Lucienne Diver's Drivel

NY, World Fantasy, ALICE, etc.

It’s been a crazy week thus far, but I still wanted to jump on quickly for a few brief things. Number 1 (cue Kermit flail!):

I’m truly excited to announce that ALICE by Christina Henry (that amazing novel I raved about to everyone who would listen) made Amazon’s list of Best Books of the Year: Science Fiction and Fantasy in addition to the semifinal round of the GoodReads Best Books of 2015: Horror!

Speaking of great books, I finally read ANCILLARY JUSTICE, the sf novel by Anne Leckie that everyone else has been talking about for so long and which has taken home a host of awards. It took me a while to get into the story, but once the larger implications of things were unveiled, I couldn’t put the book down. Next order of business: pick up ANCILLARY SWORD and ANCILLARY MERCY to (hopefully) read over Thanksgiving. Also, pay this book forward, since it was given to me.

That’s one of the wonderful things about meetings with editors and authors, they have such fantastic taste, and I get to add to my teetering TBR pile. Another great thing, I get to contribute to theirs! Oh, I have mailings going out this week which will hopefully brighten up some holidays.

So, I promised a write up of the past week. Again in brief, because…time… It hit the ground running last Tuesday morning (despite one of the wheels falling off on my rollerbag!) for several really productive meetings in New York, followed by dinner with my longtime friend (and former boss) Eleanor Wood, in our old stomping grounds in Chelsea. Sadly, our old watering hole had closed, but the Trattoria was still open and still absolutely wonderful. The next day involved a breakfast meeting where Rebecca Brewer and I got to cheer on Christina Henry’s success, a coffee meeting, a lunch meeting, more coffee…you get the idea. The high point of the day was dinner with Michelle Belanger and Elyria Rose at Bareburger, followed by her Q&A with Damien Echols and her reading at the KGB Bar to celebrate the launch of her first novel, CONSPIRACY OF ANGELS (she’s well known in non-fiction of the occult)! You can see the video we took of the talk here on Michelle’s Facebook page.

The World Fantasy Convention has always been one of my favorite, because it’s all pros, all in one place. Everywhere you look are absolutely amazing people and the stunned realization that you belong among them. Okay, there’s always a certain amount of imposter syndrome, but the reality is there you are. In meetings. On panels. Breaking bread with your literary heroes and heroines. Twenty-two years in the business and I still find it little short of amazing. This year I got to meet my newest client James Alan Gardner and to see long-time clients Carol Berg, J. Kathleen Cheney and David Mack. I got to spend time with the brilliant Esther Friesner, Deborah Blake, Ellen Asher, Brenda Carr and Nancy Holzner (see pic here with the aforementioned Carol Berg).

I got to share a meal with L.E. Modesitt, Steve Saffel, Dana Hayward, Deanna __ and a new friend we picked up along the way, Ian McKinley, the man in the kilt. I bumped into a lot of people from the Seton Hill Writers Conference, which I’ve been brought in for a couple of times and which is an absolutely fabulous program and to rub elbows with amazing authors F. Paul Wilson, Anne Bishop, Marianne de Pierres, Meg Turville-Heitz and others and to see “rival” (in quotes only because we’re friends, not because they’re not formidable) agents Jennifer Jackson and Michael Curry of the Donald Maass Literary Agency and Barry Goldblatt of his own agency, and editors Diana Gill and Anne Sowards of Penguin, Anne Groell of Del Rey, David Pomerico and Kelly O’Connor of HarperCollins, Marco Palmieri, Whitney Ross and Diana Pho of Tor, Lee Harris of Tor.com, Simon Taylor of Transworld, Oliver Johnson of Hodder Stoughton, Rani Graff of Graff Publishing, Marc Gasgoine and Michael R. Underwood of Angry Robot Books…and OMG, I know I’m forgetting someone and please, please don’t be offended if I inadvertently left you off the list!

Anyway, enough of the name dropping. Not so long ago there’d have been a ton of pics as well, but I was so busy I didn’t even think of bringing my camera out most of the time and when I finally did, it decided not to play nice.

But I did take a picture of this great haul of books in the conference bag and on the freebie table!

I’m looking forward to World Fantasy next year when it’s in Columbus, Ohio, which is where Michelle Belanger’s CONSPIRACY OF ANGELS is set. That’s right, Michelle, you’ll have to go!

Excitement!

I’m just back (well, as of 2 a.m. Sunday night…or rather Monday morning) from meetings in New York and the World Fantasy Convention in Saratoga Springs. I always come back from New York so energized and pumped, because a) I’ve done some great business, and b) I’ve been surrounded by people whose lives are dedicated to books. My people! I’ll probably do a write up with a few pics of my travels and travails a bit later this week, but for now I wanted to give some huge shout outs to some of my authors with exceptionally good things going on.

First, a Happy Book Birthday (or at least re-issue birthday) to D.B. Jackson for the trade paperback edition of his wonderful “tricorn punk” novel A PLUNDER OF SOULS:

A PLUNDER OF SOULS by D.B. Jackson

Boston, 1769: Ethan Kaille, a Boston thieftaker who uses his conjuring to catch criminals, has snared villains and defeated magic that would have daunted a lesser man. What starts out as a mysterious phenomenon that has local ministers confused becomes something far more serious.

A ruthless, extremely powerful conjurer seeks to wake the souls of the dead to wreak a terrible revenge on all who oppose him. Kaille’s minister friends have been helpless to stop crimes against their church. Graves have been desecrated in a bizarre, ritualistic way. Equally disturbing are reports of recently deceased citizens of Boston reappearing as grotesquely disfigured shades, seemingly having been disturbed from their eternal rest, and now frightening those who had been nearest to them in life. But most personally troubling to Kaille is a terrible waning of his ability to conjure. He knows all these are related…but how?

When Ethan discovers the source of this trouble, he realizes that his conjure powers and those of his friends will not be enough to stop a madman from becoming all-powerful. But somehow, using his wits, his powers, and every other resource he can muster, Ethan must thwart the monster’s terrible plan and restore the restless souls of the dead to the peace of the grave. Let the battle for souls begin in A Plunder of Souls, the third, stand-alone novel in Jackson’s acclaimed Thieftaker series.

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Next, I’m really excited to have three authors in the semifinal round of GoodReads Best Books of 2015 voting!

ALICE by Christina Henry up for Best Horror!

THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin up for Best Fantasy!

APEX by Ramez Naam up for Best Science Fiction!

There’s some stiff competition and wonderful titles to take as recommendations for your reading list. However you’re inclined, I hope you’ll vote and let your voice be heard!

2050 Convention

I’m about to head up to NY for a host of meetings and the World Fantasy Convention, thus, only a brief write-up of the 2050 Convention that took place this past weekend in Daytona Beach. This was the first year for the 2050 Convention, and the timing was unfortunate, both that it was Halloween weekend and that it was up against the established Spooky Empire Convention only an hour or so away in Orlando. It was set up as a huge gaming, media and cosplay con and had some wonderful guests, like my client Keith R.A. DeCandido, Michael Biehn (Reese from the first Terminator film), Gigi Edgley from Farscape and many others, and a well laid out dealers room, where I had the good fortune to sit between Bill Hatfield (author and friend) and John Stanko (artist), but… Well, hardly anyone came. Still, Bill, his wife Karen, and I had a blast at the zombies vs. gypsies pub crawl, where we listened to a fabulous band. Pete (my husband) and I saw two beautiful sunrises along Daytona Beach. And…well, there is no and.

I hope the con will do better next year. It’s a beautiful setting, right there on Daytona Beach, and potentially a good con, but I feel badly for the vendors and the special guests who came expecting so much more.

You can see a more extensive write-up and photos over at Comic Coverage, but for here and now, my pictures…

Me and Keith R.A. DeCandido

Promised gorgeous sunrise.

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Happy Book Birthdays

It’s a great day for romance readers! For you lovers of paranormal romance out there, Karen Whiddon has a new shifter novel out, BILLIONAIRE WOLF, from Harlequin Nocturne! I think it’s one of the best of the, well, pack, and I hope you’ll agree. Check it out!

BILLIONAIRE WOLF by Karen Whiddon

Has the Billionaire Shifter Met His Match?

Ryan Howard is a billionaire playboy and powerful shifter who, some say, is driven by carnal desire. Unable—or unwilling—to settle down, he stalks the nightclubs of Galveston in search of meaningless conquests. But after one unforgettable weekend aboard his yacht with the vibrantly sexy and irresistible Maria Miranda, Ryan finds himself in an unfamiliar position. For Maria is the one who just walks away. And Ryan is facing a barrage of feelings new to him.

As one of the last of a dying race of Drakkor dragons, Maria’s sole duty is to get with child—even if it means surrendering her body to a sexy stranger, then moving on. She isn’t ready for a man like Ryan. But when she’s kidnapped by a merciless Drakkor, Maria must face her greatest fear to claim a future.

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About the Author

Karen Whiddon started weaving fanciful tales for her younger brothers at the age of eleven. Amidst the Catskill Mountains of New York, then the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, she fueled her imagination with the natural beauty that surrounded her. Karen now lives in north Texas, where she shares her life with her very own hero of a husband and three doting dogs. She divides her time between the business she started and writing. Check out her website, http://www.karenwhiddon.com.

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There’s also a wonderful 2-in-1 volume out today called COWBOY CHRISTMAS RESCUE including novellas by Beth Cornelison and Colleen Thompson. Cowboys and Christmas…two of my favorite things!

COWBOY CHRISTMAS RESCUE by Beth Cornelison and Colleen Thompson

Gunfire disrupts a Christmas wedding in this 2-in-1 collection of original, connected novellas.

Rescuing the Witness by Beth Cornelison

Bullets are fired at a ranch wedding in Texas and the only witness to the unknown sniper’s identity is wedding guest Kara Pearson. When the rifle turns to her, Kara runs for her life. Her only hope for survival? The man who broke her heart years ago. But Sheriff Brady McCall vows to protect Kara—and right old wrongs.

Rescuing the Bride by Colleen Thompson

After being jilted and having gunfire erupt at his wedding, bull rider turned rancher Nate Wheeler fears his pregnant bride is the intended target. But as he and April Redding try to track down the shooter, Nate uncovers the secret reason April refused to say “I do” at their ceremony.

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About the Authors

Award-winning author Beth Cornelison has been writing stories since she was a child. A University of Georgia graduate, Cornelison worked in Public Relations before becoming a full-time writer. She has won many honors for her writing, including the coveted Golden Heart, awarded by the Romance Writers of America. She lives in Louisiana with her husband and son. For more information, visit her website at www.bethcornelison.com.

Colleen Thompson began writing the contemporary romantic suspense novels she loves in 2004. Since then, her work has been honored with the Texas Gold Award and nominations for the RITA, Daphne du Maurier, and multiple reviewers’ choice honors, along with starred reviews from Romantic Times and Publisher’s Weekly. A former teacher living with her family in the Houston area, Colleen can be found on the web at www.colleen-thompson.com.

Happy Book Birthdays!

One of the most exciting parts of my job is selling a debut series. That excitement ramps up to eleven (call back to Spinal Tap) when the first book in that series actually releases! Thus, I’m VERY pleased today to introduce you to CONSPIRACY OF ANGELS, Book #1 in Michelle Belanger’s awesome Shadowside series. Name ring a bell? You might know Michelle from her from her regular appearances on Paranormal State. She’s also been featured in numerous programs on HBO, the History Channel, CNN Headline News, etc., about the paranormal world and the modern vampire community to which she belongs and is well known for her non-fiction such as The Psychic Energy Codex and The Dictionary of Demons.

CONSPIRACY OF ANGELS by Michelle Belanger (Titan Books)

“In Conspiracy of Angels, Michelle Belanger presents a gripping fantasy of angels, demons, and awesome powers. Belanger’s incredibly detailed imagery instantly immerses you in the angelic earth that she has created.” – Mugglenet

Cover copy:

When Zachary Westland regains consciousness on the winter shores of Lake Erie, his memories are gone. All he has are chaotic visions of violence and death… and a business card for Club Heaven. There Zack finds the six-foot-six transexual decimus known as Saliriel, and begins to learn what has happened.
Alarming details emerge, of angelic tribes trapped on Earth and struggling in the wake of the Blood Wars. Anakim, Nephilim, Gibburim, and Rephaim—there has been an uneasy peace for centuries, but the truce is at an end.

With the help of his “sibling” Remiel and Lilianna, the lady of beasts, Zack must stem the bloodshed before it cannot be stopped. Yet if he dies again, it may be for the final time.

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Mysterious Galaxy

I’m also excited that my new novel, BLOOD HUNT, releases today from Samhain, especially since I get to pull Egyptian mythology into this one! I’ve been lucky to have so many people helping me spread the word. You can check out some special posts here:

Tori’s Top Ten Costumes for Halloween

Tori’s Guide to Mythological Investigations

Goddities website reveals: Apollo (thank you, Slippery Words), Eros (thank you, Faith Hunter)!

5 Questions in 5 Minutes at Slippery Words

BLOOD HUNT by Lucienne Diver (Samhain)

Fame is no longer the name of the game…it’s survival.

Tori Karacis is back in L.A., relieved to once again match her passport photo thanks to a tattoo that controls her gargoyle-esque wings. Her newest case doesn’t involve gods or an impending apocalypse. It does, however, involve murder.

Jessica Roland’s suspicions began when her brothers returned from Egypt eerily different. The terror kicked in with the ritualistic murder of her parents. Her real brothers would never have done such a thing, yet their guilt seems indisputable. What could it be? Curse of the Pharaohs? Some kind of brain-eating bacteria?

At the scene of a second attack, there’s evidence it’s the work of Set, the god of chaos, who should have been locked away a long time ago. And hello, there’s a new arrival. Neith, a warrior goddess who’s got the hots for Tori’s ex, Nick Armani.

Tori should be cool with that. After all, she’s involved with Apollo-that Apollo. Still, it’s a bit much for Neith to ask for seduction advice! Meanwhile, Set is gaining strength, chaos is leaking all over the place, and L.A. is a powder keg set to blow.

Warning: Relationships heat up and danger mounts. Prepare for chills, thrills and kills when Chaos makes its Hollywood debut.

Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Samhain

Happy Book Birthday to Debra Mullins!

I love Tuesdays, because those are new release days! I’m very pleased today to wish a Happy Book Birthday to Debra Mullins for the third book in her award-winning TruthSeers series, WARRIOR OF FATE! That’s right, all, an entire trilogy, no waiting! For those who didn’t see me crow about this back in July, Debra has now won the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance for HEART OF STONE, the second in her TruthSeers series and the Book Buyers’ Best Award for PRODIGAL SON, the first in the series. If you like paranormal romance, you might enjoy Debra Mullins’ Atlanteans.

WARRIOR OF FATE by Debra Mullins

Award-winning author Debra Mullins introduced readers to the world of the Truthseers in Prodigal Son and Heart of Stone. Now the story of the lost Atlanteans continues in Warrior of Fate.
Warrior Adrian Gray has dedicated his life in service to his people, and has never doubted his calling…until now. Three mystical Atlantean power stones were assumed lost for centuries, but one by one the Seers of Atlantis have tracked them down in a tireless race against the extremist Mendukati. Adrian’s mission? To ensure that the stones are acquired and protected by the right people–his people.
Adrian has always been uncompromising in his dedication to the cause. But the True Seer Tessa Montana proves a sensual distraction in his quest, and he soon finds his discipline wavering. Torn between his sacred duty to the Warriors and his desire for Tessa, will Adrian and his secrets cost them the war?

Series quotes:

PRODIGAL SON

“Debra Mullins opens up a whole new universe as she takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride into sexy adventure. The world isn’t what you thought. You won’t put it down.” —Susan Squires, New York Times bestselling author on Prodigal Son

“Passion, intrigue, and heartfelt emotion—Debra Mullins delivers captivating romance!” —Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author of A Week to Be Wicked

“Mullins (Too Wicked to Love) weaves a believable, spicy tapestry of love, intrigue, and family ties in this splendid paranormal romance… Well paced and tightly plotted, this enthralling page-turner matches a strong yet vulnerable heroine with a flawed alpha male to create a deliciously engrossing story. Suspense and romance are wrapped together in such a way that neither overwhelms the other—and they combine beautifully with intriguing secondary characters, sensual passion, and powerful themes of trust and loyalty.” —Publishers Weekly

Top Pick! “This is the book you want to read if you are looking for the perfect mix of romance, paranormal, and of course action!” – Night Owl Reviews

“Historical romance favorite Mullins successfully jumps into the paranormal realm with the launch of a new series featuring the psychically gifted descendants of Atlantis. Mullins introduces a number of intriguing characters and reveals the first layer of complexity in her alternate reality that features Channelers, Warriors and Seers. Mullins is off to a great start!” —Romantic Times Book Reviews, 4 Stars

HEART OF STONE

A fascinating blend of mythos and plot, the novel builds on the strengths of the first book and also stands strong on its own merits.” —Publishers Weekly

“The war between psychically gifted descendants of Atlantis is getting more vicious in the second installment of Mullins Truthseers saga. The longstanding feud between Atlanteans has its basis in the belief that one group, the Seers, were responsible for Atlantis destruction. Mullins continues to flesh out her engaging alternate reality with high-stakes action and shocking revelations that force her characters to reevaluate all they believe.” —Romantic Times Book Reviews, 4 Stars

BAD BLOOD is a steal!

Crazy busy today because it’s a Monday and that’s how I roll, but wanted to jump on quickly to say that the very first book in the Latter-Day Olympians series, BAD BLOOD, is available everywhere now until the end of the month for just $0.99 in the digital editions! (And Trickster Blood, the prequel story, is still free!) If you want to check them out, links are below:

Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iTunes

TricksterBlood300 Nook, Kindle, Kobo, iTunes

Where I am on the web

So…you may have heard that I have a new book, BLOOD HUNT, coming out on October 27th. This one is special to me, not the least because I dedicated it to my grandmother who just passed. In support of that, I can be found a few places on the web this week and even more are in the works.

Yesterday, I visited the amazing Janice Hardy’s Fiction University blog for a guest post on The Revision Decision.

Over the weekend, I both posed for pictures as Medusa (the possible ancestress of my heroine Tori Karacis from the Latter-Day Olympians series) and sat down with author G.W. Pomichter for a chat as part of his Hangin’ With series. He also interviews toymaker Tony Finkelstein in this segment, so check it out!

More Latter-Day Olympians!

I’m so, so excited that Trickster Blood is out today! My amazing publisher Samhain and I collaborated on publishing a **free** read, a prequel story to the Latter-Day Olympians series. Of course, we’re approaching this in a first-one’s-free kind of way and are hoping that any of you who haven’t yet picked up the books will want to do so post haste! For anyone who has picked up the series, Trickster Blood is a huge THANK YOU to my fans. (And lets you know how Hermes came to be involved with Tori Karacis and her unusual investigations!) Books so far: BAD BLOOD, CRAZY IN THE BLOOD, story “The Parlor” in KICKING IT, RISE OF THE BLOOD, BATTLE FOR THE BLOOD, and BLOOD HUNT, coming October 27th

Speaking of investigations, Melanie at Fang-Freakin-Tastic Reviews is hosting me today with Tori’s Guide to Mythological Investigations. That first rule, consult your sources…well, I’m working it out so that you can consult Tori’s sources. The site is still a work in progress, but if you’d like, you can check out the construction on the Goddities website! For Latter-Day Olympians fans, this is the gossip mag of the gods run by Tori’s crazy-wonderful grandmother Yiayia! Direct links to Dossiers are below, though there’s a lot more to see on the Goddities site, so poke around. Stay awhile!

GODS
Apollo
Ares
Asclepius
Dionysus
Eros
Hades
Hephaestus
Hermes
Hypnos
Janus
Pan
Poseidon
Thanatos
Zeus

GODDESSES
Amphitrite
Aphrodite
Arachne
Athena
Artemis
Circe
Demeter
Eos
Eris
Hecate
Hera
Panacea
Persephone
Rhea
Sirens
Sulis

Marketing Your Way to Success

I’m sorry I’ve been so quiet here on the blog. Last weekend we were off for some family time — a wonderful wedding, followed by the NY Renaissance Fair with friends and family…and then two strokes for my grandmother the day we came back. Yesterday was the first day I felt like the sky might not be falling. (My amazing grandmother, who brings us all together with her heart and humor, is 96 and right now eating through a tube and unable to speak, but she’s still here and finding ways to express herself. She’s still thinking of others and her eyes are lighting up at the sight of her family, so…)

Anyway, I’m popping in quickly to post an article I thought you all might find useful, one that Nupur Tustin put together for Sisters in Crime’s Guppies group on Marketing your way to Success: September 2015 First Draft_ AgentInsight.

Enjoy!