Seriously? *raises eyebrow at self* THIS is what you call staying in touch with your Minions? You haven’t blogged in a friggin’ MONTH??? That’s crazy talk! Unforgivable! You’ll be lucky if the Minions haven’t crawled away into tiny dark holes to ignore you forever. Not that you haven’t been busy, but still. A month. Psshaw, Auntie Heather! Psshaw!
Minions, I know I’ve said it before, but your dear Auntie is absolutely sorry for the looooooooooooong silence on her blog. Time sometimes gets away with me – especially when I live half of my life inside my head, and inside other worlds. Worlds full of vampires and blood and monsters and teeth. Worlds with katanas and darkness and the hope that our hero will somehow survive the impossible. It’s distracting – very distracting – from the real world, but I’ve been there plenty too. And so I’ve been pretty distracted from blogging lately, but never (never ever ever, my Minions) am I distracted from you. You are always in my thoughts, always at the center of my shriveled up, black little heart, and I love you all more than I can say. So, with that, I give you…the past month of my life.
After accepting the Truman Readers Award, I had a few adventures with some of my favorite authors. First off, in early April, I attended (for the third year in a row – wooooooo, threepeat!) Book Battle at Pattonville Heights Middle School in Maryland Heights, MO. As always, it was EPIC! I got to hang with Minions, and even got to meet and hang out with the great and powerful James Dashner – author of THE MAZE RUNNER series and five-star general of the Dashner Army. After Book Battle we had a nice lunch, wherein James and I contemplated our eventual world domination. (It’s what writers do – we also forget to take pics of us together…as in this case.) And so a good day was had by all!
These Minions designed their team t-shirts with me in mind (no, really)!
Shortly after Book Battle, I took a little trip to a place called Rochester, NY, where I took part in something so incredible that words cannot possibly convey how cool it was (is!). I took part in TBF (otherwise known as Rochester Teen Book Festival). First off, let me say that the good folks at TBF know how to spoil authors rotten. Dinner, presents, accolades, and great company, followed by getting driven to the event in classic cars, partaking in a parade, walking up the red carpet to screaming fans, and that’s all just before the festival! Seriously, Rochester – how am I supposed to enjoy other festivals now?? It was amazing. And even more amazing was the fabulous Punching Bag panel I was on with A.S. King and Jackie Morse Kessler. We discussed bullying in every form – external/physical bullying, self-bullying (emotional), relationship bullying (by friends and boy/girlfriends).
Yep. That's us!
We had three panels and I’m not sure we got through any of them without at least one person tearing up. But it felt so good to share our experiences, and it was so amazing to connect with so many of you on that level. I positively adore A.S. and Jackie, and love their books, so you should totally give their stuff a try – if you like books that make you feel like someone understands how you feel, theirs totally do. AND! I have pics!
Our Fabulous Ride to the Festivities
The Fabulous Eric Luper Takes the Passenger Seat
A.S. King, Yours Truly, and Jackie Morse Kessler Riding in Style
The floor was lined with gold stars with our names on them!
Our Keepers: without them, A.S., Jackie, and I would have likely wandered off into parts unknown! (which is something else that authors often do...)
Since TBF, I’ve been dealing with some weird jaw issues. Apparently, I clench my jaw when I sleep, due to stress. So I kinda injured a joint and muscle in my jaw, and had to get on all this weird medication just to fix it. It’s almost all better now, but it was incredibly difficult to sleep there for a while. And that really messed with my ability to write, so I’m a bit behind on BLOODBOUND (which my incredibly patient editor has been amazing about). But I’m working hard on it now, so the second draft of that book should be done very soon (WOOT!).
In how-FANGtastic-is-this? news: My Italian publisher, Nord, just created this trailer for CoVT! Check it out: http://youtu.be/skZTlzRyamM (Sorry – tried to embed it, but the video refused to bend to my omnipotent will…er sumfin’.)
And DUDE. When’s the last time you stopped by www.VladTod.com or www.highschoolbites.com?? We now have Minion Horde membership cards, and a couple new Fang lines of awesomeness (including the adorable Fangette). It’s crazy how big you’ve grown, Minion Horde. You do your Auntie Heather very, very proud. 
And…she promises not to leave you all alone for another month.
Hey…who painted all the coffins purple??? And what happened to our spiderweb curtains??
Tags: Awesome Authors, BLOODBOUND, Travel, Way Too Much Time Away From My Minions
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@Vampire12b
Dude I’m always using other language !! I speak spanish Pero no me pongo a hablar aqui asi para que nadie me entienda!! hahahaha!! et Je parle un peu de Francais aussi
OMG, first off, just gotta say it’s refreshing reading the blog of a published author because there is always perfect spelling. *wipes forehead* phew, thank goodness for that. Also, I wanna ask why you, Auntie Heather, only go to the major cities like NY and LA and cities like that? Could you show some love to us lower beings down here in Denver?? I’d love to meet you and I can’t do that unless you do so pleeeease visit me here in Colorado!! Thirdly, I’m glad your mouth pain has gone away and I can’t wait for Bloodbound!!
‘Nuff said.
i found my soul mate* makes googly eyes* he is purrrrrrrrfect for me…. unfortunatly i have stalkers who are in danger of loseing an arm if they get anywhere near me with hostile intents….*eeeeeevillll grin* @vc i loooooooveeeeee the beatles and the same thing happend to me the other day and i really pissed me off.
me; hey what ya listening to?
them; some stupid band
me; who?
them;(hands earbud to me.)
ipod;lucy in the skyy with diiimonds
me;HELL NO you do NOT irepeat NOT disrespect the beatles!!!!!!!!
them; (looks scared as hell)whatever.
see? noone knows who they are any more!!!!! no f***ing is our generation going to forget that part of history i mean the beatles are the reason for music period!!!!!!
sorry Auntie I thought that the coffins should be purple… The curtains however i did nothing too. I’ve missed you and i’m glad you had fun and are okay now. i’ll be waiting for your book and blog i’m hoping that when i graduate my being bullied stops thnk you Auntie Heather for giving me something to cling to and someone to believe in.
SWEETNESS!
@ rebecca
you recked her coffins? hahahahahahahahaha
Oh my gosh, that sounds so cool!! Glad to hear from you again, Auntie!
OMV auntie good 4 u!!! I read Fear & Eternal, They were AWESOME!!!!! So glad ur mouth doesn’t hurt any more!!
Stay a vampire
OMV auntie good 4 u!!! I read Fear & Eternal, They were AWESOME!!!!! So glad ur mouth doesn’t hurt any more!!
Stay a vampire
Hola! Me llamo Sammi. Y tu? Soy una chika. Mi hermana es antipatica. Estupida!
hola sammi mi llama es rissa soy un chicka tambien mi hermana es estupida tambien y mi hermanos es idiotos simpatico to meet you….mi espanole es no bueno………..
My spanish is a little off. (But only a little.)
Oh! What does everyone think of ATC (A Touch of Class??
P.s. I watched So You Think You Can Dance.. Some chick says one of the Beatles is her dad.
I could never ever be mad at you, Auntie Heather!
OMG! that trailer was awesome!
i loved it! and auntie heather! and fluffy bunnies! today was my last day of school so thts awesome and…. wellp thats all i hav to tell my fellow minions and our awesome auntie! 
glad ur back auntie
@October and X-Fang
ohh y chica es con C no con K 
X-fang/sammi Tu espanol si es bueno 
hahaha creo que hasta mejor que el mio por que soy un asco en ortografia 
y October lo que escribiste esta bien estructurado pero algunas palabras las pusiste mal como por ejemplo tu dices “Mi hermano es Idiota” no idiotos …. hahahaha si quieren les ensenio a insultar… If you didn’t understand don’t worry 
Necesitan practicar mas su espanol !!! Se los digo yo por que yo en realidad hablo espanol y no ingles… aunque me gusta mas el ingles
@October
and like the Characters have the names of like the songs that the beatles had like one is Jude like “Hey Jude” andther is Prudence like “Dear Prudence” or Saddy like “Sexy Saddy” nd of couse Lucy as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” 
Have you seen the Movie “Across the Universe” with Jin Strugges?? Is an Excelent Movie with songs from The Beatles
Yayyy~ you’re back, Auntie! I’m so happy…
BTW, a lot of people HATE Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds because of the initials of the song, they think that the Beatles were on LSD when they wrote it, but that’s not true. I love that song because it’s like another world!
A sound soul dwells within sound mind and sound body.
Ok. I’m tired of spanish now…
@Isabel Flor How much do you know! That’s enough to blow my head clean off my shoulders!!!
I have the same problem with my jaw, Auntie! I haven’t gotten it fixed yet, so what you said doesn’t make it sound super good to me. I’m not excited to get it fixed now…
omv!!!! Vlad is awsome, even in Itallian!!! Makes me wish i could speak the language1 XD
I got a little crazy with the purple paint…..*looks at ceiling* but I made some fangs. And sense when do we have spider web curtains. WE HAVE NO OF DAT NO MORE, WE MAKE VAMPIRE CURTAINS! *runs off to make some….or steal some……whatever comes first*
@ Danielle
i already owned up to painting the coffins gawsh…
you stole the curtains but don’t steel my thunder on the coffins!!!
Wow sounds kind of like you’ve been busy! The jaw problem I hope gets better for you, and the places you’ve been recently sounded like they treated you awesome! Wish I could walk down the red carpet…. ride in a float… and have fans screaming to me….. Oh wait was I saying that?! Sorry just my imagination running wild again.
@X-fang
hahaha!! I am graduated from an English Academy and that’s why I know so much… and yea Spanish pisses me off all the time that’s why I like to be here and speak to you people 
hahaha!! and because you people are cool 
Dude I’m Ecuatorian I speak Spanish cuz I was born here!! and you should say how much english you know cuz that’s another language to me… though I like English way more than spanish that’s why even here I speak with my friends in English cuz I love it
Hey mommy heather!
im perty sure the video is good but i dont kno wat it means! lol can u plz see if your Nord-italian-publisher-dude can make another 1 in english?plz thnx lol….
anywho hope u had fun…plz come to chicago. we <3 u and hope to meet u 1 day.
i look up to u.
i think ur raw.
and i cant wait to do nothin but read ur blog and other books all summer long!!
i just bought these hot gloves tht remind me of auntie heather, they r blak and on the wrist it is black and white checkered with a zipper and some studs i where them evry day! <3
forevr in eternity,
Ally_Dorian/Vlad_Lovr
:* mwa
Membership cards? o wo I want some of that.
Anyway, glad our Auntie has been having fun during the month of May. Ive had the jaw problem before. I never took medication, just bit my tongue instead.
Sorta worked, but now i managed to just control my grinding.
And oh my gosh, i so want those girl’s book battle shirts. ; w; Id love to have that in our school, but im in the only reading club in our school with only 5 members. :Y Oh well.
@Isabel flor
I’m not just say they weren’t good. I’m saying they SUCKED! come on any1 with me here or am I just alone like I always am.
@ Isabel
I see what ur sayin’. English is better than spanish. But guess what.. I’m gonna learn Chinese next year at school!
Bad Auntie Heather!
I am happy you had fun, but
YOU HAVEN’T BLOGGED IN FOREVER. >=(
=_= …
Oh well, you blogged now. So…
If I am truly to forgive you, I require-
•First Kill by my b-day (July 12)
•2 Rainbow riding Sparkly black unicorns of DEATH!!
•and a Black and red Fangette hoody.
PLLEEAASSEE??!!
={
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.
Mark Twain
But there’s nothing to forgive, Auntie! We know you’re busy. Good luck!
@vampire12b
wht language is tht?
And……
Hi:)
@raven nightwing
I like the saying
@October
oh ikr!!it pisses ne off
how can ppl like tis poppy techno stuff?
I am really hoping that you will come to Maine for a visit. I really want to meet you but many people seem to have forgotten Maine. It is a state of the unknown.
AAAAWWWWWEE I thought you wouldn’t notice the curtains…
I am SOOOOOOOOOO excited for all your new books coming out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GAH! I think I’m going to have to get new copies of some of the Vlad Tod books and send them to you to be signed because though I have all of them and signed when you were at the Fairview Borders, some of them are kind of rumpled now… LOL? Some of my friends are not as kind to books I would like.
@X-fang
yea… English is beter and Easier… Really I speak Spanish but I can express myself easier in English and I read faster in English!! hahhaha!!
@bfmv
“Sitting on a cornflake … Waiting for the band to come… corporation tshirt stupid bloody tuesday, By you’ve been a naughty girl you let your face go long”
WHAT!?!?! nonsense!! The Beatles were and Are the best band that this world have had!! ok? their music will live forever cuz they are the best!!!
THE BEATLES ROCKS!!!
@ isabel flor
i agree! ppl are free to think diff but its true no matter what!!!
papa was a rolling stonnee
it was the third of september
the day i always remember
the day my papa died
(september 3 is my dads bday)
(he aint dead though…)
I’m sooooooo glad you blogged! I was soooooo worried! I was about to call the coroner to see if you were dead! And not the vampire-dead(I would soooo love to be vampire-dead!) but like dead-dead. Like someone took a silver tipped stake and stuck it through your heart!
BUT I’M SOOOO GLAD YOUR NOT DEAD-DEAD AND STILL ABLE TO BLOG!!! 
Yaaaaay! I missed u auntie heather!
you where in Rochester…..thats an hour or 2 from where i live…..-.-” grrr no one ever comes to oswego
oh well.
@Vampire Converse
Yea they can have different opinions but they CAN’T say the Beatles Sucked cuz IT’S NOT TRUE!!