Julie Kagawa

The Immortal Rules: back cover copy

2012-02-02T23:05:00.004-05:00

I get to reveal the back cover copy for The Immortal Rules today!

So, without further ado, here it is! Hope you like!

I think it gives a good feel to the overall book, which is darker and more grim then the Iron Fey series, in my opinion, anyway. What do you all think?

FaerieCon West

2012-01-18T23:45:00.006-05:00

Exciting announcement:

This year, I'm going to FaerieCon! FaeryCon West, in Seattle, February 10-12 to be exact. Its my first FaeryCon, and I'm uber excited! There will be faery music, faery food, faery authors, faery demonstrations, and of course, faery costumes galore. There will even be a Faery ball, one for "good faeries," and one for "bad faeries." Hmm, wonder which one I'm going to? (Evil snicker)

Its sure to be a fabulous time. I'll be there signing books and speaking on panels with fellow author D.C Grace--who also writes awesome faery books--as well as rubbing elbows with authors like Lisa Mantchev and Charles de Lint. If you come up and talk to me, I'd be thrilled.

AND...

If you come talk to me dressed up as either Puck, Meghan Chase, or Ash (the way they are described in the series), I will give you a signed Iron Fey book. (Up to the first 10.)

No joke.

I'll probably also take your picture and squee a bit. ;)

Details for the con are here. If you do come to FaeryCon West, attend the ball, and run into a short Asian in a kimono with fox ears, that will be me. (Kudos if you know what I'll be going as.)

Authors and Negative Reviews, re-posted

2012-01-06T16:22:00.002-05:00

I wrote this post awhile back, when the same kind of drama was going around the blogging world. It has been suggested that I re-post it again, not to point fingers or condemn or call anyone out, but just as a quiet reminder to anyone who has gotten negative reviews. What is the best way to deal with them? In my humble opinion, well, read on...

Authors and Negative Reviews

It seems there has been a lot of drama going around the blogging world lately.

Normally, I don't post about heated topics. I'm highly allergic to drama and angst (Except in stories, of course), and I learned long ago that you really can't change people's minds about anything, so why point that spotlight on yourself? But, in light of the recent author/blogger drama on twitter and facebook, I felt compelled to add my two cents to the mix. So, this is my own opinion, garnered from the years I've spent as a writing professional, on Authors and Negative Reviews. Future authors and writers, this is especially for you, not to scare or scold or threaten, but just as a gentle caution of what to expect.

NOT EVERYONE WILL LIKE YOUR BOOK. This is a certainty. No matter how compelling, no matter how innovative or brilliant or well-written, no book can please everyone one hundred percent. If you don't believe me, find your favorite book or author and check them out on Goodreads. They will have 1 and 2 star reviews, just like everyone else. Some people will adore your book, some people will just think its okay, and some people will loathe it and want to burn it and scour your name from the face of the earth for writing such garbage. And it's okay for them to think that. They are entitled to their opinion. Really, that's all a review IS: an opinion. Which brings us to the heart of this matter...

YOU ARE GOING TO GET NEGATIVE REVIEWS. If you are an author, and you put your book out there for the world to read, you are going to get bad reviews. Sometimes, the review will be thoughtful and well-done, with the reviewer citing what they liked and didn't like about the story. That's the best kind of negative review, but it doesn't always happen that way. Sometimes the review will be snide and hateful, as if the reader despises you personally and says all kinds of ugly, unkind things about the story you've put your heart and soul into. Its amazing the things people will say on the internet that they wouldn't dare say in real life, but it happens. This is why many authors I've spoken to stay far, far away from Goodreads. Because Goodreads is brutal on authors, and some of us would rather not know. So, now that you can expect at least one negative critique of your book, how does one respond to such a review? What should an author do in the face of such bad press?

NOTHING.

Let me say that again. NOTHING.

At the very, very least, you can email or post a comment thanking that reviewer for their time in reading and reviewing your book. Then you go and rant to your best friend, or your hubby, or your dog. You do not take out your hurt and frustration on the reviewer. You do not leave a comment on their blog, defending yourself and your book. You do not tell them how wrong they are, and that they must have misunderstood your writing, and that everyone before them has given your book steller reviews. Because it doesn't matter. You aren't going to change their opinion--again with that word OPINION--and you are only hurting yourself and your career by acting in such an unprofessional manner.

Yes, I know. Negative reviews hurt. They downright suck. Believe me, I've gotten more then my share, and its not fun reading "Julie Kagawa, you give fairies a bad name." (Actual review.) I know your book is your greatest achievement, and that you've come far and struggled so hard to get it published, and you should be very proud of that. I know its hard when you wrote the best story you could, went through all the heartache and uncertainty of getting it published, only to have a virtual stranger put it down like its nothing, like we don't have feelings and it doesn't tear us apart every time someone is cruel. I know its unfair that we can't defend ourselves.

But that's the world of authors and reviewers, and the only classy way to respond to bad reviews is graciously or not at all.

Thankfully, there are many out there who will love your book and your stories, and those reviews will be wonderful and glowing and make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But, if you are to swim these treacherous waters of authordom, you must also be prepared to lose a little blood, as well. This is just fair warning, take it from someone who knows, and start working on that thick skin. And a sense of humor can help tremendously.

So that's my two cents on authors and negative reviews. Comments and discussions are welcome. However, any mean, ugly, or hateful comments will be eaten by the gremlins.

Julie

Dystopian vs. Post-apocalyptic

2012-01-02T10:02:00.011-05:00

So, 2011 has come and gone, and we welcome in 2012 with hopes and dreams and the excitement of all the cool books coming out this year. The blogging world has been awash with these lists of "must-have" books of 2012, making me realize two things.

1. There are a LOT of dystopian and post-apocalyptic novels coming out this year.

2. There are a LOT of people who think they are one and the same.

And, since I myself have a post-apocalyptic vampire novel coming out in 2012, I thought I would try to clear things up. Post-apocalyptic and dystopian are not the same. They are two different beasts; though they have similar qualities, it is wrong to lump them together. Here are my thoughts on why:

DYSTOPIAN

Dystopian has been the popular term of late, the catch-phrase for all novels that feature a futuristic society, a world-ending event, survivors fighting against horrific conditions, etc. However, a dystopian novel is about a SOCIETY where something has gone terribly wrong. Many times, the society's evil and corruption is portrayed as normal, as in the Hunger Games where Tribute Day was a day of celebration. Other times, the evil is hidden, though there are always hints just below the perfectly groomed facade. Dystopian is the opposite of Utopian, where society IS perfect and everyone is happy, except the utopian society almost always turns out to be dystopian, because a perfect society would make for a very boring book.

Dystopian and post-apocalyptic can be easily confused, because a dystopian society usually rises from the ashes of a post-apocalyptic event. However, a dystopian novel's focus is on the society, and everything wrong with it, rather then the event itself.

Examples of Dystopian novels: The Hunger Games, 1984, Matched, Uglies

POST-APOCALYPTIC

A post-apocalyptic novel, on the other hand, is about a world-changing, cataclysmic event: floods, zombies, the super flu, earthquakes, solar flares, the moon falling out of alignment, etc. The event could have already happened, or is in the process of happening, but post-apocalyptic novels are about the survivors and how they deal with this new, deadly world. It could even have hints of dystopian in it, as new societies emerge from the remains of civilization. But a Post-apocalyptic novel is about the survivors, and everything they face after the world ends.

Examples of Post-apocalyptic novels: The Road, Life as we Knew it, The Stand, Ashes Ashes.

Is it possible for a novel to be both? Yes, absolutely. The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan comes to mind. Clearly, the world has fallen to the zombie apocalypse, but the novel is also about the village and the society surrounded by the forest. So there are crossovers. But I wanted to point out the differences between dystopian and post-apocalyptic, because they are not the same. So when you do get that book you've been dying to read, you'll know what to call it. ;)

Note that this is just one person's opinion on the matter. Feel free to discuss or argue the point in the comments, though please keep it clean. I am in no way an authority on all things dystopian/post-apocalyptic; this is just my understanding of the differences between them.

Skyrim: In Faendal's memory

2011-12-27T11:47:00.015-05:00

Okay, so I am fully aware that this post will reveal my complete and utter geekiness. But I'm okay with that. I've made peace with my inner nerd. Also, remember that, as a writer, I tend to see everything as an unfolding story. Which will make sense in just a moment...

So, as many of you know, I'm a gamer. When not writing, I can usually be found on any one of my three consoles (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii) or on the PC with my Sims. When I have a new game, everything except writing sort of goes out the window, and I vanish from twitter for as long as it takes me to beat the game.

This season's addiction of choice is Bethesda's Skyrim.

I've done video game reviews before. You can even find some of them on this blog. This is not a review, exactly. This is more....well, I don't really know what this is. A story. Yes, that's what it is; this is the story of the life and death of a fictional AI character in a video game.

You've been warned.

Skyrim opens, as the Elder Scrolls always do, with you as a prisoner for some unknown, never-touched upon crime. In Morrowind you were a prisoner on a slave ship, in Oblivion you were stuck in the castle dungeon. In Skyrim, you have been captured with a group of rebels and taken to a fort, where you are to be executed with no trial. But, just as your head lands on the chopping block, a dragon swoops down and attacks. You escape, and after fighting your way through the fort's underground tunnels (filled with giant spiders, why are there always giant spiders?), you emerge into the huge, wide world of Skyrim.

Your first task, assuming you don't go tromping about the world and run smack first into wolves and bandits, is to head to the sleepy little village of Riverwood and meet your fellow ex-prisoner, or ex-captor, deciding which path you decided to take earlier in the game. Riverwood is more of a stopping point where you can sell all that stuff you looted from slain enemies before moving on to the larger city of Whiterun, up the road. You can get a few "starter quests" here as well, including one that has you fetching a stolen item from a group of bandits.

It's also where you meet an elf named Faendal.

Faendal is your first potential follower in the game (assuming you went to Riverwood first, like you were supposed to). He's a bit strange looking, and is in a messy love triangle with a handsome Nord named Sven and a woman named Camilla. Both Sven and Faendal like Camilla, and both try to get you to help them win her. As I was playing a fellow wood elf, and because Sven struck me as an ancient Nordic jock meathead, I decided to help out Faendal. Once he became my friend, he followed me to the bandit's hideout to help retrieve that stolen item, and fought bravely at my side against bandits, undead draugr, and giant spiders.

That was our first, and only, adventure together.

I'm a lone adventuring type. Even if I have the option to let someone join me, I usually opt out. Because Skyrim's followers will unerringly stand in doorways, push you over cliffs, step on a trap trigger the moment you're in the danger zone, and so on. I had to do one quest with a brute named Farkas, or as I like to call him "sir Clanks-a-lot," because he couldn't sneak to save his life. Once, he rushed past me to get to the big bad at the end of a dungeon, just as I was lining up for a sneak shot in the doorway, and blew our cover. I shut the door on them both and went and sat in a dark corner while they duked it out. Hey, Farkas was a quest NPC; he couldn't be killed.

But I digress...

Faendal was the one follower who could hold his own. His sneak skill was better then mine, he never triggered trap plates, and he would stand back and pop baddies with his arrows instead of rushing between me and my target and getting whacked in the back of the head (cough Lydia cough). I rather liked Faendal. But because it is possible, and very likely, for followers to die trailing you about the countryside, I left him in Riverwood with the knowledge that he was living out a peaceful life with Camilla.

(Faendal. He usually has a shirt on in game, but I like this image. :D)

Then, many many hours of game time later, I returned to Riverwood for the current quest, and was attacked by an Elder dragon.

My first Elder dragon, no less. I'd been attacked by several dragons before, or I would see them soaring overhead, looking for things to accost, because that's what dragons do. I would usually be in the middle of a quest when this happened, and would hide until the dragon continued on its merry way, and I continued on mine. Hey, I wasn't being cowardly; I'd killed several of them already, as its impossible to get through an hour of Skyrim without running into one. And knowing they would continue to pop up throughout the game, I knew I wasn't missing anything by killing yet another dragon.

But this Elder dragon landed right the center of Riverwood, looking for me obviously, and attacked. It was a tough fight. Riverwood's guards and several villagers joined in as well, and together we tried to defeat this monster that had come out of nowhere. After we finally killed the beast (which went to a rather cool cutscene of me leaping onto the dragon's head and stabbing it with my sword), it collapsed, turned into a skeleton as I devoured its soul (its a dragonborn thing), and I looked around for casualties. Not too bad, for a dragon attack, anyway. A couple no-name guards had perished, no one important...

...Oh. Oh, Faendal.

There he was, lying in the grass, his bow beside him. He had perished fighting the dragon, defending his home. And, looking down at his body, I actually felt sad. Sad that this fictional character, this NPC in a video game, had died.

I couldn't leave him there in the road. In Skyrim, bodies don't disappear; he would be there every time I came back to Riverwood, and I couldn't have that. So, I took the key to his home, dragged his body to the river flowing right outside the village, and let the currant take him away. I watched his body until it disappeared downstream, then went to his home. Inside his simple cottage, I placed one of the dragon's bones I'd collected from the beast on his bed, and left feeling quite melancholic over the turn of events.

This got me thinking.

In a novel, this would be a turning point in the story. This would be the part where the reluctant hero would curse all dragonkind and vow to wipe them all out of existence. No more hiding from dragons, hoping they would pass him by. No more fighting them just for self-defense. With Faendal's death, the hero swears vengeance upon the monsters that killed his friend, and will now rush into battle wholeheartedly, in Faendal's memory.

Hey, that would make a pretty good book...

So, there was a point to this long, rambling post. And its one I've made on several occasions. Those who say video games do nothing but rot your brains are wrong. A video game is a story, just like any novel, one that is told a bit differently, but a story just the same. And if a video game can nearly move me to tears for the death of a fictional NPC, then I'd say its done a pretty good job.

And I'm not the only one who thinks so. Check out this post for another Skyrim character death story. It's hilarious, but it also gives me a bit of hope that I'm not the only crazy obsessed geek out there. :D

Until next time, I'll be fighting dragons.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T23:10:00.004-05:00

From all of us!

A one-eyed kitty story

2011-12-22T10:29:00.007-05:00

As some of you know, my orange kitty, Sniper, had been having some eye issues for awhile. A couple months ago, his eye became cloudy and filmy, to where it looked like cotton balls were floating around his pupil. We took him to our regular vet, who at first thought it might be FIV or Feluk (it wasn't, thank God!), but when those tests came back negative, he sent me to an eye specialist in Louisville.

After examining poor Sniper, the specialist said it his eye issues could be caused by any number of things: fungal or bacterial infections, cancer, ect. She gave me some drops to put in his eye (three times a day), and told me to check back in a couple weeks.

Sniper was not happy about the drops.

When he went back, however, his eye pressure had dropped from 80-ish to the 12-15-ish it was supposed to be at. We were all very happy, and the vet said to keep him on the drops for another month until they ran out, then to bring him back to see if he was better.

Unfortunately, he didn't get better.

His eye pressure had skyrocketed back to 80 when he returned, and the red cloudyness had gotten so bad that he could no longer see out of that eye. So, with few options left, we decided that the best thing would be to have the eye removed. Then the eye could be sent to a lab, and we could figure out for sure what was going on.

So, a little sadly but knowing it was necessary, we made the appointment.

Sniper went in for eye surgery two days ago and, happily, he is doing perfectly fine. The vet informed me that a one-eyed cat could see just as well as a two-eyed cat, and they really don't miss their other eye at all. Sniper seems completely normal now, and though he does look a bit like a bedraggled pirate, he doesn't seem to even notice he is missing something.

Now, we're just awaiting news on that eyeball.

Here is Sniper the day after surgery. His eye socket is a bit bruised, but that's normal, according to the vet. The reason he looks so annoyed is that I'm forcing him to stay still to take a picture, and he was looking for a way to leave. We did the whole "hold still until the human is just about ready to take the picture and then dart away" dance for about five minutes before I finally snapped this shot.

Sniper goes in to have his stitches removed next month. Thanks for all your concern and well wishes. Will continue to update his progress on twitter; you can follow me @Jkagawa if you want to see how he's doing.

The Immortal Rules: Cover reveal (the real one)

2011-12-08T12:57:00.007-05:00

So, MTV's Hollywood Crush was fabulous enough to host an exclusive cover reveal for the Immortal Rules this morning. You can check out their post and awesome site here .

So, now I am free to reveal, for your viewing pleasure, the real cover for the new Blood of Eden series: Book 1. The Immortal Rules.

Ready for it?

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Its much different then The Iron Fey covers, as a warning.

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Still here? Okay, okay, I'll stop teasing. Here ya go. ;-)

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Ta daaaaa!

As per usual, HarlequinTeen's cover department has hit another home run, I think. I love the dark, gritty feel of this cover, and the blood tear is just the perfect touch.

Oh, and here is the blurb.

You will kill. The only question is when.

In the dark days since the insidious Red Lung virus decimated the human population, vampires have risen to rule the crumbling cities and suburbs. Uncontested Princes hold sway over diminished ranks of humans: their "pets." In exchange for their labor, loyalty and of course, their blood, these pets are registered, given food and shelter, permitted to survive.

Unregistered humans cling to fringes, scavenging for survival. Allison Sekemoto and her fellow Unregistereds are hunted, not only by vampires, but by rabids, the unholy result of Red Lung-infected vampires feeding on unwary humans. One night, Allie is attacked by a pack of rabids, saved by an unlikely hero...and turned vampire.

Uncomfortable in her undead skin, Allie falls in with a ragtag crew of humans seeking a cure, or cures: for Rabidism and for Vampirism. She's passing for human...for now. But the hunger is growing and will not be denied. Not for friendship—not even for love.

What sayest thou? How does this compare to the Iron Fey covers? Do you think VAMPIRE when you first see it? Is it creepy enough? :D

Let me know!

The Immortal Rules: Cover reveal

2011-12-07T12:52:00.006-05:00

Who wants to see the cover for The Immortal Rules?

(Not the real cover)

You do? Excellent! Then you'll want to check out MTV's Hollywood Crush tomorrow (no firm time yet) for the exclusive cover reveal for The Immortal Rules.

Have I already seen the cover? Yes, I have.

Is it awesome? YES. Yes, it is. :D

So bookmark Hollywood Crush or follow them on Twitter @hollywoodcrush to keep up with the excitement.

See you tomorrow!

Interview with the Voice of Ash

2011-12-06T09:07:00.006-05:00

Hi everyone!

Okay, so last week was the interview with the hilarious and charming Josh Hurley, the voice of Puck. The previous week we had the fabulous Khristine Hvam, the voice of Meghan. So for our last guest, it is my absolute pleasure to welcome MacLeod Andrews, the narrator of The Iron Knight and the voice of the ice prince himself.

1. Was it hard getting into the character personalities? Or intimidating even, since we love them so much?

I think with any book that isn’t a series you’ve already recorded it takes a chapter or two to solidify your narrator. This was the case for Ash although I came into it with a voice in mind. I modeled him after a young version of a highly regarded older actor. I don’t want to influence anyone’s listening though, so I’m not going to tell you who. Being an Ice Prince I knew Ash needed to command respect, carry himself with elegance, and a degree of emotional detachment. Puck’s playful snark came to me pretty quickly. The Big Bad Wolf was pretty much a constant struggle to growl deeper.

2. Do you read the books for fun, as opposed to a job/audiobook?

I enjoy many of the books I record. If you mean the Iron Fey Series, unfortunately no, I haven’t read any of the other books. Though after reading this one I may have to change that. On my own time I’ve mostly been reading historical nonfiction.

3. Who are their favorite characters from the books?

From Iron Knight I would have to say Ash, Puck, Grimalkin, BBW, Glitch.

4. What do you have in common with Ash/Puck?

Like Ash, I think I have a strong sense of responsibility and follow through. And am also looking forward to a son or daughter with the right woman some day.

5. What were their favorite moments of the audiobook? What was the most fun to record?

The River of Dreams, the doppelganger fight, when they came back for the Big Bad Wolf, when Ash became human and still had some powers, and the third trial for Ash’s humanity. My favorite section to record was definitely the third trial where he experiences a potential version of his life as a human. I couldn’t keep myself from breaking down a little in that section.

6. Whenever they are given the voicing over job, do they get to know the characters first?

Sure, I always read the book first and in this case I contacted the previous narrator Khristine Hvam to ask about the characters I encountered.

7. How's was it like to portray/read Puck/Ash?

It was fun and emotional reading Ash. He’s practically a superhero. And his journey lays bare fundamental aspects of the human condition in a powerful way.

8. What scene did they have most difficulty narrating?

Nothing stands out. Maybe the town where the forgotten faery are sucking the life out of our heroes. I recall there being a number of minor characters to voice there.

9. Do they do any preparations before recording?

First I get the book in PDF format and load it onto my iPad using the app iAnnotate. As I read the book I bookmark new characters and start taking note of their attributes. I also assign a “stamp”, like a symbol, to each character. Every time the character has a line of dialogue I put their unique stamp next to it in the margin. If the book is part of a series like this one, I’ll contact the other narrators to check pronunciations and character voices. If there are no other narrators, I’ll often contact the author to ask for pronunciations and whether they hear their characters in a specific way. Sometimes I’ll look up samples of other books from similar genres to hear how other narrators have approached similar material.

10. If you were fey, would you be Seelie, Unseelie, or Iron?

Probably Seelie. I think I’m too emotionally present and cheerful to be Unseelie. But I do like to ski, so there’s that.

Thanks so much, MacLeod! And if you'd like to know more, check out his blog here. You can also listen to a snippet of The Iron Knight at audible.com. Or, if you'd just like to say hello, follow MacLeod on Twitter @MacLeodAndrews.

Interview with the voice of Puck

2011-11-28T16:31:00.004-05:00

Last week, I was lucky to have Khristine Hvam, the voice of Meghan Chase and the narrator of The Iron King, stop by for an interview. Today, I have the great pleasure of welcoming another awesome narrator to the blog. He has a fabulous voice and put it to good use while narrating Summer's Crossing. His name is Josh Hurley, but you might know him better...

...as Puck.

1. Was it hard getting into the character personalities? Or intimidating even, since we love them so much?

Sure. I think when you read a good work of fiction for the first time, the characters have something you can relate to, some quality or attribute you can connect with. Good or bad. And some characters you can identify with better than others. And then there are those characters that are far removed from what you as a reader and actor think or feel or believe. I try to find their core by looking for similarities. Robin Goodfellow, for instance, is somebody I identify with. His humor is a sword and shield against the outside world but underneath is a lot of complex feelings and emotions, and some sensitive tenderness’s that only we as readers get to see. And I feel for his love of Meghan, even though he is fighting an uphill battle. Ash is fierce, passionate, and loyal on the inside but outside, at least to Robin Goodfellow, cold as ice. And the relationship between Puck and Ash itself is complex and fun to explore. Queen Titania was really fun, because she is just, wow, she has a lot of vanity (well, don’t we all to some degree). Oberon is strong, commanding, and very intimidating. Playing him—that’s not me so much, so I drew on people that I knew had those qualities. My dad was one of those kinds of guys. You really respected him and he was really generous and kind but as a kid, I did not look forward to the days my mom would say “Dad’s not gonna be happy about this when he gets home”.

I think you find in most great books that stay with you long after you read the last page have characters you can’t quite put your finger on. There’s no clear cut good guy or bad guy—a collage of grey as opposed to clear cut black and white—these creatures are always much more identifiable (and a lot more fun to play) than the archetype hero who can do no wrong or the villain who can do no right. I Think Julie has given us some great characters in the Iron Fey series; wonderful and complex—exciting and mysterious, yet familiar and relatable. So when I get to play well written, multi faceted characters, there is a definite surge of nervous/excited energy I get. And when you have characters that are as loved and well known as Puck, Ash, Meghan and the entire cast of the Iron Fey—yeah, you want to represent them all as best you can. Because the readers know—they know details, they know what the characters sound like in their head, and they can easily call you out if you’re not giving it your all.

2. Do you read the books for fun, as opposed to a job/audiobook?

Yes, I read them for fun, always. I believe that reading a good book (or acting, or singing, or standing on your head, or any creative endeavor) should be done in a spirit of fun and should forever trump critique, or “ the job”, or deconstruction because in my opinion that is what they are made for-- to enjoy. I think anything created in a state of joy brings more joy, so a book or story-- especially works of fantasy-- are perfect examples of creation borne from joy. Even if the story itself is sad, or terrifying, or dramatic, heavy, heartbreaking (hopefully, all of those things combined), it should still feel in some way good to read. It’s enlightening, suspenseful, or something like that, otherwise why not read a math book, or a McDonalds menu, or a how-to manual on building tree-houses, right? But that doesn’t mean it can’t teach us something in the process because good fiction always does. For me, understanding and really delving into the world of the story (here, the Iron Fey realm) is a key to playing each character, but unless you are really having fun, enjoying the reading inside that recording booth, you’re in big trouble. I think work and play should be an awesome, complimentary combination, like strawberries and whip cream, p.b. & j., or macaroni & cheese (I love food metaphors).

3. Who [is your] favorite character(s) from the books?

I really do like Puck (he said, with unabashed bias). I feel like he is someone I can relate to and he’s got a great, razor sharp wit that I love. An outsider in his own world, yet one who really sees things for what they are, he has a unique view of everything that’s going on around him. Also, I love the Seelie Royalty, because they’re larger than life characters and so fascinating—Oberon and Titana, their relationship with each other is really electric.

4. What do you have in common with Ash/Puck?

A four letter first name?

Well, I guess I would say that Puck’s main weapon is his wit and humor--this endless desire to joke and mock the hand that feeds him. I can definitely relate to that. In jr high and some of high-school, I was kind of geeky kid, certainly not one of the “populars”. And in that sense I was an outsider—but I did find that if I was IN on the joke, by default I was in with the other kids. It was US (the students) against THEM (the teachers), and not me vs the other kids. So, when, I was supposed to be quiet or study at my desk, that’s when I would pipe up— and the other kids were happy to reinforce my insubordination with the best kind of currency a slightly insecure jr high school kid could have—laughter. The teacher would say one thing, and I would try, as fast as I could, to say another. I guess I was the class—not so much clown—but the class smartass (Heck, Shakespeare’s Puck even turns someone INTO an ass). Not mean humor, I hated the idea of being MEAN or hurting anyone-- just really abrasive, rebellious, and goofy. It made me somewhat unpopular amongst my teachers. To me, Puck and Titana (Puck and anyone, really) are always playing a similar game-- attitude vs. power. Puck’s trying to outdo, outwit the powers that be-- he with commentary, the others with rank and force. I love that his weapon is his brain and his ingenuity. And often, IT WORKS! Also, Puck’s pure love for Meghan. His hurt when it doesn’t go his way. Sometimes, caring about someone really sucks. I definitely understand that, too.

Oh, and one more thing-- I refer to all my brooding, male friends as “ice boy”.

5. What were their favorite moments of the audiobook? What was the most fun to record?

I really loved all the exchanges between Puck and Ash. Those two I could watch all day, verbally sparring with each other, because there is history between them and so much complexity, but also they make me think of some of the friendships I’ve had-- how sometimes people we may think we “like” least are people who end up teaching us and helping us the most. For me, a huge source of fun is getting to play with different voices.

Also, I really love making voices. Ever since I was a kid I loved hearing and imitating other peoples sound. At 8 years old I remember being thrilled when I thought I had learned to imitate tv host Robin Leach (this dates me, oh man does it date me, but look him up on Youtube anyway, he has a really crazy voice). I would do my impression of him at the drop of a hat for everyone, everywhere (which, for an 8 year old, was really just my parents, brother, my best friend who lived next door, and a few politely interested relatives). I thought that if you could really make your voice sound like someone elses, it was so much easier to pretend to be them. Honestly, I still believe that. My love for voice mimicry still motivates me today, as does my politely interested relatives polite interest.

6. Whenever they are given the voicing over job, do they get to know the characters first?

Yes, definitely. I think Anthony Hopkins said something to the effect that he reads and rereads his the script he’s working on over a hundred times just to become familiar with it. I certainly haven’t mastered that level of commitment, but knowing your characters is your job as an actor. So I try to dig as deep as I can. But funny enough, sometimes, after getting to know each character so well, the actor knows far more than the character that he/she is playing, but here’s the tough part-- you can’t play omniscience for each character—you have to let each one have their secrets, and each one discover things along the way. The character has been created and fleshed out already by the author. So I’m just there to try and make them speak in their own unique way and to do it the best I can. I was trained in improv. A great bit of wisdom from Del Close, a revered and brilliant improv mentor is, “Always play to the top of your intelligence”. I think he meant that you, the actor, should never play “dumb” in a scene where you clearly understand what’s going on. That’s condescending to the audience and to the other characters. I think that carries over to acting in audiobooks—play each character to the top of your intelligence. In that way, you really get to know them because you are discovering right along with them.

7. How's was it like to portray/read Puck/Ash?

I think in some ways Puck was easy and in some ways more challenging. Puck, the great character (both in this series, Shakespeare, and beyond) is known for his slyness, trickery, and love of shaking things up. But underneath all of that, he has a soft, vulnerable spot-- a heart-- and that heart of his is in love. It was fun to play him because at times he would let down his guard and we could see him and and empathize with him. I have a friend, Nick, also an actor/comedian friend of mine, who is very Puckish in nature, and I used a little of his essence to bring out the prankster/trickster of Puck. Thanks Nick!

8. What scene did they have most difficulty narrating?

I have to say that the beginning of Summers Crossing, where Puck is addressing the readers, was more challenging for me than other parts of the book. I’ll be honest, I really enjoy recording solo, it gives you so much freedom to explore, but I really love working with other performers in the room— the collaboration and play off each other is something I really thrive on. As far as human contact is concerned, recording an audio book can be very lonely in the recording booth (aside from the words on the page and the always present and most always friendly sound technician) so when the characters are talking to each other or communicating with each other, it was like playing off other actors, only I guess I was the only one playing. I talk to myself. Does that make me sound crazy? Probably. But it’s really true, reacting to something (even if it is your own strange voice coming back to you in the headphones) is far more interesting to me than acting something without any feedback. But that’s one of the beauties of literature; the author and characters are having a communication, only instead of it being between other performers, it’s between the unseen reader and the unseen narrator. There is a constant dialogue there. As an actor you have to find a happy medium.

9. Do they do any preparations before recording?

I eat a lot of apples.

Actually, one thing I did was listen to Khristine Hvam reading the other books, just to get a sense of her tone and to make sure I wasn’t totally departing from what was already established audio-book wise. Which by the way Khristine is great…so talented-- I even spoke to her briefly via phone and she was so nice and accommodating. Her voice is very intoxicating when reading, I got drawn in right away. And reading and rereading the story, letting it sink in. I will say I don’t like to overdo the research because I want it to be fresh, ya know? Try to surprise myself in the reading. But I want to do enough that I feel comfortable in the characters skin and most of all, that I’m being true to Julie’s words. Great writing does so much of the heavy lifting for you, I just did everything I could to keep it that way-- the polish on the silver—er…Iron.

And the recording process itself is so fun-- so relaxed and enjoyable. Mike, Kat, the technician in the booth with you, and everyone at Audible (where I recorded Summers Crossing) made the process so relaxed and enjoyable- I feel very lucky to work with them. They are true professionals so that makes it easy to ‘play’ in the recording booth.

Also I’m very lucky two of my roomies, who happen to be two of my best friends and fellow actors, Mike Brown and Tracy Mull, have been so helpful. They’ve been very generous listening to me bounce voices off and giving me their very honest opinions. They are troopers- It’d be like 2AM and I’d be talking like a fawn or a nymph, saying, “And how about THIS one!?!” Like I said, I love working with others and they are two of the people I trust to bounce ideas off. Also, a few times I’ve felt creatively stagnant, so Tracy would do these fun voice drills with me—she’ll go, “Now do it like a werewolf in the circus…now do it like your drowning…now do it like you’re Mrs. Doubtfire on fire…”crazy stuff, but it really gets the creative juices going, and usually produces some laughter as a bonus.

10. If you were fey, would you be Seelie, Unseelie, or Iron?

This is a great question—very tough actually. Well, my hometown is Pocatello, Idaho, and I love it there. Idaho is really a mix of all three (yes even the Iron realm, sadly). Winters there are very cold, brisk, and dark, but beautiful, snowy, and wondrous. Very Tir Na Nog-ish. And I love the winter season (I especially miss downhill skiing) so temperature wise, Unseelie would suit me just fine. But spring in Idaho is beautiful, refreshing, and clear, and certainly my favorite season. Spring leads right into Summer, so Seelie fits me like a glove. But Iron— there’s something wild, crazy, and appealing about the barron jagged desolation there. A tough call. Can I say all three? I’ll travel between them. No? Ok…well, then it’s between Seelie and Unseelie… I’ll say--

Seelie.

But you can bet I’d still have a lot of Frequent Fey’er Miles.

THANKS JULIE!!! :D

Thank YOU, Josh! And if you want to know more, Josh's twitter tag is @Joshuwhaaat, and he will be more then happy to answer all of your Puckish questions. ;-)

And check out Josh on Audible.com. You can even listen to a snippet of Summer's Crossing here

Interview with the Voice of Meghan

2011-11-15T08:45:00.007-05:00

Hey everyone!

Today I have the huge privilege of featuring an interview with Khristine Hvam, the wonderful narrator for The Iron King audiobook and the voice of Meghan Chase. I actually got to chat with Khristine face-to-face at the Audible studios in New York City, and it was a total blast being in the studio with her.

Anyway, rather then thinking up an interview to send her, I thought it would be fun to give readers a chance to ask the questions. So I posed the question to Twitter: what would you ask the voice of Meghan, Ash, and Puck if you had the chance? And Twitter never disappoints. So here is Khristine, in her own words, on the voice of Meghan Chase.

1 1. 1. Was it hard getting into the character personalities? Or intimidating even, since we love them so much?

Absolutely intimidating at times BUT… when I was a little girl I played the part of Peter Pan in my 4^th grade play and while I was onstage I would mouth the lines of all the other characters. So I guess you could say, I’ve always wanted to play ALL the parts. This kind of work allows me to do just that. For as long as I can remember I’ve been making up voices and characters. In the early years to entertain my family and friends, and later on when I thought being a film or stage actor would be my path. But as the years went on and I found myself in so many different careers while I searched for my bliss, voice over kept popping up. One day when the universe was tired of all my milling around what it had been placed so clearly in front of me, it just sort of clicked that this was what I was supposed to do. And then I just did it. Lesson learned: listen to the universe… it always gifts you what you need.

2. Do you read the books for fun, as opposed to a job/audiobook?

I absolutely read books for fun as well. Working in audio books has opened my eyes to different genres that I would have normally passed by, and because of the work, I was able to discover beautiful new adventures that truly touched my life. This series is one of them.

3. Who are their favorite characters from the books?

This is such a hard one for me! There are so many well thought out and fun characters it’s impossible to choose one. I love Grimalkin and Leananshide because they are SO fey. I love Puck, because I have always loved the Puck character (way back in Mid Summer Night’s Dream). Ash… is just… well… you know. They’re all great!

4. What do you have in common with Meghan?

I’m not sure Meghan and I have a lot in common at all… (maybe her romantic side) and I’m sure that’s not really the answer you were looking for… BUT, if I found out that I was the half daughter “princess” of the Faerie King, my best friend was Puck, and I’d ride off into the sunset with the hot bad boy who pledged his undying love for me… I’d be WAY more ok with that.

5. What were their favorite moments of the audiobook? What was the most fun to record?

My favorite moment out of all three books is when Meghan kisses Puck in Leanansidhe’s “outcast place.” This is when things got really good for me. There was just so much happening between these three characters… love, friendship, desire, loyalty… just a great moment in the story and a big turning point.

6. Whenever they are given the voicing over job, do they get to know the characters first?

While I’m prepping the book I get to know all the characters. And sometimes if I’m lucky, I have the opportunity to chat with the author and get some of their input as well.

7. How's was it like to portray/read Puck/Ash/Meghan?

Each character is so different and so complex. They really have a lot going on inside them… this is a tough one to answer.

8. What scene did they have most difficulty narrating?

The most difficult scenes to narrate are the scenes with lots of different characters talking to each other. Since we record the book from beginning to end, and don’t separate the characters, its my job to switch back and forth…. And sometimes it can get a lil crazy.

9. Do they do any preparations before recording?

Before every book I record, I read the book. I find out about each character; Who they are, where they’re from, how they behave, does the author give them accents, what do other characters say about them, and how do they sound in my head… stuff like that. I try to tap into the eight year old girl and me… and just pretend.

10. If you were fey, would you be Seelie, Unseelie, or Iron?

I would definitely be Seelie. Chances are I would be the female version of Puck. Always cracking jokes, getting into trouble, and causing mischief… always looking out for the people I love, and risking it all to save them regardless of the consequences.

Thanks so much, Khristine! It was a such a pleasure talking with you.

Find Khristine here on her website. Or, check out a snippet of her work here at audible.com.

And check back soon for an interview with Josh Hurley, or, as you might know him, the voice of a certain redheaded prankster.

The Iron Fey website

2011-11-08T09:20:00.007-05:00

The new Iron Fey site is live!

And wow, has HarlequinTEEN outdone itself. Totally, completely, absolutely GORGEOUS. I'm in awe. You really need to see it for yourself. Not only is it REALLY PRETTY, it has lots of other fun things.

Fun things in question:
-Quizzes (What type of fey are you? Summer/Winter/Iron?)
-Trailers
-Downloads (Check out the awesome backgrounds for Team Ash and Puck)
-Never before seen deleted scenes (Including the Extended Balcony scene from Iron Queen, and another scene from Iron Knight with Ash's doppleganger.)
-Ash's Letter to Meghan (If you didn't get to read it before, now's your chance. Ash's final letter to Meghan before the events of The Iron Knight.)
-A blurb of The Immortal Rules, the upcoming post-apocalyptic vampire series.

So, before I begin to sound like an advertisement, I'll just leave you the link and let you check it out yourself. Go here and see the awesome for yourself, and then go onto twitter or Facebook and let @HarlequinTeen know if they did good. :)

Ash and Puck, come to life (sort of)

2011-10-25T21:32:00.010-04:00

I'm back from the Iron Knight signing.

It was great! Thanks to everyone who came, especially those who drove so far to see me. It was wonderful meeting you all.

But, the coolest part of the signing, were these guys.

I knew there would be life-sized figures of Ash and Puck at the signing, but it was still pretty awesome to walk in and see them staring at you. Or rather, at each other. (Puck seems to be giving Ash the evil eye.)

Here are a couple more pics.

Puck.

Ash.

Me with the boys. ^__^

There were also goodie bags with a never before seen picture of Ash, Meghan, and Puck together. I got to take home the big poster of them. *happy*

I love this pic.

So where are the boys now, you wonder? Don't worry, they're safely in the corner of my office, where they shall remain forevermore, my preciousssssssssssssssss.

Twitter party: Aftermath

2011-10-25T10:59:00.003-04:00

So, the #IronKnightParty was a blast.

I don't know how many people showed up for it, but the screen was rolling by so quickly you couldn't keep up with all the comments. My laptop froze and crashed only once during the whole two hours, which I consider a win. Such is the case with these twitter parties, and I love them because they're so fast, furious, and fun.

Some highlights of the party:

The Iron Knight playlist was revealed, which I shall post here for your enjoyment. I wish I could post the music, but Playlist.com has the bad habit of dropping songs on my list or removing links. So I'll post a YouTube vid of my favorite song on the list, which I think captures Ash's struggle perfectly.

Unknown Soldier by Breaking Benjamin
Here Without You by 3 Doors Down
Evil Angel by Breaking Benjamin
Carry on my Wayward Son by Kansas
Without You by My Darkest Days
I’m not Okay by My Chemical Romance
Cross my Heart by Marianas Trench
Pieces by Red
Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance
Come What May by Nicole Kidman and Ethan McGregor (Moulin Rouge)

But the highlight of the party (and what many people came for, I think), was Ash's Letter to Meghan. There was much speculation about what was in said letter, which led to some hilarious poems and notes as everyone waited for the reveal. Such as:

"Roses are red, violets are blue, Meghan is mine, Puck get a clue." -Team Ash

Team Puck's response?

"Roses are red, violets are blue, eff you Ice-boy, I kissed her too."

And of course:

"Roses are red, violets are blue, I am a cat, I pwn all of you."

LOL, but then the real letter was unveiled. And while I can't post it on my blog just yet, I will share the link to the HarlequinTeen FB page where you can unlock the download. Go check it out. They made it all pretty and stuff. :)

Link to Ash's Letter.

So now we were getting close to midnight, and the official release of The Iron Knight. But Harlequin Teen had one last little surprise in store. (Actually, there's nothing little about it.) A photo contest, running from now to November 18th, where you take a picture of yourself and an Iron Fey book in a creative, faery-ish way, and post it to their FB page. The prize?

A signed copy of The Iron Knight, and A TRIP TO NYC TO MEET ME.

Sound cool? Want to go to New York City? Then follow this link to enter the contest and good luck!

Whew, I think that's everything! If you have questions about the letter or the contest, please don't inquire here, I won't be able to help you much. Ask Harlequin on their Facebook Page or on their twitter account @HarlequinTeen. Hope to see one lucky winner in New York City soon!

And if you happen to be anywhere in Louisville, KY tonight, I'll be having the second Iron Knight launch party at the Summit B&N. Come by and see me, grab a goodie bag, and have your pic taken with the life-sized cut-outs of Ash and Puck! They'll be staring over my shoulder the whole time. ;-)

Details here.

Iron Knight Night twitter party

2011-10-24T10:05:00.005-04:00

I'm excited.

Tonight is The Iron Knight Night Twitter Party!

There will be contests and Q&A and prizes, special guests and exciting announcements, secret reveals and more.

Including this. ASH'S LETTER, a note he wrote to Meghan before he left for his journey in The Iron Knight. It's never been seen before, but tonight it will be revealed.

The party starts at 10pm and goes to 12 midnight, EST. If you're unsure how to join, check out TweetChat and use the hashtag #IronKnightParty. It will take you to the party. In fact, this should take you right to the room.

See you there!

The Iron Knight launch party (Both of them).

2011-10-19T10:25:00.009-04:00

Hi everyone.

I'm having a launch party for The Iron Knight!

Actually, I'm having TWO of them.

The first will be on October 24th on Twitter, and will run from 10pm to midnight EST, so anyone can hop in and say hello. Super exciting stuff happening that night: there will be contests, prizes, a Q&A where I answer all your burning questions, some author friends dropping by, and a couple of awesome Sekrit Announcements. Really, you do not want to miss it!

To join the online Iron Knight launch party, use the hashtag #IronKnightParty on Twitter or any twitter-related platforms. (I recommend TweetChat.) It's sure to be fast-paced and crazy and chaotic, and most of all FUN.

So, for the nitty gritty details:

The Iron Knight Night Twitter party
Where: Twitter
When: October 24th, 10pm to midnight EST
How: Use the hashtag #IronKnightParty to jump in
Why: Chat with me, contests, prizes, Q&A, secret reveals, announcements, author special guests, and a whole lotta fun!

That's the FIRST launch party.

The SECOND Iron Knight party will be October 25th at the Summit Barnes and Noble in Louisville, KY. Details here.

I'll be there signing copies of The Iron Knight, and there will be goodie bags for the first 20 people who come to see me. I actually have a picture of what will be in said goodie bags. :D Check out the awesome below.

That Ironhorse is original artwork by me, and inside the Ash poster is a never before seen image of Meghan, Ash, and Puck together.

Pretty cool, right?

So I hope you can come see me this coming Tuesday, October 25th, starting at 4pm. Or at least join me on Twitter on the 24th for the Iron Knight Night online launch. Both parties are going to be a blast!

See you soon.

Julie

The last Teaser Tuesday plus an Exciting Announcment

2011-10-18T08:28:00.013-04:00

Hi everyone.

In exactly one week, The Iron Knight will be released into the world.

In light of this news, I must report that this will be the last teaser for The Iron Knight. Because hey, next week you won't need to be teased anymore, right? You'll have Ash in your hot little hands. ;-)

(If that sounds dirty, I don't apologize. Puck made me say it.)

I also have an Exciting Announcement, so please sick around after the teaser for the news.

So, here we go. The final Iron Knight teaser; short, simple, and sweet.

***

She trailed her fingers over my bare chest and I shivered, almost frightened by how much I loved this girl.

***

There. A shirtless Ash. You've been waiting for it, right? Lol, now you'll just have to get the book to see how that plays out. :P

*Snaps fingers* Wait, wait, don't leave yet! I still have an announcement!

Ahem.

I'm doing an Iron Knight launch party in Louisville! (I know, finally, right?) It's being held at the Summit Barnes and Noble, starting at 4pm and going to whenever. I'll be signing copies of The Iron Knight, plus there will be goodie bags, drawings, prizes, and some never before seen things.

(Also, there are rumors that there will be life-sized blow ups of both Ash and Puck at the party, too. So if you wanted your picture of either of them, now's the time!)

For more information, go here. Spread the word! I'll see everyone in a week!

Julie

YALSA awards

2011-10-17T14:00:00.003-04:00

I am home.

So, New York City ComiCon was fast-paced and awesome and exciting, and I have some great pictures and stories to tell involving the flu and costumes and Bumblebee from Transformers. But I will get to them later.

I did want to share THIS:

The Iron King made #5 on YALSA's top ten! How incredibly awesome is that? I can hardly believe I'm up there with authors like Suzanne Collins and Cassie Clare. Eep, I say. Double eep.

Here is the full list, and congrats to the winners and the nominees. If you happen to talk or tweet at one of these authors, be sure to congratulated them, too!

1. The Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (Simon & Schuster)

2. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic)

3. Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick (Simon & Schuster)

4. I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (HarperCollins)

5. The Iron King by Julie Kagawa (Harlequin)

6. Matched by Ally Condie (Penguin)

7. Angel: A Maximum Ride Novel by James Patterson (Little, Brown & Company)

8. Paranormalcy by Kiersten White (HarperCollins)

9. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (HarperCollins)

10. Nightshade by Andrea Cremer (Penguin)

New York City ComiCon

2011-10-13T19:05:00.005-04:00

Tomorrow I'm off to New York for ComiCon!

Wheeeeeee! Geek lovers dream. I hope to see lots of cosplay and zombies.

Or maybe both.

Oh my. Hello, Cloud.

Oh, and you can also meet me there on Saturday, October 15th, at Harlequin's booth #2021 from 2-4. I'll be signing books, and anyone who comes in costume can be entered to win a cool Iron Fey swag pack.

Plus I will probably take your picture.

(And if someone comes as my favorite video game character or comic book hero, I will give them a prize. No, I'm not saying who they are.)

Hope to see you there. In costume. :D

Teaser Tuesday

2011-10-11T21:18:00.000-04:00

Whoops, nearly forgot this week's teaser.

Sorry. I blame the brand new novel I started today. You know when you sit down and type the words "Chapter One" and then think: aaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Yeah, that was me today.

Also, tomorrow I turn 29. Yup, just like last year.

Woohoo.

Okay, you're probably here for the teaser, right? Wow, only three teasers left until Iron Knight is out. Time flies. (Or crawls, depending on how you see it.)

On with the teaser.

***

I drew my sword. “Puck, get some light back there, now.”

Faery fire exploded overhead, a flash of emerald green, lighting the passageway behind us. In the flare, hundreds of shiny, eight-legged creatures scuttled back from the sudden light. The tunnel was full of them, pale and bulbous, with bodies the size of melons and multiple thin legs. But their faces, elven and beautiful, stared down at us coldly, and bared mouthfuls of curved black fangs.

***

Oh yeah, and don't forget this, either.

Check here for details. I'll be there wearing my Grimalkin pjs!

Iron King ponies

2011-10-05T10:22:00.004-04:00

And now, for something totally random...

I blame Beth Revis for having the link to this "Create-a-pony" site on Deviant Art. Guess what I was doing all afternoon, instead of editing?

I made PONIES.

So, if you've ever wondered what the characters from The Iron King would look like as ponies, here ya go.

Meghan pony

Ash pony

Puck pony

If you want to go make your own pony (and probably waste an entire afternoon like me) go here

Go forth and create a pony!

Teaser Tuesday and a brush with malicious plants

2011-10-04T16:09:00.006-04:00

A somewhat late Teaser Tuesday.

So a couple days ago I was out working in the yard, and as I was picking up pine cones from beneath the trees, I happened to look around and discovered I was surrounded by poison ivy.

Not that Poison Ivy.

This poison ivy.

I got out of there quick, and thought I had avoided contact with any of the plants.

Unfortunately not.

Yesterday morning I woke up with my left eye swollen completely shut. Which made it very difficult to write, edit, tweet, or anything involving the use of one's eyes. I spent the day in bed hugging a box of Benedryl.

Today its a little better, though I still look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, or that guy from Goonies. (Remember him?) But, it is Tuesday, and neither rain nor sleet nor sadistic vegetation will keep me from posting.

So, here's today's teaser. Its short, but its all I can manage today. Now, back under the covers I go, to dream of taking a machete to the vines beneath the pine trees. *Whack whack*

***

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

***

Iron Knight trailer debut

2011-09-28T09:13:00.003-04:00

We are live!

Have you seen the official, epic Iron Knight trailer? The one with Ash throwing ice daggers?

You should! Check it out on Harlequin's Facebook page: here to see the awesomeness for yourself.

Be sure to share the news with everyone, and retweet the link if you like it. Thanks so much!

Julie

Teaser Tuesday

2011-09-27T09:37:00.004-04:00

*Checks calender.*

Wow, less then one month till the release of Iron Knight. And HarlequinTEEN has a ton of fun, exciting things planned for the two weeks before the launch, so be on the lookout for that. Should be a blast.

Anyway, we've had several Ash/Puck teasers lately, so I think this week's teaser belongs to the one and only cait sith, Grimalkin.

***

"Oh, wonderful." Rudy gave the cat a sour look, grabbing a cloth from below and wiping the countertop. "Look who's here. Back to plague me again, are you? You know that information you traded nearly got me killed?"

"You wanted the location of the giant ruins. I gave it to you. My end of the bargain was upheld."

"I thought they were deserted! You didn't say they were still occupied!"

"You did not ask if they were."

***

Less then a month to October 25. :D

Day with Ash/Puck Contest: Winners

2011-09-26T09:05:00.004-04:00

Wow, so I had a HARD time choosing the winners for this one. SO many great trips, outings, dates, ect. I'm sure Puck and Ash are exhausted now. Anyway, I chose my three favorite entries for both Ash and Puck and let Random.org do the rest.

And the winners for a signed Iron Knight arc are:

Day with Ash: Jen of Jenuine Cupcakes. Here is her winning entry. (Ash in an apron, *snorts*) http://jenuinecupcakes.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-day-wash-contest-ice-prince-queen-of.html

Day with Puck: Chapter Chicks. With her winning entry. http://www.chapterchicks.com/2011/09/one-day-with-puck.html

Congratulations to the winners! If you would both email me (juliekagawa@juliekagawa.com) with your addresses, I will send a signed Iron Knight arc winging your way.

Thanks so much, everyone! It was a blast reading these.

Puck: We should do it again sometime. *YAWN* But first, I need a nap. Hey, Cupcake-boy, you still have frosting in your hair. It's kinda cute.

Ash: *Draws sword* Come over here and say that.

Me: Sigh.

The Iron Knight trailer snippet

2011-09-22T13:28:00.002-04:00

The Iron Knight trailer snippet! Short but awesome! :D

I haven't seen the whole thing yet, and now I'm dying to.

Thoughts?

2011-09-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday everyone!

So I have a couple exciting things to share today. One, the teaser, which I will reveal in a moment. Two, in conjunction with my new Facebook fanpage, I am revealing several photos from THE IRON KNIGHT TRAILER, which is not available to the public yet. The Iron Knight trailer is scheduled to be revealed on Wednesday, September 28th, but you won't be able to see these pictures anywhere else. So hop on over to Facebook and click "like" if you approve. :)

Link will be revealed below. But first, the teaser. Here's our two favorite fey boys, doing what they do best: annoying each other.

***

“Hey, ice-boy, you okay? You’ve got your brooding face on again.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re so full of crap.” Puck lounged in the cradle of a tree, hands behind his head, one foot dangling in the air. “Lighten up already. We finally found the cat—which we should get a freaking medal for, the search for the Golden Fleece wasn’t this hard—and you look like you’re going to engage Mab in single combat first thing in the morning.”

“I’m thinking. You should try it sometime.”

"Ooh, witty."

***

And for a peek at the never before seen stills of The Iron Knight trailer, check out My new fanpage .

Teaser Tuesday, double teaser day

2011-09-13T08:23:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

As we creep closer to the release of Iron Knight, several people have asked me for happier teasers. Or at least not so evil ones. (Which only means I'm doing something right, ha ha!) So, as a special treat today, I'll post TWO teasers. One happy(er), and one horrid, horrid evil teaser. Pick your teaser, or read them both at your own peril. >:D

Teaser one (happy-ish teaser):

But seeing her still made my heart beat crazily, made me long to pull her close and let that light consume me. If it burned until there was nothing left, would that be such a terrible fate?

And, teaser two (evil teaser):

My quest ended here, in this hole of darkness and regret. And, if I didn't die here, if I lived on forever, listening to the voices of those I'd wronged until the end of time, perhaps I would start to atone for what I had done.

What sayest thou?

Teaser Tuesday

2011-09-06T09:32:00.000-04:00

Well, hello Tuesday.

Last week's teaser was just a little bit evil. Today, I see no reason not to continue the trend. >:D Oh, and if you haven't already, check out the contest going on below. Its for a signed IRON KNIGHT arc, and all you have to do is answer this question on your blog:

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

Rules and details are below.

And now, onto the teaser.

***

She came for me in the end, as I knew she would. I'd made certain it would be her. The terrible Iron Queen, her eyes filled with fury and sorrow, facing me across the ravaged fields of the Nevernever.

***

Not long till October now. :D

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

2011-08-31T23:39:00.000-04:00

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...

Teaser Tuesday

2011-08-30T09:07:00.000-04:00

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.*

Twisted Tour Stop

2011-08-23T08:42:00.000-04:00

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.

Teaser Tuesday

2011-08-16T10:50:00.000-04:00

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

Teaser Tuesday: Special

2011-08-09T09:23:00.001-04:00

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.

***

Ash's toughest challenge yet

2011-08-07T22:27:00.000-04:00

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!

Ash and Meghan: Deleted Balcony Scene

2011-08-04T11:39:00.000-04:00

"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.”

Teaser Tuesday

2011-08-02T22:05:00.000-04:00

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.”

***

Beachy Keen Book Bash

2011-07-29T07:28:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, July 30, I'll be at the Joseph Beth Bookstore in Cincinnati for the Beachy Keen Book Bash with these awesome authors.

Saundra Mitchell (The Vespertine, Shadowed Summer)
Kay Cassidy (The Cinderella Society)
Julia Karr (XVI)
Sara Bennette Wealer (Rival)
Kristina Purnhagen (The Tension of Opposites)
Linda Gerber (Trance, Death by Bikini)

What a great lineup! There will be a panel, a Q&A, and a couple cool summer prizes that you could snag. It'll be fun! It'll be...Beachy Keen!

(I'm almost embarrassed that I was the one who came up with that, lol!)

Anyway, details! You all need details, right? Here they are:

Joseph-Beth Booksellers
2692 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45208

Phone: (513) 396-8970

Website

Date: Saturday, July 30

Time: 1:00pm to 3:00pm

Hope to see you there!

Tweeting and winning go hand in hand

2011-07-27T15:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, Team Ashers and Team Puckers (that sounds weird, but go with it). How would you like to win a set of all three Iron Fey books, signed? Harlequin Teen is having a Twitter contest tomorrow, Thursday the 28th, to celebrate the end of the Iron Fey re-read month. Does that sound cool? If yes, here are the deets:

Contest is Thursday 7/28

From 11am to 11pm EST

Entrants should use one of two hashtags, #teamash or #teampuck (Don't forget to make it to @Harlequinteen)

Entrants need to tweet a favorite quote from that character using the above hashtags.

Each entrant has a chance to win one of two signed sets of The Iron Fey trilogy (King, Daughter and Queen).

One TEAM ASH winner

One TEAM PUCK winner

ETA: For more information and contest rules go here . The contest is open to U.S./Canada (excluding Quebec)

Quotes can be anything from Iron King through Iron Queen; no Iron Knight quotes since it is not out yet and we want to avoid spoilers.

Also, if you want to really support your fey boy, here are the links to the wallpaper that you can use for you avatar. Its not required, but it would be very much appreciated. (Also, Puck would get a kick of having his place plastered all over Twitter.)

FandomFest

2011-07-22T08:07:00.000-04:00

Ready to get your geek on?

I'll be at FandomFest in Louisville, KY Saturday 23rd. I'll be on several panels with other authors as we discuss YA, writing, fantasy, and other things.

Check out FandomFest.com for information about hotel, tickets, guests, ect.

If you are planning on attending and want to say hi, here is a schedule of the panels I will be on:

11:00am Panel Room A The YA Explosion

1:00pm Concourse Signing

6:00pm Panel Room B Where First Time Novelists Go Wrong

9:00pm Panel room B Urban Fantasy

10:00pm Panel Room B Fight Scenes in Fiction

Maybe I'll see you there. ^__^

A (Spoiler-free) chat about Ash

2011-07-19T08:27:00.000-04:00

So. With The Iron Knight out on Netgalley, and Ash's story already in the wild, I thought I would post my very brief (spoiler-free) thoughts about the dark, broody prince, and the expectations that might be floating around.

It's always a gamble writing a book in the POV of an already established character, especially one who has been seen through the eyes of someone else. We see the character as the protagonist sees them; we don't know their thoughts, their feelings, the dark, ugly traits that they keep hidden from everyone else. And if the protagonist happens to be in love with said character, things get even more muddied.

Getting into their head is another matter entirely.

Case in point. Its a common occurrence; when an actor is chosen to play the role of a particular character in a book, everyone always says: "he looks nothing like him," or "that's not how I imagined him at all." This is because we've built up our own image of the character, through traits, character description, and our own preferences. And everyone has a different image in mind. Its impossible to meet everyone's expectations.

The same can be said of a book character.

As I said before, it was a gamble switching to Ash's POV. Before, readers have only seen him as Meghan does: handsome, brooding, protective, dangerous, devoted. But in The Iron Knight, we meet the real Ash, stripped of his air of mystery, his real thoughts and emotions laid bare. It might surprise some people. It might anger some people. To know the Ash they built up in their head is quite different then the real Ash. The Winter prince is not an emotionless automaton: he has fears and insecurities like everyone else. He has also lived a long time, and his past has not been a pleasant one. There are old wounds, scars, past sorrows, and regret. To give him his own story means there are no illusions anymore; this is Ash at his darkest, most intimate level. He might not be what you expected.

I will promise one thing, though. The prince of the Unseelie Court has always been my favorite, and I tried to portray him as honestly as I could. Writing his story was difficult sometimes, because I had to dig deep into Ash and bring all these things to light. But I can say with utter confidence that I regret nothing in Ash's story, and to the readers who love the Winter prince as much as me, this one is for you.

I'd love to hear your thoughts/predictions/expectations. (Though I will answer no spoiler-ish questions about The Iron Knight. The gremlins will eat me if I do.)

Fairyday Quote winner

2011-07-18T15:11:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I'm a bit behind.

I was supposed to choose a winner for the #Fairyday contest this weekend, but family came over and I sort of forgot.

BUT, I've picked a winner today, or rather, Random.org picked a number, and the lucky winner is...

Katie at booksaredreams@gmail.com! Her favorite fairy quote happens to be:

"For the rest of my life, however long we have left. I'll consider it an honor to die beside you."

So, congratulations Katie! I'll be emailing you shortly so I can send you your signed Iron Fey trilogy. :) Thanks to everyone else who participated, I hope you had fun, and don't forget to clap so the fey know you believe. ;)

Livestream highlights

2011-07-13T19:00:00.000-04:00

Wow, first off, thanks so much everyone for an awesome chat! I had a lot of fun, and I hope you all enjoyed it too.

So, for those of you who didn't make it, here are a few key events that took place.

The synopsis for The Iron Knight was revealed! I shall post it for your viewing pleasure below. (Warning, possible spoilers for The Iron Queen.)

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice

***

Also, some major announcements! Announcement numeral uno: Teaser Tuesdays are set to return in August, where I will be posting snippets about The Iron Knight, leading up to it's release in October. So keep checking back for those.

Announcement number two: I have a new series coming out! In the spring of 2012, the first book of my post apocalyptic vampire series will hit. The series is called Blood of Eden, and the first book will be titled The Immortal Rules.

Before I get to the last announcement, here is the excerpt I read today from The Iron Knight. Beware, this has major SPOILERS for The Iron Queen, so if you haven't read it yet, I would refrain until you have. But for the rest of you, here is the first Iron Knight teaser. Hope you enjoy. :)

***

My name, my full, True name, is Ashallayn’darkmyr Tallyn, and I am the last son of the Unseelie Court.

There were three of us at one time, all princes of Winter, myself and my brothers, Sage and Rowan. I never knew my sire, never cared to know him, nor did my siblings ever speak of him. I wasn’t even positive we shared the same sire, but it didn’t matter. In the Unseelie Court, Mab was the sole ruler, the one and only queen. Handsome fey and even wayward mortals she might take to her bed, but Mab shared her throne with no one.

We were never close, my brothers and I. As princes of Winter, we grew up in a world of violence and dark politics. Our queen only encouraged this, favoring the son who earned her good graces while punishing the others. We used each other, played vicious games against one another, but we were all loyal to our court and our queen. Or so I’d thought.

There is a reason the Winter Court freezes out their emotions, why feelings are considered a weakness and a folly among the Unseelie fey. Emotion corrupts the senses, makes them weak, makes them disloyal to kith and court. Jealousy was a dark, dangerous passion that ate at my brother Rowan until he did the unthinkable and turned on his court, betraying us to our enemies. Sage, my eldest sibling, fell to Rowan’s treachery, and he was only the first. In a bid for power, Rowan sided with our greatest enemies, the Iron fey, helping their king nearly destroy the Nevernever. I killed Rowan in the end, avenging Sage and the rest of my kin, but retribution cannot bring either of them back. It’s only me, now. I am the last, the only remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court.

And I’m already dead to her.

Rowan was not the only one to succumb to emotion and passion. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl. A girl named Meghan Chase, the half-human daughter of our ancient rival, the Summer King. Fate brought us together, and despite everything I did to shield my emotions, despite the laws of our people and the war with the Iron Fey and the threat of eternal banishment from my home, I still found myself falling for her. Our paths were woven together, our fates intertwined, and before the last battle I swore I would follow her to the end of the world, to protect her from all threats, including my own kin, and to die for her if called to do so. I became her knight, and would have gladly served this girl, this mortal who had captured my heart, until the last breath left my body.

But Fate is a cruel mistress, and in the end, our paths were forced apart, as I feared they would. Meghan became the Iron Queen, as was her destiny, and took the throne in the kingdom of the Iron fey. A place I could not follow, not as I am—a faery creature whose essence weakens and burns at the touch of iron. Meghan herself exiled me from the lands of the Iron fey, knowing that staying would kill me, knowing I would try anyway. But before I left, I swore an oath that I would find a way to return, that someday we would be together, and nothing would separate us again. Mab tried to convince me to return to the Winter Court—I was her only prince now, and it was my duty to come home—but I bluntly stated that I was no longer part of the Unseelie Court, that my service to her and Winter was at an end.

There is nothing more terrible than a spurned faery queen, particularly if that was the second time you’d defied her. I escaped the Winter Court with my life intact, but just barely, and I won’t be returning any time soon. Regardless, I feel little regret at turning my back on my queen, my kith, and my home. That part of my life is done. My loyalty, and my heart, belongs to another queen now.

I promised I’d find a way for us to be together. I intend to keep that promise. Even if it means trekking through a sprawling, deadly marsh in search of a rumor. Even if it means putting up with my fiercest and most annoying rival, Robin Goodfellow who—despite all his attempts to hide it—is in love with my queen as well. I don’t know why I haven’t killed him yet. Maybe because Puck is Meghan’s closest friend, and she would mourn him terribly if he were gone (though I can’t understand why). Or, maybe, deep down, I’m tired of being alone.

In any case, it matters little. With every ruin we search, every dragon we slay or every rumor we unearth, I’m one step closer to my goal. Even if it takes a hundred years, I will be with her in the end. Another piece of the puzzle lurks somewhere in this dreary swampland. The only difficulty lies in finding it.

***

Okay, and now for the last announcement.

Also coming in 2012, there will be a SECOND IRON FEY TRILOGY. This is for all the Iron Fey fans out there, whom I'm forever grateful for. This series, set several years after the events of the first, will star an older Ethan Chase, Meghan's brother. Yep, Ethan is getting his own adventure, so be sure to be on the lookout for that. :D

And, that's it! If you missed the livestream event and want to see it, you can still catch the recorded version here. Warning though: I have squinty eyes and sound like a chipmunk, so don't say I didn't warn you, lol!

Thanks again everyone!

Julie

ETA: OH, I forgot to mention this! The Iron Knight is up on Netgalley. now, so hurry on over and request a download. :D Ash is waiting. ;-)

The day of Exciting Announcements

2011-07-11T13:47:00.000-04:00

Exciting announcements galore!

I will be chatting live, yes LIVE (eek), on Livestream, this Wednesday, July 13, from 3pm to 4pm EST. During which time there will be...you guessed it, EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENTS. About The Iron Knight. But also some other stuff that you absolutely do not want to miss.

The synopsis of Iron Knight will finally be read! Live. By me. (Did I mention this was live?)

Questions will be answered!

Excerpts will be read.

Cats will probably walk in front of the camera.

And other stuff!

There might also be a giveaway. (Remember that thing I bragged about on Twitter? You might be able to win one. Signed. On camera.)

And, also very important, there are a couple of mysterious, exciting announcements no one has heard about yet. So you'll just have to show up Wednesday to see what they are.

So drop by Harlequin's Facebook Page Wednesday at 3pm to see me talk about books, faeries, The Iron Knight, Ash, and a few more secret things. Hope to see you there! :D

Behind the Scenes of The Iron Knight's Photoshoot

2011-07-06T11:29:00.000-04:00

Harlequin Teen just sent me the link to a video of the photoshoot they'd done when auditioning models for the cover of The Iron Knight. I'm so excited to finally see this and get to hear Meghan's voice, too!

The 2011 RITA awards

2011-07-02T08:25:00.000-04:00

Yesterday in NYC, the RWA hosted its annual RITA awards.

From the RWA website:

The purpose of the RITA® contest is to promote excellence in the romance
genre by recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas.

The award itself is a golden statuette named after RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada, and has become the symbol for excellence in published romance fiction.

I am so pleased and honored and humbled to announce that THE IRON KING won the 2011 RITA award for best YA romance of the year.

I was at Kung Fu class when I got the news, and my phone exploded a little bit, with tweets and congrats coming in like crazy. I wish I could have replied to them all. I will try now. So, thank you, everyone. Thank you for your support through this amazing journey. Thank you to the awesome people at Harlequin and HarlequinTEEN; everything you've done for me has been spectacular. To my rock star agent Laurie and all the wonderful people on the inside, Adam, Amy, Jayne, Giselle, and everyone else. And to my awesome editor, Natashya, for making the dream happen. Thank you all so much.

But most of all, thank you to all my readers and fans of the Iron Fey, Meghan, Ash, Puck, and Grimalkin. Your support has taken this series to places I never thought possible. I wouldn't be anywhere without you guys. My sincere thanks for everything.

To learn more about RWA, the Rita awards, and this year's winners, check out RWA's website

Thanks again,

Julie

Happy Faery Day

2011-06-23T21:38:00.000-04:00

Happy Fairy Day!

Today is National Fairy Day! And, in honor of all Fey everywhere, we have some cool things for you!

First off, a giveaway! How does a signed Iron Fey trilogy sound to you? (That would be The Iron King, The Iron Daughter, and The Iron Queen.)

Good? Excellent! To enter, tweet a favorite faery quote with the hashtag #fairyday, or put it up on your blog/facebook/tumblr somewhere. Then leave your name, email, and the quote in the comments below.

Example: "Lord, what fools these mortals be." -Robin Goodfellow, A Midsummer's Night Dream. #fairyday (Open to everyone. Giveaway will run to July 16th.)

Okay, now for something really cool. Check these out.

Pretty awesome wallpaper, no? You can thank Harlequin Teen for these gorgeous works of art. :D If you want one for your very own, check out Harlequin's Facebook page , they should have the links up very soon.

HAPPY FAIRY DAY, everyone! Don't forget to tweet a favorite faery quote for a chance to win. (And don't forget to comment about it with your name and email, else I won't know you've entered.) Now, go out there and dance a jig under the full moon, or make a wish in a faery ring, or take a ride on a phouka. Or, better yet, check out some awesome faery books. Lament by Maggie Steifvater, Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr, Wonderous Strange by Leslie Livingston, and The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff are all great choices.

And, if you want to celebrate Fairy Day properly, just ask yourself: What Would Puck Do? ;)

The Iron Knight: back cover reveal

2011-06-15T10:07:00.000-04:00

Okay, so today, we're revealing the back cover of THE IRON KNIGHT.

So, if you remember, this was the front cover:

Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnd, here is the back:

...

...

Yes, it's PUCK. Looking very Puck-ish with that little smirk going on.

And for more awesomeness, here's the two of them together.

So, where's the synopsis, you say? Worry not, that comes later. (Can't give you EVERYTHING now, that wouldn't be evil enough, lol.) We're planning something special, so stay tuned for more excitement. :)

What sayest thou?

Iron Knight podcast

2011-06-14T22:58:00.000-04:00

Hey, a podcast!

And... I don't sound like a chipmunk!

Well, maybe a little.

Anyway, here is the podcast I recorded at BEA, where I talk about The Iron Knight, Summer's Crossing, and of course our two favorite fey boys, Puck and Ash.

The Iron Knight podcast

Summer's Crossing audiobook

2011-06-11T11:25:00.000-04:00

Oh wow.

Check this out, Puck fans. Summer's Crossing is now available as an audio book! Puck has a voice! And it is awesome!

*Highly approves*

You can download the novella or listen to a short snipped of Puck at audible.com

When the Hero Comes Home Anthology

2011-06-06T19:29:00.000-04:00

Sooooo, now for something totally new.

And awesome.

I'm in an anthology! Yep, I wrote a short story for the upcoming anthology When the Hero Comes Home.

<---(See, there I am, the seventh name down.)

If you want to know what its about, well, the title pretty much says it all. Its about when the hero comes home from his heroic journey, or what happens AFTER he saves the world. Will things be the same? Will he be treated differently? Or even recognized? It has a lot of great writers, like Todd McCaffery and Jim C. Hines. AND its co-edited by Ed Greenwood. (Fangirl squee.) (If you don't know who Ed Greenwood is, you're likely not a geek.)

Anyway, you can check it out on Goodreads and let me know your thoughts. Its expected to be out sometime in August, so put it on your TBR pile. :)

Cover reveal: THE IRON KNIGHT

2011-06-01T09:44:00.001-04:00

So, here it is.

The cover of the fourth book in The Iron Fey series. Ash's story, The Iron Knight.

But, before I reveal the awesome, gorgeous, fabulous cover, I have more exciting news to share with you.

Summer's Crossing, a free e-novella told from Puck's point of view, is available today as well, and you can get it at Harlequin's ebook store here.

And now, on to the main event.

Scroll down for lovely cover goodness.

Keep going...

Almost there... (Hey, I'm an author, I have to tease, it's in the contract.)

Ta daaaaaaa:

SIGH. Isn't it gob-smacking awesome? I love it, it's my absolute favorite so far. Oh, but we're still not done. Harlequin TEEN and I want to invite everyone to a live online event on June 15th, where we'll reveal the back cover copy of Iron Knight, and answer your burning questions about the series. (But there will be no spoilers.) So mark your calendars for that, and I'll post details later!

Thanks so much for waiting, everyone! Hope you love it as much as I do!

Julie

BEA: wrap-up

2011-05-28T11:02:00.000-04:00

I am finally home.

So BEA...how was it? Exhausting, exhilarating, chaotic, noisy, stressful, terrifying, awesome, and fabulous. And since my brain is far too tangled to put the days I spent in NYC into any kind of order, I will give you the highlights.

In no particular order.

Met my fantabulous editor, Natashya Wilson, for the first time! Tashya is smart and funny and down to earth and wonderful and I love her even more now. Also got to hang out with Adam Wilson, another editor o' mine, and he is lovely also. As is my agent Laurie. As is the ENTIRE HARLEQUINTEEN TEAM, whom I met over the course of three days and cannot remember all their names for the life of me. Giselle and Michelle and Janye and everyone else, you were rock stars. Thank you so much for an amazing time!

Went to an awesome pizza place with Tashya and several bloggers I've been dying to see. Including my two Team Ash captains, Gail and Erica, who finally thwarted the universe's determination that we should never meet. The food was great, the company was wonderful, and the pizza lived up to its New York reputation.

I GOT A FINISHED COVER FLAP FOR THE IRON KNIGHT. Are you jealous? You should be. It is GORGEOUS.

I did two signings on Wednesday, and they passed in sort of a mad, chaotic blur. I met so many awesome bloggers, whom I recognized from Twitter, Facebook, their blogs, ect. I can't remember the amount of times I said: "I know you!" or "I read your blog!" Thank you to everyone who came and said hello; I know the lines were insane, but you truly made my afternoon.

Met Lauren Kate (who was lovely) and got my copy of Passion signed. Might have a giveaway sometime later. Snagged a copy of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater. Won't be having a giveaway of THAT, sorry. :D

Saw the awesome cover reveal for The Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare. Stared at it for awhile, until my agent was forced to drag me away.

Oh, and in the Harlequin Booth, there was a huge wall of The Iron Fey! And a massive Iron Fey banner hung over one of the entrances to the Javits! So awesome!

(waaaaah)

Saw the Naked Singing Cowboy of Times Square. Don't worry, he wasn't totally nude; he wore boots and a hat and tighty whities. He played the guitar and people put money in his boots. Only in New York, right?

Rode in a stretch limo for the first time. Ate yummy sushi. (Mmmm, sushi.)

Had a fabulous last night at the Harlequin Party in the Kimberly Hotel. Saw the Chrysler building, all lit up at night, and contemplated what an awesome experience this has been. I really hope I get to come back next year.

Came home and slept for 19-ish hours.

I know I've forgotten several key things, but my brain is still recovering so this will have to do. :) Just know that it was a great experience, and I'm so glad I went. Also, I did want to remind you of two things.

1. Summer's Crossing, Puck's e-novella, will be available for download on June 1st!

2. And, we will be revealing the cover for The Iron Knight, the fourth and last book of the Iron Fey series, on June 1st as well. (Trust me when I say you don't want to miss it; the cover is beyond gorgeous.) Details will come later, so be on the lookout for that!

You may commence with the freaking out. ;)

Julie

Teaser Tuesday: the last Summer's Crossing teaser

2011-05-24T08:37:00.000-04:00

So, I'm still in NYC for BEA, and I'm having a blast here! Will post a full report of my trip when I get home, but for now, here is the last SUMMER'S CROSSING teaser until the real thing comes out next week. :D

I'm excited.

Since this is the last teaser, it's going to be short, but it will give a tiny hint as to the things to come. You can expect no less from the most famous trickster in the world.

***

“Worry not, ice-boy. I already have a plan.” I flashed him my best impish smile, rubbing my hands together. “One brilliant Goodfellow prank, coming right up.”

***

And that's it! Be on the lookout for Summer's Crossing, coming soon and available for free download from HarlequinTeen. :D

BEA and New York: Day 1

2011-05-22T21:22:00.000-04:00

Things I have learned about New York City (from a small town girl who has never been to a large city before).

You know how in the movies they make New York City this giant, bustling, loud, noisy, crowded, chaotic mess of people, cars, and constant motion? You know how the taxis are always honking, people are always yelling, there are food vendors every ten feet, and you can see anything from a mime on the street corner to someone holding a sign that says "Free Hugs."

They aren't exaggerating.

I'm at a hotel on Times Square, looking down on the street 25 stories below. Its 10pm and the streets are STILL insanely crowded. I can still hear the honking and the sirens echoing through the window. Truly, this is the city that never sleeps.

Tomorrow I get to meet my awesome editor for the first time, tour the Harlequin office, and meet several awesome authors at the SLJ Day of Dialog. I'm so excited! *Bounces* So, how many of you are here in NYC right now? What are you up to? I feel like I'm the only starry-eyed newbie staring slack-jawed at Times Square. Tell me what you've got planned for this week. Hope I see you at BEA sometime! :)

BEA signing information

2011-05-20T15:36:00.000-04:00

This Sunday I'm off to New York City for BEA!

For those of you who don't know, BEA stands for Book Expo America, the largest publishing trade show in the United States. Authors, editors, agents, publishers, librarians, bloggers, nearly everyone in the book business will be at this ginormous event for three days of signings, giveaways, and other events.

This will be my first time at BEA.

I'm told its absolutely crazy.

ANYWAY, if you happen to be going to BEA this year, I will be signing THE IRON QUEEN at the two following spots:

Harlequin Chute Signing: Wednesday, May 25th, 11:00 am--12:00 pm, Javits Center autographing area, Table 25

Harlequin In-Booth: Wednesday, May 25th, 12:00 pm--12:45 pm, Javits Center, booth 4638

Note that I have to be at the Harlequin In-Booth at 12pm, and my other signing at the autograph area ends at 12pm. So, if you see me fleeing madly across the conference center on a Wednesday afternoon, you'll know why. ;)

Hope to see you there!

Julie

Teaser Tuesday

2011-05-17T10:52:00.000-04:00

It's Teaser Tuesday!

And here is the second of three teasers leading up to the release of Summer's Crossing, Puck's story. Of course, Puck is at his best when he's tormenting a certain Winter Prince, so today's teaser features both of them.

***

A rustle in a bramble patch drew our attention, and we caught a glint of a baleful green eye as something huge and bristly drew away into the shadows.

“And…there it goes to alert the rest of the pack.” Ash glared at me. “Why do these things always happen when I’m around you?”

“Just lucky, I suppose,” I said cheerfully, as we hurried away before the rest of the pack could arrive.

***

Puck: Hey, ice-boy, did you hear the news? You have a new nickname; its all the rage on twitter...Ashy-poo.

Ash: What. Did. You. Say?

Puck: You don't like it? Personally I think its like the best name ever, ASHY-POO.

Ash: ...

Puck: Um, your eyes are starting to glow.

Ash: ...

Puck: Crap. Put that sword down, Ashy-poo, I was just kidd--

*Sounds of icy explosion, Puck fleeing in gleeful terror.*

Author: Sigh. Those two will never learn.

The ding and what came after

2011-05-16T09:54:00.000-04:00

So, did I survive the seminar?

Well, yes and no.

The good news: I am now a level one Kung Fu student.

Woo!

The bad news: I had a stiff neck before the seminar, and four hours of non-stop kicking, punching, and chopping aggravated it so much it started to spasm near the end of class. The pain was so crippling I had to go to the urgent care center to get some pain meds and muscle relaxants.

Lesson learned, though. Won't be doing THAT again. At least not with a sore neck.

Ouch.

DING!

2011-05-14T08:28:00.000-04:00

Oh, hey, Blogger is back! *Celebrates* *Puts away katana*

Just a quick hello, in case I don't make it back from the four hour Kung Fu seminar I'm going to this afternoon. Did I mention I'll be testing for my Level One? I won't be Level Zero anymore! I get to level up! I get to ding! (Lol, a little gamer humor there. You don't have to understand.)

Will post an update after the seminar.

If I'm still alive. (Did I mention the dojo's air conditioner is broken? Did I mention I hate heat? Did I mention FOUR HOURS?)

Wish me luck.

Teaser Tuesday: Summer's Crossing

2011-05-10T10:54:00.000-04:00

Teaser Tuesdays are back!

Well, technically, they're back for three weeks. Three Tuesdays leading up to June 1st, when Summer's Crossing, Puck's e-novella, will be released for the first time.

So, here is the very first SUMMER'S CROSSING teaser, as told by the one and only Robin Goodfellow:

***

Names are, of course, very important to my kind. Me, I have so many, I can’t even remember them all. None of them are my True Name, of course. No one has ever spoken my real name out loud, not once, despite all the titles and nicknames and myths I’ve collected for myself over the years. No one has ever come close to getting it right.

Curious, are you? Wanna know my True Name? Okay, listen up, I’ve never told anyone before. My True Name is…

***

*Echoes of gleeful laughter in the background.

:D

See you next Tuesday!

Signing at Hodgenville, KY

2011-05-05T00:50:00.000-04:00

Another announcement.

This Saturday (May 7th), I'll be signing at the Larue County Library in Hodgenville, KY from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. So, if you're in the area, come in and say hello. :) I hear there will be prizes and stuff. And, as we all know, stuff is good.

Address:
Larue County Library
201 South Lincoln Blvd.
Hodgenville, KY 42748

Dear Ash: Winner!

2011-05-01T13:53:00.000-04:00

It's time to choose a winner for the Dear Ash contest!

Wow, so many great replies. As usual, it was extremely difficult choosing just one, so this is what I did. I gathered up my favorite letters, and then let Random.org decide the outcome.

So, before I announce the lucky winner, here are a few fun facts regarding the contest:

1. Puck was the most written to character, beating out Ash, Grimalkin, and everyone else. (And yes, Puck is rubbing it in ice-boy's face every chance he gets.)

2. The most common question asked of Puck was something along the lines of: "Why did you wait so long to tell Meghan how you feel?" And while this is a valid question, he is not allowed to answer it here. The answer to that question, and many more, WILL be revealed in Summer's Crossing in June and The Iron Knight in November.

3. I was surprised and pleased by all the letters to Glitch, Razor, Ironhorse, even Machina. Though, sadly, I'm afraid Razor ate the letter addressed to him. Gremlins.

And now, the moment you've been waiting for. With his increasing popularity, its no surprise that the winning letter is addressed to the one and only...Robin Goodfellow.

Robin Goodfellow,

The first time I ever heard of you was in the cartoon series, Gargoyles. Despite how young I was, I fell in love at that moment. You were everything a little girl wants to be - carefree, silly, a fairy... But that wasn't the end of my crazy crush, no, it grew even more when I was in A Midsummer Night's Dream the summer before my freshman year of high school. Then, when we read the play in my English class, I refused to read for any character but you. Your final monologue in Midsummer was the piece I used for every audition I went to.

So, with this, a fan letter to the infamous Puck, I get one step closer to knowing everything about my favorite character ever. Let me begin by saying you're amazing, and I am dazzled by your cleverness any time I encounter you in a book or T.V. show.

First things first though, how do you feel about Stanley Tucci's portrayal of you in the live action version of Midsummer? I personally threw a fit when I saw it, because he does NOT look the part. However, since it is a depiction of you, I'd like to know your stance. On that same note, who do you think has played you best? There was a young man in Olympia, Washington who I think did a wonderful job.

How have you avoided Titania's wrath? I mean, you made the poor woman fall in love with a donkey man, and she's not exactly the forgiving type. It seemed a little out of character for her to be so forgiving at the end of the play, but to each their own. Shakespeare could have gotten his facts mixed up.

Now, concerning the Iron Fey series....

How do you really feel about Ash? I mean, deep down, you can't really hate him that much. You're much more of a prankster than a hater. In fact, let's just make that a how do you feel about every single character in the Iron Fey storyline. That would definitely mean a longer response.

If you had one wish, no strings attached, what would it be? You have to be honest. No "I'm a famous prankster and I can dance around anything" crap; I know how you work and I'm calling you out. I'm talking about something that you couldn't do for yourself (and I know you are limited to some extent as to what you can do). Also, "kill Ash" is not an appropriate response, because I'll call you out on that one too.

My final question is this: can you get Ms. Kagawa to get her butt over to Colorado so I can get my books signed? It seems a little unfair that the author of one of my favorite stories involving my favorite trickster every (YOU!) seems to be avoiding my home.

Please know this about why I should be the winner and receive your response: I have been a fan of yours since I was seven (I'm twenty-three now; that's quite a long time) and you have been my favorite since the moment you first popped out of that mirror in Gargoyles. There are many things that have changed in my life, but my endless love of you has never faltered. So, give me your hands, if we be friends :)

Sincerely yours,

Mandy

Soooo, Mandy, congratulations! :D I'll be emailing you for your address soon. And then I need to hunt down a certain faery prankster and make him sit still long enough to write a letter.

It could be interesting.

Thanks again, everyone!

Julie

Summer's Crossing Cover plus Blurb

2011-04-27T11:06:00.000-04:00

Well, this went up on Twitter, so I guess I can show everyone.

The recently unveiled cover for SUMMER'S CROSSING: Puck's story.

Ready?

...

...

...

Isn't it purty? I love the vines, and especially the big, grinning, Puck-like raven up top. What does everyone else think?

ETA: Oh yeah, and the best part? Starting June 1st, you'll be able to download it free for a limited time. More details later. ;)

ETA: And now, gentle readers, I give you THE BLURB:

A Midsummer's Nightmare?Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

An ebook exclusive novella from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

Radcliff signing

2011-04-21T21:06:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!

This Saturday, I'll be signing and answering questions at the Radcliff Bookstore from 2pm to 4pm. So if you're in the Kentucky area, drop by and say hello. I'd be thrilled to meet you.

Find out more here.

Hope to see you there!

A song for Knight

2011-04-18T13:03:00.000-04:00

Putting together a playlist for Iron Knight.

I know its really, really early, but I think I found Ash's theme song for Knight. And since I love this song, I thought I'd share.

(Also, I love My Chemical Romance. So much. Just sayin'.)

Sims Medieval: Puck's Lament

2011-04-15T23:20:00.000-04:00

Under the reign of good king Oberon, Arcadia was growing.

And within the land there was a merry minstrel named Puck.

Puck's music was quite popular.

Wherever he went, people's spirits were lifted for a little while.

As a poet and playwright, and one who appreciated the written word, Puck was extremely dismayed one day to hear tales of book-burning peasants in Arcadia.

He decided to talk to these peasants, perhaps convince them that the written word wasn't the evil they feared.

Sadly, the peasant's were stubborn,

and quite rude.

It did not go as expected.

At all.

Puck tried a new tactic, reciting a poem he'd composed, hoping it would touch them on a deeply personal level.

Success! One of the peasants was deeply moved and asked him to teach her how to read.

Puck was only to happy to help, and soon...

word of her lessons reached the other peasants, who agreed to let Puck teach them as well. Everyday, they met in the forest, where Puck taught them the value of books and the written word.

In thanks, the peasants composed a book of their own and presented it to their teacher, vowing they would never harm another page again.

Satisfied that every page was once again safe in Arcadia's borders, Minstrel Puck went home to enjoy the fruits of his labor and relax with a good book.

Next up...teaching peasants about punctuation.

Team Puck: An announcement

2011-04-13T09:39:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone, Puck here.

You might've heard rumors about a big, exciting Iron Fey announcement coming up. Well, I'm here to tell you its entirely true. Team Puck fans (of which there are many, I'm sure), your wish has finally been heard!

Remember a little novella called Winter's Passage? It was free for a time, and told the utterly boring tale about ice-boy and Meghan's journey to the Winter Court? Remember that?

Well, guess who's FINALLY getting their own story?

(Hint: it isn't ice-boy.)

Yep, for the first time ever, I get to tell my version of a tale, in e-novella form, anyway. 'Bout freaking time, too. Who wants to read about dark, broody Winter Princes when you have me? My story is called Summer's Crossing (get it? Winter's Passage, Summer's Crossing?), told through the eyes of the one and only Robin Goodfellow.

They'll be unveiling the cover in a few weeks, I'm told, so stay tuned for more excitement.

Let the mad rejoicing commence. :P

--Puck

Too cute not to share

2011-04-11T16:56:00.000-04:00

Check out this awesome fanart based on the April Fool's prank Puck pulled the other week.

If you don't remember, it went something like this:

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, man, this is my favorite day of the year. HAPPY APRIL FOOLS!" --Puck

"You think that's funny, Goodfellow?"

"Oh, hey, ice-boy. What, you didn't think that was brilliant? Coming back from the dead and all? Hey, put that sword down. It was a joke...crap."

*Runs off with Ash close behind, waving his sword.*

(Too awesome) ^___^

Return of the Sims Medieval: Once upon a Time

2011-04-08T23:23:00.001-04:00

Back by popular demand...

The return of The Sims.

Medieval edition.

ONCE UPON A TIME...

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there stood the small but quaint kingdom of Arcadia.

Arcadia was ruled by Lord Oberon, a great a mighty elven king.

Lord Oberon lived in the castle with his servants and subjects,

And had many important tasks to attend to.

Such as writing new laws...

picking wildflowers...

fishing in the stream...

And visiting the tavern.

Clearly, ruling a kingdom was exhausting. If only Lord Oberon had a faithful servant, an entertainer who could lift his spirits when the demands of the kingdom became too great. Lord Oberon needed heroes, but who among his people would answer the call?

Who indeed?

To be continued...

Contest Time: Dear Ash,

2011-04-03T09:31:00.000-04:00

Who's ready for a contest?

Awesome. Now, who has a burning question they'd want to ask one of the characters of The Iron Fey? Who wants to be pen pals with Puck? Or just chat with Ash a little?

Now's your chance. All you have to do is write an e-letter to Puck, Ash, Meghan, Grimalkin, Razor, Glitch, whomever (It has to be someone from The Iron Fey series), and post it on your blog/Facebook/somewhere everyone can see. Write it like you're writing a letter to a friend, ask the questions you've always wanted to ask, or just tell them what you think of them. Be sure to include the contest and why you've chosen that particular character, then post the link in the comments section.

(ETA: Sigh. I keep forgetting to add if its international or not. It is. Pen pals from anywhere are welcome.)

The deadline to post your letter is April 30th. And the week after in May, one winner will receive two things.

1). A signed THE IRON QUEEN.

2). A handwritten letter from the character they wrote to.

A word of warning. I know many of you have burning questions about The Iron Knight and what comes after Iron Queen, but spoilers of any kind will NOT be answered. Sorry, but that's the one thing we can't reveal. Anything else, though, is fair game. If you want to ask a certain Winter prince what color his underwear is, that's up to you, though it might not be answered (by Ash anyway). So, have fun and get writing. I can already tell you the gang is completely thrilled to be doing this.

Puck: Ooh, ooh, ask ME the underwear question! Come to think of it, ask me any questions you want to know about ice-boy--I'd LOVE to answer them.

Grimalkin: And how would you know that, Goodfellow? Though I am not sure I wish to know the answer...

Puck: Ehehehehe, I work in mysterious ways, cat.

Ash: I'm going to kill you all.

The Iron Knight sneak peek

2011-03-31T23:57:00.000-04:00

So, the cat is out of the bag.

Someone discovered what happened in Iron Knight, so I guess I might as well post it here. It will be on Harlequin's blog and The Iron Queen's Facebook page, too, if you don't believe me.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I might as well get this over with.

WARNING! Spoilers ahead. Do not continue if you don't want to know...

Last chance...

...

...

...

Can't say I didn't warn you.

...

...

...

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, man, this is my favorite day of the year. HAPPY APRIL FOOLS!" --Puck

"You think that's funny, Goodfellow?"

"Oh, hey, ice-boy. What, you didn't think that was brilliant? Coming back from the dead and all? Hey, put that sword down. It was a joke...crap."

*Runs off with Ash close behind, waving his sword.*

Happy April Fools!

Authors and Negative Reviews

2011-03-31T09:06:00.000-04:00

It seems there has been a lot of drama going around the blogging world lately.

Normally, I don't post about heated topics. I'm highly allergic to drama and angst (Except in stories, of course), and I learned long ago that you really can't change people's minds about anything, so why point that spotlight on yourself? But, in light of the recent author/blogger drama on twitter and facebook, I felt compelled to add my two cents to the mix. So, this is my own opinion, garnered from the years I've spent as a writing professional, on Authors and Negative Reviews. Future authors and writers, this is especially for you, not to scare or scold or threaten, but just as a gentle caution of what to expect.

NOT EVERYONE WILL LIKE YOUR BOOK. This is a certainty. No matter how compelling, no matter how innovative or brilliant or well-written, no book can please everyone one hundred percent. If you don't believe me, find your favorite book or author and check them out on Goodreads. They will have 1 and 2 star reviews, just like everyone else. Some people will adore your book, some people will just think its okay, and some people will loathe it and want to burn it and scour your name from the face of the earth for writing such garbage. And it's okay for them to think that. They are entitled to their opinion. Really, that's all a review IS: an opinion. Which brings us to the heart of this matter...

YOU ARE GOING TO GET NEGATIVE REVIEWS. If you are an author, and you put your book out there for the world to read, you are going to get bad reviews. Sometimes, the review will be thoughtful and well-done, with the reviewer citing what they liked and didn't like about the story. That's the best kind of negative review, but it doesn't always happen that way. Sometimes the review will be snide and hateful, as if the reader despises you personally and says all kinds of ugly, unkind things about the story you've put your heart and soul into. Its amazing the things people will say on the internet that they wouldn't dare say in real life, but it happens. This is why many authors I've spoken to stay far, far away from Goodreads. Because Goodreads is brutal on authors, and some of us would rather not know. So, now that you can expect at least one negative critique of your book, how does one respond to such a review? What should an author do in the face of such bad press?

NOTHING.

Let me say that again. NOTHING.

At the very, very least, you can email or post a comment thanking that reviewer for their time in reading and reviewing your book. Then you go and rant to your best friend, or your hubby, or your dog. You do not take out your hurt and frustration on the reviewer. You do not leave a comment on their blog, defending yourself and your book. You do not tell them how wrong they are, and that they must have misunderstood your writing, and that everyone before them has given your book steller reviews. Because it doesn't matter. You aren't going to change their opinion--again with that word OPINION--and you are only hurting yourself and your career by acting in such an unprofessional manner.

Yes, I know. Negative reviews hurt. They downright suck. Believe me, I've gotten more then my share, and its not fun reading "Julie Kagawa, you give fairies a bad name." (Actual review.) I know your book is your greatest achievement, and that you've come far and struggled so hard to get it published, and you should be very proud of that. I know its hard when you wrote the best story you could, went through all the heartache and uncertainty of getting it published, only to have a virtual stranger put it down like its nothing, like we don't have feelings and it doesn't tear us apart every time someone is cruel. I know its unfair that we can't defend ourselves.

But that's the world of authors and reviewers, and the only classy way to respond to bad reviews is graciously or not at all.

Thankfully, there are many out there who will love your book and your stories, and those reviews will be wonderful and glowing and make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But, if you are to swim these treacherous waters of authordom, you must also be prepared to lose a little blood, as well. This is just fair warning, take it from someone who knows, and start working on that thick skin. And a sense of humor can help tremendously.

So that's my two cents on authors and negative reviews. Comments and discussions are welcome. However, any mean, ugly, or hateful comments will be eaten by the gremlins.

Julie

Harlequin Teen Trio Tour

2011-03-27T10:38:00.000-04:00

*Dusts off blog*

Apologies for the long absence. I've either been drowning in work or completely obsessed with Dragon Age II. But, now that I've beat the game, I guess I should get back to posting on my poor, abandoned blog. (Its not my fault I've been distracted. Look at what I've been dealing with.)

(Hello, Fenris. You can glare at me any day.)

ANYWAY, I thought I should also mention that I'll be in Dayton, OH this weekend for a signing with several awesome authors. This is Part One of the Harlequin Teen Trio Tour (yes, that's a mouthful), and I will be signing with Maria V. Snyder (The Study Series, Inside Out, Outside In) and Mara Purnhagen (Tagged, Past Midnight, One Hundred Candles.) Three other authors, Julia Karr (XVI), Sara Bennett Wealer (Rival), and Lisa Roecker (Liar Society) will be there as well. See below for details.

Harlequin Teen Trio Tour (Part 1)
April 1
Book Signing at Books and Company (The Greene Shopping Center on 4453 Walnut Street, Beavercreek, Ohio, 45440, 937-429-2169) from 7:00 pm. to 9:00 pm.

Harlequin Teen Trio Tour (Part 2)
April 2
Book Signing at the New and Olde Pages Bookshoppe (856 Union Blvd, Englewood, Ohio, 45322, 937-832-3022) 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Maria and Mara and I will be signing together again.

Hope you can make it! It's going to be a blast. :)

And now, I believe Dragon Age II is calling again.

Happy Dragon Age II Day!

2011-03-08T09:31:00.001-05:00

Happy Dragon Age II Day!

Guess what I'm going to be doing tonight?

Alllllllll night?

Lol, if you have no idea what I'm talking about, you might remember a post I did about Dragon Age Origins, a video game with some of the best characters/voice acting/storylines I've ever seen. The characters (and there were a lot of them) were all fully fleshed out, with their own personalities and backgrounds, but there were two I kinda fell in love with.

Alistair

A knight, a warrior, and an absolute sweetheart. Got the whole chivalry thing down pat. Apparently, I'm not the only admirer.

The "hello" version.

The "yum" version.

And Zevran.

There's my assassin thing again. Zevran is part of the Antivan Crows, an order of feared assassins, and was sent to kill the main character, but he ends up joining the group instead.

Zevran also has quite the following, but I'm not going to post any pics. This is a family-friendly blog, after all. If you've played the game, you know what I mean.

Needless to say, I loved Dragon Age Origins. And the ending? The fabulous Ultimate Noble Sacrifice ending? Loved it! And now, FINALLY, Dragon Age II is out. Today! I have been stalking their official site for months now and I'm dying of anticipation. So if you don't see me around for a bit, its because I'll be in Ferelden again, saving the world. Also, I'm VERY intrigued by this guy.

His name is Fenris (LOVE!) and he's an elf who was a slave, killed his master, and escaped. Apparently, he has magical tattoos burned into his skin by his former master, so we'll see what those can do. He's also one of the love interests. *Huge geeky grin*

And, like Alistair and Zevran, he's already gathering admirers.

Ooh...

So, who else is dying for Dragon Age II? Declare your geekdom proudly. :D

Library signing event

2011-03-04T11:14:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

Look who will be appearing at the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library this month on the 19th!

Susan Coventry, author of THE QUEEN'S DAUGHTER

and the awesome Kelly Creagh, author of NEVERMORE.

Oh, and me, of course. I'll be there, too. :D

There will be a panel where the three of us will answer questions, so if you have a burning inquiry about publishing or writing or books in general, this is for you. Or if you just want to chat about faeries, queens, creepy monsters, or swoonable YA boys, we're all for that, too.

It should be a fantastic, fun, frolicsome fiasco. (Say that five times fast, ha!)

So, come on out, say hello, and support your local authors. We'll be waiting for you.

And now...the details.

Where: New Albany-Floyd County Public Library
W. Spring St.
New Albany, IN 47150

When: March 19th, 2-4 pm

Why: Because it'll be fun!

How: This you'll have to figure out on your own. I recommend a vehicle of some sort, though mule-carriage is certainly an option. Just be careful where you park.

Oh, and its recommended that you call to register for the event, to ensure there will be enough books, and to cement your spot for the panel discussion. The number to register is 812-949-3523.

Hope to see you there!

French Iron King Cover

2011-03-02T12:11:00.001-05:00

Check this out. This is the French cover for The Iron King.

It's slightly darker then the original, and the title is different. Below the little crown on the right it reads: The Invisible Realms. And the front title says: The Cursed Princess.

I like it. What are your thoughts?

And, if anyone can read French, here is the post that features it. :)

*Imagines Ash speaking French.* xD

Another Fan Vid

2011-02-27T10:46:00.000-05:00

A fanmade vid that I discovered today. It was so awesome that I had to share it. Coincidentally, it is by the same person that won the Iron Queen contest a few weeks back. This person is seriously talented. So, for all the Meg/Ash and Meg/Puck fans out there, enjoy.

<3

A belated V-day pic

2011-02-16T14:50:00.000-05:00

So, after a loooooong hiatus, in which I was either snowed in at the Haunted Moose Lodge of Doom (more on that later), or suffering from Moose Plague, I'm finally back on my feet. I realize I missed a lot of stuff, for which I apologize for, and I hope to get back on top of things soon.

I wanted to post this on Valentine's Day, but I totally missed it, so I decided to put it up anyway. So, for all you hopeless romantics out there, happy belated V-day. Hope you got a big hug from the one you love. :)

Ah, the squooshy. <3

The Iron Queen Court Blog Tour: Summer Court stop

2011-02-04T14:05:00.000-05:00

Anyone here a Team Puck fan?

Today's tour stop is WORD for Teens, where a certain mischievous redhead is there to sing the praises of the Summer Court, and to give away a cool prize pack.

Also, don't forget to stop by Galleysmith to enter for another unique hand-drawn portrait, this time of the Iron Court.

Good luck to everyone! And say hi to Puck for me.

The Iron Queen contest winners!

2011-02-03T10:55:00.000-05:00

It is time to announce the Iron Queen contest winner!

First off, I want to say thank you to everyone who participated. I honestly did not expect the amount of entries I received, and some of them are so mind-bogglingly good!
I wish I could choose them all! Everyone did such a fantastic job; trust me when I say it was HARD choosing just three winners. But I've narrowed it down, I believe, to my favorites.

First and second prize winners:

I chose this entry because I really feel it captures the drama between Ash and Meghan, their struggles, their determination, and their love for each other. Plus I think the song is perfect.

Second prize winner: The Princess and the Servant. (Find the entry on Fanfiction.net)

I chose this entry because it made me laugh, it was well written, and I felt it really captured the spirit of Puck, who is, even I will admit, hard to understand at the best of times. To get into his head like that, I applaud anyone who can pull it off.

And now, the Grand Prize winner. (Drum roll, please):

How awesome is this?!? Its not just the detail and the craftsmanship (Which is amazing), but you really have to go to her Facebook albulm to get the entire experience. It had me rolling on the floor, laughing. Well done, really well done!

Thanks again to everyone who entered. I really, truly, had a very hard time choosing just three winners. Every one of them was amazing, and you all should be very proud of your talents! Winners, I will be emailing you shortly for your addresses; if you did not include your email in the comments, please do so now.

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone! Maybe we'll do this again sometime. :)

Julie Kagawa

The Iron Queen Court Blog Tour: The Story Siren

2011-01-31T09:58:00.000-05:00

Lots of buzz, contests, and prizes today revolving around The Iron Queen.

First up is the latest stop on The Iron Queen Court Blog Tour. You might've heard of a little known blogger called The Story Siren? Well, she is hosting a Winter stop over at her blog , where you can enter to win an ipod Nano with a custom Winter Court skin, loaded with songs of the Winter Court. (Really, most of them are about *coughAshcough*)

Oh, and I forgot to post The Mundie Moms tour stop, in which a certain lieutenant of The Iron Court dropped by to defend Machina's realm, and to offer a few prizes, too. Go check them out to see what you may have missed.

WickedlilPixie and Parajunkie both are having a giveaway where you can win copies of The Iron Queen AND this gorgeous T-shirt (I want one!).

Okay, what are you waiting for? So many prizes, so little time. *Wonders if she can ninja-sneak into HarlequinTeen for one of those t-shirts* ;-)

Iron Queen Court Blog: Tour Stop, Ticket to Anywhere

2011-01-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! And thank you all for all the congrats and well-wishes for Iron Queen's release yesterday! Thank you so much, but the excitement isn't over yet.

Would you like a chance to win THIS?

This is a unique, hand-drawn, hand-inked drawing by the author of The Iron Fey series (hey, that's me), and its being given away at our current tour stop, Gail of Ticket To Anywhere. Gail is a captain of Winter so visit her blog to learn more about the Winter Court, including a certain frosty prince that makes his home there.

Chibi Fey Webcomic: An Announcement

2011-01-25T00:25:00.000-05:00

The Iron Queen has been released into the wild! The final epic battle with the Iron Fey is about to begin!

And tomorrow don't forget to visit Ticket To Anywhere. for the latest Iron Queen Court Tour stop. Share your love of the Winter Court (and a certain frosty prince), and enter to win a cool prize.

The Iron Queen Court Blog Tour--Intro

2011-01-20T22:58:00.000-05:00

Meghan: Hi everyone! And welcome to the first stop on the Iron Queen Court blog tour! Me and my…uh…colleague are here to discuss the tour and tell you about the awesome prizes you can win for following it, to celebrate the release of The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa. Why don’t you tell everyone about that, Grim?

Meghan: Okaaaaaaaaaay, I guess I will, then. So what is the Iron Queen Court blog tour? Well, to put it simply, there are three courts of Faery: Summer, Winter, and now the newest court, Iron. And we want you do declare your allegiance to the court of your choosing. In a moment, Grimalkin will introduce the court captains, their blogs, and the tour schedule so you know who will be where on that day. Not only can you win some very unique prizes for following the tour, but some very special guests will be dropping by to add to the fun. To find out who will be there, you’ll have to follow the tour and see!

Okay, Grim. I did the hard part. It’s your turn to introduce the court captains, the tour dates, and the prizes. So stop pretending to take a nap and start introducing! We gave you a favor for this, after all.

Grimalkin: *Sigh* If I must. But if I fall asleep out of boredom, it is not my fault. Let us get this over with.

Monday, January 24: Stop 1, Stacey at PageTurners Blog. Summer Court captain Stacey has a custom iPod loaded with songs of the Summer Court to give away. Stacey shows good sense in her alliance. You may want to pay attention to her.

Tuesday, January 25: Here I must pause to note the long awaited release of The Iron Queen, and the final epic battle with The Iron Fey. I know how the story ends, do you? Perhaps you should remedy that.

Wednesday, January 26: Stop 2, Gail at Ticket To Anywhere. Gail is an official Winter Court captain, and I fear this lamentable lapse in judgment may be due to a certain uptight faery prince. Gail will give away an original drawing by Julie Kagawa herself.

Friday, January 28: Stop 3, MundieMoms. These ill-advised humans have stepped forward as captains of the Iron Court. A surprise prize pack might be given away, but I will not tell you what it is. I am told humans have a strange affinity for surprises.

Monday, January 31: Stop 4, Kristi, the Story Siren. Kristi is a Winter Court captain, and she, too, has a custom iPod to give away, this one loaded with select songs of the Winter Court. I am not certain Kristi realizes that iPods and ice do not always a good pairing make. Take your chances.

Wednesday, February 2: Stop 5, Galleysmith , another Iron Court captain. *hisses* Here Julie Kagawa will share information about creating the Iron Realm. This I must read myself, for I cannot fathom any reason to create such an abomination. Galleysmith will have another one-of-a-kind drawing by Julie for you to win, this time of the Iron Court.

Friday, February 4: Stop 6. Nicole at Word For Teens is a Summer Court captain, and I fear a certain obnoxious redhead of the smart-aleck variety may be present. Nicole will be giving away another of those surprises you humans are so fond of. Visit her blog, if you dare.

Monday, February 7: Stop 7. Bookalicio.us , another ill-advised Iron Court captain, who has a custom iPod to give away, loaded with songs of the Iron Court. Beware. I heard they tried to get the gremlins to sing, but it went horribly awry.

Wednesday, February 9: Stop 8, The Bookish Type . This Summer Court captain will reveal the inspiration behind Kagawa’s vision of the Summer Court, and will be giving away a one-of-a-kind drawing by the author. Possibly of a most pleasing subject.

Friday, February 11: Stop 9. Erica at The Book Cellar. This staunch Winter Court captain may have invited a dark, brooding and icy guest. If you’re interested--and if you don’t mind being an icicle--visit her blog to see what her guest is giving away.

I hope you kept up with me, humans. I fear for your safety if you stray from the blog path. Do not come crying to me should you find yourself wandering about with your clothing inside out, humming a strange melody.

Ye gods, that was tedious. I am going to sleep now. Do not bother me for at least a century or two. *Disappears*

Meghan: Uh, thanks Grim. So, anyway, that’s the tour! Doesn’t it sound exciting? To summarize, here is a list of the things you could win:

Custom Summer Court iPod w/ songs
Winter Court artwork by Julie Kagawa
Surprise prize pack
Custom Winter Court iPod w/ songs
Iron Court artwork by Julie Kagawa
Surprise prize pack
Custom Iron Court iPod w/songs
Summer Court artwork by Julie Kagawa
Surprise prize pack

So visit your favorite blogs, declare your court allegiance, and enter to win! And don’t forget to pick up a copy of The Iron Queen on January 25! Trust me, it’s going to be epic.

For the latest buzz on the books, you can also visit the Iron Fey Facebook fan page as well as our digital home away from the Nevernever, Enterthefaeryworld.com

Good luck, everyone!

-Meghan Chase
-Grimalkin

Something Wicked (ly Awesome) This Way Comes

2011-01-19T09:37:00.000-05:00

The Iron Queen comes out next week!

And, to celebrate its release, something very special will be happening Friday the 21st, starting right here.

The Iron Queen Court Blog Tour.

What is this tour, you ask? Well, Big Honcho Media and Harlequin Teen have teamed up with several bloggers to ask: Which court do you swear allegiance to? Follow the tour, visit the blogs of the court captains, and win some fabulous prizes. (And everyone loves prizes, right?)

It starts right here on Friday, where Meghan and Grimalkin will step forward to launch the tour and introduce the blog captains. You can also find out more at The Iron Fey Facebook page.

So, are you Summer, Winter, or Iron? Which court would you follow: the passionate Summer Court, the dangerous Winter Court, or the high-tech Iron Court? Step up and declare your allegiance.

Iron Queen theater ad

2011-01-18T10:21:00.000-05:00

Check this out. Its a short 10 second ad that will be appearing in select movie theaters across the country. One will be right here in Louisville, so I get to see it on the big screen, lol!

*Starry eyed*

Twitter Party

2011-01-11T09:57:00.000-05:00

Join us for a Twitter chat party on January 13th, 8pm EST, where we'll be discussing The Iron Queen, all things Ash and Puck, and giving out some cool prizes. (Signed books, chibi drawings, and a Grimalkin rock sound good?) Come chat with me, win stuff, pledge your allegiance to a court, and have a good time! Follow #IronQueen for upcoming information.

23 authors, cabins, and mooseheads

2011-01-10T10:56:00.000-05:00

If you're ever in the wilds of *secluded wilderness-y place that I'm not naming* next month, listen very carefully. You might hear the primitive sounds of 23 authors coming together for a week long authorly retreat. The 23 authors (including yours truly) will be gathered together in a truly monstrous old cabin with animal heads staring at us from the walls, possibly in awe of so many authors.

(Picture of awed animal heads, stolen from Maggie's website)

Apparently, there will also be a vlog/v-chat. And this is where we need your help. Because there are so many of us, we are going to answer one question apiece from our readers. So, if you could ask us any one question, what question would that be? Head on over to Maggie Stiefvater's blog to post your inquiry in the comments. And also to see a list of the 23 author's attending.

The Queen Is Coming: Contest and Giveaway

2011-01-04T21:55:00.001-05:00

January is here! The Iron Queen comes out in less then a month! AAAAGH!

So, to celebrate its imminent release, have I got a contest for you.

First, let's take a look at the prizes.

GRAND PRIZE:

A signed set of all three Iron Fey books: THE IRON KING, THE IRON DAUGHTER, and THE IRON QUEEN.

Within all three books will be a unique, hand-drawn sketch of one of the characters from the series. Done Chibi style.

(chibi style Iron Fey)

FIRST AND SECOND PRIZE

Two other winners will receive a signed The Iron Queen. (Minus the doodles.) So, now that you know what you can win, what is this contest, exactly?

Well, its easy.

All you have to do is show your Iron Fey/Team Ash/Team Puck love in some way. This could be via fan trailer, fan art, fan fiction, fan anything. Be creative. Sculpt Puck out of play dough. Make an Ironhorse out of tires. (That would be very impressive, actually.) Take a photograph of the Winter Court. Write a poem in Grimalkin's voice.

Then post it on your blog and send me the link in the comments. Be sure to include the contest in the post, so others can have a chance to win, too.

This will be a contest, not a giveaway, so at the end of January, I will decide which entry I like best. I'll be judging on impressiveness, skill, and creativity, so anyone can enter to win. (Don't tell me you have no talent; I know you can think of something.)

Okay! Get out there and CREATE!

And yes, this is international. :) (Haha! I remembered this time)

Chibi Fey #2: New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-01T01:07:00.000-05:00

Happy 2011!

And here is a new webcomic to kick off the New Year.

Thank you everyone, for an awesome 2010! What are your hopes/dreams/resolutions for the new year?

Julie

Top 5 guys for 2010

2010-12-29T11:19:00.000-05:00

Favorite guys from 2010

In no particular order.

1. Varen from Nevermore: Dark, tortured, brooding and mysterious is how I like my guys, and Varen Nethers is about as tortured and brooding as you can get. There's just something about his stoic resignation that makes you want to leap in and save him, both from himself and the horrors that surround him.

2. Will from Firelight: Technically, I'm just starting this book, but I already love Will, the young draki hunter out to get Jacinda (in more ways then one). Like I said, I've only just begun, but I expect the romance to get fire-breather hot really soon. :D

3. Gale from The Hunger Games: No, I am not Team Gale. I am not Team Peeta, either. I will reserve judgment for who I think should get the girl. But Gale is a skilled hunter and a rebel, and I like him slightly more then the soft, somewhat bumbling baker boy. (Team Peeta, don't kill me. I like Peeta, too, just not as much.) I have a sneaking suspicion who Katniss will end up with, but having only recently read Hunger Games (yes, I'm late), I still have two more books to see where the story takes the characters.

4. Kylar Stern from Way of Shadows: Not a YA book, but Kylar starts out as a street rat and grows into a formidable assassin. That's all it takes for massive love from me. Anyone who knows me knows I have a thing for assassins (my favorite YA hero is and remains Valek from Poison Study). I don't know why I love assassin stories so much. Maybe its the mystery, the dark allure, the inner torment. Or maybe its because I'm also a ninja nut.

5. Mackie Doyle from The Replacement: Mackie is weird. He's different. He's a changeling. And I might have a biased love for all things faery. But Mackie tries so hard to be human, to do the right thing, even though he really doesn't belong in either world, that you can't help but admire his determination.

Those are my top 5 guys for 2010. Who are yours?

Happy Holidays from us all

2010-12-24T00:16:00.001-05:00

Ash and Puck need your help

2010-12-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

Hey, Ash and Puck fans!

Harlequin TEEN is offering an amazing opportunity. Today at 12pm EST, they are having a poll to decide the models for the cover of THE IRON KNIGHT. You, yes YOU, can vote to decide which Ash or Puck you want to see on the cover.

I have my favorites, but I'm not telling, lol.

Go to The Iron Fey Facebook page to cast your vote. Voting ends January 3rd, 2011.

Teaser Tuesday

2010-12-20T23:40:00.000-05:00

Can you believe its less then a week until Christmas? Where did the year go?

Anyway, several people have asked me for one last Teaser Tuesday, as a gift of sorts, and I agreed to one more teaser. The wait for Iron Queen isn't long now; January is right around the corner.

So, here is the last teaser of 2010.

***

If I’d known, I might’ve done things differently. But beyond that moment of regret, I felt calm, certain, filled with a resolve that pushed back all fear or doubt. I was ready. There was no other way.

***

Happy holidays, everyone!

Julie

Webcomic the first. Introducing Chibi Ash, Puck, and Grim

2010-12-19T15:01:00.000-05:00

Got some new Prisma Color markers that other day, and thought I would play around with them a bit.

This is the result.

My doodle skills are a bit rusty, but I'm thinking of doing a monthly or bi-monthly comic, with chibi Meg, Ash, Puck, and Grim. What do you think?

Julie

Christmas theft and fruitcake

2010-12-17T11:34:00.000-05:00

Its Christmas time again. And very snowy and icy, down here in Kentucky; our cul de sac has turned into an ice rink and people are in full Christmas panic mode. It reminded me of another Christmas, about two years ago, when I was writing in my LiveJournal blog. It was faintly amusing, so I'd thought I'd share it with you here, too.

***

December 17, 2008

Ah, Christmas. While it makes us want to bake cookies, decorate our yards with inflatable moving reindeer, and stand in fifteen below weather singing to people we've never seen before, it can unfortunately bring out the worst in people, too. With all the shopping and gift buying, fighting mobs of fellow humans in malls, and circling the parking lots like hungry sharks waiting for the raft to sink already, this can stress some people out. It can stress them out so badly that they snap like a dill pickle and do stupid things, like cut in front of everyone else's kid in the line to see Santa, or wrestle old ladies for the last roll of discounted wrapping paper. Or bake fruitcake.

When I was working register in the endless torture of the Store That Shalt Not Be Named, Christmas time always meant a spike in people who wanted to screw you over. Those idiots who thought I was too busy and stupid to notice they still had merchandise on the bottom of their cart, like they could hide it underneath a see-through grate. "Oh," they said, acting surprised and annonyed when I pointed it out. "I guess I forgot about the two-hundred dollar peice of merchandise I stuffed under my jacket. I guess I don't want it after all." "Oh," says the man clutching a roll of bills so fat he could play baseball with it, "you didn't give me the right change. I gave you a five, and I'm supposed to get back a twenty, but I'm hoping you're too busy and frazzled to notice I'm lying through my rotten teeth."

So, Christmas crime is nothing new to me. That being said, I was still mildy surprised when my husband found the contents of somebody's purse scattered in the leaves on the side of our house. This obviously wasn't trash; there were gift cards and a work badge and a 1gig memory card, and pictures of a nice family with three beaming kids. The work badge gave me her name, but there was no wallet or I.D. to tell me who this person was. Long story short, I dug around until I found a list of phone numbers in a coupon envelope, called her friend, who called the husband, who picked up the stuff this morning. Turns out, a thief just snatched the purse from her cart at Wal-Mart and took off. Wal-Mart security chased him through the neighborhoods (we live two minutes from Wal-Mart), but never caught the guy. He was a quick bastard, apparently.

So, I'm glad I could return the stuff to it's rightful owner, and hopefully make someone's Christmas a little brighter. As for the thief, may he run himself straight into an oncoming truck, shatter all of his bones, and spend Christmas alone and friendless in the emergency ward, where they feed him nothing but fruitcake.

Wither ARC giveaway

2010-12-14T16:42:00.000-05:00

Who wants a WITHER arc?

I have this gorgeous ARC that Simon and Schuster sent me (thanks so much!), and while I must stick to my No Review policy, I will say that I enjoyed it, quite a lot in fact. So I want to spread the love around, hoping that maybe someone else will read it and love it and post a wonderful review.

So anyway, just leave a comment with your contact info and I'll let Random.org choose a winner on January 1st. (I'd love to send it out for Christmas, but honestly the post office lines terrify me right now.)

(U.S. only this time. Sorry, but tis the season for sending lots of packages, and my budget is feeling the strain already.)

Good luck!

An Iron King trailer

2010-12-11T13:53:00.000-05:00

Wow.

I'm in awe. Check out this awesome AWESOME fan made trailer for The Iron King. It has everyone; Puck, Ash, Ethan, even Grim! (And Grim is hilarious.)

Bravo! Very well done.

This seems familiar

2010-12-10T18:49:00.000-05:00

Sigh. This is why our house cannot have Christmas trees. (Just imagine TWO cats instead of one.)

I feel your pain, Simon. I really do. :/