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More cool stuff from readers…

Posted on May 24, 2010
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Oh, I soooo love all of this stuff! Not to mention they’re getting extra entries into the Launch contest too…

From Taylor, a playlist for the series, with explanations as to why she picked the songs (I really have to check out some of these songs now!):

1) The Distance that Killed Us- We the Kings
- I think this song is relevant to Still Sucks to Be Me when Mina and George are separated for a while and she still hasn’t heard from him, and even though she thinks she loves him and wants to wait for him to make contact she starts to have feelings towards Cameron.

2) One in the Same- Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato
- I think this song is relevant to the friendship between Sirena and Mina because even though they look completely different they are the same at heart and are unseperable.

3) Dead End Countdown- The New Cities
- I think this song is relevant to Sucks to Be Me when Mina is faced with the desicion of whether or not to become a vampire and is faced with boy problems, family problems, and friend problems along the way and she only has a very short period of time to figure it out. It seemed like a countdown!

4) Paranoid- The Jonas Brothers
- I think this is relevant to SSTBM when Mina is new at school and she sees that everyone is looking at her and copying her. And this song also mentions “Stop the Noise” which was a problem Mina was having.

5) I’ve Got Nerve- Hannah Montana
- I think this is relevant because it describes Minas personality so well. She just dives into everything and she never runs away from a problem. Even though she gets nervous and scared she realises she needs to face her problems, she really has nerve.

6) A Different Side of Me- Allstar Weekend
- I think this is relevant because throughout the two novels Mina mentions things she wants to change about her self and others, and things that she thinks would be awesome if she had. A Different Side of Me talks about what it would be like living out your dream and having a different style of life. This could even be talking about Minas thoughts about what it would be like to be a vampire in STBM.

7) If We Ever Meet Again- Timbaland ft Katy Perry
- I think this song could possibly be talking about Mina and Camerons relationship. He leaves at the end in fear of his safety, leaving Mina with nothing but a kiss and some memories. If he came back she would have feelings arise and she definitly wouldn’t be same as she was when he left.

8) Perfect Accident- Jesse Labelle
- I think this has something to do with Mina and George and how they each liked different people but then in the end they realised that they liked each other, and their relationship kind of happened by accident. In SSTBM we see that they really love each other so you could say that them falling in love was a perfect accident.

9) Big Girls Don’t Cry- Fergie
- I think that even though this song is about a boy who is leaving a girl, and she needs to become independent and grow up again, that this song also has something to do with Mina’s choices in Still Sucks to Be Me. Between her decision that she can move on with George, and the decision that she made when Sirena’s mind was being erased. In the song she says “I’m going to miss you like a child misses their blanket,” and “It’s time to be a big girl now, and big girls don’t cry,” this has relevance to Mina’s relationships with the people from her life (Sirena) before being a vampire, and even though she is really sad to have to let them move on, she realizes that she too needs to move on for the best.

10) Fly on the Wall- Miley Cyrus
- I find this one has relevance because of the Vampire Council and the fact that they think that they can control everything that Mina does with her life as a vampire. It’s like the Vampire Council wants to hear everything she says and sees everything she does, to make sure she doesn’t break any rules, even though they can’t. I think this would also be a pretty cool song for the “battle” type scene around the end of Still Sucks to Be Me.

11) She’d Be California- Rascal Flatts
- I think that this song has relevance because when Mina is the new girl at school in Still Sucks to Be Me, everyone thinks she’s perfect and pretty and this song is about a girl who is so perfect and is every guys dream girl. So instead of describing Mina from her point of view it is describing her from everyone else’s point of view.

12) 7 Things- Miley Cyrus
- I think that this song is relevant because it describes someone who has flaws but through all the flaws she still loved him anyway. I think this is good to describe Mina and George because even though George left, when he came back Mina was really upset but because she loved him so much she was able to look past it and forgive him. She loved him because of the annoying flaws, as well as his amazing qualities.

And from Elizabeth, both vampire squirrels and her Chibi take on what everyone looks like! So adorable I can’t even explain it…you just have to see it!

Vampire Squirrels!

Vampire Squirrels!

Sucks to Be Me Cast

Mina & the Gang!

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The Tattoos are Here!!

Posted on May 19, 2010
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The box arrives!

The box arrives!

So, finally, the tattoos are here! I feel like I’ve been waiting forever, even though I know it really hasn’t been that long. Maybe I just feel guilty because there’s a bunch of stuff I’ve been needing to mail out, but I was waiting for the bookmarks and tattoos to get here before I did.

‘Cause who doesn’t like free stuff?

And the bookmarks got here about a week and a half ago and they look AWESOME…but have been sitting lonely in a drawer waiting on the tattoos.

But now they’re here! Woot!

So I, of course, had to try one out.

Vampire Squirrel

Vampy Squirrel Tattoo!

Um, please do ignore any stubble you might happen to notice. Hopefully there isn’t any, but you never know. So, other than my pasty white needs-to-go-to-a-beach skin, isn’t that COOL?? I love ‘em!

And now I get to give them away to all the people who had written in for a bookplate (so if you’ve been waiting patiently…or even not so patiently, they’ll be on their way in the mail tomorrow!). If YOU want a signed bookplate plus tattoos plus bookmarks, here’s what you gotta do…

In other news, today is absolutely beautiful. Perhaps the nicest day we’ve had yet this year. So I got out Max’s pool and set it up. He went to town:

Max in his pool

The Max!

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More STBM Vases! A Twitter Contest & Cool stuff from Readers!

Posted on May 19, 2010
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So…my lovely neighbor transformed four more champagne and wine Sucks to Be Me bottles into vases for me (the champagne ones came out particularly cool). I’ve already got three that are earmarked for something (two for the launch contest and one for the auction I did for Do the Write Thing for Nashville). But now I’ve got more. So I was thinking that I’d give one away to a Twitter follower when I hit 1000 followers. If you’re not following me yet, dontcha think now would be a good time?

I think so.

They really are totally cool and there’s only ever going to be maybe 10 or 12 in existence. So, you know, go forth and follow and spread the word!

In other news…a reader made this utterly cool playlist for Still Sucks to Be Me. I particularly like the Howie Day songs. What do YOU think? What songs would be on your playlist for Still Sucks to Be Me? (And you know, creating one gives you an extra entry into the launch contest…)

And another reader made this (cool, huh?):

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New interview, reviews, & other stuff

Posted on May 18, 2010
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So, my editor (the lovely Nina Hess, who also happens to be an author herself of the fantastic Practical Guide to Monsters) and I interviewed each other recently and you can see the first half up now. Bonus time: if YOU have a question you’d like one or both of us to answer, just go ask it! Anything goes!

And I’ve seen some more Still Sucks to Be Me reviews (which I don’t think I’ve mentioned before, so here you go…

I know what everyone is thinking, “Oh no not another teen vampire book”. This is far from the typical teen vampire book that seems to be hitting the shelf recently. This book is filled with humor, great characters, and a fast moving plot that doesn’t revolve around teens falling in love and having forbidden love….read more over at Fantasy Top

Mina’s back! She’s all vampire, and she’s all pissed. There were a few things her parents and the vampire council left out– like she’d be faking her own death and moving pronto….read more over at Biblio File

In personal news, a big Woot, Woot! today for The Max! He used the potty for the first time today! That is HUGE news in the Pauley household. Next up? Probably some Lightening McQueen underpants. The boy loves his cars.

I’m also continuing to work on my new book, Cat Girl Saves the Day (working title). It’s coming along. Some days have been slow lately, but others aren’t too bad. Writing is like that. The middle, of course, is always the toughest part and that’s the bit I’m smack dab in the…er, middle…of. This will be an interesting one for my relatives if…wait, I should think positive and say when…it gets published because I’ve named a bunch of the characters after my nieces & nephews.

Still Sucks to Be Me also introduced a character named after a nephew of mine — Cameron. I’ll have to see if he’ll do an interview with me sometime for the blog to see what he thinks about having a character named after him.

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A Poem a Day: Milestones

Posted on May 18, 2010
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(I was doing a poem a day a while back on my personal blog, but I’ve given up trying to keep more than one blog, so I thought I’d try it over here instead. Caveat: I do not edit these poems and I give myself only about 5 minutes to do them. It’s really just a writing exercise and not meant to be anything polished. So be forgiving, please!)

Milestones

To think I would be so excited
over something so innately, inherently normal
something so every day and yet, so not a topic
for public consumption…

But that’s how motherhood changes you.

Suddenly, your day revolves around
intake and output –
did he eat enough? what is that in his diaper?

…should that really be green?

Then one day,
it’s a miracle.
All the talk, all the books, all the videos
explaining that simple, simple thing…

And there. Look at that.

Actual real-live, honest-to-goodness little boy pee in the potty.

(Today’s poem in honor of The Max using the potty for the first time :-) )

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Signing, winning, waiting…

Posted on May 17, 2010
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So, I finally got a chance to go to a bookstore yesterday to see Still Sucks to Be Me in the wild. We went to the Barnes & Noble in Vernon Hills, IL, so if you’re around there and you’re looking for a signed copy, they’ve got some now. :-) I’d checked their website before we went to make sure they actually had some in stock. They had it shelved both under New Releases (yay!) and in the regular YA section. They even had one copy of the paperback Sucks to Be Me! I was happy to see that there too. I left them some bookmarks too.

It’s still such a thrill to see my books in a store (ha! look! I got to say “books” plural!). Way down deep inside? I really still can’t believe that I’m actually published. I’m not sure if that will ever wear off.

Now comes the long wait to see how the book is doing. I’m lucky in that my publisher actually sends out statements every quarter instead of just twice a year. So I only have to wait until around the end of July/beginning of August to see my first statement. Of course, once I get the statement, I still don’t *really* know what it means, but at least then I’ll have some kind of an idea and this time I can compare it to my first statement from Sucks to Be Me. I don’t even have a clue what the initial print run was.

Hopefully, if it does well, I’ll have the opportunity to write a third Mina book (the title of which would be Sucks to Be Moi…which gives you a hint at where it will be set…). There will be a lot of Cameron in the third book and, you know, drama. Since Mina’s always got that in her life.

Which reminds me — hey! If you’ve read the book, can you review it on Amazon (or anywhere, for that matter)? Supposedly that makes a difference.

Me? I’m trying not to spend too much time Googling new reviews. ;-)

And don’t forget, the Still Sucks to Be Me Launch contest is still ongoing until June 11th! Please spread the word!

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All kinds of shiny new-ness…

Posted on May 12, 2010
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So…around a book’s launch there will suddenly be a flurry of things posted online. That’s just the way it goes! I hope you’ll bear with me. And if I’ve missed something that you’ve seen (relying on Google isn’t always foolproof), let me know!

In other news…

My lovely and very talented artsy neighbor, Bob Stotts, helped me out by turning some of my empty Sucks to Be Me wine bottles into vases! Now these are truly one-of-a-kind and VERY limited edition (as in, there were only 24 bottles ever made and I’ve given some of those away…and right now there are only 4 vases). I’ll be giving two of these away as part of the Launch Contest (you’ve entered, right?) and one is part of the Do the Write Thing for Nashville auction (which I think ends today at midnight). So, check it out:

A bloody cool Sucks to Be Me vase

It was Bob’s idea to add the bloody top! Aren’t they cool? Don’t you WANT one? Be sure to enter the contest or bid on the auction (though the auction winner would have the choice of taking a regular bottle vs. a vase too…)!

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Still Sucks to Be Me is Officially OUT! (& Free Stuff!)

Posted on May 11, 2010
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So, let’s just say that I am less than rested (the reason why involving The Max, ineffective diapers, and well…I’ll leave it to your imagination…let me just say that I truly believe an effective method of birth control for teenagers (or anyone) would be to babysit a toddler with diarrhea for 24 hours), but I’m still excited! Still Sucks to Be Me is officially out there! Somewhere, someone (I hope) is buying it RIGHT NOW.

If you happen to pick up a copy the first week (i.e. by next Tuesday, May 18, 2010), send me a picture and I’ll send you a signed bookplate + book swag (new bookmarks! tattoos!). I so want to see pictures of my new book baby out in the wild.

As an added bonus, my book baby does *not* require diapers.

And even if you do pick up a copy, don’t forget to enter the Still Sucks to Be Me Launch contest & pass it on to your friends!!

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Ah, tomorrow…

Posted on May 11, 2010
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So tomorrow I will officially be a more than one book author. Officially not a one-hit wonder (well, not exactly what I mean, but you get the idea).

I’ve got a lot of author-y friends who’ve published a bunch of books. Some of them in the double-digits. I wonder…does it ever get old? I don’t see how it could.

In some ways I’m actually more excited than the first time. Kind of. And kind of more stressed too.

Anyway, if you buy a copy of Still Sucks to Be Me, how about sending me a picture? Or even if you just spot it out in a store. I’d love to see it out in the wild…

And if you read it? Hope you like it. :-)

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Do the Write Thing for Nashville (and maybe have dinner with me)

Posted on May 10, 2010
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So, remember Myra McEntire? I’ve mentioned Myra before, right? She’s a writing buddy of mine and she’s awesome, but that’s not why I’m bringing her up today. Today, I’m talking about her because she lives in the Nashville area.

You know, where they just had an absolutely epic flood. Bazillions of dollars in damage. People stranded. Homes destroyed. Landmarks destroyed.

Well, Myra and some other local TN authors got together and started something called Do the Write Thing for Nashville. They started taking donations from fellow publishing people (authors, editors, agents, etc.) and auctioning them off, with the proceeds going to a flood relief charity.

Did I mention how incredible some of these auctions are? Stuff like Lisa McMann flying anywhere in the US (anywhere near a big city, anyway) to have lunch with you. Full manuscript critiques from some of the most awesome agents and editors in the business. Tons of signed books from authors too various and amazing to mention individually. Someone even has a custom quilt up there, made to order just for you. Jewelry. A Clothespin Dolly Parton Doll (no, I am not making that up).

And my own contribution:

Signed hardback copies of Sucks to Be Me + Still Sucks to Be Me plus assorted book swag (bookmarks, temporary tattoos, etc.) plus a 30 – 45 minute Skype Video Chat (to talk about writing or Johnny Depp or whatever OR I’ll do a presentation to a school or library of your choosing) plus a VERY limited edition (only 24 made!) Sucks to Be Me hand-etched and hand-painted batty bottle.

IF the winner of the auction happens to live in Illinois or Wisconsin (or wants to visit me in Illinois — I’ll give you a place to stay!), I will make my husband cook you dinner at our house (he’s a much better cook than I am). Afraid I can’t pay to fly you to the Chicago area, but if you’re nearby I’ll give you a meal you won’t forget… And, of course, we’ll have a grand old time talking about everything under the sun.

So, if you’re of a mind to support the cause, please check out the auctions and bid. Auctions only last for three days, so get thee out there!
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All kinds of cool Still Sucks stuff! (including notes on the launch contest…and other ways to win a copy)

Posted on May 10, 2010
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Woot! Still Sucks to Be Me comes out TOMORROW! Wow, you know, it feels like this stuff takes forever and then all of a sudden, BANG! There you are. Ha, just like the rest of life, I suppose.

Well, I’ve got all kinds of stuff to report today.

Have fangs, will travelFirst off, I’m happy to report that I was interviewed by Captain Jack over on CJ Redwine’s blog. Yes, *that* Captain Jack. It was awesome, but he totally wouldn’t let me borrow his hat. I don’t know why. I’m really very trustworthy. Maybe if I’d brought him some rum…

Not only was the interview fun, but CJ’s husband made a vampire suitcase cupcake in honor of it! Is that not the most awesome cupcake ever?

Of course, even better for you guys…if you comment on CJ’s blog, you get a chance to win either a hardback set of Sucks to Be Me AND Still Sucks to Be Me (signed) or a pack of book swag (bookmarks, tattoos, etc.).

So get thee forth and comment! And follow and what not.

Okay, and over at Novel Novice they’re still celebrating the Sucks to Be Me series as their novel of the month! Woot! If you haven’t checked it out, you really, really need to. Besides a great contest, they’ve got free desktop Sucks to Be Me and Still Sucks to Be Me wallpapers, an interview with me (with more stuff to come), and you can even learn more about Dracula and Bram Stoker. How cool is that?

And some more reviews of Still Sucks to Be Me are popping up…like this one from MangaManiac’s Cafe: “This sequel to Sucks To Be Me weighs in every bit as good as the introductory novel…Still Sucks To Be Me wraps up some of the lingering story lines from the first book, and the ending was much more satisfying.  There’s lot of action and danger, and even a hot new guy to drool over.  Though I was left content at the conclusion, I would be more than happy to spend more time with Mina again in the future.”

And let’s see…what else did I have to tell you? OH YES.

The Still Sucks to Be Me Launch Contest. I am absolutely LOVING the entries I’ve gotten in so far. You guys are awesome. You rock. So I’ve got some more stuff to add to the prize packs…so go check it out! (I’ll be editing the launch contest post). Please do spread the contest around (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, your blog, your friends, your family)…if I hit a certain number of entries…there’s a good chance I’ll give an extra prize…(hint, hint).

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