I Will NEVER Move Again

Yes, I'm moving again. A year has come and gone, and apparently it's time for me to move again. It's not like I had lease or that I had to move, but apparently I've developed this restless bug that forces me to move once a year. I hate boxing up my stuff and hiking it from place to place. I hate unpacking and discovering that things got broken or somehow lost along the way. In short, I hate moving, but I'm doing it again anyway. This will be at least my sixth move in four years.

The movers arrive today to get the furniture and I should be able to finish up the small things this weekend, if not today. I'm remaining in the Cincinnati area so I can be close to my family and friends, and I'm hoping to stay in this place for at least two years to give myself a proper moving break.

In the meantime, I've got the copyedits for Pray for Dawn sitting on my partially dismantled desk and my editor is threatening to send me the edit letter for Wait for Dusk any day now. Oh, I did you know that I'm also writing in NaNoWriMo, working on Book 6. Take a wild guess at how that's going. Ugh. If I just get through this weekend, my life will be back to normal.

In other, less whiny news, I completed a guest blog at Silk and Shadows yesterday. Take a peek at it and enter to win a copy of all my books, including the anthology!

Also, don't forget to enter to win a signed copy of Jeri Smith-Ready's Bad to the Bone! The contest ends on Saturday.

Contest Round 17: Jeri Smith-Ready

I'm feeling a bit under the weather today and I'm doubting that I'm going to be crawling out of bed much. However, the party must continue, even if it is without me. Round 17 in this Contest Extravaganza features the lovely Jeri Smith-Ready and the second novel in her WVMP Radio Series, Bad to the Bone.

Here is a quick description of Bad to the Bone:

"If you’re just joining us, welcome to radio station WVMP, “The Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll.” Con-artist-turned-station-owner Ciara Griffin manages an on-air staff of off-the-wall DJs—including her new boyfriend Shane McAllister—who really sink their teeth into the music of their ‘Life Time” (the era in which they became vampires). It’s Ciara’s job to keep the undead rocking, the ratings rolling, and the fan base alive—without missing a beat.

For Halloween, WVMP is throwing a bash sure to raise the dead. They’ve got cool tunes, hot costumes, killer cocktails—what could go wrong? Well, for starters, a religious firebrand ranting against the evils of the occult preempts the station’s midnight broadcast. Then, when Ciara tracks down the illegal transmission, the broadcast tower is guarded by what appears to be…a canine vampire? And behind it all is a group of self-righteous radicals who think vampires suck (and are willing to stake their lives on it).

Now Ciara must protect the station while struggling with her own murky relationship issues, her best friend’s unlikely romance with a fledgling vampire, and the nature of her mysterious anti-holy powers. To make it to New Year’s in one piece, she’ll need to learn a few new tricks.…"

I know you're interested now and would love to win a signed copy. Here are some quick contest rules.

Please leave a comment with your name in this blog entry on my Blogger or LiveJournal account.

Do NOT leave your email address (This is to protect you from SPAMMERS)

This contest is open to domestic and international readers.

The contest closes at midnight on Saturday, November 7, 2009.

The winner will be announced on Sunday, November 8, 2009 and he/she will have one week to contact me or the book will go out for another contest.

Good luck!

Contest Round 16 Winner

I'm running a bit late this Sunday in announcing the winner of a signed copy of Rachel Vincent's Stray. But then, I'm watching my DVR version of Simpson's Treehouse of Horror right now, so I'm not running too late with things. Anyway, we had more than 130 entries for this book. I entered the numbers into the random number generator, and the winner is:

Southern Princess

Who wrote on my blogger account:

"OME! I would love to win this one!!!

I love Rachel's books!

http://princesscourtneysbarr.blogspot.com"

Southern Princess, please email me your name and mailing address to JocelynnDOTdrakeATgmailDOTcom by Sunday, November 8, 2009 to claim your prize. If I don't hear from you by November 8, the book will go out for another contest.

In the meantime, stay tuned for more giveaway goodies. Also, don't forget that National Novel Writing Month starts today. It's not too late to join in the fun! Come and be my writing buddy!

Preparing for Halloween

Time is winding down for the big day! Halloween!
I just dumped a massive pile of candy into my black cauldron and I checked the candles in the jack-o-lanterns. I think I'm ready for a little trick-or-treating.

This year, I'm going to be handing out candy with my parents and then I'm off to see a friend's band play. In addition, I'm heading out for a little pre-Halloween celebration by attending Cincinnati's 96Rock Band e-monium concert tonight to see another friend's band play -- Faceblind. If you're living in the Cincinnati area, come out and support some great local bands at the Madison Theater!

But for a few hours today, I'm planning to work on the outline for Book 6 in the Dark Days series. It's a little earlier than I was planning considering that I've still got some edits coming my way for books 4 and 5. However, Sunday marks the beginning of November, which is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). For the first time, I have officially signed up to participate. Do you have novel that you've been meaning to work on? Now is the perfect time to start! Sign up and we'll cheer each other on as we work toward writing 50,000 words in one month. Join and be my writing buddy!

And don't forget that Saturday is the last day to enter to win a signed copy of Rachel Vincent's Stray! Scroll down and leave a comment in Monday's blog entry!

Contest Round 16: Rachel Vincent

It's Monday and it's going to be a very busy, busy day! Just a reminder: I will be hanging out at Bitten By Books all day, answering questions and chatting it up with readers. They are also running an awesome contest, so come over and hang out with me!

But wait! There's more and you know it! It's Monday, so that means it's time for another super entry in my Contest Extravaganza! This week, I'm giving away a signed copy of Rachel Vincent's Stray. This is the first book in her Shifters series. If you haven't started this series yet, winning a this book is a great way to get started! And even if you have read the series, wouldn't you like to own a signed copy of the first book in the series?

Here is a description of Stray:

"I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds. Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself.

Until the night a Stray attacked. This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back... for my own protection.

Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever and whoever--I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays--'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them..."

I've read this one and it's awesome. You don't want to miss out on this book or series. If you're interested in throwing your name in the hat, here are some quick rules.

Leave a comment in this entry on either my Blogger or LiveJournal account.
Do NOT leave your email address (This is to protect you from SPAMMERS)
The contest is open to domestic and international readers.
The contest closes at midnight Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, October 31.
I will announce the winner on Sunday, November 1.
The winner will have until Sunday, November 8 to contact me or the book will go out for another contest.

Thanks and good luck!