(Isn’t this pic great? I love how vengeful the cute little goth girl looks. Granted, she’s no Lenore…)

Okay, so it’s that time of year again…but this time, you have the opportunity to win big!

Check out TeensReadToo.com’s “31 Days of Giving”: A Holiday Spectacular Sweepstakes Event. You can win a TON of cool book-related prizes…including something spiffy from yours truly. (And, just so you know, this coffin backpack is different from the one I gave away in my ‘Bat to School’ contest…this one is SHINY and has a bat on it….so, it’s a batpack, if you think about it.)

Speaking of the ‘Bat to School’ contest…I mailed prizes out yesterday to the lucky winners. And tomorrow, I’m shipping out ARCs to reviewers. My brilliant critique partner is reading NINTH GRADE SUCKS. And I am catching up on some serious, well-deserved procrastination time.

Oh, and this rawks. Take a listen.

It’s Meljprincess!!! Congrats, loyal minion–here’s hoping that Vlad can make you forget about your cold for a little bit. Drop me a line with your mailing info and I’ll get that out to you this week.

Now, how can the rest of you get a sneak peek at EIGHTH GRADE BITES? Easy. You watch my blog and, occasionally, I’ll give an ARC away. All I ask is that you tell people about my book. Easy-peasy, minions. Easy-peasy. (And it’s even easier if you’re a book reviewer…you simply ask me for one)

Now, what’s going on in the world of Heather? Well, I have a nasty little sinus problem (boo!), but I finished my revisions of NINTH GRADE SUCKS (yay!). I haven’t mailed out the prizes for my last contest or ARCs for review (boo!), but I’m doing so this week (yay!). I’m waaaaay behind in email (boo!), but I’m going to be on a fabulous YA panel at the 2007 Backspace conference (yay!). So, all in all, the good far outweighs the bad.

Now if only I could breathe out of my right nostril.

According to my amazing editor and brilliant copyeditor, today is Vlad’s birthday! So crack open an artery and celebrate, minions–and Vlad…I hope you have a fangtastic day!

In other news, I’m getting soooooo close to being finished with the NINTH GRADE SUCKS revisions that it’s scary. (No really…some parts are SCARY) And speaking of scary, one woman who’s read an ARC (yes, yes, I’m mailing them all out soon) told me that she almost had to wake her husband up while she was reading EIGHTH GRADE BITES, because it was so scary. (I’m thinking YAY ME!!!) And she still went on to rave about the book, so maybe I know what I’m doing after all.

Anyway, happy birthday, Vlad. And many fangs for coming into my life. =

EDITED TO ADD: As a matter of fact, in honor of that little sucker’s big day, let’s hold a mini contest. Just reply to this post to enter to win an advanced copy of EIGHTH GRADE BITES. I’ll leave this up for a week. Tell your friends!

I admit it. I’m totally blogging out of guilt. I haven’t had the time. But I’m making time now, so that’s what counts.

What’s been keeping me busy? Why, the revisions of NINTH GRADE SUCKS, of course! Scroll down a little, look at the red bar under “Writing Progress”. How beautiful is that? Almost finished.

Must. Keep. Writing.

Talk amongst yourselves.

I’ve been tagged by Nic to list 5 (more) little known facts about myself. Hmmm…let’s see…

1) I have two tattoos (and want more).
2) I can fold my hands in half (which is good for escaping handcuffs and reaching into jars).
3) I once hung out with Weird Al after a concert in Clio, Michigan, after standing in the pouring rain for two hours (it was so worth it!).
4) I have lived in six different states.
5) My favorite number is 13.

I’m tagging every single one of my Minions. Either on your blog or in the comments here, tell me five things about you!

I woke up this morning to a GIANT, SCALY CAVERN on (in?) my lip. It’s ugly. I mean waaay ugly. I’m talking poke-it-with-a-stick-just-to-see-if-it-moves ugly.

A cold sore.

My first. (Yes, really.)

Yuck.

So apart from battling the THING ON MY FACE and desperately trying to catch up on email (I SWEAR I’ll get back to you all by the end of the week!), I’m also hard at work on NINTH GRADE SUCKS , as well as excitedly awaiting two boxes of ARCs! (If you’re a reviewer, let me know and I’ll get you a copy…seriously…I’m cool like dat) NGS goes well. Vlad and I have found our groove. But it’s weird. As I’m working through these changes, I’m learning more about the entire series. And minions…you won’t see it coming. =

Also, I’m quitting Diet Pepsi. Again. So, y’know, we’ll see how that works out. And I’m determined to organize my desk and keep it that way (which is a futile effort, I’m sure–for some reason, the organized chaos fuels me lately…okay, maybe I’m not that determined).

Wow. I live a really boring life.

Hoo boy, have there been changes on the NINTH GRADE SUCKS front. Thanks to Paul asking me a particularly brilliant question (really, that’s not sarcasm…it was brilliant), I’m going back to the beginning and starting my revisions anew. But, it should be a kick-butt sequel to EIGHTH GRADE BITES, so I’m super excited about it.

The lovely Martha O’Connor, author of The Bitch Posse (if you haven’t read it, RUN to your nearest bookstore, because it’s AMAZING), tagged me for the five things about you meme…and it’s such a fun meme, that I have no problem coming up with five more things about me…

1) I’m completely anal about all the can labels in my pantry facing forward. Many people gasped at how evil the husband from “Sleeping with the Enemy” was for insisting on this…I just viewed him as orderly.

2) I can’t sleep with my socks on at night, no matter how cold my feet get, because my feet can’t breathe.

3) I’ve been addicted to Diet Pepsi for several years and, much to my surprise, I can’t seem to quit it.

4) I had never considered writing for tweens and teens until Vlad popped into my head.

5) My desk is home to many unorthodoxed things that I need to write. Such as my gargoyle, my frozen Charlotte doll, and my leprechaun in a jar.

I’m going to tag JA Konrath, Melanie Lynne Hauser, Ewoh Nairb, Ally Carter, and Nichole.

I am so friggin’ COLD lately that I may just lose my mind. But, I can keep myself warm enough with the happy happy joy joy glow of knowing that I’ve completed the tweaking of EIGHTH GRADE BITES. My wonderful editor (I love her–I really do) has sworn that the question-asking is done (I’m trying really hard to believe her), and the book is as good as the book is going to get. I really hope you all like it, that the world likes it, and that I can keep doing this for the rest of my life. Because, as much of a rollercoaster as getting published has been, I love my job, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. (Who else gets to go to work in their jammies all day and refer to purchasing the new My Chemical Romance CD as “a business expense”?) So please…I’m begging you…buy my book. If you hate it, I’ll do everything I can to make you love the next one.

Speaking of which…

I’m about (kinda, sorta) half-way through my revisions of NINTH GRADE SUCKS. (Yay me!) And I think that the reason these revisions have been such a pain is that I’ve learned an enormous amount from my editor and copyeditor. In short, I’m better armed against the ugliness and less-than-logical points of a draft. I can do this. It’s so weird knowing that I can do this…and do it well. I may never be Stephen King…but I’m confident I have the ability to simultaneously scare people and make them laugh. So, in a week and a half I’m thinking I’ll send NGS on to my Crit Partner and by December 1st, this sucker should be moving to my fabulous agent. With his blessing, I’ll forward it to my wonderful editor and hopefully…hopefully they’ll like it.

If not, it’s back to the drawing board.

Maybe with a pitchfork.

(No. I don’t know what I meant by that either.)

By the by, if the beginning of your email address is jadedmetaphor, please email me with your name and mailing address–you’ve won one of the Minion Packs in my ‘Bat to School’ contest!

BIG CONGRATS to Thomas Kingsley Troupe, who won the coffin backpack, and to Emily Burkot, who won the Demonia batwing wallet! Also to Stephanie March, Michael Morrell, Denise Ashworth, and Kelly Condon, who each won a Minion Pack! My first newsletter will come out soon, and will contain the first glimpse of my next contest–thanks for entering everyone, and good luck in the next one!

Okay, so I’ve been EXTREMELY anti-blog lately. And I have no excuse, but for the fact that I’m writing, and that my personal life is full of happy happy joy joy to the point that I’m making myself queazy. The question is…can my minions forgive my absence?

…already contacted! So, my minions, if you entered my ‘Bat to School’ contest and I didn’t email you already, I’m sorry, you didn’t win. BUT! I’m already gearing up for my next contest, so watch for the newsletter, because this one is going to RAWK!

And of course, fangs for entering! =