Okay, so let’s catch you all up on my life. Touring was amazing. So many Minions! And so many more emails, requesting (and at times, demanding) that I visit your fair city. And I wish I could! But if I traveled all the time…when would I write books? So believe me, Minions, I would visit you all if I could, but for now we’ll just have to hope your hometown (or a town near it) ends up on my touring schedule.

The last few weeks have been devoured by an insane writing schedule for….(drum roll, please)…BEGINNING, the first book in The Slayer Chronicles! I finished the book and turned it in to my editor, and I’m now once again hard at work on the first BLOODBOUND book. So my days have been full of writing and traveling…and not much sleeping.

Recently, we had a tragedy in our family. One of the two kittens we adopted passed away, and I just wanted to thank you Minions who sent messages on Facebook and Twitter and such. it means a lot to me to know you care. Spike was a sweet kitty and I miss him still. I think I always will. But his brother, Fang, is doing very well. He spends his time stomping on Amenti’s tail and purring so loudly, you have to turn the volume up on the TV. He misses his brother, but at least he’s in a family that loves him very much.

I’m mulling over an idea for a contest right now. Any thoughts? The prize I have is EPIC and one of a kind. Also, I’m thinking of creating a few short stories about the Goths to share with you on my blog. We shall see.

Also, I seem to be obsessed with peanut brittle lately.

So…catch me up! What have I missed, Minions?

By the way…if you haven’t seen THIS yet, I suggest you rectify that immediately. (Yes! It’s true! We have a Vlad STORE!!!)

If you missed out on all the fun tonight, you can catch me tomorrow at Vero Beach Books & Music in Vero Beach, Florida. Viva la Vlad!

Also….you have to check out this video of Rachel Caine and I!

Cuddle up in your cute lil skull-covered blankies, Minions, because Auntie Heather has missed you soooooo much and has so many fangtastic things to tell you! As many of you know (I really should get better about blogging the deets of my life, but in case I can’t grasp that fact, you should follow me on Twitter or Facebook – links in the side bar) I recently ran away to London with my big sis. It was my first passport stamp, and it did not disappoint. We saw tons of cool stuff, did research for THE SLAYER CHRONICLES (formerly the series known as THE SLAYER JOURNALS), and got Lewis Carroll-themed tattoos. AND…the ABSOLUTE BEST PART….?

I met a Minion!

Her name is Sidney and she totally didn’t believe I am who I said I am – the great and powerful Auntie Heather. But I’m hoping she believes me now, after an ID check (no, seriously) and her pic on my blog. Sidney sounded American, which is kinda funny. I go ALL THE WAY to London to run into an American Minion. She complimented my Vlad bag. Just shows it pays to carry that smiley around with me.

Anyhoo…my family and I just officially moved into our new house (no worries, STL Minions! I’m still calling STL home). We’re busy, busy, busy. And in just over a month, TWELFTH GRADE KILLS hits the stores! (If you’ve been waiting for the paperback of ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS, wait no longer – you can find it in stores now!) ALSO…I just got my tour dates for the release of 12th. I’ll post them later today.

You may now celebrate.

Also, Minions! If you haven’t taken part in the Minion Challenges on VladTod.com, please do so now. Go forth and spread the Vlad love!

And that’s when I noticed my desk was missing.

After I asked where the heck it ws, my family said they moved it downstairs into the creepy basement for me. Great! I was all sorts of prepared to go to work down there and last was the last step. Good family.

They insisted I go down and take a look, and what did I find? My amazing, incredible family (along with Jacob’s best friend, Zy) had completely refinished the creepy office space! No more stud walls or bare ceiling! They drywalled it and painted it (black ceiling, dark gray walls, red trim, black doors) and set it all up for me!!! I CRIED! Like hardcore. It as the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. I have an office. A real live, actual office. All because of my amazing family.

Excuse the crappy phone pics, but here’s a glimpse:

And the pics soooooo don’t do it justice. The ceiling light has been painted to look like spiderwebs. I have a kick butt stereo that my iphone will plug into, and so much room. My own space. It’s incredible. I can’t believe they pulled this off so quickly!

It’s good to be home. But the fun’s not over yet! Check out my Appearances page, St. Louis/St. Charles Minions! Because you still have THREE more stops coming up!!

I didn’t, however, forget my camera today. I visited Bobby Shaw Middle School, and received an amazing welcome, as you can see by the pics!

And then I had a fabulous event at Blue Willow Bookshop!

As you can see, it was incredible!

Tomorrow, I’m headed to Omaha, NE. I’ll be at various awesome schools and then The Bookworm at 4:15pm on Wednesday. See you all there!!!

San Francisco was amazing! And I did manange to get a few pics of it! If you haven’t been to Kepler’s, go. They’re brilliant and amazing and so, so accomodating. Also, they have a billion of my books.

Plus, I got to hang with some Minions, which I just love!

And then last night I was at Vroman’s in LA. It was incredible! Of course, I have no pics to share. But just trust me.

Tonight I’ll be at Books and Books in Coral Gables, FL. And I’d better see my Minions there!

So yesterday I woke up in my room at the Monaco Hotel in Seattle, and after getting ready for my big first day on tour, my escort Susan whisked me off for an intense 12-hour Seattle adventure. First I visited with 90 fangtastic Minions at Voyager Middle School (including one Minion named Yza, who gave me the most amazing artwork of Vlad – you rock, Yza!).

We sold out of books (BOOYAH!), but the excellent folks at Third Place Book took some orders and we arranged for me to sign them for the lucky Minions. But first, I had to swing by Timbercrest Middle School to hang out with 250 Minions.

Then, after grabbing a quick, late lunch back at Third Place Books and signing both the ordered books and their stock, Susan took me to three stores to sign stock, before delivering me to the fabulous folks at Secret Garden Bookshop for my 7pm event.

And I saw a troll. A giant troll. Under the bridge in Seattle.

I named him Ferdinand. It was awesome. But I was so digging him that I forgot to take a pic. *le sigh*

All in all, an amazing day. But I did pass out once I hit my hotel again…

Today, I’m in Portland, staying in a fancier hotel than I deserve, having some much-needed downtime before my dream event at the amazing Powell’s! It’s at 7:30pm tonight, Minions. Be there if you can!

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!

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!