Salutations, Miion Horde! I am currently writing to you from a place that I have longed to be for a looooong time: HOME! In fact, I’ll be home for the next five weeks, and I’m giddy at the thought of it! Travelling is a lot of fun and hangin’ with my Minions is a BLAST, but sometimes Auntie Heather just wants to be home with her family and her cat and her Camaro (and don’t make me choose which I’ve missed most). I just got back from NYC and the next time I travel it’ll be to San Diego ComicCon (WOOHOO!) in July. For those curious, my dashing son Jacob will be accompanying me there (he’s arranging a Minion Meet-Up on the 22nd – for the deets, check out his Facebook, my Facebook or my Twitter). Also, there’s something of epic preportions brewing for all SDCC-attending Minions, so stay tuned!

So. What has Auntie been up to lately, aside from catching up on sleep? Well, writing, for one. I’m currently writing a short story for a YA vampire anthology (which is kinda turning out like the vampire equivalent of SAW), and working on the first book of THE SLAYER JOURNALS (which desperately needs a title – I decided that SO MUCH AT STAKE just doesn’t fit the feel of the book; that title suggests funny and these books are fairly dark…). The publishing schedule for TSJ and for BLOODBOUND are being wiggled around a bit, so it’s looking maybe like you guys will see TSJ every fall starting in 2011 and BLOODBOUND every spring, starting in 2012. But no promises. Things are always changing in publishing, Regardless, you’ll soon have Auntie Heather storytime yumminess twice a year!

Also, I’m thinking of changing my bangs to blue. What do you think, Minions? You’re opinion means a lot to me…

Ohhhhhhh, and there’s been DRAMA! See Penguin was kind enough to ship me 300 Vlad tote bags to give away to you Minions. Nice, huh? They ROCK! But…someone stole the boxes off my porch. Yeah. Auntie was not happy about that. On a good note, the Camaro wasn’t taken…

There’s also some big super sekrit stuff going on that I can’t really talk about yet. One is a personal thing, but hugely life-changing. The other is TOTALLY Minion-related and you SO WISH YOU KNEW. But…my lips are sealed. For now.

Also, I’m having an epic contest on the Win Stuff/Win Things/WinWinWin page (I can never remember what it’s called). You should totally enter. Just sayin’.