I have been interrogated, err, interviewed on the Rack over at On Fiction Writing here! Where I talk about to agent or not, ebooks and Elmore Leonard's writing rules!

In other (belated) blogging the SuperMoon viewing was a wash out thanks to heavy cloud cover. :-( But I did get a pic the next night (still rather blurry since there was only slightly less heavy cloud cover). What the pic doesn't show, was that the moon was super huge and much closer than usual (obviously, it lived up to its SuperMoon name *g*)

And, just for fun, here's some fox cub cuteness!

Happy Release Day to the lovely Jenn Bennett for

Summoning the Night

The fabulous Book 2 in the Awesome Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series!

Yay! Congratulations, Jenn!

And look! When Mr Postman brings me my copy, 'Put-Upon Hound' will pose with it just like this! *g* (Yep, the pic's 'shopped ;p)

"So, how do you know book 2 is fabulous?" I hear you ask.

"Why, because I've already read it, of course!" :-D

When Jenn's first book - Kindling the Moon - came out, I bought it, read it, LOVED it (Hound not so much, but hey, if it's not food, she's just that not into it *shrug*) then I stalked Jenn until she gave me suggested to Jenn that if she had a copy of Summoning the Night finished I'd be thrilled to read it. My nefarious plotting worked She said yes! Yay! And I can tell you, if you liked Kindling (and Cady, Lon (*fans herself*) and the adorable Jupe!), then you're gonna LOVE Summoning, which has lots more of all three, plus a super-cool story!

So in celebration of Summoning's release day and to spread the reading love I'm giving away a copy! Woot! (Full details at end of post).

But that's not all!

If the winner hasn't read Kindling (and is OCD like me likes to read a series in order) then they'll get both books. Or if the winner has read Kindling they can choose a different book from one of my fav authors (see below: includes me ... *g*).


Simply tell me in the comments what's been your favourite read, so far, this year!
(Full giveaway rules and details below the cut)

So what are you waiting for? Go leave a comment and enter!
Here's a fun guest post Jenn did about authors' mothers for the blog last year (with added - unsanctioned - Buffy!) *looks innocent*

Check out Jenn Bennett's website
Jenn on twitter
Jenn's facebook page

SUMMONING THE NIGHT: Arcadia Bell Book 2 (Available now! Yay!)

MAGICAL TRICKS. DEMONIC TREATS.





( Full Giveaway Details beneath the cut ... )

This is their second outing into the world. We think they're somewhere between 3 - 4 weeks old!

Cue the Cuteness!!

I will be at Romantic Times in Chicago* for the next week!Yay! Hugely looking forward to going and to seeing/meeting-in-the-flesh all my US friends.

I'll be there from the Tuesday to the Sunday - and will be appearing as below - otherwise I will be most easily found in the bar! So if you're about then do please say hello! I don't bite*, honest! *g*


The Romantic Times Booklovers Convention 2012 - Chicago.
April 11 - April 15 2012

Saturday Author Signing

Seven Minutes in Urban Fantasy Heaven
Join us for the most intense urban fantasy hour ever. Authors will find their funniest, most romantic or most action-packed scenes … and have just seven minutes to read them aloud to you! You’ll get a whirlwind trip of different creatures, styles and characters — as well as the chance to win books from all of the participating authors.

Moderator: Richelle Mead
Panelists: Lynda Hilburn, Suzanne McLeod, Kristin Painter, Nicole Peeler, Jaye Wells!

***
I was at Eastercon in London on Saturday and had a fabulous time*. I managed to say hello to lots of wonderful folk, though also managed not to spend as much time as I wanted to with anyone, and sadly missed some altogether - the perils of only going for one day :-(. And numpty that I am, I didn't realise my camera battery had almost discharged itself from the last time I took pics. *slaps self* But I did manage the requisite 'Game of Thrones' pictures* (under the cut)! *g*

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* I'm in Panic Packing Mode right now!! *flails* But I will endeavour to blog* all about it when I return ...  Yep, I know, I'm a bad blogger - *hangs head in shame* I blame the bad back/copyedit/day job combo *will try harder* ;p
* cameras scare me!
*Huge thanks to the Eastercon committee, they did an absolute awesome job organising everything.

But I am escaping the Writing Cave this next week! Yay!



***


There will be authors! There will be books! There will be readings! There will be mysterious figures from literature, art and film, all eager to deliberate the most classically terrifying works of fantasy and horror. There will be Black Kraken Rum! It will be a wonderful evening full of chat about, well, books, films, art, rum and the Gothic! Which will, of course, include Vampires! *g*


***
And now I've earwormed you all with Ricky Martin . . . Sláinte!



* No other reason, so don't panic. Well, okay, maybe another reason, but hey, no spoilers here! Right?
* aka my laptop! What? I'm a writer! I'm supposed to have an imagination! *g*

ZOMG!!

The AWESOME Che Gilson has made these FANTABULOUS Spellcrackers avatars for Finn and Malik!

SQUEEEEEE!!!




Woooooot!! Don't you just love Malik's cool eyes! And Finn's hawt horns! *g*

Only sadness (for me anyway), is choosing which one to use first . . . Malik . . . Finn . . . Malik . . . Finn . . . Damn it! How to choose? *Why, yes, I do love all my characters equally* ;P

So, there are two sizes- nice big 350 dpi jpegs you can use on the web and little avatars for places like message boards and LJ. They are the standard 100x100 72 dpi jpegs.  And Che is super generous, as the icons and avatars are free for anyone to use!

Che lives here on Live Journal and here on DeviantART! Go see, she has some fabulous art.Hey, and if you do use them, which would be really cool, let me know in the comments, so I can come and stalk my characters! *looks shifty*

HUGE THANKS Che!! I heart you!! Wow! I am so lucky to have the most wonderfully talented friends!

Images can also be found here on my blog and on the extras page on my website.

ETA: Beta Reader/s Found! If you think you might be up for beta reading next time around, then either email me or leave a comment here, so I can contact you then. Thank you!

Beta Reader/s Wanted!

The Shifting Price of Prey is 'finished'*, and, as the title says, I'm looking for a beta reader or two. *looks hopeful* :-)

So, if you're happy to beta read and get an early sneek peek then please send an email* to suzannemcleod@spellcrackersdotcom - remember to replace dot with a . (gotta foil the spammers ;p), and put 'Beta Reader' in the subject line.

Who/what I'm looking for:

Someone who has read the first three books
Someone who hasn't read any of the books*
What you think and feel as you read the book, and whether the overall plot hangs together for you as a reader
And some other minor points: I'll give more specific details in my reply

What I'm NOT looking for:

Someone to critique every line.
Someone to fix typos*

Timescale: Can you read it overnight? . . . Okay, just kidding there . . . Maybe. *g* Can you have it read and comments back by March 7? Then that works for me :-).
Note: manuscript will be sent in Word, and book is long - The Bitter Seed of Magic is 120,000 words. The Shifting Price of Prey is 157,000 words, so yep, looooong. But full of awesome :-D

If you've beta read for me before, either this book or one of the others, and you're willing to read again (and if you are, then you're an absolute saint! I <3 you!), then let me know. [Book now has NEW scenes with a certain vampire! *hints* *g*)

Examples of previous Beta comments:





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These are all great comments, as they show me where I haven't been clear enough in the writing to convey whatever it is I wanted to convey, or the characters aren't acting/reacting as the reader expects them to.

So, interested? Then go email me! :-D

A HUGE thank you to anyone who does offer to beta read. And if you do beta, then I'd be delighted to include your name in the acknowledgements (if you're happy for me to), and send you a signed copy of the finished book and a small something as a thank you. :-)  

*Hah! Finished here is relative - the story is done, as it is now is pretty much how it will be when published, so there will be no big changes. But there will be lots of smaller changes to things like dialogue, minor clues etc. And the book is still to go through editorial line comments and copy edits. This means there will be clunky sentences/paragraphs, typos and other weird stuff. If that bothers you, then beta reading is probably not for you :-)

*I'm only looking for a couple of beta readers, so please don't be offended if I don't choose you this time round. :-)

*Obviously, this is book 4, reading it will spoil the first three books, as they are a series. However, the books all have a self-contained story - i.e. the murderer is unmasked, so can be read as stand alones, to a degree. But they also have an overarching plot, and continuous character/relationship story archs, so, again obviously, a new reader will have to take some story points on faith, and might find some things confusing.

The lovely and very talented Sunila Sen Gupta (aka DragonLadych) is creating her first artbook

SONGS OF DREAMTIME.

In Sunila's own words: "It's a collection of recent art based on the theme of archetypes. My own personal vision of very ancient themes."



I've been super lucky to see it as it has come together, and believe me, this book is a truly gorgeous treat. In fact, here's what I sent Sunila about it . . .

And I'm also super honoured to be Sunila's model for The Whispering Voice ~ "The little (or not so little voice) that always tells you you won't succeed and keeps you from following your dreams. Never listen to her!"

Sunila has a page over here at IndieGoGo to help fund Songs of Dreamtime with perks for contributors, so why not head over and have a look? :-)

Find Sunila on DeviantART

Hello!

I'm guest blogging over at the wonderful Between Dreams and Reality, in English and French*, no less! I'm chatting about Genny and what happens in the first three Spellcrackers books, so why not head over there and have a look! :-D

And if you missed my last post, I'm at the SFX Weekender in Prestatyn this weekend, where the fantastic Brian Blessed (OMG! Prince Vultan in FLASH GORDON*!!!) is a guest! And if you're going to be there, then I'd love it if you say Hi! I don't bite - truly - and I'm happy to sign anything (within reason - cheques, excepted, of course *g*). 




*The lovely Melliane is super awesome and has translated the post! Huge thanks and kudos to you, Melliane!

*This lucky girl got a DVD of Flash in her Xmas stocking! Yay!  And now you've all got the theme tune earworming it's way into your brains! *g*
Flash a-ah
Saviour of the Universe . . .

 ***

( And here's some <b>Fox Pic Spam</b>! )

It was Mr Mc's birthday last week, and I made him one* of these! I am now the BEST WIFE EVAH! *g*

Clootie Dumpling Recipe - Traditional Scottish Suet Fruit Pudding

This recipe is Mr Mc's gran's, so it makes a GIANT clootie, since his gran always made it for family get togethers and birthdays. It's easy to make, but you do have to keep an eye on it when it's boiling to make sure it doesn't boil dry. So it's not something you can ignore while it's cooking.

Clootie refers to the cloth/tea towel that the dumpling is made in.


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