So much for being a housewife.

Well, this is definitely the kind of blog post every author dreams about writing. Let me start by saying, I have had such a great experience over the past two months. Everyone from my friends to my family to my co-workers (most of whom are also friends) has been supportive and encouraging and just all-around wonderful about the book.

It has been very well received, to my great pleasure. And apparently it’s doing pretty well for a debut book. The Spanish-language rights sold, and it’s been several weeks since Disney-Hyperion went back for a second printing (so grab those first editions while you can get ‘em!).

But today I can share the biggest news yet… that Disney-Hyperion (my amazing publisher) has decided to turn Bad Girls Don’t Die into a series! That’s right, here’s the deal that was announced today at Publisher’s Marketplace:

Katie Alender’s two untitled sequels to Bad Girls Don’t Die, continuing the story of teen girls forced to battle evil spirits in a small suburban town, to Arianne Lewin at Hyperion Children’s, for publication in Spring 2011 and Spring 2012, by Matthew Elblonk of The Creative Culture (NA).

Pretty much the emotion I’m feeling right now is “HURRAY!”

Is that an emotion?

It’s what I feel, anyway! (That and a pressing need to GET TO WORK.)

So thank you to everyone who has supported the book by buying it, reading it, reviewing it, sharing it, telling me you liked it, not telling me if you didn’t like it, and asking if there’s going to be a sequel. To which I can now answer–NO–there are going to be TWO sequels!

I don’t know anything yet about titles, covers, or anything like that. I just know I’d better get my patooty in gear!

Happy Wednesday, all!

30 comments June 17th, 2009

Tuesday stuff

Adrienne has generously offered to let me re-reward the signed book to someone else, which I will probably do Wednesday, because all of that stuff is not here at this computer where I am typing my blog post (and about to fall asleep and end up with a keyboard-shaped indentation on my head). So yay! Thanks, Adrienne!

The other order of business is, please visit me at the Debutante Ball.

And the third order of business is my exciting (to me!) reveal of… my secret project!!

You know how, if you watch a DVD, you can watch the director’s commentary and see what s/he was thinking and learn more about little insidery things?

Well, I did that! For my book! I call it the author’s commentary. Click here to check it out! But be warned–if you haven’t read the book yet, this chart will wreck all of its secrets it for you!

PS – Contest winners, I will contact you today (Tuesday). I am just so tired that if I tried to send any emails right now, I know they’d be all, “Dear Erika Lynn, sdhflksjfa;sdllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll…”

PPS – But I’m not too tired to remind you to go watch Beaker’s Ode to Joy, and vote for it in the Webby People’s Voice Awards!

2 comments April 28th, 2009

Monday is the most exciting day! Yay!

Why, you ask? BECAUSE! It’s time to reveal the winners of the contests from last week…

After a lot of time calculating entries and choosing a winner using a random sequence generator, the winner of a signed copy + character naming rights in Project X is… Adrienne!

And the two randomly-chosen winners from the Music Contest are… Tara and Erika Lynn!

Hurray! So I’ll get in touch with you winners about getting your prizes to you. (And if you didn’t win, you can always enter over at Free Book Friday Teens, as well as listening to a podcast interview with my dorky self. )

Tomorrow, I’m revealing another super-nerdy secret project I’ve had going… so stop in and check it out!

ALSO, in big Alender news, the husb’s company has been nominated for a Webby! And you can help them win the People’s Voice award by going to the People’s Voice website, clicking “Online Film & Video” and voting for “Ode to Joy” under the Music category… you have to register, but we’re trying to pull this out for Beaker.

(And the original, Webby-nominated video:)

(I know it’s like, “Hey, the Muppets aren’t underdogs…” but these were all created by a small company run by a bunch of awesome folks… the same people who made my book trailer, actually! And they’re only winning because of the amazing grassroots movement that put them in the lead over the past two days!)

7 comments April 27th, 2009

Contest entries are closed!

Thanks to everyone who entered! I’ll be tallying up the entries and randomly picking winners today, to be announced tomorrow.

For even more chances to win, visit Free Book Friday Teens, where Jessica is giving away five signed copies this Friday, May 1! Plus, you can download an audio file/podcast of an interview Jessica and I did.

Also, Yan Lin over at Books By Their Cover is giving away an ARC and some other fun stuff–find out how to enter (and read my guest post) by clicking here! (And Laura, if you thought my contest rules were complex… ha ha ha!)

7 comments April 26th, 2009

Last day to enter Bad Girls contests!

To get an entry today, just comment below and give me a to-read recommendation! I’m actually making progress in my tbr pile, so it won’t be long before I need new books (yay)!

Also, to get an extra entry, head over to the Debutante Ball and take a look at Robin Brande’s hilarious guest blog there… leave her a comment for an extra entry in my big contest.

Plus, don’t miss your chance to win a $5 iTunes gift certificate (or five songs from my BGDD inspiration playlist) by telling me what song inspires you here!

Happy Saturday! I’m so glad it’s the weekend. I feel like I could melt into a puddle of Tired (and Happy) Author.

k.

PS – I threw away my Jelly Bellies but found the bowl of Tootsie Pops left over from the party. It’s a sickness, I tell you…

15 comments April 25th, 2009

The time has come, the walrus said…

…to talk of many things. (And not to talk of many other things. Like piles of laundry, dirty dishes, neglected husbands, and the fact that I have eaten approximately 80 small bags of Jelly Bellies this week.)

Well, Launch Week and 5 Days of Awesome are drawing to a close. I have had a FUNtastic time seeing all the new faces and the old faces and even some family members who’ve come out of the woodwork to support me. (My mom didn’t think she was good at commenting, but she did great, didn’t she?)

My two contests, Big Contest and Music Contest, are still active and accepting your entries until Sunday morning. So please feel free to enter for a chance to win free things such as a book, a chance to have your name in a book, and some free music. (In fact, maybe nobody wants to enter the music contest because nobody likes my taste in music, which is totally understandable and frankly not surprising to me, so why don’t we just make it a $5 iTunes or Amazon gift card? That way you can get music you like… or anything else you like.)

And don’t forget that the girls at the Debutante Ball are still posting in honor of my launch week. AND tomorrow, my good author blogfriend Robin Brande is going to be doing me the honor of guest blogging there at my request (because Robin rocks, and I always want to hear what she has to say). In fact, you can get an extra entry in the Big Contest by skipping over there and saying hi to Robin tomorrow!

Bad Girls has made its way out into the world, and I’m so grateful and happy. It is such an honor to know that people out there are investing not just their money but also their time and interest in my book.

ALSO, I know I promised downloady goodness today, but unless anyone happens to find it devastating, I’m going to post the new stuff Monday instead.

But I do want to post a Youtube clip about a little girl who has kind of blown my mind (no, not Susan Boyle! although I love her). This is 6-year-old Emily Bear, who not only plays the piano like a virtuosa and composes like nothing I’ve ever heard before.

So, to wrap up the week, I’m just going to say THANK YOU for joining me! Have a great weekend! Contest winners announced Monday!

k.

12 comments April 24th, 2009

Dignity and professionalism? I ooze those things all over everything I touch.

(Sorry, that’s slightly gross.)

Launch week update: Day 2 of Being a Published Author was a very nice day. The support continues here and over at the Debutante Ball, where my sister Debs are bowling me over with their sweet posts about my book.

Let me remind you, please, that we have (at last count) two separate contests happening this week for 5 Days of Awesome. Learn about them here and here. Win cool stuff! Tell your friends! Make an emotionally gr/n-eedy author happy!

Now, on with the main business of our post.

It occurred to me at some point that I should have business cards. As silly as it seems to think of carrying around business cards that say, “Katie Alender – Author”, it seems even sillier to imagine introducing myself to someone and not having an easy way for them to get in touch.

In conclusion, I started looking around for a card that perfectly expresses me as an author AND as a human being.

What I found may shock and delight you, or horrify you, or do something CRAZY to you!

Let’s begin, shall we? Our tour of Katie’s possible author identities.

Option 1: “Why yes, I do write strong, empowered characters”

So, yeah, I totally dig the idea that teenage girls are, like, tough and awesome–all “Rosie the Riveter” and stuff. But I think we can all agree that the teenage girl–or boy–or grown-up age girl or boy, for that matter–whose arms look like this are probably slightly too tough to be on my business card. Next!

Option 2: “Ha ha ha, of course it’s just a metaphor”

I can just imagine handing this to people and saying, “I’m an author. I create and destroy realities. I hold lives in the palm of my hand. JUST LIKE ON THE CARD!” and then raising my hands and disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

Option 3: “When I’m not writing, I’m daydreaming about Oktoberfest”

Why, you ask? Well (condescending laugh), it’s because words are the music of the eyeballs. Or perhaps even the music of… life! When music isn’t being the music of life. I actually kind of like that eyeballs line. Hmm… tee shirt time!

Option 4: “We authors call this ‘the golf ball game.’ It’s one of many things we do to avoid the actual writing process.”

Will be appreciated at the Surrealist Authors Convention (held June eleventieth through the eleventeenth). I don’t know. Golf isn’t really my thing. Maybe this one isn’t a contender after all.

Option 5: “My books will touch you”

Ha ha, this would be so creepy.

Option 6: “Buy my book or this old guy will follow you around all night”

Is he a magician? An elderly groom? A funeral attendee? An inappropriate prom date? Whoever he is, he wants you to buy my book! I mean, probably nothing will come of it if you don’t, but do you really want to take that chance?

Option 7: “Self-explanatory”

Option 8: “Being an author is… complicated”

No, just kidding. There’s nothing complicated here. It’s a flaming pig. Seriously, who wants a business card with a FLAMING PIG on it? Even if you do barbecue for a living… there must be a subtler approach.

Option 9: “The JK Rowling”

Handed over with a knowing raise of the chin and Trumplike narrowing of the eyes.

Option 10: “Actually, I’m very classy… never mind what I do for a living”

If only it had anything, anything at all, to do with writing and authordom.

Which brings us to our final option…

Option 10: “Naturally, I frequently rise up to the challenge of a rival” (Actually Option 11, but who’s counting?)

It’s the… EYE OF THE TIGER! Can you imagine? Hand this card over. “I’m an author.” “Uh… what kind of books do you write? Books about tigers?” “Don’t be narrow-minded or I’ll leap on you and claw at your face!”

*sigh* I guess I’ll keep looking. I know my dream card is out there somewhere. I just hope I find it while there’s still time for people to be interested in me!

PS – Downloady goodness coming tomorrow!

Did you remember to enter the Big Contest and the Music Contest? I’m dying to give you free things! Enter, enter, enter!

21 comments April 23rd, 2009

Ruh roh! Sounds like another contest!

My pub day was so fantastic! I can’t believe how many people showed their support for me. Thank you all so much!

A lot of people ask me if I listen to music when I write. The answer is pretty much “never.” Occasionally I’ll have some classical musical playing, but if a song has lyrics, I can’t get anything done.

But I do listen to music when I’m NOT writing–like in the car or cleaning or sewing or whatever. Each project gets its very own special playlist that fits the mood, characters, story, etc.

In honor of 5 Days of Awesome for my launch week, I’m going to give two lucky winners 5 songs from my Bad Girls Don’t Die playlist! You can choose the songs you want… I made it five because that way you don’t get a bunch of music you don’t necessarily want. If you have iTunes, I can just gift you the music through iTunes. If you don’t have iTunes, we’ll make other arrangements!

To enter: In your comment today, tell me about a song that inspires you.

The contest ends when I wake up Saturday morning. And your comment on this post also gets you an entry in the big contest.

Here’s the playlist!

By the way, thank you all so much for coming to see me at the Debutante Ball yesterday! Did you know the Debs are celebrating my book launch all week? I’m so honored to be part of such a great group of women. We’re also giving away a signed copy of the book over there, so come see us over there all week for your second chance to win!

And more places to read/hear about BGDD:

Happy Wednesday!

12 comments April 22nd, 2009

3… 2… 1… blast off!

OMG! I woke up this morning to the sound of trumpets playing, and then I got up and there was a trail of rose petals strewn in a path that led me to the hair and makeup station and my new stylist and my personal trainer and bodyguard, who escorted me to my limo and paid me lots of sincere compliments as we drove over to the nearest movie studio, where I signed the standard rich and famous contract. Now I’m going to have my vocal chords nipped and tucked so I can be on “Britain’s Got Talent” and sing for the Queen!

Being an author is SO much fun!

Ha ha, just kidding. It’s not even Tuesday morning. I’m writing this Monday night. For the real story on how nothing like the above happened, you will have to wait until the Pacific time zone is up and around.

But it’s still EXCITING, because it’s PUB DAY!

Aside from it being exciting, I’m not 100% sure what to say about to(morrow)day.

Don’t forget about my BIG CONTEST!

How about I start with, don’t forget to visit my post over at the Debutante Ball, where commenting this week can get you an entry in the Debs’ free book contest. (–and commenting TODAY gets you an extra entry in my contest, which I am managing quite nicely even though Laura’s comment yesterday made me totally LOL.)

You can also get more, more, more (and more chances to win stuff) at these sites:

18 comments April 21st, 2009

Oh, snap–LAUNCH WEEK!

I can’t believe Launch Week for Bad Girls has finally arrived!

In honor of this week, every day I’m going to have some sort of contest of giveaway or download. I’ll also be including links to bloggers and websites who are kind enough to feature the book (or me!), so feel free to check those out!

Today

And don’t forget to check out the latest reviews and interviews listed on the PRESS page.

Big contest
So, winning the big contest gets you a signed copy of the book, either for yourself or for a teen (or non-teen) reader of your choice. I will also name a character in my next project after you or the reasonably-named person of your choice (sorry, Ben Dover… no need to play along). Now, mind you, finding your name in that project in a bookstore depends on my actually selling it first, but let’s be optimistic here!

Here’s how to enter:

(1 entry per day) – comment here all week
(1 extra entry) – post a link to my blog and the contest at your blog
(1 extra Tuesday entry) – comment at the Debutante Ball on Tuesday

…plus bonus extra-credit assignments throughout the week!

Unfortunately, I need to confine this particular contest to the North American continent or places that are easy to mail things to via US Postal Service (such as military personnel). But you can still get your name in a book!

At the end of the week, I will randomly choose a winner from all of the entries, using a random number generator. I will also choose a door prize, which would be the person whose number lands dead last on the random number generator list. You will get something that reflects your lowly but still very special status.

So please stick around and help keep me sane! I can really use every bit of help you can give me.

Feel free to follow my Launch Week minute-to-minute anxieties on Twitter.

Some people have inquired about getting signed copies of the book. I’m working on finding a store that will allow you to order the signed copies directly… but if you just want a signed bookplate, please email me at katie (at) katiealender (dot) com with your name, address, and what you want written on your bookplate–the rule of thumb is one request per person, within the US and Canada, and no generic autographs, please!

Or if you want to send the actual book to me, use the contact form to request a mailing address… and please be sure to include return postage!

29 comments April 20th, 2009