Monday Mishmash 10/12/15

Happy Monday! Monday Mishmash is a weekly meme dedicated to sharing what's on your mind. Feel free to grab the button and post your own Mishmash.

Here's what's on my mind today:

1. MG Alien Twitter Pitches  Okay, MG authors, Leap Books Seek and I are looking for your Twitter pitch for middle grade alien books. Tweet me @kellyhashway with your MG alien pitch. If I'm interested, I'll reply with where to send sample pages. I'll be taking pitches today through Friday.
2. Drafting  I'm attempting to draft a book between edits—well, I should say around edits because I'm still editing. Last Friday, I managed to get in 10,000 words and it felt amazing!
3. Branding?  You know that draft I just mentioned? Well, it's an adult thriller. Apparently, I'm refusing to let Kelly Hashway be branded as a YA paranormal author. I can't help but write the stories that come to me, no matter what they are.
4. Reading  I spend a lot of time reading. Between the books I edit for clients and the submissions for Seek, I read constantly. Of course that means I don't get to read a lot of new releases though. I'm going to attempt to change that. Wish me luck—and a few extra hours in my day.
5. YA Fest  I attended YA Fest on Saturday and got to spend some time with readers and fellow authors. I had a great time. Here are some pictures from the event. 

   

   My table. (I signed the Touch of Death trilogy, The Monster Within duology, and Our Little Secret.)

   
   

   

   Lisa Amowitz, Martina Boone, and me

   
   

   

   The very awesome Brooke Watts DelVecchio and me

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 6/30/14

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Construction  *Sigh* I knew this was going to be bad, but ugh. I can't wait until July is over so this construction will be finished. Still no roof, which means lots of rain damage. :(
2. July  How is it almost July already? I mean seriously? Where did June go?
3. Editing  Amidst the craziness in my house, I'm editing for clients this week. It's keeping me sane.
4. Books heading to production  I recently had three titles to proofread and get ready for production. So exciting!
5. Touch of Death Series  Last week, Stalked by Death became a #1 best seller in Teen & Young Adult Greek and Roman Myths, and Touch of Death was the #3 best seller in the same category! Needless to say, I was thrilled! Thank you to all who bought copies.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 4/14/14

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. YA Fest  I'll be at YA Fest this Saturday (April 19th) signing copies of Touch of Death, Stalked by Death, and Face of Death. I'll also have plenty of SWAG including bookmarks, zombie limb candy, and buttons. I'm excited.
2. Revisions  I'm currently revising three of my novels all on deadlines ranging from tomorrow to May 15th. I love revising. It's when I really get attached to my characters.
3. Client edits  I'm also editing for clients. I have several edits scheduled through this month and May, which always makes me happy.
4. Spring pictures  I'm working at my daughter's school on Wednesday for spring pictures. It's always fun to see the kids dressed up.
5. Happy Holidays!  I wish you all a very happy Easter and Passover. 

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Many Sides of Medusa Blog Hop

Thank you for stopping by the Many Sides of Medusa Blog Hop hosted by Heather Lyons and Kelly Hashway! 

Door Prize: Your door prize for joining us is the short story prequel to the Touch of Death series titled Curse of Death. It's the myth about Medusa and how she was cursed by the goddess Athena. Claim your free gift by clicking here.

Heather and Kelly are teaming up to show you a very different side of Medusa. Forget the monster you might think she was, and check out these excerpts from The Deep End of the Sea and Touch of Death. You just might change your mind about Medusa.

The Deep End of the Sea excerpt:

But there’s no way around it. I am, in fact, a monster. A hideous one, to be precise, but as I don’t have any mirrors on Gorgóna, I can’t verify that one for certain. I rely on the fact that every single person I’ve frozen over the ages boasts abject fear on their face, which makes me believe they find me pretty horrifying. And it sucks. It genuinely, truly, absolutely, unequivocally sucks. I hate stealing lives.

Thus, not only am I a monster, I’m a really lousy one. A lonely, classic Five Stages of Grief following, insecure, shut-in of a pathetic beast who talks to the snakes on her head and the statues on her island.

Find Heather online: 
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Purchase The Deep End of the Sea on Amazon or B&N.

Touch of Death excerpt:

My hair blew up, flying wildly all around me. My blood bubbled in my veins like boiling water, but it didn't hurt. It was the feeling of power. Too much power. My body felt like it was going to burst. Still I held on. My eyes closed, and I threw my head back. An imaged filled my mind. Medusa. Her snakes wriggled their bodies at me, flicking their tongues. Chills ran down the backs of my legs, but I forced my eyes away from the snakes. Lower. To Medusa's face. She smiled at me. Her face and eyes filled with warmth. She looked like…Mom.

"Do not fear me, Jodi. My blood lies in your veins and in your heart. you are one of mine. My children."

Find Kelly online:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Purchase the Touch of Death series on Amazon or B&N.

If you want more Medusa, be sure to check out The Deep End of the Sea and the Touch of Death series. And…Heather and Kelly have a giveaway for you. Enter on the rafflecopter form for your chance to win a $20 gift card to either Amazon or B&N, Medusa Makeup lipgloss, signed bookmarks from both authors, buttons for each book, and Touch of Death stickers.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday Mishmash 2/3/14

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Face of Death Giveaway  There are still two days left to enter to win a signed paperback of my latest book, Face of Death (Touch of Death #3). Enter here.
2. Scholastic Book Fair  I spent way too much money at the book fair at my daughter's school last week, but Ayla was excited to get a bunch of new novels to read so I'm happy.
3. Into the Fire edits  I'm finishing up final edits on Into the Fire this week. 
4. Free Monthly Newsletter  My monthly newsletter goes out at 5pm EST today. If you aren't signed up but would like to receive one, click here.
5. Zombie Party Pics!  As promised, here are some pictures from the zombie party for the release of Face of Death.

Chocolate blood fountain—how awesome is that?

The Spencer Hill Press/ Spence City mini cakes were to die for!

Looks yummy, right?

Yes, people wanted to eat the plastic eyeballs. The sign was totally necessary.

Kate Kaynak, Trisha Wooldridge, Me (holding a copy of Face of Death), Marie Romero, & Vikki Ciaffone

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 1/6/14

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Touch of Death and Stalked by Death Chosen as Best Books in 2013!  I'm ecstatic that both Touch of Death and Stalked by Death made blog lists for best books in 2013. Touch of Death was chosen as Best Paranormal by Patrice Caldwell over on Whimsically Yours, and Stalked by Death was chosen as Best YA by Sherry Ficklin over on Curvy Writer!
2. Free Monthly Newsletter  My free monthly newsletter goes out this evening. If you aren't signed up but would like to receive one, click here.
3. #SHP2014 Twitter Chat  Thank you to everyone who came out for the Spencer Hill Press Twitter chat last Thursday night. The chat was crazy fast and so much fun. Lots of ARCs were given away, including two of The Monster Within.
4. Snow  I'm kind of done with snow this season. Seriously, been there, done that. I'm ready for spring.
5. 2014 Goals  I've got my goals for this year all set. I'll be posting them on Wednesday.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 12/9/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Blog Blitz  Last Friday, my blog was blitzed by the amazing group DL Hammons set up. The group heard that my agency closed and that I'm in the query trenches again, and they decided to stop by and cheer me up as well as wish me luck. I was truly touched by the amount of comments. All 200+ of them. You all made my day.

2. My Birthday  Yesterday was my birthday. I didn't like the getting older part, but I did enjoy the day with my husband and daughter. I also got some great gifts, including an awesome new purse. And my daughter had a birthday party to attend for one of her friends, so I helped out with that as well.

3. Spencer Hill Press Holiday Giveaway  The very awesome Judy Spelbring is hosting the Spencer Hill Press Holiday Giveaway again this year. There are tons of prizes to win. I've donated money to a gift card and I'm giving away a signed copy of Stalked by Death. Make sure you enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

4. Querying  I didn't do this last time I queried, but I'm going to share my progress this time around. I have a few fulls and partials out right now, so I've got all my fingers crossed that I might get the best Christmas present ever this year. The top item on my list is an offer for representation.

5. Meant For You by Faith Sullivan  Faith newest release comes out tomorrow. It's NA and it's HOT! Here's my review:

I had the pleasure of reading an ARC and let me say it is one HOT book! Seriously hot! I'm talking the hottest book I've ever read. The book opens with a very steamy scene and there are plenty more to follow throughout the book. Ivy and Eric are the couple you can't help but root for. Eric's past left him pretty much broken before he met Ivy, and now she's his second chance at happiness. Ivy's had plenty of struggles too, especially recently. So to see these two connect on such an emotional and intimate level is amazing.

But even though they are expecting a child together and are unable to keep their hands off each other, they have more than their share of problems. Ivy has been forced into a situation where she has to help her enemy, Lauren, from book one. I hate Lauren even more in this installment. She preys on Ivy's delicate situation and forces Ivy to write a script that will possibly destroy Eric and the relationship Ivy has with him.

And it wouldn't be a Faith Sullivan novel if there wasn't a big twist at the end. As usual, I didn't see it coming but as soon as it happened, I thought, I should've guessed! Sullivan is so good at keeping me guessing and making me eagerly anticipate her next book. Looking forward to book three to see what's in store for Ivy and Eric.

And I loved the book so much, I'm giving a copy away! Just fill out the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 12/2/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Signing at Books-A-Million  This past Saturday, I had a signing at Books-A-Million in the Exton Square Mall. It was a lot of fun. Here's a picture of me at my table:

2. I finally saw my books in a bookstore!  Yes, I know my books have been out for a while, but I don't have bookstores by me. So sad, I know. So I finally saw my book on a bookshelf in Books-A-Million. And of course I took a picture.

3. I now have a BAM by me!!!  Okay, I just told you I don't have any bookstores by me, BUT the manager at BAM told me that they just opened one in my mall. Woo hoo! I'm beyond excited about this and am going there today to see if I can set up a signing. :) 

4. Querying  So, I've begun querying on a very small scale. I have one query out and one full out. Today I'll be querying a few more agents and really getting this process underway. Please cross your fingers for me.

5. Christmas decorating  We decorated for Christmas on Thanksgiving. As soon as we got home from visiting my grandfather, who is 92 and going strong, we put up our tree, stockings, and other decorations. Now I just need to finish my shopping.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

*My free monthly newsletter goes out at 5pm (EST) today. If you aren't signed up but would like to receive one, click here.

Writer Wednesday: Zombie Blogfest

Here's how it works:

Today or tomorrow (October 30th or 31st) post about your favorite zombie movie, zombie book, zombie TV series, or share some cool zombie pics. As long as it's zombies, you're good. 

What's in it for you?
How about a FREE story. Plus, US residents can also be entered for a chance to win some zombie limb candy and a signed copy of Touch of Death. (Sorry but international mailing is expensive and mailing candy internationally isn't always allowed.)

Everyone will get a copy of my FREE short story prequel to the Touch of Death series, Curse of Death.

In fact, go grab it now by clicking here.

And if you want a chance to win a signed copy of Touch of Death and some zombie candy to satisfy your after Halloween sugar craving, simply fill out the rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And now here's a zombie scene from Stalked by Death:

September is For Sequels Giveaway Hop

I'm participating in the September is For Sequels Giveaway Hop hosted by Lisa at Lisa Loves Literature.

I couldn't pass this giveaway up since Stalked by Death the sequel to Touch of Death just released less than a month ago. So guess what I'm giving away. Yup, a copy of Stalked by Death. The giveaway is open internationally. If the winner is in the US, he/she will receive a paperback copy of Stalked by Death. If the winner is international, he/she will be gifted an ebook copy of Stalked by Death.

Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line. Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch--making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been. Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning--exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good but lose everything else. Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.

Just enter the Rafflecopter form. Good luck to all!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Happens When You Hate One of Your Own Characters

With the release of Stalked by Death this month, I feel like I need to talk about hating characters. When I read books, I love to hate characters because any emotion—good or bad—is good. It makes you connect to the characters and the story. But when I wrote Stalked by Death, I hated one of my characters in a way I've never hated a character before. It was odd for me because...well, I created him. 

I'm talking about Chase. Why am I dropping this bomb here when some of you haven't read the book yet and might want to? Simple. People read my blurb and assume there's a love triangle. In my mind, it's not a love triangle at all. Why? I HATE Chase. He's everything I despise in a human being. If you read the book, you'll see what I mean. I don't want to be too spoilery here.

So why did I create a character I absolutely can't stand? Mostly because people like Chase exist in the world. He's real. His motives are real. And the emotions he evokes are real too. I've had a few reviewers say they felt so many emotions while reading this book, and that's a huge compliment in my mind. I cried and got so creeped out while writing this story, and most of that was because of Chase. He made me tap into emotions I never wanted to visit again. And while I will continue to hate him, I'm thankful that I wrote him.

Have you ever hated a character you created? What made you write them that way?

Stalked by Death is Here!

Yesterday was a very exciting day for me because Stalked by Death released! Yay! 

Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.

Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch—making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been.

Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning—exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good… but lose everything else.

Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.

I was so excited to see reviewers saying they loved this book more than the first. That's exactly what I was hoping for. There's more everything in this book. More zombies, more tension, more Hades, more swooning. It was an emotional roller coaster to write, and I think you'll enjoy it.

To celebrate, I'm giving away a $10 Amazon or B&N Gift Card, a Stalked by Death button, signed bookmarks, and stickers. All you have to do is fill out the rafflecopter below. And yes, the giveaway is international because I love you no matter where you live.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you so much to everyone who has read or is planning to read this series. You guys are pure awesome!

Monday Mishmash 8/12/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Touch of Death and Stalked by Death are on Walmart.com  Last week I discovered that both Touch of Death and Stalked by Death are on Walmart.com for only $5.97! That's 40% off the list price! (Click the titles to go to their Walmart.com pages.)

2. Behind Closed Doors by Ashelyn Drake  The second installment in the Campus Crush series released last week. It's only $1.99 so check it out. The books all feature different characters in the series so you don't have to read them in order. Buy it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Julia Monroe is through wishing she had an older guy like her best friend Noelle does. It’s time for her to act on her desires. So when she sees sexy, twenty-three-year-old Darren McEntire eating dinner alone at the pub, she decides to make her move. The attraction between them is undeniable, and even through Julia isn’t looking for a one-night stand, she winds up back at Darren’s place the same night she meets him. Only being with him makes her realize what she’s been missing dating other guys. All she wants is Darren.

But Julia allows Darren to think she’s his age and a grad student at the nearby college. She knows she has to confess the truth, but she’s afraid to shatter what they have. Not knowing what to do, she starts the semester only to discover that her new teaching assistant is none other than Darren. With the lies out in the open and campus policy against them, Julia and Darren know the relationship should be over before it even begins. But the chemistry between them is too strong to deny. 

Can they find a way to be together or are they doomed to only see each other behind closed doors?

3. Stalked by Death was sighted in Bookworld in Hayward, WI!  You might have seen that just about everyone has already released Stalked by Death even though it's not supposed to be out until the 13. Here's the first sighting in a store. Thanks to Sara Biren for posting the picture online. :)

4. Planning a big addition on my house  Things are going to get crazy at my house this fall. We're planning an addition that will make it tough to live here, but with my daughter in school, we have no choice. Wish me luck!

5. Running on Empty Cover Reveal I'm happy to participate in the cover reveal of Running on Empty by Colette Ballard. This is the first title in Spencer Hill Press's new Tulip Romance imprint.

What does it feel like when you die—in those final moments? Do you feel the physical pain, or just the pain of your regrets? What does it feel like when you realize you can’t answer these questions because you’re not the victim?
 
You’re the killer.
 
River Daniels lives an ordinary life as a high school junior growing up in the confines of rural Texas until her boyfriend’s brutal attack leaves her both a murderer and a fugitive. When River’s closest girlfriends come to her aid, they make a hasty decision to not only help her, but leave their own troubled lives behind and join in her escape. The girls manage to elude police for months, but with every near-miss, River’s life spirals further out of control, until she finally hits rock bottom. Realizing she must stop endangering her friends and find evidence proving she acted in self-defense, the girls decide to make a risky return to Texas. Her return means more than facing her ugly past, she must also face the one person she was protecting the night her world caved in, the guy she has loved for as long as she can remember.

Tulip Press is giving away a $50 Amazon GC. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 7/8/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. The Monster Within Cover  I got to see the cover of my upcoming YA paranormal The Monster Within coming out in April 2014 through Spencer Hill Press, and it's gorgeous! Lisa Amowitz is the cover designer, and she's amazing. I can't wait to share it with you.
2. Stalked by Death ARC Giveaway  I'm giving away two copies of Stalked by Death. One is on Brandi Kosiner's blog where a bunch of authors and bloggers got together to giveaway a Kindle Fire and copies of our books. Enter here. The second copy is for a Goodreads giveaway that you can enter here.
3. Writing  I'm in between client edits so I'm drafting a new book. Woo hoo! I tend to go through months where I have a ton of edits and can't write anything new, so getting to draft again feels really good.
4. My New Niece  My niece, Violet, was born one week ago, and I got to see her last Thursday. She's gorgeous and looks so much like my daughter did at that age.
5. Free Monthly Newsletter  My free monthly newsletter goes out at 5pm EST today. If you aren't signed up and would like to receive one, you can sign up here.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash with a Cover Reveal!

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Edits  When it rains, it pours! Over the course of three weeks, I'll have edits for three of my own books and I have three client edits scheduled. Why does this always happen to me? LOL Looks like no sleep for Kelly.
2. Staked by Death SWAG Giveaway  Congrats to Lisa Basso for winning the Stalked by Death SWAG pack!
3. Amazon Prime  So my free subscription to Prime will run out at the end of the week, and I think I'm happy about it. I've gotten one to two packages a day for the last week. Someone needs to stop me.
4. New Niece  At eleven a.m. today, my new niece, Violet, will be born. I'm so excited!
5. Face of Death  Friday was the cover reveal for the third and final book in the Touch of Death series. I didn't post because I was promoting Catherine Stine's Ruby's Fire and didn't want to steal any spotlight from her. So, I'm sharing on my blog today instead.

Having fallen at the hands of Hades, Jodi's enduring torture like she never imagined. Worse, she has to watch her Ophi friends suffer along with her--the punishment doled out by the very people she'd sentenced to life in Tartarus. Hell. This is one reunion Jodi hoped would never happen, but now she must find a way to free them all. 

Except the underworld is nearly impossible to escape.

Jodi's one chance may rest in raising the human soul she killed when she drank Medusa's blood.

But splitting her human soul from her Ophi soul means living a double life: One as an Ophi experiencing unspeakable torture and the other as the human she could have been if she never came into her powers. With her two worlds colliding, Jodi will have to make the toughest decision she's faced yet.

Title: Face of Death (Touch of Death #3)

Author: Kelly Hashway

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

ISBN:  978-1-937053-92-5

Release Date: 1/7/2014

Formats: Paper, e-book

Goodreads TBR: 

If you'd like to request an ARC, please use the reviewer form on our website.

And the best part? Hades is on the back cover! I'll share that image with you closer to the release date. :) For now, you can add Face of Death on Goodreads.

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Monday Mishmash 6/24/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. 5 Dollar Sundresses!  Okay, Five Below has sundresses for $5 and they are seriously cute. I bought two over the weekend. What a deal! I would have bought more but that's all they had in my size.
2. Stalked by Death Stickers  I got some awesome Stalked by Death stickers for the upcoming release! Yay!
3. Reading at the Book Expo  I'm excited because I was asked to do a reading at the Book Expo (in Stroudsburg, PA) next month. Not sure which book they want me to read yet, but I know it's one of my picture books since the afternoon readings are all for young children.
4. Editing  I have a lengthy client edit to do this week. Wish me luck. My daughter's having a hard time understanding Mom needs to work.
5. German Shepherd Hound Mix  Last June we got a puppy, and we knew she was a German Shepherd mix. We just figured out that she's part hound, and now her sad, droopy eyes, burrowing habits, and her deep bark that carries all make sense. So, she's our little German Shephound. Yes, I just made that up. ;)

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Writing Sequels and a Giveaway!

With the release of Stalked by Death just under two months away, I thought I'd talk about writing sequels. I also happen to be writing another sequel at the moment, so this is perfect timing.

Sequels are tricky because while you are writing within a series, most publishers want the books to stand on their own. I'm terribly guilty of picking up book two in a series before book one. It happens a lot, so I understand this. The hard part for the author is to make sure you are giving the information needed without info dumping. The best way to make sure is by telling what's needed when it's needed. No one wants to open a book to an entire chapter of recap. One, it's insulting to your reader. Two, it's just plain boring.

The good part about writing a sequel is that you already know the characters really well. It makes them easier to write about. I love getting to delve deeper into the lives of characters I love, and I find the words just come to me.

So that's my two cents on sequels. And I have a giveaway for you. I have a Stalked by Death SWAG pack for one lucky winner. Due to postage costs, I'm going to limit this one to US and Canada. Don't worry though. I'll have more international giveaways soon. Use the rafflecopter form to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are your thoughts on writing sequels?

*On another note, Advantage: Heartbreak is only $0.99 for a limited time! Find it on Amazon or B&N.

Monday Mishmash 6/10/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Last week of school  My daughter's last day is Thursday. I can't believe she's going to be a first grader soon.
2. Free Monthly Newsletter  With the excitement of BEA, I forgot to send out my monthly newsletter last Monday. It will go out at 5pm EST today. If you aren't signed up yet but would like to receive one, click here.
3. Advantage: Heartbreak  I'll be posting a teaser this Wednesday for my second novella in the Game. Set. Match. Heartbreak series. Check back for it.
4. Melinda's Museum Magic  My newest picture book is here! You can find Melinda's Museum Magic for sale on Amazon. 
   
5. Stalked by Death teaser  I made a teaser video for Stalked by Death. Check it out. 

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Book Expo America=Heaven!

I'm not posting a Monday Mishmash because the one thing on my mind is BEA! I don't even know where to start because BEA blew me away. First, I have amazing publishers. Everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) from both houses was absolutely sweet and personable. I'm going to explain things with some photos for you too. :)

I met some really awesome Spencer Hill Press people, like:

Me with Kate Kaynak, owner of Spencer Hill Press
Yes, it's blurry, but I swear it's because Kate is so busy she never stands still. ;)

Timothy Miller signing his book Awoken for me!

Me with Sherry Ficklin, author of Extracted

Me with Tyler Jolley, Author of Extracted with Sherry Ficklin

Dan Cohen with me at my signing for Stalked by Death

Rich Storrs (A.K.A. "The Closer") with me at my signing

Me with Trisha Wooldridge, my editor for the Touch of Death series

Lisa Amowitz, Kimberly Miller, Michelle Pickett, Jennifer Allis Provost, me, and Dorothy Dreyer (the Scene13 girls)

My signing was surreal. When I showed up after my author breakfast (which was also extremely cool) I had a line of people waiting for me. I sort of stared in disbelief for a while. I wish I took a picture of the line. The awesome ladies at Swoony Boys Podcast showed up with a gift for me, which was so sweet of them. Also, Donna from School Library Journal came to get Stalked by Death. She introduced herself and I profusely thanked her for the great review she did for Touch of Death in the March issue of SLJ. She took a picture with me and said she'd review Stalked by Death, too. I got a little choked up over that.

George Klutz, fellow ICL member, came to see me

Me with Brooke DelVecchio, who was awesome enough to get Stalked by Death on Friday and come back with her copy of Touch of Death on Saturday to have me sign it. :)

And my Month9Books family was there too!

Heather Reid (author of Pretty Dark Nothing) and me

Me getting a signed copy of Gabriel Stone from Shannon Duffy

Georgia McBride (owner of Month9Books) and me

Dorothy Dreyer (author of My Sister's Reaper), Lisa Basso (author of A Shimmer of Angels), and me

And here are some other awesome people:

Lauren Hammond (my agent) and me

LM Preston, Lauren Hammond, me, and Lisa Amowitz

And I got in trouble for trying to get this picture of Jim Carrey, but this was my third shot and I got him!

And here's my view as I sadly exited the building. I'm already counting down to next year. I will definitely be back.

Since it's Monday, please let me know what's on your mind.