Skyler White

Is it ever too early to be thinking about Halloween? Not for my friend Sharon, who runs Central Texas’ oldest and scariest haunted house, the Nightmare Factory! She just posted a cool contest, anchored by signed copies of both ‘and Falling, Fly‘ and ‘In Dreams Begin‘! Check out the stuff you can win in her Dark Fantasy Prize Pack:

• 1 Signed copy of and Falling, Fly
• 1 Signed copy of In Dreams Begin
• 2 ‘Damned’ Temporary Tattoos (just like Olivia’s)
• 1 pair Scarecrow Classic Dental Fit Fangs
• 1 pair Scarecrow Subtle Sexy Fangs
• 1 vampire bite tattoo
• 1 Victorian Ladies Hat with black spider tulle veil
• 1 Nightmare Factory T-Shirt

She’s also doing a bunch of other giveaways, and all you have to do to enter is tweet or blog about the contest. Visit the Nightmare Factory to learn more!

Can’t wait for ‘In Dreams Begin‘? We’ll, you’ll have to wait a little more, because the book comes out November 2; but pre-release coverage has started rolling in, beginning with this piece on the beautifully redesigned FanGirlTastic (formerly Pretty-Scary):

“The story is sure to be a mind-twister, but with White’s amazing ability to weave words and breathe life into characters, it will be thoroughly enjoyable … Much like and Falling, Fly, Skyler’s newest novel is destined to be a potent blast of change to a genre filled with werewolves, vampires, and love-struck zombies.”

In the meantime, the price of ‘and Falling, Fly‘ has dropped to just $6 on Amazon with free shipping. It won’t be a cool signed version complete with tattoos and fangs like you can win from the Nightmare Factory, but hey, it’s a pretty good deal if you haven’t checked out the book yet or would like to pick up a copy for a friend.

Have to finish packing — see you at Dragon*Con!

Skye and son Egan at the 15,000-seat 4th-century BC Theatre of Epidaurus, Greece, 12 August 2010.

Wikipedia article on ancient Epidaurus

Skye at the Theatre of Dionysus, the birthplace of theatre. Acropolis, Athens, Greece, 5 August 2010.

Theatre of Dionysus on Wikipedia.

Thank you to Mistie at Borders in Arlington, TX for contacting me for and Falling, Fly book club questions. This is something I’ve been meaning to write for a while, and Misite’s outreach gave me the kick in the pants I’ve been needing to get it done. The document is below if you’d like to use it for your own book club.

and Falling Fly by Skyler White: Book Club Discussion Questions (PDF, right-click to download)

Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions about using and Falling, Fly for a book club.

M’lady certainly does not know this, but I’ve perfected a system and apparatus for jiggling open the large pet carrier she keeps me in when we travel. I thusly intend to break out of our hotel room in Atlanta later this summer to enjoy, as much as poor Thrall can be expected, the exciting new additions to the Dragon*Con roster, such as Sean Astin (Samwise from LotR).

What else? Well, Bite Club is closing out their month-long profile on Skye with a Q&A today:

“Q: What is easier to write- the hero, the heroine, or the villain?

“A: They’re like people, really, each difficult and easy in their own ways. I have a lot of fun writing villains, but I have to be careful not to get carried away. It’s way too easy to fall into the hand-wringing cackle. Heroes are wonderful to write, because hey, what better way to spend an afternoon than thinking about everything yummy in men, but it can be very difficult for me to put myself into a man’s head sometimes, and I have to be disciplined about not just staying on the outside enjoying the packaging.

Opposite problem writing women. I really enjoy my noodle time. I like to ponder stuff, ask myself questions, examine things from different perspectives, and the heroine’s head is the most comfortable place for me to do that. She’s usually the easiest to write, but I have to be careful not to over-indulge because it’s easy.”

And there’s a new and Falling, Fly book review over at Swamp Dweller that’s worth a quick perusal:

“Wow. Words elude me when I try to describe this novel. It’s quite possible the most beautifully-written, captivating, un-put-down-able novel I’ve read in years … intense and vibrant … the strong, lyrical prose transports you to the world of fallen angels and immortal souls … you just can’t have anything else going on while you’re reading it. You literally can’t put the story down.
I pimp this book to anyone I know who can handle it. This is an awesome, gripping dark fairy tale. It’s gritty and raw, with a certain vicious poetry that digs deep into the reader’s hearts and minds. This book has landed on my keeper shelf, and that’s where it will stay!”

Excellent.

Bitter hugs,

Thrall

Here I reside in my dank cellar, a pile of potatoes serving as my day-bed, sadly contemplating the single, thin ray of light anemically wisping through the window bars. Having booked m’lady’s travel all over the country (4th Street Fantasy Convention in Minneapolis in June; RWA Nationals in Orlando in July; Dragon*Con in Atlanta and Armadillocon in Austin in August; FenCon in Dallas in September; and Sirens in October, where Skye recently learned she’ll be leading a discussion on Faery DNA), there’s no more use for me this day.

Where have her past travels taken her? Fantasy Literature just posted an interview wherein Skye recounts a very scary late-night stroll through the Parisian suburb of Avon, leading to a gem of discovery the next day. Enjoy the whole story over at Fantasy Literature, and comment to enter their contest for two signed copies of and Falling, Fly.

A stale potato for my pillow. How did it come to this?

Bitter hugs,

Thrall

Catalog page for In Dreams Begin from the new Berkley Books catalog (which bookstores and libraries use to order their stock). (The actual release date for In Dreams Begin was moved up a month to November 2 after this catalog went to press.)

Beautiful gallery of, well, Russians dressed as zombies. Too good not to share. You should do the same …

http://ottenki-serogo.livejournal.com/176804.html

Poor Thrall mopes and suffers, weary from the weekend’s labours. How he’d like to slumber on his pallet, but his lady rouses him early and bids him announce that and Falling, Fly is the featured book of the month at Bite Club:

Don’t miss their giveaway contest from 5/12 to 5/16, the author spotlight on 5/21, the 5/28 Q&A and the 6/1 to 6/2 chat sessions.

In other news, In Dreams Begin is out of line edits and m’Lady is most pleased with the progress toward the November release. She also bid me share with you the trailer for the movie she drug poor Thrall into the sunlight to see this weekend. Behold, The Secret of Kells:

Even through his addled brain, Thrall appreciated the amazing visuals inspired by The Book of Kells, along with the lush music, Irish accents and brushes with 9th century historical and legendary figures. You really should make time to see this with your family (older elementary and up) at your local arthouse theater before it’s gone. To truly complete the experience, pair it with Nancy Farmer’s amazing The Sea of Trolls book trilogy.

Bitter Hugs,

Thrall

Click here to see the rest of the Penguin feature on the Fallen Angel Phenomenon, also featuring angel authors JR Ward (Black Dagger Brotherhood) and Danielle Trussoni (Angelology).