Random stuffz

I can't believe I'll be leaving for the Romantic Times Convention in three weeks! I booked my flight to leave Tuesday at like 5:30 so I can get into Orlando around 8ish. Ali will be picking me up from the airport so we can hang out that night and then Weds AM she will drop me off at the hotel on the way to work. Four days of convention, a whopping six panels, and a ton of costume parties comes next. Should be fun! Liz and I will be rooming together, as per usual. Then Saturday night, after the Dorchester bookseller party, Ali will pick me up and we'll head up to Orlando proper to go goth dancing. On Sunday we're going to go to Disney's Animal Kingdom to try out their new roller coaster. My flight leaves Sunday night at 10:30.

I'm so glad the convention is in Orlando this year!!

In other news, still loving the new apartment. I think I've finally figured out a way to love NYC - by living just outside of it. I like coming into the city to go to work or to go out and then being able to return home to my quiet apartment on the sea. (Okay, it's technically on the Hudson River, I guess, but it feels like the sea...) In any case, it's really nice. Just want the weather to get warm so we can play tennis and bbq on our balcony!

I've been really good about working out, too, since we have the gym in our building. It's so much easier to just go downstairs to work out than to trudge to the gym. I've been running a lot on the treadmill - about five times a week. Will be in good summer shape!

In writing news, I'm working hard on The Camelot Code, my next Dutton book. Also signed on to write a story for Dorchester's "My Zombie Valentine" anthology, which will be released in January 2010. Yes, more zombies! Should be fun to write! I know I said I was done writing adult romance, but how can I resist a(nother) zombie story? :)

That's about all that's going on here!

Marianne

Boys that Bite book video

Well, I've been experimenting with the video editing software I bought and created this book video for the re-release of BOYS THAT BITE!! Check it out and let me know what you think. :)

I will eventually be doing a individual video for each book in the series and a new Blood Coven website.

Not dead, just busy!

Sorry for the radio silence - just got a lot on my plate these days. But all good things! For example, Blood Coven Book #4 - Bad Blood is finished, edited, and turned in! So now I'm back to working on The Book That Will Not End. And all new and improved version! (Hopefully.)

Jacob had friends in town this past weekend so there was clubbing. I'm old so I only went out one of the nights - to the goth club CONTEMPT. It was fun though. And we had brunch with said friends on Sunday at the Arte Cafe in my old stomping grounds of the UWS.

Last night I did a speaking event on Cyberbullying at the White Plains library with some other bully experts. (Gamer Girl features bullying, so I've been talking a lot about this issue.) Went well, though I didn't get home until midnight so I was a bit tired today, as you can imagine. I like waking up at 6:30am to write, don't get me wrong, but I also like to get more than six hours of sleep a night.

I've been a gym fiend now that we have a fitness center in my apartment. Sunday I ran five miles on the treadmill. On weekdays I try to run a fast 5k. Would like to get into shape for the summer!

Let's see, what else? Signed up to do a comedy zombie related story for a Dorchester anthology called MY ZOMBIE VALENTINE. That'll be out in January, I believe. I have a great idea for the plot and can't wait to write it! (In, like, my spare time!) Still, I can't pass up zombies, right?

That's about it for now. I'll try to be less of a blog slacker in the future!
MARIANNE

Bad Blood Back Cover Copy

I should be getting my edits for BAD BLOOD by Monday from my editor at Berkley But in the meantime, she sent me the back cover copy for the book! Check it out! I'm so excited to have this book an actual reality - it seemed like for so long that it'd never actually exist. But now it's done, has a cover, and is less than a year away from hitting store shelves! Just goes to show - it pays never to give up!

BAD BLOOD

Sunny McDonald is in the ultimate forbidden relationship. Her boyfriend Magnus is a vampire, and the leader of the Blood Coven. Their differences have never been an issue, until now…

When the Blood Coven decides that Magnus needs a mate to be his co-ruler, Sunny’s humanity puts her out of the running. The Coven’s chosen candidate is Jane Johnson, a magna cum laude graduate of Oxford University who just happens to look like a vampiric celebutard.

Sunny is suspicious of a Rhodes Scholar who can’t answer the most basic poly-sci questions, but Magnus brushes it off as petty jealousy. Still, when the Blood Coven goes to Las Vegas for a vampire convention—where Magnus and Jane’s bonding ceremony will be the main event—Sunny and her sister Rayne secretly tag along. And Sunny’s not going home before she learns the truth about Jane. Because not everything stays in Vegas—especially bad blood…

New Blood Coven Vampire series covers!

They're here! And I can finally show them to you! These are the new covers for my Blood Coven Vampire series!! The three originals AND the new cover for BAD BLOOD. They are a LOT different than the former covers.

Let me know what you think!!!! Which is your favorite???

A new drug to combat perkiness

Found this on the Onion. A new "depressant" to combat perkiness... It's about time! LOL. Had to share.

Weekend with Floridians

I'm tired today, but it's totally worth it. Had an incredible weekend with my friends Ali and Bobby who came in from Florida for "birthday weekend." You see Bobby's birthday is only four days (literally - same year and everything) from mine and so most years we try to get together - either me going to Florida or them coming to wherever I'm living at the moment. (San Diego, Boston, NY...)

This year, Ali decided to do it as a surprise - not telling Bobby until they were almost on their way to the airport! Pretty awesome birthday presents, huh? He was totally blindsided - but in a good way!

They arrived Thursday night and we picked them up at the Newark airport. (As we're Jersey people now!) Stayed up late talking and hanging out at home. Then the next day me, Ali and Bobby headed to a delicious pancake house near me for some breakfast. (Jacob had to wokr.)

After pancakes, we headed to the Liberty State Park to take the ferry over to the Statue of Liberty. Ali has ALWAYS wanted to see it and never got a chance so she was determind to check it out. Of course, when she'd bought the tickets online she hadn't realized you could actually see it from our apartment, lol. But we decided to go anyway. We got there at 11:50 - the ferry was supposed to leave at 12 noon - but it had left 10 minutes early for some reason and so we had to wait around. It wasn't too bad though cause we got to watch an interesting immigrant documentary. I wonder what my great grandfather would have thought, when he and my great-grandmother came over to Ellis Island - if he'd known that in a couple generations, he'd have me living in a high-rise just across the river. :) I kind of think he'd be pleased to know their sacrifice worked out pretty darn good for the kids.

Anyway, we finally got on the ferry and headed over. For time's sake, we decided to skip the Ellis Island part and just go to the statue. Unfortunately, once we got off the ferry, Ali realized she'd left the tickets on the boat. So we couldn't actually climb up the base of the statue. So we walked around it and hung out for an hour, waiting for the ferry to return. Oh well. I guess she's destined not to see it too closely.

Jacob was out of work by then so we met up with him at home and headed into the city. We checked out a museum for a few hours, then headed back to Jersey to change to go out to a goth club. Our favorite goth night - Necromantic - was moved to a club in the West Village. So we danced there until the wee hours of the morning and then headed home and slept.

The next morning we woke up and had a delicious brunch at the White Horse tavern in Jersey City. Highly recommend that place - it's even worth leaving Manhattan for! I had this french toast that was crusted with corn flakes - Mmmm! After that, we headed into the city to watch Watchmen. I have mixed feelings on the film but I can go into it another time.

After the movie, we headed to the East Village to do a little shopping on the way to Avenue A Sushi. There, we met up with Chris and the five of us had dinner. Avenue A Sushi is awesome - it's like a sushi disco. They have great rolls and a DJ who spins techno.

After a lengthy dinner we headed over to Club Love to dance the night away part two. (This time at a rave/techno club instead of goth.)

All in all it was a great weekend!! Though I'm ready to go to bed now and sleep for a week!! I miss Ali and Bobby so it's always wonderful to be able to hang out with them. I'll count the days til I can see them again! (Not too many, since RT is in Orlando!)

Marianne

Another Killington Story

Here's another ski story I did when up in Vermont. What to do at a mountain resort if you don't want to downhill ski! (Or you hurt your back the first day, like some people I know...)

Ski Mountain: Behind the Scenes

This is one of the segmetns we shot when I went up to Killington, Vermont. What happens on a mountain after all the skiers go home. Kind of interesting, I thought, and so I decided to share! :)

Marianne

Birthday Continued! :)

Last night Jacob took me out to a surprise dinner. Well, I knew there would be a dinner, but I didn't know where. Turned out to be Nobu, a really amazing Japanese restaurant in TriBeCa. It's co-owned by Robert DeNiro and sooo good! Definitely a special treat!!

I didn't have my camera, but I was able to find photos for you on the web.

I had the tenderloin beef with teriyaki sauce. So delicious! Came with miso soup and rice. I also got an order of sweet potato tempura.





Jacob had the Chilean Sea Bass. Also delish.




All in all it was an amazing dinner. Jacob scores high points! (As usual!) I especially like that it was a surprise - that made it extra fun!! :)

Yay birthdays!!
Marianne

Dad Birthday Memories!

Oh I thought this deserved a separate post from the rest of the birthday stuff. My dad gave me a great surprise present this morning - in the form of a blog entry about my birthday! I found it this morning when I woke up in my Google Reader. Awhh. Brought tears to my eyes. I remember all this stuff too! Great memories, Dad!!

Sometimes the best presents are homemade ones!!!

Marianne

Happy Birthday to Me!!

I always like to make my birthday last as long as possible and this year is no exception. I'm going for a week long birthday celebration!!

On Saturday, a few friends and I headed to Medieval Times to begin the celebration. I was a bit tired, having worked unpacking boxes and fixing up the apartment all afternoon, but I rallied once I got inside and the show began. I love Medieval Times - it's so much fun. I know a lot of people might think it's cheesy, but I love all things Medieval so to me it's like Disney World! :)

The show was great, as always, and our knight (black and white) ended up winning the jousting tournament and becoming hero of the realm. So that was a nice added bonus. Thanks to everyone who came along with me - it was a fun night!

Then Sunday we spent the entire day getting a couch from Liz's apartment (where I'd been storing it since my sub-letter moved out of my UWS place) to Jersey City. Eight mile trip - and it took ALL DAY. It was a day of frustration, let me tell you! First the moving van we rented wasn't there at the time of rental and then, after we waited a half hour and finally said forget it, the lady said the company would charge us anyway if we left. Um, they're going to charge us for a van we rented that wasn't there? Finally, 40 minutes late, the guy showed up with the van. (And got no penalty for being late, I might add.) So we get the van, only to be told we have to get it back by 4pm (3 hrs and 20 mins later cause they were closing. Yes, the truck rental place is only open from 12-4. WHAT?!? So we had to rush to the UWS...only to find out they wouldn't let us through the Holland Tunnel cause it was "commercial" even though it was just a van and not a truck. So we got lost in Jersey trying to figure out how to get to the Lincoln Tunnel. I don't need to get into too much detail, but it was just one thing after another. It all worked out in the end though. Still, what's the deal with truck rental places? Everytime I rent one there seems to be a problem! I never want to move again, let me tell you!

Today there was a huge snowstorm and so we were allowed to leave work early. I'm sticking in the city though cause Jacob and I are going out tonight. He won't tell me where - it's a birthday surprise!! I like that. :) I guess we'll all find out tomorrow where he takes me!

And the rest of my birthday week is going to be awesome. I can't explain right, but much goodness later in the week is to come!

Oh and I am turning in BAD BLOOD to my editor today!! Woot! Hope she likes it!! :) It was a fun one to write - the vampire ones always are!!

Marianne