 | 22 Oct 09 |
First, the winners from two weeks ago . . . Shanae, Deb C. and Sabrina!!! If you’d like a copy of FEAR NO EVIL, email me (allison @ allisonbrennan.com) your mailing address. If you have a copy, and want to send one to a friend, send me their name and mailing address and I’ll send it to them and give you credit!
Okay, this is a quickie. Sorry! I’m off to New Jersey in the wee hours of Thursday morning to speak to the New Jersey Romance Writers conference. I’m very excited about this conference because I’ve heard fabulous things about it. I’m presenting two workshops, in addition to my speech–one on “Breaking Rules to Break In or Break Out” and the other with Mariah Stewart on the state of romantic suspense.
So because I’m rushing off and 1) wrote a speech (in which I called Rocki a bad angel, but she’ll have to hear about it from someone else because I don’t want her to hunt me down . . . ) and 2) I’m kind of wiped out; I thought I’d do two things.
First, a couple good blogs this week:
Tess Gerritsen on how you can’t please all the people all the time.
Our own Toni McGee Causey’s brilliant post for writers on writing.
Kristin Nelson’s blogs on Royalty Statements (you need to scroll down to catch them all.)
January 26, 2010
Moira had told Lily to stay away from her cousin, to let Moira know if there was anything strange going on, if Abby confided in her. She’d damn well learned her lesson—rely on no one else—and she prayed Lily was alive.
“We’ll just look around the ruins for ten minutes,” she said. “I’ll know if the coven was here. Maybe we’re not too late.” She said it to give Jared hope; she didn’t believe it.
A reluctant Jared followed her into the night. He had his own flashlight and a cell phone, which he used now to call Lily for the twelfth time since they left Moira’s motel room twenty minutes ago. Once again, his girlfriend didn’t answer. Now her message box was full.
Almost as soon as she’d stepped from the truck, Moira smelled evil. A subtle aroma on the edge of the ruins, growing with each step she took. Incense. Poisoned incense. Strong herbs and odors to control spirits. But it was the sulphuric stench of Hell itself that raised the skin on her arms and made the scar on her neck burn. As Moira neared the midpoint of the spirit trap, she slowed her pace, her feet heavy as lead. Slower. Slower. She wanted to run back to the small, safe island off Sicily and lock herself inside St. Michael’s fortress. She didn’t need this, didn’t want it, but she could not shirk her responsibility.
All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men—and women—to do nothing.
As Moira approached the wide circle painted in white on the ground, it became clear that the ritual had been interrupted. There were signs of violence—overturned candles, disturbed earth, a feeling of unrest, of commotion. While no candles burned, the scent of extinguished flames hung in the low-lying fog.
There, in the middle of the circle, was a dead body.
Comment (even just hi, have a safe trip, break a leg, don’t choke at the podium) for a chance to win a copy of the novella that is the prequel to ORIGINAL SIN–and also has absolutely FABULOUS stories by our own Roxanne St. Claire and Karin Tabke. And if you have a question, go ahead and ask–I’ll check in when I land on the East Coast!
© 2009 Allison Brennan. All rights reserved.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award winning author Allison Brennan has published fourteen romantic thrillers with Ballantine, plus a novella and four short stories. She lives near Sacramento, California with her husband and five children. Recently, RT Book Reviews said, “A master of suspense, Brennan does another outstanding job uniting horrifying action, procedural drama and the birth of a romance — a prime example of why she’s tops in the genre.” For fun Allison enjoys wine tasting, swimming, playing video games, and—of course–reading. Her most recent release is CARNAL SIN, the second book in the Seven Deadly Sins supernatural romantic suspense series. Her Lucy Kincaid series will launch in January, 2011 with LOVE ME TO DEATH.
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Hi Allison
I wish you safe travels. Thank you for sharing the great excerpt!
by RKCharron October 22nd, 2009 at 2:31 am& congratulations to the winners.
All the best,
RKCharron
xoxo
You’ll be great, Allison. I’ve heard you many times and have never been less than enthralled.
by Terry Odell October 22nd, 2009 at 4:56 amHave a great time, Allison!
by Debra Webb October 22nd, 2009 at 5:41 amWhy don’t I just say it all for you Hello, have a safe trip, break a leg, and don’t choke at the podium
. Looking forward to 1-26-10 release of Original Sin.
by Shanae October 22nd, 2009 at 6:13 amThat was great! Can’t wait for Origional Sin! Have a great trip!
by Cathy Bonin October 22nd, 2009 at 6:13 amThat was great, Allison! Can’t wait for Origional Sin! Have a great trip!
by Cathy Bonin October 22nd, 2009 at 6:15 amDo great and be safe.
by GSM October 22nd, 2009 at 7:17 amNow how long do I have to wait until the book comes out so I can find out what happens?
Have a fun & safe trip and thanks for the tips.
by HollyD October 22nd, 2009 at 8:10 amJanuary 26th! yeah!
by Allison Brennan October 22nd, 2009 at 4:14 pmI can’t wait to read your new book, Allison! I loved all the novellas in WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE.
by S. J. Day October 22nd, 2009 at 10:02 amYou WROTE a speech!?! And called me a (ignore adjective) ANGEL??? You’re such a good girl! Go get ‘em, Allison! They will love you in New Jersey!!!!! xoxoxo
by Roxanne St. Claire October 22nd, 2009 at 10:13 amYou are a BAD angel, Rocki. I wrote a speech but I wrote it stream of consciousness like I was talking and printed it out and I have no idea if it holds together–so there. But I have it. We’ll see if I stick to it, LOL.
by Allison Brennan October 22nd, 2009 at 4:13 pmHope you have safe, success trip.
by CrystalGB October 22nd, 2009 at 11:06 amWish I could be there! You are so much fun to listen to. Take a deep breath and picture the audience naked.
Safe trip and hurry home to us!
by Silver James October 22nd, 2009 at 11:55 amhave fun
by kh October 22nd, 2009 at 4:33 pmcongrats on teh book
and great cover
please enter me thanks
have a good weeknd
Hope you had a safe trip!! I really want to read this anthology. My fav reads are series books and anthologies. Thanks, Sue
by QLady48 October 22nd, 2009 at 10:07 pmHi Allison
by Jessica Scott October 23rd, 2009 at 1:31 amHave a safe trip!
~ All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men—and women—to do nothing. ~
I love this line from your book and its a theme running into my current WIP. Its a universal truth and one that we struggle with as soldiers. Its so hard sometimes to look and know what the right thing to do, but doing nothing guarantees that evil wins.
I can’t wait for Sin to come out. It’s going to be a great book!
GSM! You win the antho. Yeah! email me your mailing address and I’ll send it out next week. allison @ allisonbrennan . com
by Allison Brennan October 23rd, 2009 at 8:34 amThe book sounds great, oh and you know, break a leg, don’t choke, and okay, have a really great time.
I’d love to hear your talk. Rules, yeah I have this love/hate thing with them. I’m a strong believer that everyone needs to learn them, then learn how to break them. So many books I read have rules broken all the time, but the author does it so well, you don’t care.
Any chance this will go up on your site once you’ve finished the workshop at the conference????
by Vicki October 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 amAllison, safe travels. I CAN’T WAIT for Original Sin. It is gonna be so cool.
by Jill James October 23rd, 2009 at 12:47 pmAllison, thanks for the delish excerpt! Hope you had good travels!
by Bella October 25th, 2009 at 7:11 pmI just finished Playing Dead. It was great.
by April Renn October 26th, 2009 at 9:08 amHave a safe trip