Meljean Brook

No, no — this is not about the letter in RWR about how today’s heroines all talk and act like sluts (because that’s been done and discussed over and over and over and over and over.) But I do feel I should warn readers that a) my heroines aren’t likely to be virgins (although they could be), and b) they are going to be aware of their sexual needs, c) might not always have the healthiest sexual history, but they know it, and d) might say “fuck.”

What you won’t find in my books: a heroine who says, “What is that long, hard thing in your pants?” (Although, I guess Savi did say that to Colin, kind of.)

His hands enfolded one of hers, brought it down to his upper thigh. A hard, steel length lay beneath the fine wool of his trousers. “Not precisely what I’d like you to touch in that location, but it’s there if you want it.”

A gun. Either loaded with tranquilizer darts made with hellhound venom, or bullets laced with the same.

I miss Colin sometimes. Sigh.

So, anyway! This was about me getting around. And I am! I’m over at Bam’s blog, writing the Best! Story! Ever! (AKA, the kind of stuff that comes out of me at 1am, and the caffeine isn’t working anymore.)

I’ve also sent a post to The Good, the Bad, & the Unread for their ValenDuckie event. It should show up today or tomorrow — it’s all about non-romantic movies, and the romances in them.

And tomorrow, I’ll be guest blogging at Simply Romance Reviews.

…did I mention that all of these posts have prizes attached? Like, um, a certain new release? Go forth!

ETA: Okay, considering where I’ve taken the comments, obviously this did become about that letter. I mentioned over and over, and here are the places the discussion has gone on before (just in recent memory — there were a few others (I think at JMC’s blog, and I’ll link if I can track them down)): Jeaniene Frost’s livejournal, and at the Smart Bitches. But although I remembered (and applauded) Jeaniene’s response last month, I didn’t realize until I stumbled across it again that it was in response to the same letter, printed in both the January RWR issue and the February issue. WTF? Is it an oversight, someone in editorial hoping for a reaction, or someone in editorial agreeing with the letter-writer’s viewpoint so they’re publishing it again?

I talk about whether I’ll ever write a funny book, the religious aspects of the series, and the difficulty classifying the series in an interview at All About Romance today.

I’m still guest blogging at The Book Binge! (With prizes at the end of the week!) Today, they ask the important questions, like: Coke or Pepsi?

(Pepsi, but Diet Coke)

If it helps, as soon as I read Magic Bites I thought, “I hate this author, her sparse prose, her tight plotting, her ridiculously amazing world-building, and the KATE SHE RODE IN ON!!” So, you know, we’re even.

P.S. That chick really did have Pantene hair. But, ahem — I can’t help but notice that your own cover girl has a sultry glower. And what’s more– Shh! Shhhh! Listen:

Do you hear that whisper? I think she’s saying, “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”

(First — congrats to loonigrrl for winning the copy of Demon Night over at Nose in a Book! (And, um, there’s a little excerpt posted over there, with Ethan being … well, a little hungry.))

(Second, I’m still guest blogging over at The Book Binge. Today and tomorrow, it’s all about Q&As.)

(Third, Demon Night kinda-sorta hit a bestseller list last week. It was #41 on the Borders/Waldenbooks romance mass market list! My first list evah! *happy dance* (Also, go congratulate Nalini, who hit in the awesome numbers … also in the week before the official release.)

(Fourth, Borders Stores is running a promotion on Demon Night — $1 off (no coupon necessary.) So if you have a Borders bookstore near you, it’ll be less expensive than other options might be.)

Explore the seductive corners of the dark, as a forbidden attraction tempts danger under the canopy of the…

DEMON NIGHT

$7.99 Berkley Sensation
ISBN 0425219771

Charlie Newcomb worked hard to get her life back together. But all that is shaken when she’s set upon by three vampires desperate to transform her beauty into something evil. Because Charlie is the vital link to something they want—and need. It’s Charlie’s flesh and blood sister, a medical scientist whose knowledge could be invaluable to the predators.

But to get to her, they must first get to Charlie, now under the intimate protection of Ethan McCabe. As her Guardian, Ethan is attracted to her vulnerabilities—as well as her strengths. The closer he gets, the more protecting her becomes not just his duty, but his desire. But will it be enough to save Charlie when the demon night falls?

Read an excerpt.

Read a really long excerpt.

Reviews after the cut (and please let me know if you want me to add yours — I’m sure I forgot some). (more…)

I’ve been invited to guest blog at The Book Binge all this week — today, we’re talking covers.

<— Specifically, this one.

In unrelated news:

Dear New York Times,

I saw your headline this morning that read:

“A perfect ending, for the Giants”

I really think you should have used a dash instead of a comma.

Sincerely,
Meljean

On February 5, Demon Night — the fifth book in my Guardian series, featuring Drifter, an outlaw from the Old West turned hero, and the woman he has to protect from vampires — is going to be in stores.

But I’m not the only one with a release this February 5th — Joey Hill has a fantastic follow-up to The Vampire Queen’s Servant; Jaci Burton has penned a freaking hot introduction to her Wild Riders series; Nalini Singh has written another fabulous entry to her amazing Psy-Changeling universe; and Dakota Cassidy offers a funny, sexy first installment in her sure-to-be-a-winner Accidental series.

So we all thought it would be fun to ask each other a few questions, give readers an opportunity to get to know us a little better, maybe find a new favorite, and win some fabulous prizes. And when five authors get together for a round robin of questions and answers, anything can happen … and readers will win.

I’ll be giving away signed copies of Demon Angel and Demon Moon (unless you already own them, and then we’ll see if there’s another book you’d like :-D) on this blog, and the other ladies are offering their own fabulous prizes, including books and gift certificates. Each of us has a question on our blog that each author has answered. Here, the question is:

If you could pick one character from your books and spend the day with him/her/it (with no spousal guilt, depending on the activity!) what would you do?

Jaci Burton, author of Riding Wild:

Mac from Riding Wild. He has a Harley. And a gun. And he’s damn sexy. I think we’d have to take a backroads journey into the hills, maybe to the lake. Rest a little. Maybe get lost. Heh.

Dakota Cassidy, author of The Accidental Werewolf:

Hands down it’d be Nina from Accidentally Dead. She’s has no filter from brain to mouth–she calls it as she sees it. Not to mention she uses the word “fucktard” liberally and without shame.

Joey Hill, author of The Mark of the Vampire Queen:

When I think about what I’d like heaven to be, after the obvious reunion with loved ones, I have this dream of being able to walk into my fiction worlds and hang out for the day with my characters whenever I wish. Very first thing, I’d probably go to Tyler and Marguerite’s BDSM carnival party and hope the rest of the Nature of Desire crowd were there so I could spend the day with all of them. Not just for the obvious exciting stuff. I imagine hanging out with them, the way they were hanging out in the wee hours of the morning after Marguerite and Tyler’s wedding. Just picking on each other and being relaxed in the company of friends. Mac would let me take a swig of his beer. Justin and I would talk about Wicca. I’d grill Sara, Mac and Violet on police stuff as research for my next book (hey, isn’t there a heaven library of yet-to-be-published-in-the-earthly-realm books?) I might be too shy to talk much to Marguerite and Tyler, but it would be wonderful to watch them interact with the others, and of course with each other.

Nalini Singh, author of Mine to Possess:

This is an incredibly hard question. I choose one, then I think, nooooo, I want that person, then the cycle repeats. So here’s my answer - I’d throw a party, invite all my characters, then climb a tree from where I could see everything. Can you imagine the fireworks?!

My partners in crime would be Julian and Roman, the twin leopard-changeling cubs first introduced in Slave to Sensation. Not only do they have a degree in mischief, they know how to steal the best cake and they have very big ears so I could totally listen in to all the conversations.

Meljean Brook, author of Demon Night:

Colin from Demon Moon. He’s wickedly funny, has a great sense of style, and droolingly gorgeous. I’d happily spend an entire day just looking at him, but I think we’d probably grab an old horror movie or two, then I’d watch him paint for a while, then I’d watch him slice a rogue vampire to ribbons with his swords, then ask him if he thought Byron was handsome just to prick his vanity. But I’d have to say no to anything in the bedroom, because then I’d forget all about my fabulous day (and because Savi would kick my ass).

Here’s what readers have to do to win: leave a comment by Sunday night (Feb 3) telling me which character from any book you’d love to spend the day with, and how you’d spend the time — and then don’t forget to visit Jaci Burton, Dakota Cassidy, Nalini Singh, and Joey Hill’s blogs for more questions, more answers, and more chances to win!

Okay, breaking my head down rule (again, because I did yesterday at Dear Author) because this one popped up out of nowhere.

I had no idea Demon Night was reviewed by PW I have no idea when it was, either, because I just found the review when I went to Powell’s site to see if they had any in stock at their Beaverton store yet.

But, supercool. My first PW review:

“Brook crafts an entertaining, slow-building romance for her latest Guardian series entry. Charlie Newcomb is a recovering alcoholic working at a bar and just trying to keep her head above water when she comes across a group of vampires nesting on the establishment’s roof. Luckily, her enigmatic next-door neighbor Ethan McCabe is a Guardian, or angel, who is keeping an eye on her. The two get caught in a demonic plot that threatens Charlie’s sister, Jane, while Charlie must wrestle with not only the undead but with her growing attraction to Ethan. Charlie’s traumatic past has left her believably afraid of her own needs, and Ethan is a brave, sweet guy with old-fashioned ideas about chivalry. Brook gives them distinctive dialogue and paints a fascinating, erotic world full of angels, demons, vampires and ambiguity.” Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

*happy dance*

Find out here on February 1st at 1pm PST.
(Yes, there are prizes involved.)

And just because:

AAR’s Annual Poll is still ongoing (until mid-February). Apparently, voting is slowing down early — don’t forget to cast your vote for your favorite book of 2007 (but, uh, not just that favorite book, because you have to enter several categories, and straight-ticket ballots are deleted, I think.)

Okay, and this is interesting — it looks like angel/demon romances are no longer “paranormal” but “fantasy” according to their new genre guidelines. Does that make DEMON MOON, which is set in the world of angels/demons, but stars a vampire hero, a fantasy or a paranormal romance? I don’t know. I’m guessing it’s the SF/F category? (Okay, lol — yes — it’s there, even though DEMON ANGEL was apparently in the paranormal? I’m so confused.)

Anyway, don’t forget to vote!

Also, don’t forget about the DEMON NIGHT contest lisabea is having over at Nose In A Book. And she said some really wonderful things about Charlie that pretty much had me bawling.

There’s a special excerpt of DEMON NIGHT over at the Good, the Bad, and the Unread. And there might be another neat announcement going up at that site sometime today. I’m not sure what their posting schedule is, but as soon as it goes up, I’ll link and edit this post.

Holly from the Book Binge put up a review of DEMON NIGHT. Here’s what she said.

I hate this book.

Nah, I’m just kidding.

There were times whilst reading this when I truly felt like my heart would break. My palms got clammy and a knot formed in my stomach. Other times I was so emotionally overcome I felt tears welling in my eyes. It was…amazing.

I’m also Guest Authoring over at the Book Binge the first week of February.

Finally — the funniest, strangest, most WTFiest thing I’ve seen lately is at Gennita Low’s blog: probably NSFW.

**NOTE: If you read this post in its entirety, please also be certain to read the comments. I do not purport to be an expert on plagiarism or on writing — I’m just another crazy who’s doing my best to tell a good story, and to write it in an ethical way. I might be corrected in the comments, someone might disagree with me and we’ll have to discuss a point, and there are many people smarter and more knowledgeable than I with something important to add that I might have left out. Also, I am coming at this from the perspective of a writer trying to avoid plagiarizing, not necessarily trying to define plagiarizing. If you’re looking for a definition, ask for one, and I’ll try to find some good links. UPDATED: Jane at Dear Author has just put one up.**

**NOTE #2: For those of you who intend to read my book, DEMON NIGHT, and who prefer to NOT know about the process behind the writing, some of my allusions and inspirations (including a picture of a celebrity that I used as a visual reference for the hero) you really, really shouldn’t click past the “more” link.**

In response to my Red Shoes post, Micki asked this question:

How can you *tell* when you’ve borrowed a heel, and how can you *tell* when you’ve borrowed the whole damn shoe? And is it *such* a problem if you borrow the shoe, as long as you change the characters and genre and make the shoe a side issue instead of a lynch pin?

And this was my quick answer, with a promise of a longer one to follow:

[…] my short answer is, even if you don’t know the exact rules, you know it in your gut. Retelling Sleeping Beauty is one thing; retelling Robin McKinley’s version is another. Knowing that something your heroine says is similar to something another heroine says is one thing; making your heroine say it BECAUSE the other heroine said it (and because you couldn’t think of anything of your own to put in her mouth) is another. Reading a description of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and letting your character describe it in her words, or describing it in your voice is one thing; plopping that description into your work with a few looks at the thesaurus and moving around a few phrases is another.

My long answer is still the same: You know it in your gut. I’m going to explain that a little bit more after the jump — for those familiar with my blog and and my e-mails and my novels, you probably know what’s coming. For those of you who aren’t, here’s a warning:

When I say long, I mean “I’ve pretty much written a book, and it circles and veers off on tangents and eventually gets to the point.” And to save everyone with little time a lot of time, the point is: You know it in your gut.

Or at least you should.

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