very surreal.
After dinner, I spent a good hour just exploring the hotel, inside and out. In case you were wondering, its gorgeous everywhere.
A stretch of ceiling near the entrance.
Lady with a gryphon.
Random volcano erupting across the street. Turns out, it was part of a show at Treasure island, another giant hotel, otherwise my level of alarm would've been slightly higher.
I could have explored further. Even after an hour, there were still parts of the hotel I'd never been to. But it was late, and even at 10:00 pm it was still 95 degrees outside. I went back to my room, cranked the AC down to about 65, and fell asleep to the faint sound of drums from Treasure Island.
And that's part 1. Tomorrow will be part 2: ALA, stingrays, and Wookies.
-Julie
So I'm back from ALA and Vegas and man, what a trip! I had an awesome time, and took a LOT of pictures. So many, that I'll have to recap the journey one day at time or the post length will be ridiculous. Also, the the recap will be mostly pictures, hope you guys don't mind.
So, here we go. Day 1.
Arriving in Las Vegas
Literally the first thing I saw after stepping off the plane. Slot machines. Yup, I am definitely in Vegas.
The gorgeous lobby of the Venetian hotel.
Trying to find my room. You have to traverse the casino floor to get anywhere in the hotel, including the elevators to the guest rooms. I took ten steps away from the front desk and immediately got lost.
Finally I found my room. Quite possibly the biggest hotel room I've stayed in. I think my sister's apartment in LA is smaller than this.
After I checked in, I went on a quest to find the gondolas, which I heard were in the Venetian somewhere. There was much excitement when I finally tracked them down (on the SECOND floor of the hotel, think about that for a moment.) and I immediately sent out an Instagram post announcing that I HAVE FOUND THE GONDOLAS.
And yes, the ferrymen do sing.
Then I had dinner at Canonita, a restaurant right next to the canal. This was my view from my table. Watching the gondolas drift by, listening to the ferrymen's haunting voices while sitting in one of the biggest hotels in Vegas: here was the moment where it all felt very surreal.
After dinner, I spent a good hour just exploring the hotel, inside and out. In case you were wondering, its gorgeous everywhere.
A stretch of ceiling near the entrance.
Lady with a gryphon.
Random volcano erupting across the street. Turns out, it was part of a show at Treasure island, another giant hotel, otherwise my level of alarm would've been slightly higher.
I could have explored further. Even after an hour, there were still parts of the hotel I'd never been to. But it was late, and even at 10:00 pm it was still 95 degrees outside. I went back to my room, cranked the AC down to about 65, and fell asleep to the faint sound of drums from Treasure Island.
And that's part 1. Tomorrow will be part 2: ALA, stingrays, and Wookies.
-Julie
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