Shouts and Murmurs

Today I'm guest-posting at Jaye Wells' place about what blogging means to me.  Included in the post is the very first vignette I wrote for Murmurs.  And reading it again, together with the comments it received, put a little lump in my throat. 

See, posting at Jaye's is a little like a blogging high-school reunion for me.  Although, if it were truly that, I'd have to go back to her original home, Jaye's Blahg.  

But there is good reason for Jaye to have new and fancier digs.  She has become the most successful of my writer friends, with her newest release, The Mage in Black--the second book in her crackling, Sabina Kane vampire series--hitting shelves this past April to great reviews and (from my nosy monitoring of her Amazon rank) great sales, too.  

And I can say this--nobody deserves success more. Jaye's wit, intelligence, and work ethic have always left me feeling a bit like a high school freshman who stares with awe at the senior who has it all together.  She alone has made my Twitter membership worth it. 

And I'm very honored to stand beside her today.  Thanks, Jaye.  

You, too, can make me cry!  Yes, you!  Just shoot me an email at Sarah.Hina AT gmail.com, if you'd like to interview me, offer a guest post slot on your blog, or review the book.  I promise to have tissues ready.  Sniff.   

Other stops on my Meet Me In Paris Blog Tour: Travis Erwin • Aniket's Plum Blossom Flash Fiction contest • 25 Questions for Author Sarah Hina  • Author Spotlight 7SS with Aerin-Bender Stone

She reads!  She reads!  Plum Blossoms excerpt read aloud. 

Buy Plum Blossoms in Paris • Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Chapters • Borders • Your Local Independent Bookstore • Powell's Books • Books-A-Million

Red-Headed Stepchild

Red-Headed Stepchild: In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her---until now.

This time, it's personal.

Yes, my long-time blogging buddy, Jaye Wells, has a lot to celebrate today. Because her wonderful, debut urban fantasy novel, Red-Headed Stepchild, is being released!! I'm so thrilled for her. Jaye was one of the first people to stop by my blog, and I've been following her journey for some time. It's a cool story...her entry for a Clarity of Night contest was the genesis for this novel. Go, blogging!!

Now, I haven't read the novel yet. But I know it's a great read, anyway, because I thoroughly enjoyed the first chapter and have been watching Jaye's wonderful reviews pour in. Here are a few choice ones.

Hold on tight — a gritty new heroine has joined the pantheon of shoot-first, ask-questions-later protagonists. Despite the blistering pace and darkness of the plot, [Wells] neatly balances things with a deft smattering of humor. 4.5 Stars! -Romantic Times Book Lovers magazine

If you love the Urban Fantasy but have been seeking something a little different to the multitude of offerings out there then this really is the book for you. Why? Well, to be blunt, this novel has something for everyone, be it the spartanite style of description or matter of fact kick ass combat tied up with a storyline that really will grab you by your literal jugular and keep you gasping for more. - Falcata Times

Jaye Wells dishes up a read so satisfying that you can’t wait until the next serving.
— Cheyenne McCray, New York Times bestselling author

So what are you waiting for?? Pick up a copy of Jaye's debut right here. I can't wait to read mine.

I guess I wrote a Chick-Lit novel...

Who knew?

I read my Publishers Weekly review today for Plum Blossoms in Paris. Every ABNA semifinalist received one, and here's mine:

Daisy’s high school boyfriend breaks up with her via email and she’s devastated, so, like any reasonable chick lit heroine, she decides to take a break from her university’s neuroscience program so she can flee to Paris to find herself, and pick up a new hunky boyfriend along the way. Daisy meets a charming, French stranger on a train who she later runs into at a museum. Soon enough Mathieu, who has mother issues, offers to take Daisy on an insider’s tour of Paris. He wants to "live freely" with her, he explains, which is French bachelor code for "let’s just fool around." The author’s witty banter and solid prose are a match for Sophie Kinsella or Cecilia Ahearn, and Daisy is more familiar and accessible than their protagonists. She’s certainly smarter too. But then again, isn’t everyone equally dumb when it comes to love?

I have never read a chick-lit novel. But I guess I'm good at writing them.

I recognize that this is mostly a favorable review, and yet it feels so different from the book in my heart. My Mathieu isn't "hunky." And he doesn't want to fool around.

Anyway, I'm bewildered, but...

happy?

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HERE is something to be really happy about!

Jaye Wells, a fantastic writer and friend, just announced a 3-book deal with Orbit US for her urban fantasy series. Yay, Jaye! So get on over to her blog and congratulate her. She deserves it.

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ETA: I suck at taking vacations.