Walking in a Winter Wonderland (a recap of the Snow Ball)
February 8th, 2010WOW. I knew I coud throw a party. And I knew the Snow Ball would be a blast. But I had NO IDEA it would be THAT much fun!!! Pics absolutely cannot do this justice, but I had my sister snap off a few for this blog (thanks, Dawn!), until the really good pics come back from the photographer, just so I could show you all the awesomeness that was the Snow Ball.
First off, I’ve been told that there was a line outside the door starting a half hour before doors were set to open. You Minions must have been anxious! But I wouldn’t know. Because from about a half hour before until about 20 mins. after the doors opened, I was sitting in a back, dark, lonely lil room, waiting for my big rock n roll entrance to begin.
And then it did.
My lovely assistant/husband, Paul, rallied up the crowd to the tune of “Headfirst for Halos” by MCR (one of my FAVE songs), and after he announced “Auntie Heather Brewer!!”, my son Jacob (who was totally Vlad!) opened the door and I came out to so much applause and screams that I nearly cried. After a few high fives, I thanked everyone for coming and read from ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS. Just look at all these adoring faces:
And then…it was time to get down to business. It was party time.
We ate great food. I signed people, stuff, and books (which are like stuff, but not quite). The room (which you can’t see well in pics) was covered in snow and ice. Even the cake was all snowflakes (and you can’t see it in the pics, but the cake maker, Dahlia, painted little Vlad Marks all around the base – and the big Vlad smiley at the top was covered with actual silver leaf). By the time the cake cutting commenced, I was sooooo tempted to hack and slash it to pieces in a psycho move…but I held back, so everyone could enjoy it.
So after the cake, there was more signing. Here’s a quick peek at PART of the line (which went on forever and never shrank. Seriously. The only time I had away from signing was for filming suff with the videographers. But it was so amazing, I didn’t care.)
And the Minions danced the night away!!
But no worries. It wasn’t ALL signing. Just before midnight, Paul got me on the dance floor.
It was amazing, and I’m so blessed to have spent that evening with so many Minions. THANK YOU!
And if you missed the Snow Ball, but you live in or near Sattle (or are willing to travel), come see me tomorrow night!!! I’ll be at Secret Garden Bookshop at 7pm.
Tomorrow’s the big day, Minion Horde. ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS is about to be unleashed!!!
EDITED TO ADD:
As requested, here’s a pic of my son, Jacob, and the lovely Mina Lovett!
Last Minute Snow Ball and Tour Deets
February 3rd, 2010Oh, Minions. Minions, Minions, Minions. We have so much to talk about! And so little time to talk and jabber and SQUEE about it all!
First, let me catch you up on the craziness that is my life. I just handed in TWELFTH GRADE KILLS. My editor (new editor, actually) is reading and loving it. AND…I just saw the cover for 12th! So, I’m all happyhappyjoyjoy about that right now. As I type this, I’m sitting here with purple goop in my hair. (After all…re-purplizing is important to the awesomeness that is my hair.) I have a list of fourteen different tasks to take care of today, and tomorrow, I jump on a plane to Michigan, to ready the last minute details of the Snow Ball!!!
Now, if you ARE going to the Snow Ball: bring your fangs, get pumped, and feel free to bring along books for me to autograph. Books will be available for purchase. HOWEVER, ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS will NOT be available to buy that night. You’ll get your copy that’s part of your ticket purchase, but the book isn’t officially being released until February 9th, so it’s a big deal that any early copies are getting out at all. BUT! EIGHTH GRADE BITES, NINTH GRADE SLAYS, and TENTH GRADE BLEEDS will be available for purchase, so bring your cash too, if you’d like to buy copies there. Also…leave a little extra room in your suitcase if you’re flying in from out of state, as there will be many FANGtastic prizes. And if you haven’t done so yet, please read my last blog entry and don’t forget to bring along your signed release form!
If you are NOT going to the Snow Ball: I sincerely hope that I will see you somewhere on my tour (click the Appearances link at the top of the page to see if I’m coming near you!). Please call ahead and ask the stores if it’s okay to bring books from home, but even if they say it is, please pick up a copy from the store itself, as they’re nice enough to bring me out to see all of you – it’s a cool way to say ‘thank you’. Feel free to dress in vampire finery, to don your Vlad smiley proudly, and bring all of your friends!
If you will NOT see me while I’m on tour: Hold a Vlad party! Get friends together, raid the nearest bookstore, snatch up copies of ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS and have a read-in (like a lock-in, but with reading). Make vampire cupcakes, take pics in the cemetery, do something cool…and then tell Auntie Heather all about it. 
And if you plan on going to Books & Books in Coral Gables, FL to see me…you’ll want to check this out.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited and nervous and anxious in my life, Minions. I’ve packed/unpacked/repacked three times each, and I’m still not ready. But I am excited that I’ll have the opportunity to see so many of my Minions. I feel like we should have a secret handshake or something!!!
But then…in a way…we do. I can always recognize members of the Minion Horde, and – thanks to the purple hair and plans for world domination – I think you can always recognize me. So…if you see me wandering around any of the towns on my tour, looking a little lost, feel free to stop me and say hi. Because Auntie Heather loves you, Minions!
I fly out on Monday to begin my tour. And I plan to blog about it. With pics. So….see you soon, Minion Horde!
IMPORTANT: if you’re attending the Snow Ball…
January 28th, 2010Minions, my publisher (Penguin young Readers) is sending someone to film the Snow Ball and make a cool Vlad promo video. However, you’ll need a release form signed in order to appear in the video. If you are under 18, you need your parents’ signature and permission to appear in the video. So…now here’s the important part…if you want to be in the video, please copy the following text into a Word file (or something similar), print it and hvae a parent/guardian sign it, then bring it with you to the Snow Ball in Grand Blanc, MI.
——————————————————————-
PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT AND RELEASE: Audio and/or Audiovisual Recording for Promotional Purposes
For good and valuable consideration (the receipt and adequacy of which I hereby acknowledge), I authorize Penguin Group (USA) Inc. (“Penguin”) and its licensees, agents, independent contractors, distributors, successors, assigns, and parent, subsidiary and affiliated entities (collectively, including Penguin, “Releasees”) to create, distribute, exhibit and display, in all media now known or hereafter developed, audio and/or audiovisual recorded work(s) (the “Recordings”) using my voice, actions, likeness, photograph, name, appearance, reading, interview, statements, performance, biographical material, and any materials submitted by me in connection with the Recordings. The foregoing may be used in the Recordings and all editions and derivations thereof, in whole or in part, with possible editing or modifications (or may not be used in the Recordings in Penguin’s sole discretion) in all languages throughout the world in perpetuity for the purposes of promotion, publicity, marketing or advertisement of book(s) published by Penguin and of Penguin’s publishing business generally.
I waive and release the Releasees individually and jointly from and against any and all claims which I have or may have now or in the future, whether known or unknown, based on or arising from the Recordings and all editions and derivations thereof, including without limitation, any moral rights of any description, any right to approve the Recordings, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, misrepresentation, emotional distress, copyright infringement, or any fees for such uses.
I acknowledge and agree that I will not be entitled to any compensation, benefits or expenses in connection with the Recordings or for signing this Agreement and Release, and that I am not an employee of Penguin.
I agree that Penguin exclusively owns all right, title, and interest (including copyright) in and to the Recordings.
This Agreement and Release shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, agents, administrators and assigns. This Agreement and Release sets forth the entire understanding of the parties concerning its subject matter, merges any prior understandings written or oral, will be governed by the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements wholly to be performed therein, and may not be modified except by a written instrument signed by both parties.
Dated: ________________________________ ____
Name: ___________________________________________________(print)
Signature: _________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________
Phone/email: _______________________________________________
Shhhhh! Auntie Heather isn’t here right now. Seriously. I am totally taking the week off, away from the internet, so that I can finish polishing TWELFTH GRADE KILLS.
But I love you.
Truly, madly, deeply.
And also…
I love tacos.
We are so close, Minions. So close to so many fangtastic things that I can amost taste it. (Especially when I nom on them, which I tend to do)
First off, there’s the Snow Ball. If you haven’t ordered tickets yet…you’re outta luck. As you can see, I’ve taken the links down, so that I can have time to ship the last few tickets to Minions who did order them (and fyi, if you’ve ordered, but don’t have yours by Wednesday of next week, please email me, so I can put your name on a special list they’ll have at the door). BUT DON’T DESPAIR!!!
If you can’t make it to the Snow Ball, you can catch up with me on my tour (See that Appearances link up at the top of the page? Yeah, that one. Click it.) Aaaaand, if you can’t make it to one of those events, then you’ll be able to follow my blog while I’m away and bask in the glory that is Auntie Heather on tour! Complete with pics.
But I really hope you all can make it. Without you, I’m just Heather, chick who writes books. But with you, I am THE GREAT AND POWERFUL AUNTIE HEATHER, DESTROYER OF ALL THINGS!!!!!
*ahem* Okay. Maybe not.
Next, we’re waiting on the Big Day. The day that ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS is released. I am jumping outta my seat about this, Minions! Feel free to speculate about what happens in this book here in the comments (THERE WILL LIKELY BE SPOILERS, SO IF YOU WANT TO AVOID THEM, DON’T READ THE COMMENTS). I’m geeked to see if you guys can guess what’s coming.
Now…onto the important stuff. What should I wear on tour???
Auntie Heather and the Creepy Basement of DOOM!
January 19th, 2010I’ve never had an office. When I first started writing from home, my computer was on a small desk in the living room. I got a bigger desk, we moved, but even there, I was in the dining room. Another move…and here I am, back in the dining room again. It sucks writing from here – it’s at the center of the house,with all its noise and business. And I get distracted easily. So for a few months now, I’ve been looking for an office to rent.
Only the offices I’ve found have been too expensive, sub-par, too big, too small, too far, or just plain icky. Plus, I’ve got a lot of travel planned, which would seriously cut down on the time I’d actually be in the office. Plus a million other reasons, which have lead me to…
The basement. I’m moving to the creepy, unfinished basement, complete with stud walls and cobwebs. Ew.
Still…creepy has its charm. I just wish I had an office.
Whine over. Auntie has work.
By week’s end, I’ll be blogging from the Creepy Basement.
Unless a spider eats me or something.
Behold! My Awesome Hair! (and a bit about BLOODBOUND)
January 12th, 2010First thing’s first: did you know you can buy the paperback of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS starting today??? GO DO IT!!! RIGHT NOW!!!
And now…my hair is awesome. I think we all know that. I mean, just look at my inbox – literally dozens of emails a day that comment on how much my hair rules. And it does. It’s totally not even egotistical to admit your hair rocks. It’s called “high self-esteem” (or maybe “hair self-esteem” – what do ya think, Minions?). But…what you’re all wondering is who does my hair/where I get my dye/how I do it. The answers to these questions are simple:
1. I do my own hair (kinda).
2. Online.
3. Carefully.
Shall I explain? I mean, for those of you who cannot resist the urge to dye your hair funky colors, you’ve gotta want answers, and Auntie Heather is not one to disappoint her Minion Horde.
1. I do my own hair (kinda).
I do. Really. I used to dye the black at home, but it’s so time consuming to touch up roots every three or four weeks, and the black dye gets EVERYWHERE, so now I go to an amazing stylist, who touches up my roots and cuts my hair and is generally all around brilliant. But the purple…that’s all me, and I’ll explain more about that in #2. Speaking of which…
2. Online.
That’s where I buy my purple dye. It’s a brand called Special Effects. While most funky color dyes (like the dreaded, pillowcase discoloring manic Panic) will fade and bleed out very quickly, Special Effects stays bright until I re-dye. Oh sure, it gradually changes from purple to fuchsia to a weird pink, but it’s the best funky dye out there. TRUST ME ON THIS. Auntie Heather has been doing this stuff for years.
I buy Special Effects Pimpin’ Purple online (usually Amazon, because it’s way cheap and sometimes I get free shipping), as well as White Out hair bleach (which I get at Hot Topic – again, the best I’ve found).
3. Carefully.
It’s not hard to get your hair to look like mine. Now, when I first dyed it, I had to bleach out my bangs (bleaching makes it so the funky dye will turn out brighter on your hair), but now I just re-bleach the roots. Once bleached (follow those instructions carefully!), I put dye in my bangs, clip them away from my face and leave it in all day. That’s right, as long as I possibly can (minimum 3.5 hours), before rinsing. The longer you leave it, the better it’ll look.
Oh, and if you’re under 18, you should probably ask your parents. But if you don’t, don’t tell them Auntie Heather told you how.
So…that’s how I get my hair to look the way it looks. I like it for now, but eventually, I’ll change it. I’m kinda like that.
Now, onto some BLOODBOUND bits. As you all know (or should, if you follow this blog regularly), in Fall of 2011, I have a new series starting called BLOODBOUND. There’s a brief description on this page. (if you haven’t, you should go read that now. Go on…we’ll wait…).
Back? Oh good! As I was saying, BLOODBOUND is a bit of a mystery, but as I’m just finishing up the edits for TWELFTH GRADE KILLS and I’m now writing BLOODBOUND, my head is there, so I want to talk about it some.
The main character in BLOODBOUND is a 16-year-old girl named Kaya. Now, in Kaya’s world, there are three classes of people: Barrons (a naturally-skilled warrior race), Healers (those with the ability to heal others), and the Unskilled (which are regular folks who have no special talents). Whenever a Barron is born in the world, somewhere, at the exact moment, his/her Healer is born. They are Bloodbound. When Bloodbound, a Healer can heal his/her Barron with a single touch. Cool, huh?
Kaya has been raised amongst the Unskilled, because her parents are both Barrons (that’s a big no-no–Healers and Barrons can be couples, but Healers and Healers or Barrons and Barrons cannot). So imagine her surprise when she receives a letter from the Headmaster of Shadow Academy, stating that her Barron is dead and she must report to the school immediately to be Bound to another Barron. (Being Bound isn’t as strong as being Bloodbound, but she will be able to heal her Barron–being Bloodbound is kinda like being soul mates)
Now, Kaya wants nothing to do with the Headmaster, the Barron she’s supposed to be Bound to, or any of that crap, but…she has no choice. The Headmaster insinuates that if she doesn’t come, he’ll bring the law down on her parents and have them killed.
Bummer, right?
So Kaya goes to this hidden school and learns that Healers are looked down upon, treated like pretty objects to be cherished, not people who can defend themselves. She learns that, despite the fact they are involved in a huge war, Healers are not allowed to learn how to fight or defend themselves. That’s the Barron’s job.
This doesn’t sit well with Kaya–not at all. So she trains in secrecy….which leads to all sorts of things I can’t tell you about.
But what I can tell you is that there are two boys that are hugely important to Kaya’s story. Trayton (the tall, dark, and handsome boy to whom she’ll be Bound) and Darius (the gorgeous, tan, silver-haired boy who trains her in secrecy).
So…any thoughts? Questions?
I’m all ears (and awesome hair).
Greetings, my Minions! And how are we all this cold, dark, bleak winter? Are you all revelling in the dark half of the year? Auntie is, for sure. Life has been keeping me very busy, but I just had to stop in and say hi to my Minions, plus share some happiness.
For one, I have a cat now! A sweet black kitty named (ha!) Amenti (of course). She’s feisty and can ooze sarcasm with but a glance. I love her! Plus, she keeps me company during the day while I write, which rocks my socks.
For two, I am all geared up for the Snow Ball, baby! It’s going to be MEGA AWESOME, which is like awesome, only to the Nth degree. Plus! I’m going to be touring all over the country right after that! So if you can’t hang with me at the Snow Ball, hopefully, you can hang with me at one of my events during the tour. Please call the stores and ask if they have anything special planned. I heard that there will be an anti-Vlaentines Day party and an in-store Snow Ball, so call and ask! I’ve updated my Appearances page with addresses and times, for all you Minions who keep asking when and where.
We are just WEEKS away from the release of ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS, Minions. Are you geeked out of your minds?! I totally am. I can’t wait to discuss deets of this book with you guys – it’s been sooooooo hard to keep my own secrets! But soon, all shall be revealed.
My days have been filled with writing (and petting Amenti) – what about you guys? Anything exciting going on? Catch me up!
Yours in Eternity,
Auntie Heather
Auntie Heather is Going on Tour!
December 22nd, 2009It’s official, Minions. I’m coming to a town (hopefully) near you! After the tour, I’ll be doing some things locally as well (in Saint Charles, MO and Fairview Heights, IL). More details will come later, including specific times. But for now…the places and dates:
February 6
Snow Ball Launch Party in Grand Blanc MI, book sales by Barnes & Noble (Flint MI) – book included in ticket purchase, details: http://www.heatherbrewer.com/snowball.php.
February 9
Third Place Books (Lake Forest Park WA)
Secret Garden (Seattle WA)
February 10
Powell’s (Portland OR)
February 12
Copperfields (Petaluma CA)
Keplers (Menlo Park CA) – special Snow Ball/Anti-Prom
February 13
Vromans (Pasadena CA) – Anti-Valentine’s Day Party
February 14
Books & Books (Miami FL) – special Valentine’s With Vampires Ball
February 15
Blue Willow (Houston TX)
February 17
Bookworm (Omaha NE)
February 18
Anderson’s (Naperville IL)
February 19
B&N (Cincinnati OH)
Joseph-Beth (Cincinnati OH)
February 20
Borders (Newark DE)
February 22 – 7:00pm
w/ Lisa McMann (author of WAKE, FADE & GONE)
Saint Louis County Library Headquarters
1640 S. Lindbergh Blvd. @ Clayton Rd.
St Louis, MO 63131
(314) 994-3300
So, as part of my celebration of being able to announce tour details…I’m giving away 13 advanced copies of ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS!!! Autographed, of course. Just comment to win! I’ll pick the winners on December 30th.
EDITED TO ADD: THE 13 WINNERS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN!!!
If your name is on the following list, just drop me an email at heather@heatherbrewer.com with your name and address and I’ll ship out your advanced copy of ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS!
Vampire Sushi
Lucas
Xahn
Cassay
Kaitlynn
Alisha (aka Mrs. Tod)
Etgotfangs
Austin Crowder
Eriesilence
Aanchal
Kaycie
Kelly
Heather
Another Vlad Song for the Holidays!
December 19th, 2009(to the tune of “I’m Gettin’ Nuttin’ for Christmas”)
I’ll be a vampire for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy don’t know
I’ll be a vampire for Christmas
My skin is as white as the snow
I can’t go out in Christmas day
Somebody drank my blood
On Christmas night I’ll have to play
Somebody drank my blood
My Christmas dinner comes in bags
Really they don’t taste too bad
I like hanging out with Vlad
Somebody drank my blood
I’ll be a vampire for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy don’t know
I’ll be a vampire for Christmas
My skin is as white as the snow
I’m up all night with Santa Claus
Somebody drank my blood
I just might get to see him because
Somebody drank my blood
And I know some would say it’s wrong
But did ya ever wonder how he’s lived so long
He might be the reason for this song
Somebody drank my blood
I’ll be a vampire for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy don’t know
I’ll be a vampire for Christmas
My skin is as white as the snow
MERRY VLADMAS, MINION HORDE!!!
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