Happy Full Moon New Year!

Tonight the full moon ushers in the new year! What a wonderful omen! A full moon is an excellent time for completion. I love to finish projects on the night of a full moon, whether they're small, like cleaning a closet (ugh), or major like typing "the end" on a manuscript. Sadly, I won't be finishing BURNED tonight, but I am working on completing a major scene. And there's always a closet that needs cleaning...

Here's hoping the close of this year brings a sense of completion to you, and also an excitement for adventures to come!

This lovely painting is called FULL MOON DANCER and it's by my good friend Allie Jensen (I own the original, and it's even more beautiful in person!). Allie's website is www.alliej.com. Please respect that this piece of art is copyrighted, which means if you'd like to post it you need permission from Allie to do so.

Happy New Year!
PC

I heart Scotland!

Check out who made the list - three times! Kristin and I are sending a big WE HEART YOU to Scotland (I mean even more than usual)!

Children’s Top 10 Scottish Titles 2009

1. Eclipse, by Stephanie Meyer.

2. New Moon, by Stephanie Meyer.

3. Twilight, by Stephanie Meyer.

4. Breaking Dawn, by Stephanie Meyer.

5. Broons Annual 2010: Scotland’s Happy Family That Makes Every Family Happy.

6. Broons/Oor Wullie: v. 14: The Glory Years.

7. Marked – House of Night Bk. 1, by P. C. Cast/Kristin Cast.

8. Stick Man, by Julia Donaldson/Axel Scheffler.

9. Betrayed – House of Night Bk. 2, by P. C. Cast/Kristin Cast.

10. Hunted – House of Night Bk. 5, by P. C. Cast/Kristin Cast.

Chart based on sales of Children’s books in Scottish stores of Waterstone’s.

Happy Holidays to All!

I'm deep into BURNED (yes, looks like the release will be April 27th), but I wanted to take a moment to wish y'all happy, happy holidays! Here's hoping you receive the gift of your heart's desire.

Merry Yule!
PC

ELPHAME'S CHOICE

Lovely MIRA is the Mills & Boon (that's Harlequin for the US folks) imprint that's releasing all of my Partholon novels in the UK. Thought y'all would like to see their version of the cover, and this nice review from Night Owl. Oh, and the next novel in the series, BRIGHID'S QUEST will be released in March.

Happy reading!
PC


Title: Elphame's Choice
Young Adult Parthalon Books

Authors: P.C. Cast

Genres: * Young Adult - A YA Insider Review, * Sci-Fi / Fantasy - A SFF Insider Review

Available: Dec 16, 2009

Online Link: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nightowlromance/reviews/Review.aspx?daoid=5415

Score: 5.00 / 5 - Reviewer Top Pick

Review:

There is s much I want to say about this book I don't even know where to begin. First off, I LOVED the Parthenon series and P.C. Cast is quickly becoming my favorite author of all time. I loved her Goddess Summoning series as well, anyway...This book fits in perfectly with the Parthenon series, it is actually set a hundred and some years after Rhiannon. The characters in this book are so vivid and so devoted to their faith it almost makes me jealous, and wish that I could also have that kind of faith in something, anything really. P.C. Cast makes you feel like you are in the book and you are actually there with the people and apart of everything. While reading (even up to 25 hours without sleep) it was like I was watching a movie and you know one of the characters is about to do something stupid and you are yelling at the TV "DON'T GO IN THERE" but they don't listen to you, of course. While reading this book I squealed, I laughed, I cried (yes, I actually did), I yelled, and I absolutely fell head over heels in love with Lochlan. Wow, what a character...I love him, and adore him absolutely. I know I can get an older copy of Brighid's Quest but...I want to wait so my whole series will match the re-release from Mira. I can't get enough, I have to go read the Parthenon series again, just because I don't want to let this world go just quite yet. Oh yes, and P.C. Cast doesn't disappoint, her signature sexy steam is in this book as well.

OKLAHOMA TODAY INTERVIEW

As you guys know I'm working working working on BURNED so that it can make the release date of April 27th (stressssss), and I'm really not giving interviews right now, BUT when OKLAHOMA TODAY contacted me, well, I had to say yes. Cool home state magazine - absolutely! So first they sent over the photographer, Evan Taylor, and even I had fun during the photo session (I hate to get my picture taken. Seriously.) I'll post some of the pics he took when he gives me the okay. Oh, and for you Okies, the interview will be in one of the spring issues, probably right around the release date of BURNED. But check this out - Evan gave Kristin and me his business cards, and on the back of each of them he has printed different mustaches! That you can stick on your lip and act goofy about! Naturally, Kristin and I had to play and take pictures ourselves. So, see, even while I'm in my writing cave I still have SOME fun!

XXXOOO
PC

My Amazing Agent

Many of you have asked about my agent, so I thought I'd post this excellent interview with her she recently gave on a literary agent blog. As an intro, Meredith Bernstein has been my agent since 2001. Since then we have also become close friends. If you've read many of my interviews about the House of Night you'll know that Meredith came up with the idea for the series (Yea Meredith!). Meredith's sense of commercial timing is always impeccable. She is honest, forthright, and savvy. If you want to know more about her and what kind of authors she is interested in representing you need to do your homework. A good place to start (after reading this interview) is THE AGENTS MARKET. Basically, go to the writers' resource section at your local bookstore or library and begin taking notes. Finding an agent is as important as it is difficult - but you need the right agent for you and your work. For all you aspiring authors out there: BEST OF LUCK!



Agent Advice: Meredith Bernstein of the Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency
Posted by Chuck

Agent Interview by
contributor Ricki Schultz.

"Agent Advice" is a series of quick interviews with literary and script agents who talk with Guide to Literary Agents about their thoughts on writing, publishing, and just about anything else.

This installment features Meredith Bernstein of Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency. Meredith has been an agent for over 25 years and has run her own agency for most of that time. (She has no agency website.)

She is looking for: both literary and mainstream fiction, with a focus on psychological suspense, medical and legal thrillers, and love stories. In terms of romance, she's looking for contemporary, historical, paranormal, and suspense. For nonfiction, she seeks authors who are leaders in their field with strong commercial ties. She does not accept e-mail queries. Please query with SASE: Meredith Bernstein Literary Agency, 2095 Broadway, Suite 505, New York, NY 10023.


GLA: How did you become an agent?

MB: It happened organically. I was working for another literary agent as a Gal Friday (not to date myself), and I really did basic secretarial-type things. A friend called and suggested we meet the following weekend at a writer’s conference in Long Island—and I asked my boss if he would “send” me.
As it happened, I met a writer who seemed like another Anne Frank incarnate, and she had written a book about the impact of keeping a journal. She gave me her “book” to read on the train ride home—and I fell in love with it. I knew one publisher because he was also a client of my boss, so I told him about the book, messengered it over, and he called me the next day to make an offer.

GLA: What’s the most recent thing you’ve sold?

MB: Because I have been doing this for a long time, the things I have most recently sold are new deals for existing clients. That said, the most exciting “new” thing is the House of Night series by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast, which is in the YA category. It’s about a vampire finishing school and has been near the top of the New York Times bestseller list for well over a year now—and going strong with the latest title, Tempted. I have also just sold another parenting book in the bestselling No-Cry series by Elizabeth Pantley to McGraw-Hill.
And, I’m just completing an audio deal for my 2009 National Book Award nominee, David Carroll, for Following the Water: A Hydromancer’s Notebook from Houghton-Mifflin.

GLA: What are you looking for right now and not getting? What do you pray for when tackling the slush pile?

MB: I am always looking and praying for very compelling narrative nonfiction; and an unforgettable love story; and fiction that has a voice that you not only never want to walk away from—but that begs you to turn the page. If you are writing any of these—send them my way! I am also looking for literary fiction that has a haunting effect.


GLA: You represent a wide array of categories in both fiction and nonfiction, but I didn't see anywhere online listing you as accepting juvenile literature—yet the House of Night series is huge. Are you currently seeking young adult or middle-grade lit?

MB: Because of my success with the Casts, I am now getting and seeking more YA. As for middle-grade, I still don’t feel confident I really know enough about it.

GLA: Do you notice any trends in what you tend to represent? Subgenres or
elements that particularly grab you?

MB: I am extremely eclectic by nature, so whatever I represent that is of a “genre” is because I have responded to some element of that author’s creativity more than anything else.



GLA: Any topics that don’t capture your interest?

MB: Military history.



GLA: How do you prefer to be queried?

MB: Snail mail, please.


GLA: If you were teaching a class on nonfiction writing and submitting, what would be item number one on your syllabus?

MB: An inside-out knowledge of one’s subject matter. I also think that when one loves what they are writing about, it shows—and the reader can feel it. For example, when I read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, I was simply transported. I look for a writer who can transport me.



GLA: What would writers be surprised to know about you personally?

MB: That I am extremely artistic—and I do a mean “Hokey-Pokey.”



GLA: Will you be at any upcoming writers’ conferences where writers can
meet and pitch you?

MB: RWA (July 28-31 2010) in Nashville is the next one.



GLA: Best piece(s) of advice we haven’t talked about yet?

MB: I respect people that work really hard at what they do. If you want to stay successful in this business, you have to understand that there is always someone else ready to move into your limelight. If you look at some of the names on the bestseller lists that have been there for years, I assure you—it is no accident. These writers deliver the goods that the public wants. It is their job to keep the readership wanting it!

This agent interview by Ricki Schultz,
freelance writer and coordinator of
Shenandoah Writers in VA. Visit her blog
or follow her on Twitter.


Want more on this subject?

* How can you improve your query letter?
* Need to write your query to Meredith and want some guidance? Check out The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters.
* Have some questions on your road to landing a literary agent? Ask me! Join me for my "How to Get a Literary Agent" webinar on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009 - and learn about queries, proposals, synopses, submissions, research and much more.

Back in the US!

Hi Guys!
Well, I've returned to beautiful, sunny, but cold Oklahoma. My Scotties mauled me, but now aren't speaking to me. My cat, Patchy Poo the Pud, is disdainful and actually being nice to Kristin (who he's hated for more than a decade) just to show how annoyed he is at me.

Of course I'm already missing Scotland! But I'm a lucky woman to have two countries I love so much. Speaking of - here's a picture right out the back door of the cottage I stayed at. This is what it looked like for, oh, about five minutes:


This is what it looked like for the rest of the time (when I could actually take a picture through the rain). SERIOUSLY. It rained for almost three weeks. Sigh. But it was good for writing.


I did go to Dublin for a couple days (loved it!). Popped into this great bookstore and signed stock:


Then I got my amazing tattoo from incredibly talented Alan who owns the Art House Tattoo Studio in Monaghan. No, I'm NOT showing you a picture of it on my body (jeesh, nosy people!), but this is the gorgeous sketch Alan did of it. Yes, it's a great big bull with a goddess within it. Oh, and it's on my thigh.


Okay, back to working hard on BURNED now. Looks like the release date will be April 27th, if I get it in on time. Wish me luck!

XXXOOO
PC

Cool interview! Check it out!

Hi Guys!
I'm still in Scotland until next week, and mostly without internet access (can you believe it?!), but I thought I'd post this lovely interview Kristin and I did for The Author Hour on line. Below is the transcription, but you can listen to us if you go to:
http://theauthorhour.com/p-c-cast/

I'll catch up with y'all when I get back to Tulsa. I'm working away on BURNED. It looks like it might have a release date of April 27th! Fingers crossed that I finish in time.

Oh, and what else have I been doing over here?? Hum...well...I did take a quick trip to Dublin (I popped in to a great bookstore called Dubray Books in the city centre and signed stock) AND GOT A TATTOO! Oh, baby!

XXXOOO
PC




YOUR GUIDE TO FANTASTIC FICTION
Hosted by Matthew Peterson

Listen to interviews of your favorite authors every Thursday at 9 a.m. pacific / noon eastern on the VoiceAmerica.com Variety Channel.


Listen to the interview for free!

Where: VoiceAmerica.com Variety Channel
Date: Thursday, November 19th, 2009
Time: 9 a.m pacific / noon eastern

If you missed the live show, don't worry. You can always listen to it in the archives.
Vampires
P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast (NYT bestselling authors of the House of Night series)
Charlaine Harris (NYT bestselling Sookie Stackhouse series / True Blood on HBO)
Laurell K. Hamilton (#1 NYT bestselling author of Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter & Meredith Gentry)
L. J. Smith (#1 NYT bestselling Dark Visions, Night World and The Vampire Diaries, now a TV series)
Note: The following interview has been transcribed from the radio show. Please excuse any typos, spelling and gramatical errors.
Interview with P. C. Cast

Font Size: Small Normal Large Largest
Matthew Peterson: Hello and welcome to The Author Hour: Your Guide to Fantastic Fiction, which can be found at www.TheAuthorHour.com. I’m your host, Matthew Peterson. Last week I interviewed Anne Rice, Ursula K. Le Guin, Brian Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson, and Orson Scott Card. This week I’ve got a vampire-themed episode with P. C. and Kristin Cast, Charlaine Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton, and L. J. Smith. So sit back and enjoy as we talk about The Vampire Diaries, House of Night, Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, and Sookie Stackhouse, which is the basis for True Blood on HBO. I’ve got P. C. and Kristin Cast on the show today, #1 bestselling authors of the House of Night, which is a vampire young adult series. P.C. is also known for her Goddess Summoning, Partholon, and Divine series, which have won prestigious awards like the Prism, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, Booksellers' Best, and the Laurel Wreath awards. Thanks for being on the show today ladies.

Kristin Cast: Hi! Thanks for having us.

P. C. Cast: Yeah.

Matthew Peterson: So you guys are a mother and daughter team. What made you decide to start writing together?

P. C. Cast: Well, as you said, I had already written several adult series and I got this idea for this vampyre [note: in their books, they spell “vampire” as “vampyre”] finishing school series, actually from my agent. And I didn’t think I’d have any trouble writing it, because I had been teaching high school for about a decade at that time. But when I actually sat down and started the first three chapters . . .

Kristin Cast: She realized she was OD.

P. C. Cast: [laughs] I wasn’t THAT OD. What I realized was my inner 70's teenager started to creep out.

Kristin Cast: Scary, very scary.

Matthew Peterson: [laughs] Uh oh.

P. C. Cast: And it was really scary. So that’s when I called in Kristin. And I kept calling her and asking her like just little word choices and then I decided, “You know what? This would just be easier if we co-authored and I wrote it and then she went back through it and made sure that I didn’t sound like an old woman.”

Matthew Peterson: Yep. So how old were you, Kristin, when this began?

Kristin Cast: I was nineteen.

Matthew Peterson: Nineteen years old.

P. C. Cast: Yes, you were nineteen. [laughs]

Matthew Peterson: [laughs] So were you excited that your mom said, “Hey, will you co-author a book with me?”

Kristin Cast: Yes, because in my nineteen year old mind I thought it would be my platform to fame.

P. C. Cast: [laughs]

Kristin Cast: So, I was very excited. Being with these people that are famous, it’s going to be fantastic.

P. C. Cast: And then she found out that fame isn’t really as exciting as you think it is, when you’re nineteen.

Matthew Peterson: [laughs] Sometimes it’s a lonely experience.

P. C. Cast: Yeah, it’s better because we’re in it together. We like that part, though.

Kristin Cast: Yes.

Matthew Peterson: Now, P.C. I do understand that you serve in the United State Air Force, and of course you taught English. Has that played a role in your writing at all?

P. C. Cast: Oh sure. Everything from my past impacts my writing all the time. Yeah, the Air Force, I joined the Air Force when I was 18, so that was really during my formative years. I think it still stands me in could stead with a foundation of discipline, you know, ‘cause writers are procrastinators.

Kristin Cast: Yes!

P. C. Cast: [laughs]

Kristin Cast: Yes we are!

P. C. Cast: Kristin’s over at my house right now, finishing a story for Harper Teen.

Kristin Cast: Because I can’t write it at my house because I end up cleaning or something.

P. C. Cast: [laughs]

Matthew Peterson: Oh no. [laughs]

P. C. Cast: But my military background really helps me, and then of course, I ended up teaching for 15 years, I just stopped teaching last November, and that really impacts my young adult books.

Matthew Peterson: What’s the best thing about writing together?

P. C. Cast: Well, I know for me, I do the writing and then I do the entire first draft and then I send it to Kristin and what it allows me is to just really write, to focus on plot, and character development and put anything I want on the page because I know she has my back. I know that I can send it to her and that if I’ve messed up some teenage words or if I’ve sounded a little too mature some places, I know that Kristin can catch that and she can weed that out for me.

Matthew Peterson: Ah, okay. And Kristin, what’s the worst thing about writing together? [laughs]

Kristin Cast: [laughs] She thinks she right all the time.

P. C. Cast: I am right almost all the time, though. [laughs]

Kristin Cast: She really isn’t. [laughs] However, that is kind of like two sided, because also one of the best things about writing with her is that I have proven her wrong so many times, that she kind of acknowledges that now.

P. C. Cast: I’ve actually had to say, [sigh] “Yes, Kristin, you were right.”

Kristin Cast: On more than one occasion!

P. C. Cast: [laughs]

Matthew Peterson: How funny! You said you were a teenager in the ‘70s, P.C.?

P. C. Cast: Yes.

Matthew Peterson: You need one of those younger whipper-snappers to keep you in line. [laughs]

Kristin Cast: [laughs]

P. C. Cast: [laughs] I do indeed. But I had hundreds and hundreds of them for fifteen years when I was teaching.

Matthew Peterson: Yeah. Well, so let’s talk a little bit about the House of Night series. Kristin, can you give us a little summary of what the House of Night series is all about?

Kristin Cast: Well, it’s pretty much about high school if you were a vampyre and sucked people’s blood and had affinities for different elements. Other than the supernatural part, it’s just, you know, the angst of going through school and saving the world.

P. C. Cast: [laughs]

Matthew Peterson: Oh, just a little bit . . .

Kristin Cast: Just a little added.

Matthew Peterson: Just a little added there. And vampyres are just a normal part of life, though, aren’t they? They’re not in the closet or anything. Everybody knows about them, right?

P. C. Cast: Yeah. Everyone knows about them. They’re not really well integrated into our supernatural world, though. They’re powerful and they’re beautiful and then tend to dominate the arts and that makes humans jealous.

Matthew Peterson: Oh, okay.

P. C. Cast: So it’s kind of an uneasy alliance that’s fun to play with in the plot dynamics.

Matthew Peterson: And so, how do the vampyres and the humans co-habitate? Are there pitch forks and stakes and are the humans completely scared of these vampyres or have the vampyres found a way to drink blood without affecting humanity?

P. C. Cast: Well, here in Oklahoma, there are some pitch forks and that kind of thing.

Matthew Peterson: [laughs]

P. C. Cast: [laughs] There are Houses of Night all over the world and the vampyres have, most of them, have a very high ethical standard. They do drink blood and they do imprint with human beings and then the human being becomes the vampyre’s consort.

Kristin Cast: There’s not running around killing people.

P. C. Cast: No, they’re not running around killing people, although we do have some rouge vampyres.

Kristin Cast: Yes.

P. C. Cast: And of course, it’s playing on fear of the unknown.

Matthew Peterson: Yeah.

P. C. Cast: And fear of what’s different. And because vampyres have become very secluded in their little pockets of success in House of Night, that really plays into the fear that people have of someone being different and more powerful, and add the supernatural element and everything gets messed up.

Matthew Peterson: And this is a young adult novel, I mean, your main character is 16 years old: Zoey Redbird.

P. C. Cast: Yeah, she gets marked at the beginning of. . . at the beginning of Marked, [laughs] . . .

Kristin Cast: Well . . . [laughs]

P. C. Cast: . . . coincidentally enough, and it’s a physiological change that happens within some teenagers. Modern science doesn’t know why. They do know how it starts happening, but they don’t know why with some kids. And there’s a process that happens then over four years where the teenager’s body either accepts the change and really metamorphosizes or evolves into what essentially is a higher being, a vampyre, or the body rejects the change, and many of them do, and then they die terribly.

Matthew Peterson: Oh, that’s not fun.

Kristin Cast: Very unfortunate.

Matthew Peterson: So this marked business, I’ve seen lots of different ways of people becoming vampyres, and usually it deals with being bit and drinking blood from the vampyre itself, but in your universe that you’ve created, someone becomes a vampyre in a little bit different way.

P. C. Cast: It’s biologically based.

Kristin Cast: It’s more like evolution.

P. C. Cast: Yeah. And that’s because my dad’s a biologist.

Matthew Peterson: Oh! Okay.

P. C. Cast: And so, he and I sat down and we talked about junk DNA and physiological response and evolution and change and we decided to base it all on evolution, and that’s also why all the magic in the House of Night books is all based on earth magic too. It’s not like Harry Potter magic, which you know, we love Harry Potter though, but you can’t like zap someone into a mouse.

Matthew Peterson: Yeah.

P. C. Cast: It’s more shamanistic than that.

Matthew Peterson: Well, I’m a big fan of magical powers and things like that. So what are some of your favorite powers that the vampyres have?

P. C. Cast: I love that the affinity for elements. Zoey’s the only fledgling who has ever had an affinity for all five of the elements. And there’s a group of her friends who each have an affinity, like one of them has an affinity for air, one has an affinity for earth, and so then they can manipulate their element. But of course there’s costs for that. In my world, in our world, you don’t get magical powers and you don’t get these gifts without paying a cost for them too.

Kristin Cast: And not everyone has something.

P. C. Cast: Right, not everyone has them, yeah.

Matthew Peterson: Oh, that would be a bummer. [laughs]

Kristin Cast: [laughs]

P. C. Cast: [laughs]

Matthew Peterson: You’re going to this school for people who are vampyres and like, “Yeah, I’m just a normal vampyre.”

P. C. Cast: [laughs] But they all get really good hair.

Matthew Peterson: Ah! Okay.

Kristin Cast: Yes.

P. C. Cast: And they tend to be very pretty too because, you know, as my dad said, “Evolution-wise, if you’re a predator and you want to draw prey to you, you have to look a certain way. So as you become a vampyre, you get more attractive.

Kristin Cast: Right, ‘cause our society likes pretty people.

P. C. Cast: Yeah!

Matthew Peterson: Yeah, yeah, that’s true.

P. C. Cast: And it’s matriarchal, so the girls are really, really pretty.

Kristin Cast: Yes.

Matthew Peterson: Ah. Okay. I was reading through various clips of your books and your main character, she has boyfriends. [laughs] She might have one, she might have two, she might have three at a certain time.

P. C. Cast: She might!

Matthew Peterson: I mean, is this like a normal thing for a vampyre to, “You know, I’m pretty, I can get the guys.”

P. C. Cast: You field that one, Kristin. Go ahead.

Kristin Cast: Well, in a matriarchal society it is not untypical for a woman to have more than one companion. However, they each serve a different role like protector and all that kind of different jazz, but in like the teenage world, I think it’s more than healthy for girls to date more than one person . . .at one time. [laughs]

P. C. Cast: [laughs] Uh, oh, be careful.

Matthew Peterson: [laughs] You know, I do agree, that it is good to date more than just one person, especially as a young person, because you can get to know . . .

Kristin Cast: Exactly!

P. C. Cast: We don’t like the whole ideology of Zoey’s 16 and 17 and she’s going to meet the guy that she’s going to love for the rest of her life! She can’t even vote yet, come on.

Matthew Peterson: I know. [laughs]

P. C. Cast: I mean, she should be dating and vetoing a whole bunch of guys.

Matthew Peterson: Yeah. I totally agree. I think that’s a healthy thing to really know what’s out there. Instead of just the one person.

P. C. Cast: Yeah.

Matthew Peterson: So the latest book, Tempted, Kristin, tell us a little bit about the latest book.

Kristin Cast: Well, the latest book is told from multiple characters points of view. It’s not just Zoey . . . so you get Stevie Rae and Heath and Stark and of course Zoey and Aphrodite, and you get a mystery character. Yeah, so it’s a little bit different. We did that mainly to kind of start a spin off series to follow the red vampyres, but it makes it really cool. You get to find out a lot more about each character especially Aphrodite. I cried, you know, three times, some in happiness, some in sadness.

P. C. Cast: Yeah, I made her cry three times in this book. I love that.

Matthew Peterson: Oh.

Kristin Cast: Oh. [laughs]

Matthew Peterson: You made your daughter cry. [laughs]

P. C. Cast: [laughs]

Kristin Cast: [laughs]

Matthew Peterson: So these books have been widely successful, I mean, Hunted just came out this year as well, I mean, that came out #1 bestseller on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal. So I’m excited to see that you are doing an off-shoot, a spin off series, or have an idea of doing that.

P. C. Cast: Yeah, we set that up books ago. We kind of seeded that through all the back in Chosen. Yeah, we’re excited too about that. And I really have a good time being able to delve into the other characters and fans are going to love that because we have some huge fans of like Stevie Rae and you know some of the side characters that you couldn’t get if everything was just from Zoey’s point of view. Still doing from Zoey’s point of view, too.

Matthew Peterson: Yeah. Well, that’s great. Thank you so much ladies. So, I’ve been speaking with P.C. and Kristin Cast, New York Times best-selling authors of the House of Night series. Thanks so much for being on the show today, ladies.

Kristin Cast: Thank you.

P. C. Cast: Thank you. It was fun.

Matthew Peterson: Alright, so make sure you go to www.TheAuthorHour.com to check out the bonus questions that didn’t make it onto the live show. Don’t go away, I’ve still got Charlaine Harris, Laurell K Hamilton and L. J. Smith, coming up next.

Bonus Question(s) that Didn't Air on the Live Radio Show

Note that you can also listen to this while you read it.


Matthew Peterson: Let me ask you a bonus question.

P. C. Cast: Okay.

Matthew Peterson: Okay, I’m going to ask you a personal question, this is just kind of a fun question. Kristin, what’s the best thing you love about your mom?

Kristin Cast: Oh.

P. C. Cast: Oh no! [laughs]

Kristin Cast: [laughs] I love that she is an independent woman and has taught me to be one as well, and that’s important.

P. C. Cast: Ah, that’s really nice.

Kristin Cast: Oh, you’re welcome.

P. C. Cast: [laughs]

Matthew Peterson: Now, P.C. your chance. What’s the best thing you love about your daughter?

P. C. Cast: Best thing. That’s hard because there’s so many things that I respect and appreciate about her. I love that she is her own person. That she surprises me a lot by who she’s becoming as a woman, and I really like and respect who it is that she’s becoming.

Matthew Peterson: Let me ask you another question, real quick, too. Oh, P.C. just real quick, are you working on another Goddess Summary book as well?

P. C. Cast: Goddess, yes. The Goddess Summoning book, Goddess of Camelot, will be out on 12/10 in December of this next year.

Matthew Peterson: Of the next year, okay, okay.

P. C. Cast: Yes, I’m also working on Burned, the seventh book in the House of Night series.

Matthew Peterson: In the House of Night series, okay. And now this is a fun question. If you could have a vampire power, what would it be?

P. C. Cast: I would want an affinity for earth.

Matthew Peterson: For earth, okay.

Kristin Cast: I would want all of them.

[Everyone Laughs]

Matthew Peterson: Typical, typical!

Kristin Cast: I’d want all of them.

Matthew Peterson: Of course!

Extra Material That was Cut from the Show Because of Time Constraints

Note that you can also listen to this while you read it (you'll need to fast forward past the bonus questions).


Matthew Peterson: And, Kristin, are you still going to University of Tulsa?

Kristin Cast: No.

Matthew Peterson: Okay, but were you going to University of Tulsa at the time?

Kristin Cast: Yes.

Matthew Peterson: You were. Did that affect your schooling at all?

Kristin Cast: It actually didn’t affect my schooling at all until around the time Chosen came out because it debuted at . . .#2?

P. C. Cast: Yeah.

Kristin Cast: . . .on the New York Times list. And after that happened, now it’s been like this huge whirlwind of tours and deadlines and different promo things. And so not until after then did it actually impact anything I was doing.

P. C. Cast: And she’s still going to school; she just changed universities and focuses . . .

Kristin Cast: Right, I’m just no longer there.

P. C. Cast: . . . but she’s still here in the area and going to school. It’s a lot for her to juggle and you know that’s why sometimes when people want us for an event, they get ME.

Matthew Peterson: Yeah, yeah.

P. C. Cast: Because if she can’t miss a test or miss a particular class, I’ve said, “You have to be here for it.” You know, ‘cause I’m still the teacher/mom person.

Matthew Peterson: Yeah. Ten years teaching English. Well, I’m glad to have you both on the show.


* * * * * * * * * *


P. C. Cast: So, and I still, you know, teenagers are still scarily a pretty large part of my life. My ex-students won’t let me go very easily. So, I still have like my finger to the pulse.


* * * * * * * * * *


Matthew Peterson: And your first book just came out, I mean, not too long ago really: 2007.

P. C. Cast: May of ‘07, yeah.

Matthew Peterson: Yeah and it’s called Marked.

Back to Top





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Art Contest Winners!

Hey! Mom is in Scotland so I thought that I'd go ahead and post the winners of the Art Contest! Hooray! Thanks y'all for all of your entries and congrats to the winners!!!

Drum roll please...

FIRST PLACE: Emma from York!

SECOND PLACE: Amanda from England!

THIRD PLACE: Nur'Ain from Singapore!

FOURTH PLACE (yes, there's a fourth place since I'm in charge of the posting. Muahahahahahaha): Mariane from Brazil!

HONORABLE MENTION: Ana from Portugal!

HONORABLE MENTION: Poppy from the UK!

HONORABLE MENTION: Samantha-mean mom from the US!


Gracias to all!! Deuces!
Kristin

Still in my Scottish writing cave, but...

I'm still in the Highlands working away on BURNED, but I just got the new cover for WARRIOR RISING, one of my favorite Goddess Summoning Books for Berkley. Isn't Achilles totally hot!! This version will be available in March.

Back to my cave/cottage (where I have no internet or phone access...)

XXXOOO
PC

Into my writing cave...

Okay guys - tour is over (yea for the 500+ fans who came out to show us lurve in Tulsa today! We heart our hometown fans!!!) and now I'm going to retreat to my writing cave, better known as the Highlands of Scotland, and work on BURNED. So I won't be posting for a few weeks. My website, www.pccast.net, will be live soon - and that should be super cool. Camden and/or Kristin will be positing the winners of our art contest as soon as Kristin recovers from tour exhaustion. And I'll be back on line some time in December.

While you're waiting for BURNED (release date of May 27th), check out my newest YA, ELPHAME'S CHOICE, and (if you can watch R rated movies) my adult books which are listed in the archives here and on my website.

I'll miss y'all and be back as soon as I get a bunch of writing done! Thank you for your support and lurve.

XXXOOO
PC

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KRISTIN!

Guys - join me in wishing Kristin a great big HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY today! We're leaving sunny Atlanta and will be in Fairfax, VA at the Borders there tonight. See y'all there!

XXXOOO
PC

Kristin and moi

For those of you who can't come see us during our tour here's basically what you're missing. Me talking and being brilliant and Kristin being...well...Mama's Precious. Heehees. (These were taken in Palo Alto - shout out to all our awesome dressed up fans!)

Oh, we'll post the winners of the art contest as soon as Kristin and I are home from tour. Don't worry - we can't send prizes right now anyway.

And y'all might as well relax about BURNED. I'm not done writing it yet, and my publisher won't even be THINKING about posting any chapters until spring. No, I can't tell you what's happening in it or THEY WILL KILL ME DEAD.

XXXOOO
PC

CW interview, etc.

http://weblogs.wpix.com/news/local/morningnews/blogs/2009/10/mother_daughter_authors.html

Hi guys!
Thought you'd like to check out this interview from the CW. We had a great time taping it - they're lots of fun at the CW! Right now we're in Seattle. Just had a fabulous event at a very cool bookstore called Third Place Books. Thanks to everyone who came out to meet us!

Oh, and AGAIN - I'm not going to post any spoilers about TEMPTED. So if you're wondering why your blog post isn't showing up it's because it's wayyyy too early to talk about what happened in the end. And the very silly rumor about Zoey being killed off is just that: a very silly rumor. SHE IS NOT DEAD. Jessh.

Off to San Francisco tomorrow. Hope I see a bunch of y'all at the Halloween party hosted by Books, Inc., in Palo Alto.

XXXOOO
PC

TEMPTED OUT IN THE UK!

I wouldn't forget all our UK fans! Here's lovely Royce Clemente clutching the UK copy of TEMPTED! XXXOOO to the UK!

We're on our way from MYC to Minneapolis and the Mall of America. Hope to see a bunch of you there!

Oh, and BURNED will be out May 27, and that's all I'm saying about it. IT'S NOT FINISHED BEING WRITTEN YET.

Off on our tour!

Well, we're off on our US tour! I'll try to post during the chaos of one city per day, but I can't promise you'll get much from me - EXCEPT IF YOU COME TO THE EVENTS! Then we're giving away Tulsa tee-shirts and HoN jewelry! Plus our parties are lots of fun - so come see us. For a full tour list check out my archives and/or go to the HoN website.

See y'all on the road!
XXXOOO
PC

FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”
—Benjamin Franklin

“God forbid that any book should be banned. The practice is as indefensible as infanticide.”
—Dame Rebecca West

“If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.”
—Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989)

According to the ACLU’s 13th Annual Report on Challenged and Banned Books in Texas Public Schools (http://aclutx.org/files/FREE%20PEOPLE%20READ%20FREELY%202009.pdf), House of Night is the most banned series in the state of Texas. Hum. Makes me even prouder to be an Okie! And, wow! I’ve joined some prestigious company: Harper Lee, Ray Bradbury, John Steinbeck, Judy Blume, Salman Rushdie, Bram Stoker, and Cormac McCarthy (to name just a few authors who have been banned).

I really love the irony that one of the school systems banned my entire series. Yep. Even the books I haven’t written or published yet. As Aphrodite would say, “Crazy much?”

The fight against banning books is nothing new to me. As many of you know, I taught high school for fifteen years before I retired to write full time. During those years I stood my ground against tunnel-visioned, overbearing, smug parents/administrators/school board members as I insisted that one person or group of people do not have the right to choose for the rest of us what we read. No, please understand that I have always supported the parental right to excuse his or her child from reading, say, To Kill a Mockingbird (yes, this really did happen) because they didn’t want their kid “reading about rape and the N word.” But no parent has the right to decide for a school system, or a library, whether Harper Lee’s genius of a book should or shouldn’t be shelved.

Recently I was interviewed for a writer’s magazine and one of the questions was about advice I would give aspiring young adult authors and how they can get the tone of their YA books right. I said, basically, that an author has to really “get” teenagers to be able to write for them, and that often means an author needs to press the perceived envelope about what's "acceptable" to many adults, and instead write about what's real to teens today. The interviewer came back to me with this follow-up question:
By 'acceptable to adults,' do you mean sex, drugs and other behaviors that adults would rather not think of their teens as doing? And the case for writing about these behaviors in YA is that that's what teens face in their lives?

Here is my answer:
The case for writing realistically for teens is many faceted. First, there is the credibility issue. As I've said before, kids know whether you get them or not, and that's regardless of if we're talking about standing before hundreds of them in the classroom or writing for them. Also, I always write what I'd like to read, and I know teenagers too well to want to read/write Pollyanna stuff about them. And then it comes down to the fact that ignorance is not bliss. Avoiding subjects that are uncomfortable doesn't work for me on lots of different levels: I believe in sex ed. I believe in talking to my daughter honestly about life's unpleasantness. I believe in facing issues head-on with teens, even if it means I write the most banned series of books in Texas. Let's just be honest about what our kids are dealing with on a daily basis and open communication lines with them so that they don't have to face those things alone!

The ACLU said something very similar in their report:
“Once kids outgrow carpooling, perhaps parents should grow up, too.
Instead of trying to prevent pre-teens and teens from reading about what they already know, parents should consider reading to find out what’s going on in the lives of kids the same age as theirs. Carpooling by reading, so to speak. Then parents can use the books as starting points with their kids for heart-to-heart conversations about values and behavior. That way everyone might learn something. Instead of banning juvenile literature, let’s all read some and talk about it.”

It’s the truth: FREE PEOPLE READ FREELY. Just because someone disagrees with something, doesn’t give them the right to censure it from the rest of us.

I’ve been quietly checking out some of the stuff blogs have been saying about my series being banned. One blog group actually said that they could understand it because my books were basically about lots of oral sex. What? See, this highlights one of the most nauseating things about people who like to decide what others should or should not read: most of them don’t actually read the works they’re slandering. One of my favorite examples of this happened a couple of years ago in my sophomore English class. I was teaching a unit on Les Miserables, and used the 10th anniversary PBS musical special wherein famous actors/actresses from the London stage sang the score from the play. I gave my students a copy of the lyrics, so that they could follow along (and quote from the songs later in the papers I had them write). So a kid took home the lyrics. Her mom opened it to the Lovely Ladies song, read a couple of lines (literally – two or three), then skipped ahead and found Javert’s Stars, which is the song he sings to God before he commits suicide. She promptly called Spineless Principal and insisted I be forced to stop teaching Les Miserables because it was “about nothing but whores and suicide.” I refused to stop teaching a classic I’d been teaching for a decade because of one parent, and went on about the business of educating young minds. Next time I heard from Spineless Principal he was telling me not to worry about cutting Les Miserables from my lesson plans (which I hadn’t been doing anyway) because the parent had called and retracted her demand. Seems someone at church had told her that the play really was okay, so she guessed it must be all right. No, she never bothered to read any more of the lyrics, watch the PBS special, or read Victor Hugo’s book.

Here’s the bottom line: READ SOME BANNED BOOKS. Talk about them. Share them. Get vocal about your right as an American to exercise your freedom of speech. Start with Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. And, like Juan Ramon Jimenez said, “If they give you ruled paper, write the other way.”

Happy reading!
PC Cast

Bitten by Books blog interview

Hey guys - I wanted to let you know that on Tuesday, Oct. 20th, I'm popping in and out all day long for a blog interview/chat/contest for Bitten by Books. To take part you need to RSVP here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=11900 Follow the directions on the site. Through Bitten by Books I'll be giving away the following cool gifts:

Prize 1: $100.00 Barnes & Noble Gift Card
Prize 2: 1 set of House of Night Jewelry
Prize 3: 5 Elemental Tags House of Night Jewelry - 1 tag per winner

So check them out, and maybe I'll "see" you there!

PC

Oooh! TEMPTED trailer!

Check it out!!

Local Event Tonight!

So my girlfriends, the fabulous New York Times bestselling authors Gena Showalter and Kresley Cole, are in Tulsa today! Tonight the three of us will be hosting a book signing, 7:00 pm, at the 21st Street Borders. Gena and Kresley will be signing their amazing new book, THE DEEP KISS OF WINTER, and I'll be signing THE AVENGER, my new adult release for Silhouette Nocturne. If you're in the area stop in and say hi - oh, and grab a glass of champagne, too!

BURNED is underway!

As many of you know, I've been spending quite a bit of time in the Scottish Highlands doing research for book 7 of the HoN, BURNED. I thought y'all might like to see some of my photos. What I'm doing for BURNED is a lot like what I did for the rest of the books. I'm taking real settings, and then adding my own mythological spin to them. The only difference between the Tulsa and the Scottish setting is that the real places there are usually ancient ruins, and I'm bringing them alive again (with a PC Cast twist). So, here ya go. Oh, and NO, I'm not giving you any other details about BURNED right now. It would totally mess up TEMPTED for you!


This is the Clava Cairns, which will figure predominately in an Otherworld journey. It's not far from Culloden Field.



This is, believe it or not, where I'm going to set the House of Night! It's the ruins of an ancient fortress that Highland legend says was the home of the warrior queen, Sgiach, the great Taker of Heads. Oh, yep, that's me gawking up. It's really lots bigger than it looks in these pictures.


This is inside an an amazing grove. So magical!


This last one is just a lovely landscape looking out from the coast of Skye. And that guy in the background is my boyfriend. Yes, nosy readers, the rumors flying are correct. He is, indeed, Scottish! No, you don't get any more details about him!

XXXOOO
PC

Slight Tour Change/Addition

Hi Guys!
The release of TEMPTED is almost here! And that means Kristin and I are gearing up for our stateside tour. Check out my previous blog for specifics, but I have a change and an addition:

Addition:

Tuesday, October 27

7 pm

Borders

1260 Old Country Road

Westbury, NY 11590


Change:

Delete the Nov 2nd Atlanta B&N listed on the tour blog and replace it with this store:

Nov. 2

7 pm

Barnes & Noble

7660 North Point Parkway

Alpharetta, GA 30022

Keep in mind we'll be live on the Wendy Williams show on Oct 27th! Also, remember that Kristin and I do NOT choose where we go on tour - our lovely publisher does. So asking us to come to your neighborhood bookstore, sadly, does no good.

Isn't this super cool!

TEMPTED CHAPTER 1

Enjoy!

PC


TEMPTED

Chapter One

The night sky over Tulsa was alight with a magical crescent moon. Its
brilliance made the ice that coated the city, and the Benedictine Abbey
where we’d just had our showdown with a fallen immortal and a
rogue High Priestess, shimmer so that everything around me seemed
touched by our Goddess. I looked at the moonlight-bathed circle
that stood in front of Mary’s Grotto, the place of power where not
long ago Spirit, Blood, Earth, Humanity, and Night had been personified
and then had joined to triumph over hatred and darkness.
The carved image of Mary, surrounded by stone roses and nestled
within a ledge high in the grotto, appeared to be a beacon for the silver
light. I stared at the statue. Mary’s expression was serene; her ice covered
cheeks glistened as if she wept in quiet joy.

My gaze lifted to the sky. Thank you. I sent a silent prayer up to the
beautiful crescent that symbolized my Goddess, Nyx. We’re alive.
Kalona and Neferet are gone.

“Thank you,” I whispered to the moon.

Listen within . . .

The words swept through me, subtle and sweet like leaves touched
by a summer breeze, brushing my consciousness so lightly that my
waking mind barely registered them, yet Nyx’s whispered command
imprinted itself into my soul.

I was vaguely aware that there were a lot of people (well, nuns,
fledglings, and a few vampyres) around me. I could hear the mixture
of shouting, talking, crying, and even laughing that filled the night,
but it all felt distant. At that moment the only things that were real to
me were the moon above and the scar that sliced from one shoulder
all the way across my chest to the other shoulder. It tingled in response
to my silent prayer, but it wasn’t a tingle of pain. Not really. It
was a familiar warm, prickling sensation that assured me Nyx had,
once again, Marked me as hers. I knew if I peeked under the neck of
my shirt I would find a new tattoo decorating that long, angrylooking
scar with an exotic filigree of sapphire—a sign that proved I
was following my Goddess’s path.

“Erik and Heath, find Stevie Rae, Johnny B, and Dallas—then
check the perimeter of the abbey to be certain all the Raven Mockers
fled with Kalona and Neferet!” Darius shouted the command, snapping
me out of my warm, fuzzy prayer mode, and once I’d been
shocked out, it was like an iPod had been cranked too high as sound
and confusion flooded my senses.

“But Heath’s a human. A Raven Mocker could kill him in a second.”
The words burst from my mouth before I could clamp it shut,
proving beyond all doubt that being moonstruck wasn’t my only
moronic skill.

Predictably, Heath puffed up like a cat-smacked toad.

“Zo, I’m not a damn pussy!”

Erik, looking very tall and full-grown, kick-your-butt vampyre-like,
snorted sarcastically and then said, “No, you’re a damn human.
Wait, that does make you a pussy!”

“So, we defeat the big baddies and inside five minutes Erik and
Heath are banging their chests at each other. How totally predictable,”
Aphrodite said with her patented sarcastic sneer as she joined
Darius, but her expression completely changed when she turned her
attention to the Son of Erebus Warrior. “Hey there, Hotness. You doing
okay?”

“You need not worry about me,” Darius said. His eyes met hers,
and they practically telegraphed the chemistry between them, but
instead of going to her like he usually would and doing some very
gross kissing, he remained focused on Stark.

Aphrodite’s gaze went from Darius to Stark. “Okay, eew. Your
chest is totally crispy crittered.”

James Stark was standing between Darius and Erik. Okay, well,
standing wasn’t exactly what he was doing. Stark was swaying and
looking extremely unsteady.

Ignoring Aphrodite, Erik spoke up. “Darius, you should probably
get Stark inside. I’ll coordinate the reconnoitering with Stevie Rae
and make sure everything runs smoothly out here.” His words seemed
okay, but his tone was all I’m-the-big-guy-in-charge, and when he followed
up with a condescending “I’ll even let Heath help out,” he really
sounded like a pompous butt.

“You’ll let me help out?” Heath snapped. “Your mom will let me
help out.”

“Hey, which one of them is supposed to be your boyfriend?” Stark
asked me. Even in the terrible shape he was in, he caught my glance
with his. His voice was scratchy, and he sounded scarily weak, but
his eyes sparkled with humor.

“I am!” Heath and Erik said together.

“Oh, for crap’s sake, Zoey, they’re both idiots!” Aphrodite said.

Stark started to chuckle, which turned to a cough, which changed
again to a painful gasp. His eyes rolled back and, like a slinky, he collapsed.

Moving with the quickness that came naturally to a Son of Erebus
Warrior, Darius caught Stark before he hit the ground. “I need to get
him inside,” Darius said.

I felt like my head was going to explode. Sagging in Darius’s arms,
Stark looked well on his way to being dead. “I-I don’t even know
where the infirmary is,” I stuttered.

“Not a problem. I’ll get a penguin to show us,” Aphrodite said.
“Hey, you, nun!” she yelled at one of the nearby black-and-white–clad
sisters who had scurried out of the abbey after the night had gone from
battle chaos to aftermath chaos.

Darius hurried after the nun, with Aphrodite following him. The
warrior glanced over his shoulder at me. “Aren’t you coming with us,
Zoey?”

“As soon as I can.” Before I could deal with Erik and Heath, from
behind me a familiar twang saved the day.

“Go on with Darius and Aphrodite, Z. I’ll take care of Dumb and
Dumber and be sure there’s no booger monsters left out here.”

“Stevie Rae, you are the Best Friend of All Best Friends.” I turned
and hugged her quickly, loving how reassuringly solid and normal
she felt. Actually, she seemed so normal that I got a weird twinge
when she stepped back and grinned at me and I saw, as if for the first
time, the scarlet tattoos that spread out from the filled-in crescent in
the middle of her forehead and down either side of her face. A sliver
of unease threaded through me.

Misunderstanding my hesitation, she said, “Don’t worry about these
two dorks. I’m gettin’ used to jerking them apart.” When I just stood
there staring at her, the bright smile she’d been wearing dimmed.
“Hey, you know your grandma’s okay, right? Kramisha got her back
inside right after Kalona was banished and Sister Mary Angela just
told me she was goin’ inside to check on her.”

“Yeah, I remember Kramisha helping her into the wheelchair. I’m
just . . .” My voice trailed off. I was just what? How could I put into
words that I was haunted by a feeling that everything wasn’t right
with my best friend and the group of kids she’d allied herself with,
and how do I say that to my best friend?

“You’re just tired and worried ’bout a bunch of stuff ,” Stevie Rae
said softly.

Was that understanding I saw flicker through her eyes? Or was it
something else, something darker?

“I get it, Z, and I’ll take care of things out here. You just be sure
Stark’s okay.” She hugged me again, and then gave me a little push in
the direction of the abbey.

“'Kay. Thanks,” I said lamely, starting toward the abbey and totally
ignoring the two dorks who were standing there staring at me.

Stevie Rae called after me, “Hey, remind Darius or someone to
keep an eye on the time. It’s only about an hour until sunrise, and
you know me and all the red fledglings gotta be inside out of the sun
by then.”

“Yeah, no problem. I’ll remember,” I said.

The problem was it was getting harder and harder for me to forget
Stevie Rae wasn’t what she used to be.

Heading Toward Glasgow!

Hi Guys!
I'm having an amazing time in the Highlands and will be heading towards Glasgow in the next day or so. My plan is to pop in these bookstores for quick stock signings (that means I'll just sign the books they have there instead of doing a formal event). I'm not sure exactly which day I'll be there, but I'm thinking probably Wednesday the 30th. Maybe I'll see some of you!

Waterstone’s 153 Sauchiehall St.


Waterstone’s 5 Argyle St.


Borders Buchanan St.


Forbidden Planet 168 Buchanan St.

XXXOOO
PC

Returning to Scotland!

I'm leaving later today to return to the magical Scottish Highlands to finish research for BURNED. I'm not sure what my internet access will be while I'm there, so if my posts are sketchy you know why. I'll be back on line when I return to the states the first week of October.

Oh yeah, I'll stop in some bookstores in Inverness and Glasgow for sure and sign stock. I don't have time to do an event, but keep your eyes open...I'll be around!

Slainte!
PC

ART CONTEST CHANGE!

I've decided to open the House of Night art contest to digital images! Yea! Okay, so here's the deal: If you've already entered, you're fine. If you've already entered and want to do a digital piece, you're fine because you can enter as many times as you want. SO ALL YOU GRAPHIC ARTISTS AND COMPUTER GENIUSES GO FOR IT!

Specifics:

1) The artwork should be inspired by the House of Night.

2) You must have copyright over all the artwork you submit. In other words, you can't pull an artist's piece from his/her site and digitally stick a tattoo on the face and enter it without the original artist's permission. If you don't know the copyright laws about artwork then either look them up or choose not to enter. If I question whether you have the right to the work I won't take a chance on infringing on another artist's piece and I won't post it. So just be original or be in the public domain and you'll be fine. If you don't know what I'm talking about do some research. Copyright infringement is stealing and it's seriously bad Karma.

3) Hand drawn art is fine, too.

4) I've extended the contest deadline until midnight on Friday, October 23rd (Central Standard Time).

5) ANYONE may enter - there are no out of the US restrictions.

6) We can not handle an influx of artwork, so you'll need to scan your image and send it in an attached file to our personal assistant, Camden Clark, at castseries@gmail.com.

7) By entering the contest you agree to allow me to post images of your work on my blog, myspace, facebook, and/or my websites.

8) Prizes will be awarded - HoN stuff like signed books, necklaces, tee shirts, etc. (Obviously I haven't decided exactly what I'm sending y'all, but I'm make sure it's cool stuff.)

9) Work will be judged by Kristin and me!

Okay, I can't wait to see what you guys come up with because I have the most creative, most awesome fans ever! Wonder if the UK will have some big winners in this contest, too?!

Good luck!
PC

TEMPTED tour!

(Pictures are from the HUNTED tour.)

The TEMPTED Tour is Set!* Below is the up-to-date list of stores and places for our US tour. We will be adding one more event in the NYC area on the 27th of October, but the exact store isn't confirmed yet. We will be coming to Canada, Vancouver area I think, probably late November. I'll post when I have confirmation. Okay, again guys, Kristin and I don't pick our tour route, cities, or stores. Our lovely publisher does that; it's completely out of our hands. So it doesn't do any good to tell me we should come to a part of the country we're not touring - I DON'T CONTROL IT. It would do good to make a bunch of noise to your local bookseller. Booksellers work with publishers on tour places. What about the UK and the rest of the world? I'll be back in Scotland later this month doing more research, and I'm going to pop in some stores in the Inverness and Glasgow area to sign stock, but I'm not going to have time to do a formal event (sorry! workworkwork). Rumor has it that we may be coming to Paris, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, but I don't have dates/places confirmed for any of that. So hold tight. I'll give you info as I get it. We're absolutely looking forward to seeing our fans!

Here goes:

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Barnes & Noble
118 E. Broadway, Mall of America
Bloomington, MN 55425
6:00pm

Thursday, October 29, 2009
Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way NE
Lake Forest Park, WA 98155
7:00pm

Friday, October 30, 2009
Books Inc.
855 El Camino Real #74
Palo Alto, CA 94304
7:00pm

Sunday, November 1, 2009
Texas Book Festival
Capital Building
Austin, TX
Time TBD

Monday, November 2, 2009
Barnes & Noble
2900 Peachtree Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
7:00pm

Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Borders
4475 Roswell Rd. - Ave. E. Cobb
Marietta, GA 30062
7:00pm

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Borders
11054 Lee Hwy
Fairfax, VA 22030
7:00pm

Thursday, November 5, 2009
Barnes & Noble
8123 Honeygo Blvd.
Baltimore, MD 21236
6:00pm

Saturday, November 7, 2009
Borders
2740 E 21st St
Tulsa, OK
2:00pm

*dates and times subject to change

Oh, and here's a little added something from the HoN website. Enjoy!

An Author Interview with P.C. + Kristin

What do you like to do when you're not writing?
PC: Kristin and I love to travel together. We've been road tripping since she was little. We also like to watch trash TV and go to the movies. I like to hike with my Scottie dogs! Both of us go to the gym a lot, but that's not really a hobby. It's more of a necessity because our other hobby is eating out at cool restaurants.

What is it like to write with your daughter/mother? How do you write with someone else?

PC: I love writing with Kristin! Being an author is usually such a solitary job that it's nice to have someone else in it with me. Plus, knowing that Kristin is going to go over everything I write (I write the draft of an entire novel before I send it to Kristin for her to rewrite) takes a lot of stress off me. I don't have to worry about sounding too old or too young – Kristin will fix that. I just write the story.

KC: Writing with Mom is great because for once in my life I get to tell her she's wrong!

Do you have any advice to give young, aspiring authors?

PC: Definitely! Remember that being an author is a job. That means you need to research the career. Read writers' resource books and "how to" books written by authors you admire. Join writers' groups – take creative writing classes. Educate yourself about the basics of publishing. Then write and write and write – and rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. Once you have a completed manuscript, polished to the best of your ability, then you should be ready to begin submitting to editors and agents (and you should know how to do this through your research!).

KC: What should you write? Write the book you'd most love to read.

Are there ever times when you both completely disagree on something and can't decide which way you want to go?

PC: It was weird at first. I mean, I'm used to editorial input, but writing as a team is different. I had a little experience with it because I've teemed up with the fabulous paranormal romance bestseller, Gena Showalter, on a couple anthologies we brainstormed together, and I enjoyed that. Kristin and I do disagree sometimes, but not about anything too big. Plus I'm the most experienced writer (and the mom!), so I tend to overrule her. She loves it when she's been overruled and then our editor makes the same comment she made so Kristin finds out she was right all along!

Which characters do you relate to the most?

PC: Aphrodite!
KC: Zoey!

What a gorgeous day!

For those of you who aren't Okies, let me tell ya - it's been raining here like crazy the past few days. Well, thunderstorms and torrential downpours, actually. But today the rain blew away and the sun came out (with the mosquitoes, but let's not think about that). It was one of those beautiful Oklahoma days - not too hot, humid, and miserable, but with a lot of sun and billowy clouds. So Kristin and I took my Scotties and her two terrible beasts, my granddogs, Anna Nicole Smith Cast and Marlon Brando Cast, for a long walk around sunset down Riverside along the Arkansas River. It was so gorgeous I had to snap a picture with my lovely iphone and share. Enjoy!

Tulsa Depot

Today I had to run downtown to Dwelling Spaces, the lovely little store where Kristin and I get all our 'I heart Tulsa' shirts (I was getting more shirts for prizes!) and I drove past the Tulsa Depot - which made me think of TEMPTED - which made me stop and snap a couple quick phone pictures for y'all. Yes, major action takes place on the roof of this building (as well as under it in the tunnels, of course). So I thought I'd post these and tease you by telling you after you've read chapter 36 in TEMPTED you're going to rush back to gawk at these pictures. I'm just sayin...