The 2011 RITA awards

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

French Iron King Cover

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

German Cover

Check out the German cover for The Iron King, now titled "Suddenly Fey--Summernight."























What do you think? I do love the cover; its very eye-catching (no pun intended). I wonder what they're going to do with the second book. Suddenly Fey--Winterday? Hmmm....

Have some wallpaper?

Well, this is just awesome.

NEW from Harlequin Teen, Iron Fey wallpaper.














See the pretty? It's so pretty! Go to Harlequin Teen's Facebook page to snag one for yourself.

Giveaway: Bookmarks and signed Iron King/Daughter

~

Oooh, shiny new bookmarks from Harlequin Teen. Harlequin Teen bookmarks, in fact.

Methinks this calls for a giveaway.

Because...why not? I have bookmarks. (Pets bookmarks)




Sooooo, this is what I'll do. I'll pick 5 commenters from below via random selection and send them a bundle o' bookmarks. That way ya'll can share and spread the love around.

AND, to make it interesting, I'll throw in a signed Iron King and Iron Daughter to one randomly chosen commenter.

























But first, you have to answer a question.


THE QUESTION: Who said this? (From The Iron King)



"What a plain, dirty little specimen. What does Oberon expect me to do with this?"



Will run this giveaway till the end of September. Cause that seems a good time.

Annnnnnd, go! :)

Iron King at the Emmys

So, I just got permission to post this...

The Iron King was at the Emmy's this year!

Or, more specifically, in the gift bags that went out to various VIPs.

How cool is that?!?

(Emmy gift bag. Click to enlarge.)















*Visions of Jane Lynch reading Iron King*

*__*

So long, farewell...

So, today I sent off my FINAL final proofs (Also known as AAs or Author Alterations in the publishing world) of THE IRON QUEEN to my wonderful editor. And, it hit me: The trilogy is done. Completed. Finis.

For me, Meghan's story has come to an end.

Its a bittersweet feeling, to be sure. On the one hand, I'm proud that I've written the best story I could at the time. That I've taken the characters from their humble beginnings, watched them grow and change, and finally face the destiny that couldn't end any other way. Completing the story arc is unbelievably satisfying, and I'm content with where I left Meghan. I can walk away knowing her journey is done.

For now. Because even though I'm glad the story is finished, I'm a little sad, too. Its almost like watching your kids grow up and leave for collage; you've spent years with them, getting to know them, watching them struggle and fail and triumph, and then you have to let them go and let them make it on their own. And even though I'll move on to a new series and get to know a whole new cast, Meghan and co. will always be special because they were my first, the first to get published and the first to venture into the world on their own.

Perhaps, someday I will return to their world and get to know them all over again, because quite frankly, I'm not quite ready to say goodbye.

Sims3: Rematch!

Meghan's life has been busy of late.

















She and Puck hang out constantly.

















(Here's Puck showing off his dance moves.)

















They're best friends now and very close. (Though how much of that is platonic, we have yet to see.)

















Also this week, Meghan has taken up baking...


















...and has entered the world of retail. She's made a tidy little profit for herself, too.
































As for Ash and Puck, they've also become good friends. Adventurous and brave, they're constantly looking for trouble.



















From exploring old ruins...

















to finding dangerous, out of the way places...



















To playing tag in the graveyard at night. (Ash wanted to see a ghost as well, but was sadly disappointed this time.)

















Rowan seems to have it in for poor Puck. He caught him in an alley one day...

















...threatening and making fun of him.



















Eventually, this led to another fight. Only, this time...


















Puck was the one who emerged victorious. (Though Rowan vowed revenge and declared Puck his nemesis. Who knows what he's planning next?)

The Sims: New Friends and Foes

Continuing the lives of the Sims...

Not much going on in Meghan's life lately. While her father is busy with his garden,


















and her mother practices her speeches,

















Meghan keeps herself entertained on the computer. However, this week, she met someone very special...
































They talked a bit,

















And discovered they had a lot in common. At least she won't be lonely anymore.
















As for Puck...


Puck has been having a hard week. He's forced to live in the basement of Lea's home, but it doesn't seem to bother him overmuch. He makes do with what he has.

















This week, Ash invited him over to his house, but that didn't work out well for him.

















Not only did Mab take offense to his presence there...
































but Rowan picked a fight in front of a girl he was friends with.

















Oof.
















Ow.

















Ouch. Well, better luck next time, Puck.

The Sims3: The Beginning (part 2)

Okay, let's try this again.

The lives of the Sims, take 2.

Starting from the very beginning.



Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Meghan Chase. She lived with her parents in an old house out in the swamps, and was often very lonely.


































On the other side of town lived three brothers, Sage, Rowan, and Ash. They lived with their mother, Mab Winter, but mostly took care of themselves.















































And somewhere deep in the swamps, lived a boy named Puck.






















Puck was an orphan. He lived with a woman named Lea Summer, but he was a troublemaker who ran wild through the town, getting into mischief.














































Bad Puck. Oh, look who else is on the beach today. A new friend? Or a future enemy? Only time will tell.





















To be continued...

The Sims: Birthdays and Promotions

It seems I need a couple of posts a week to keep up with the lives of my Sims. Or maybe just a lot has happened. Anyway...


Ethan's birthday came around this week. He turned from a teenager to a young adult. There was a party, and several friends attended.
















This is right after he became a young adult. I know, he looks pretty much the same, but the changes are subtle. Afterwards, there was cake.



























Ash has had a busy week. Because of his high skill levels, he advanced rapidly through the ranks of law enforcement. From a patrol officer in a cute uniform...
















...to a Special Agent in a matter of days.

















He also has his own patrol car, which he drives Meghan around in. Here they are on a date.

















And he finally saved up enough Simoleans to buy a house. This is the new Winter estate. Its kind of small and sparse now, but there's lots of room to grow.





















The very first night in his new house, a burgler snuck in and tried to rob the place. Ash woke up and handily kicked the burgler's butt. It happened so fast I barely had time to take a picture. But here they are right after the fight.



















And that's all for now. I think the next post will be the long awaited wedding, so stay tuned as I continue to indulge in my geekdom. :D

Julie