Mr. Real excerpt, interview, and a really fabulous contest

My first-ever Mr. Real interview and a sneak-peek
excerpt. Steppin' out! 

Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening friends! I'm hard at work on my new cram-way-too-many-things-into-this-day-or-else schedule, but I'm popping in to let you know of my visit to Addicted to Heroines, a fun urban fantasy and paranormal romance-focused blog.

Cat and I had a lot of fun doing this interview, and it was my first-ever interview on my upcoming series, which kicks off with the print and ebook release of Mr. Real on October 30th.

In honor, I sent over a sneak-peek excerpt.

But there's more: there's also a fabulous giveaway! Up for grabs, courtesy of the generous Addicted to Heroines heroines: The entire trilogy in ebook or paper...or a $25 gift certificate!!

Pop over to Addicted to Heroines for all the fun and mayhem! 

The print is here! The print is here! + a contest

I just got something very exciting from UPS...the print editions of HEAD RUSH, the third book in the Disillusionists trilogy.

I think they are beautiful. I'm not just saying that. The cover is amazing and so is the font, and just everything. This is my first trade paperback, and it's of such high quality. So nice. I'm so happy and excited! My publisher, Samhain, did just an exquisite job. (Thanks, Samhain!)

Also, I feel like I've been cringingly holding my breath on behalf of my print readers who have been waiting SO very patiently for the third installment of this trilogy to arrive.

Can you hold breath cringingly? It involves making a face of empathetic pain as you do it.

Anyway, the print edition is released on September 4th, and you can order it in all the usual places online, as well as your local bookstore. I'm working on collecting links on the HEAD RUSH page of my site.

But in the meantime, I have two to give away to long-suffering readers!

Are you a print reader, waiting for Head Rush? Tapping your readerly foot, eyeing me, wishing you could know the outcome NOW? I'm picking two random commenters, chosen by random.org this weekend.

Rules:

• If you are reading this on Facebook or Goodreads, please come to my blog to comment and enter. 
• Leave a comment with your email, unless your email addy is findable by clicking your name. 
• US or Canada only, please. (Sorry international, these books are a bit heavy!)  

Best of luck, friends!

[ed to add: contest closed! Congrats WINNERS: Melissa (my world) & Carolyn R.! I just emailed you both!] 

Top 8 AAD stress dreams

I realized I must be really stressed out about being ready for the Authors After Dark conference in New Orleans! I just tossed and turned all night. Here, some brief scenes from my stress dreams:

1. Distracted by a surprise meeting with Nicole Peeler at the New Orleans airport, I forget to meet my galpal Julie at our arranged rendezvous time for our ride together from the airport to the hotel.

Gah! This type of hotel layout
makes it REALLY hard to get to your panels!

2. Julie does not make it to the conference for two whole days, something I only realize when I notice mobs of people are mysteriously angry at me. Noooo! Must head back to the airport to find Julie!

3. I have four back-to-back panels starting in five minutes that I haven't prepared for.

4. I can't find the schedule of panels anyway.

5. When I find the schedule, the hotel layout makes no sense. Thanks a lot, Stella, for booking a hotel designed by M.C. Escher!

6. I only brought this one black dress to wear, and it is full of cat hair.

7. All the panels are in one large room, with lots of people sitting at tables, and I don't know anybody there.

8. I go through the whole conference not seeing any of my League of Reluctant Adults buddies, except, of course, evilly distracting Nicole, who started all the trouble in the first place.

Needless to say, I am not ready, and I have a million things to complete before I can even start to get ready! I shouldn't even be blogging right now. Even typing this right now, my chest tightens up and I forget to breath. Nevertheless, I am really excited. Don't worry, Julie, I won't leave you at the airport!!

image: Isometric Flaw by Icey, from Wikipedia Commons

Mr. Real: cover & deets on the new series!

I so love my new cover

In case you missed my big fun cover release day over at Badass Book Reviews yesterday, here's the latest on MR. REAL, and the cover, too, which was done by Angela Waters.

Mr. Real is the first book in my new cross-genre series – I’d describe it as a paranormal romantic suspense spy series with a dash of SFF.  And let me just say, I’m crazy excited about it!

The details:

MR. REAL (Code of Shadows: book #1)

Release date: October 30, 2012


Formats: Available in paperback & ebook from major online booksellers
 

Netgalley: yes

The short description:
A lonely girl uses an occult computer program to bring a sexy spy from a TV ad to life; the actor who plays the character  - and has come to hate him - is not amused. 

The official blurb...

The girl of his dreams…with the secret agent of his nightmares

Alix Gordon is a girl who doesn’t take life too seriously. What’s the fun in that? So when she stumbles across occult software that can bring computer images to life, she conjures up awesome outfits and accessories, and, on one drunken and…er…horny night, Sir Kendall, the sexy TV ad spy…who looks exactly like Paul, the hot martial arts teacher who once kicked her out of class.

Fighter Paul “Puma” Reinhardt has a secret: the character he improvised to land a part in a TV ad has dark roots in his tortured childhood. Playing Sir Kendall was a huge mistake, and now Paul would do anything to get free of him. A cross country road trip seems just the thing…until Paul finds himself inexplicably drawn to Minnesota and discovers Sir Kendall—in the flesh—with the girl he’d loved from afar. He barges into Alix and Sir Kendall’s love nest, determined to stop the madness…somehow.

But is Sir Kendall transforming into something more dangerous anyone can imagine? And what will the super spy do when Paul and Alix get over their resentments and give into their crazy lust for each other?

Exciting MR. REAL action...

Exciting MR. REAL cover action over at Badass Book Reviews! I was thrilled when the crew at Badass graciously offered to help out with my cover reveal action.

And I'm so excited because I do so love my new cover, and I can't, can't, can't wait for October 30th!

It's all at Badass Book Reviews today....