Merry Hanukkahchristmaskwanzaasolsticewhatever! Whatever it is that you celebrate (or don’t), happy day to you!

Auntie Heather’s been very busy lately, but in a good way. The tree is up (it’s the Great Tree of Goth Awesomeness), the lights are on the house, the charities have been charitied to, the music is playing, and the presents are (for the most part) wrapped. And Auntie Heather is sitting by the fireplace, staring up into the darkness, awaiting a fat guy in a red coat to come tumbling down…preferably with chocolate for her stocking.

Aside from the usual holiday business, I’ve also been busy with writing. I finished TWELFTH GRADE KILLS (I’ll pause while you all celebrate), and you can watch for that in September 2010. I finished copyedits for an anthology short story that’s also coming out in September 2010. The story is a creepy lil number I call SHADOW CHILDREN and the anthology will be called FEAR: 13 STORIES OF SUSPENSE AND HORROR. What’s important about this antho is that International Thriller Writers (ITW) is teaming up with RIF (Reading is Fundemental), to raise money for their totally amazing cause. So…buy a copy. Heck, buy six!!

So now that I have a moment, while waiting on my editorial letter for TWELFTH, I’m working on BLOODBOUND.

And it is AWESOME! Such different writing than Vlad, so rich with description, and a lot of fun to write. I adore Kaya (the main character), as well as Maddox, Trayton, and yes, even Darius. (It’ll be so funny when you’ve all read the book and can go back and say, “Really, Auntie? Even Darius? Are you sure?”) So…I’m keeping busy and enjoying myself.

But I’m also thinking it’s time I rent some office space, as Auntie is tired of writing from the place between her dining room and living room. It’s like some kind of weird void, where distractions abound. I need my space. it’s not you, void, it’s me. Maybe we should see other people.

Also, are there any reviewers that haven’t received ARCs of ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS just yet? Because I still have a few…

Greetings, Minion Horde! Now, as most of you know, Auntie Heather is crazy busy (especially lately), so I haven’t been able to respond to the vast majority of emails I’ve been receiving (And I feel terribly guilty about that. I do. My Minions mean so much to me!). So…I was thinking I’d post some common questions/comments and respond here, in case you’re thinking about emailing Auntie Heather with anything like this:

Will there be a movie of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod? Can I be in it? I’m a great actor!

I’m certain you are, Minion. My Minions are creative, awesome peeps. But! I have no idea if a movie will be made. If and when movie rights are sold, you’ll hear it here first, on heatherbrewer.com!

You have awesome hair! I love your hair!

Why, thank you, Minion! It’s my natural color too – can you tell? My hair actually varies in color, depending on how many times I’ve washed it since a fresh dye job. At first it’s purple, then hot pink, then light pink, then I dye it again. The black is dyed too. My natural hair color is strawberry blonde. (ew)

I am the biggest Vlad fan on the planet!!! I love your books! Don’t EVER stop writing!

You’re also my favorite Minion (don’t tell the others)! I’m so glad you love my books. No worries, Auntie Heather will write until her hands fall off…and then she’ll use her tongue.

Will you come to [INSERT TOWN NAME HERE]? Please?? Pretty please??

I would if I could, Minion. And I might! But…the thing is, Auntie Heather can only travel so much (as she needs to keep writing those books that you love so much). Hopefully, when I travel, it’ll be to a town near you. But no promises.

Tell me more about you. I’m doing a paper on you for English and need your stats.

Well, I was born in Lapeer, Michigan on September 21, 1973 (yeah, Auntie’s OLD) and grew up in a tiny little town called Columbiaville, Michigan. Hmmm…what else is there? I like cookies. And video games are da bomb (yeah, I said it).

I never read books until I came across your series.

This is the comment that always tears Auntie up. It means so much to me that you trust me enough to crack open my books and take a chance on reading, Minion. Thank you.

Dear Vlad,

I’m Rayne McDonald, member of the Blood Coven Vampires. I hope you don’t mind me writing you out of the blue like this, but I read about your troubles with Elysia and thought you might be open to hearing about a different kind of vampire organization. One that won’t try to kill you or put on you trial or any of that crap.

The Blood Coven resides in an old New England graveyard, deep underground. Its Master, Lord Magnus, was actually once a knight in shining armor for King Arthur himself. (Crazy, I know!) In any case, he was turned into a vampire during the crusades and just recently took over as Master after his sire, Lucifent, was killed by Bertha the Vampire Slayer. (He’s also dating my sister, Sunny.)

I know, I know, you’re like, why would I join a vampire coven who can’t even protect its master from being staked? Well, let me assure you, Vlad, that this was a very special case. Lucifent was a child vampire and Slayer Inc doesn’t really approve of those. But hey – as you’re already going into the 11th grade that’s nothing you’d ever have to worry about.

Besides, Bertha’s back only part time and I’m the main slayer now.

Okay, I can tell, I’ve lost you again. After all your troubles with Joss last year, I’m sure you’re not totally keen on making the acquaintance of any slayers. But, believe me, it’s not like I wanted this gig to begin with. Turns out, once a generation is born a slayer, just like on Buffy, and this time it happened to be yours truly. Nothing I can do about it–believe me I’ve tried.

But here’s the deal: I only dust the Big Bads. As a member of the Blood Coven, you’d be totally safe. And by the way, how about cutting Joss some slack while you’re at it? After all, he was only following orders…

Speaking of Big Bads, what’s the deal with you letting D’Ablo just go like that? I mean, dude, I know you want to be all humanitarian and stuff, but come on! The guy’s proven himself to be uber evil! As evil as the Vampire Maverick, who I was commissioned to slay last year after he tried to introduce a blood virus that would destroy the coven! Do you think I had any second thoughts before diving that stake into his heart? No freaking way.

So here’s what I’m thinking. You join the Blood Coven and instantly get protection from all the Elesian vamps wishing to do you harm. And as a bonus, me and Joss can team up to slay D’Ablo for you once and for all.

Let me know what you think!

Love,
Rayne McDonald
Vampire/Vampire Slayer
The Blood Coven
www.bloodcovenvampires.com

Greetings, my Minion Horde! I hope you’re all doing well and that your fiendish little black hearts haven’t withered from too much algebra and too little XBox 360. Auntie is doing well – still crazy, insane, bleeding-eyes busy, but TWELFTH GRADE KILLS is coming along nicely, so no complaints from me.

Tomorrow afternoon, I’m headed to Columbia, Missouri, where I’ll be speaking at the Youth Services Librarian Breakfast (or somethin’…Auntie isn’t good at recalling titles of things) for the Missouri Library Association’s annual conference. WOOT! Auntie hearts librarians big time, so this should be fun.

Then on Saturday, I’ll be here in Saint Louis at the Big Read Festival, from 3:30 – 4pm. If you’re around STL and you’ve never visited this amazing festival, I hear it’s not to be missed!

Then on October 24th, I’ll be heading down to Austin, Texas to the first annual Austin Teen Book Festival – an incredible party of an event featuring local teen bands and all sorts of awesome YA authors. And I’ll be on a panel that I’m DYING to be on: Zombies vs. Vampires!!!

After that, my schedule goes pretty quiet until February, which means lots of writing time for Auntie Heather. Yay!

Just a heads-up: I’m working on the Snow Ball info page and hoping tickets will be available for purchase by November 1st…but no promises. Oh! And soon, I’ll be starting another BIG contest on my Win Things page and hosting several mini-contests here on the blog!

Plus…there is news coming your way. Soon, Minions…soon.

May the FANGs be with you!