Meet Number 1!

If you’ve been following me online for very long, you probably know that “No 1″ is my online nickname for my husband. Those who know him in person find this hilarious. They think it’s either a Star Trek reference, or…a less pleasant US colloquialism. Actually, it comes from the fact that he claims to be my very first fan. (Though my mother disagrees. She’s been reading my writing since I was five, so I guess she has a decent case there. )

In the past year, the non-writing parts of my job have become pretty overwhelming for me. Before I became a writer, I never would have believed how much of my day would be spent filing, and packing, and shipping, and blogging, and returning emails, and answering interview questions, and monitoring my forum, and updating my website. Most days, those tasks take up more than half of my work day. Literally. I can’t keep up. So a couple of months ago, No. 1 stepped in to help me in his spare time. He’s always been my webmaster and graphic designer, but he’s taken on several more roles lately, and I’m so grateful for his help, though I do feel a little guilty for putting him to work.

He’s been helping me out a LOT lately with day-to-day non-writing stuff like shipping, organizing, and scheduling me for guest blogs and stuff. If you’ve received a package/prize from me in a timely manner, he probably shipped it. If you got a prompt email response from me about a guest blog or donation, he probably reminded me to respond. And that’s not all…

Take a look at what he’s done for me now! I got home from running an errand this afternoon to find this waiting in my office closet.

This is Prize Book Shelf #1. It contains all my extra copies of Shifters books, both foreign and domestic. Those two big boxes on top? Those are full of copies of the Soul Screamers omnibus and If I Die. I haven’t even opened them yet. By the way, I’m still looking for public and high school libraries in need of donations. If you know of one, email me (admin1ATrachelvincentDOTcom) and I’ll see if we can set something up.

An hour later, this one was done:

This is Prize Book Shelf #2. It holds all my extra copies of Blood Bound and the Soul Screamers series, both foreign and domestic. Except for a box of German copies, which I seem to have misplaced. ;(

All those boxes that were stacked all over my office, on chairs and on the floor? They’re gone. Unfolded and stored to be used to ship prizes to the weekly winners. My office is SO much neater. Which makes me calmer. Which will make me more productive.

Which reminds me: If I owe you a prize or some swag and it’s very late (more than a month) or you haven’t heard from me about it, please email me with a reminder (admin1ATrachelvincentDOTcom) so No. 1 can help me get caught up on everything.

Yesterday, this came in the mail (above). No 1 is building a new computer, which will make it easier and faster for him to design and maintain my website, design all my graphics (including the Soul Screamers tees) and help with my email and scheduling. However, I think he would have jumped at just about any excuse to put together the monster PC the above casing will someday house.

Yes, I know, the casing is ginormous. And so far it’s empty. But he has very big plans for this big empty box, I can assure you!

And just because, here he is (above), hard at work. No. 1 and Zombie Yoda, keeping me organized and on-schedule.

Behind every still-sane writer, there is at least one generous, patient, helpful loved one behind the scenes, reminding us that even though we spend the majority of our time in made-up worlds, the real world is still there, and it still needs our attention.

I couldn’t do this without No 1.

Well, I could. But stuff would never get packed, shipped, cleaned, organized, or answered without him. So…to my No. 1:

THANK YOU!

Kori Daniels is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, Kenley, even if it means taking it from someone else.…

The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him.

Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister.

Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty….

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I died on a Thursday—killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn’t get it.
The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school…

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent “recovering,” she’s back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend.

But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won’t keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn’t just gambling with her own life….

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Guess What’s Out! [edited]

“Never To Sleep” is out (in the US and Canada)! Have you read it yet? If so, has your opinion of Sophie changed? Leave a comment and tell me why or why not!

Also Happy New Year!

[Edited to add my own commentary on "Never To Sleep."]

Has Sophie changed? Yes. Is Sophie nice now? No. This was never about making her nice. Sophie is one of Kaylee’s foils and always will be. This was about giving insight into her character and why she dislikes Kaylee (her reasoning, anyway). Also, “Never To Sleep” was intended to show what Kaylee missed.

If you’ve read IF I DIE, you should be able to recognize several characters from the series (and if you haven’t read IF I DIE, you should NOT read “Never To Sleep), including the one Sophie and Luca saw alone in the hall. Which means that both you and Sophie have a better idea than Kaylee does about what’s coming in BEFORE I WAKE.

Your welcome.

And don’t forget, legal purchases of “Never To Sleep” made before July 1 will benefit St. Jude’s.

Don’t miss Volume Two of New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent’s unique and fascinating Soul Screamers series.

MY SOUL TO KEEP

Aside from the whole “I scream when someone is about to die” thing, Kaylee Cavanaugh’s life has gotten better. She’s getting to know her dad, doing okay in school and has a hot new boyfriend who understands her in every way. Until the hellion Avari starts tempting everyone with an exotic new drug—demon’s breath…

MY SOUL TO STEAL

Now on shaky ground with Nash Hudson, Kaylee is taking their relationship easy. But then Sabine—Nash’s ex—storms into their lives. She’s determined to get Nash back and there’s nothing she won’t do to remind him of what they had. And since Sabine has special abilities of her own, Kaylee is headed into a battle she’s not sure she can win….

REAPER

—First time in print!—

Though Tod Hudson died two years ago, thanks to his job as a Reaper he’s never had to move on or let go of his family—no matter how much Nash would like him to! But there is something few people know about how he came to accept the job of claiming souls….

Soul Screamers
The last thing you hear before you die 

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As promised…

Thanks so Much to everyone who voted for Kaylee in hesecond rounded of the HeroineTourney. She didn’t win (there was little we could have done against Cassie Clare’s Tessa) but she put up a great fight. And, as promised, Nash and Tod have made themselves available for an interview as a thank you. If you have a question for Tod, you can ask him here. Questions to Nash can be submitted here.

You can ask them anything, but only one question per person. They will each select 5 questions to answer.

Look what’s out! (+giveaway)

I’m not going to start this blog post by apologizing for my recent absence because it seems like I do that all the time now. But if you follow me on FB or Twitter, you know that I’m absent less there because it’s much easier to post a quick update or a mini-quote in those forums.

That said, guess what today is! Today is the official release day of the Soul Screamers omnibus, Volume One, which includes the prequel novella and the first two novels in the series! I know, I almost forgot too. In a way, this doesn’t feel like a “real” release for me, because the stories in this volume were all originally released two years ago.

But on the other hand, this is the first and only way to get “My Soul To Lose,” the prequel novella, in print, so that’s actually almost as exciting for me as a new release.

So, let’s give stuff away! On my discussion group, I’ll be giving away two copies of the Soul Screamers omnibus. You must be a member to enter, and entering is as easy as answering the entry question. (Look for that giveaway later this afternoon.)

But here, I want to do something different.

Up for grabs here on my blog: two sets of Soul Screamers books 3-5, signed. (That’s My Soul To Keep, My Soul To Steal, and If I Die.)

How to enter: Send me (contestsATrachelvincentDOTcom) a picture of your copy of the Soul Screamers omnibus, taken somewhere other than the store. On a park bench. With your cat. In your little brother’s crib. Whatever. I’m just looking for proof that you actually have one, because this giveaway is intended to complete your set of Soul Screamers novels. Let me know in your email whether or not you’re okay with me posting your picture, because I may decide to post them. Electronic copies are fine. Just show the cover of the book on your kindle, nook, or whatever.

On December 5, I’ll draw two winners at random from the entries and those winners will receive signed copies of the 3rd, 4th, & 5th volumes in the Soul Screamers series. International entries are fine, but please note that Volume One is only out in the US/Canada at this time, so it may be difficult to find overseas. But The Book Depository does have copies and they will ship worldwide (to most countries) for free.

On another note, my Thanksgiving holiday is shaping up to be just as busy as I expected. I’ll be turning in the Shadow Bound page proofs this afternoon (one day earlier than they’re due, but two days later than I’d hoped). I’m also expecting a brief second round of notes on Before I Wake so ARCs can be printed. And, I’m beta reading a friend’s upcoming release and baking! I am baking! So far I’ve done mini-cheesecakes, caramel-apple muffins, and bacon-cheese biscuits, all from scratch, and there’s lots more to come. I love baking season.

One down…

I’m eyeballs-deep in the second draft of BEFORE I WAKE at the moment, so I’m only online sporadically (that word ALWAYS reminds me of Clueless!), but I wanted to pop in and eliminate one of the POV possibilities from the upcoming Soul Screamers novella, as promised. I’ll be back in a few days to answer questions and respond to comments here and on FB. That said, though, I’ve had so much fun reading all your guesses and the logic that went into them!

So here goes…

The list, in random order:

◦Tod
◦Sabine
◦Nash
◦Alec
◦Sophie
◦Emma
◦Avari
◦Addison
◦Scott
◦Lydia
◦Levi

A reminder: Notice that Kaylee isn’t on the list. Consider that your freebie. Kaylee is not the narrator.

More later!

Kaylee answers (and a winner is drawn)!

Kaylee has answered your questions! Some of them, anyway. As with the previous four characters, there just wasn’t time to answer all of the awesome questions she received, so I picked the ones she most wanted to discuss. Next summer, we’ll do it again and allow If I Die spoilers just in time for Before I Wake, which is currently scheduled for July, 2012. (I’m hoping to have a cover soon.)

For now, the randomly drawn winner of a set of five signed Soul Screamers books and a Kaylee-quote t-shirt is:

khn21 who commented on October 4, 2011 at 5:15 pm

Khn21, please email me (rachelkvincentATgmailDOTcom) with your shipping information and t-shirt size, and I’ll put your prizes in the mail.

Confession: I haven’t shipped any of the t-shirt prizes yet. But they will go out soon. The Emma, Sabine, and Tod shirts are designed, but we’re still working on the Nash and Kaylee shirts. In case you haven’t seen them, here’re the ones we have so far:

  

These and more are available at cost (we make no profit from them) here.

And now, Kaylee answers…

william says: Kaylee, With everything that has happened to you now that you know what you are; do you wish you would have stayed ignorant to it?
Kaylee: No. If I never found out what I am, I would have continued to think I’m crazy, and my abilities wouldn’t have been any use to anyone else.

Dalia says: Kaylee: When Tod asked you to help him to save Addy’s soul he didn’t think twice about putting your life in danger to accomplish what he wanted. […] When Nash became addicted to Frost his decision making was effected by the drug. You’ve made the statement that when someone is under an influence like that they aren’t in their right mind (as with the situation with Mr. Beck). Why, then, were you able to fogive Tod, but not Nash?
Kaylee: I’m not sure why everyone keeps saying that. I did forgive Nash. I know he didn’t do any of that on purpose. But forgetting—trusting—is a much more complicated issue. It’s not as easy as snapping my fingers.

[The rest of Kaylee's answer is below, in white, because it felt a little spoilery to me. Highlight below if you want to see it.]

That said, I think it’s worth noting (at least, it’s important to me) that though Tod’s made a lot of mistakes, he makes them for the right reasons—trying to help those he cares about. Nash has certainly benefited from his brother’s decisions. But while I’ll always love Nash on some level, even if just as a friend, I can’t find anything generous or less-than-selfish in the decisions he made after discovering that he was addicted to frost.

Gabby says: Kaylee, if you could go back to that night at the bar when you actually met Nash, would you still want to have met him, even with everything that’s happened since then?
Kaylee: Yes, of course! I wouldn’t give up these past months with Nash for anything. He was the first person to be truly honest with me about who and what I am. No matter what happens next, I wouldn’t undo meeting him. Or loving him. And I hope he feels the same.

Vivien says: Kaylee: If you could undo Nash getting exposed to Demon Breath, would you? Or do you think that adds to his character?
Kaylee: Of course I would. I would never wish what he’s gone through on anyone, even if that would change some of the good things that came after. If those good things were meant to be, they would come about eventually, one way or another.

Kelli Wilson says: Kaylee: If you could find your mom in the afterlife and ask her one question, what would it be?
Kaylee: I would ask her if she ever regrets her decision.

Nicole W. says: Kaylee, do you ever feel guilty about living your mom’s life even though it wasn’t your choice to?
Kaylee: Every single day.

Marie R says: Why didn’t you insist on Nash cutting Sabine out of his life when he offered to get back with you?
Kaylee: Because that wouldn’t have been fair. I made it clear where I stood about her personally, and about what she was trying to do. But I don’t have the right to tell him who to be friends with. The opposite is also true.

Sarita Lopez says: Kaylee, You yourself realized that Sabine really is good for Nash. Why didn’t you just let her be with him?? Was it because you just didn’t want to lose or were you only thinking about yourself and not about what Nash needs?!
Kaylee: People keep asking this one too, but I think you’re all glossing over the most important fact here: who Nash decides to be with isn’t up to me. It’s not up to Sabine either. That’s Nash’s decision. Even if I’d wanted to “let Sabine have him,” it wouldn’t have been that simple. He chose me. That was his call.

Sarah M. says: Kaylee, do you think that you and Sophie will ever get along and why do you think she dislikes you so much?
Kaylee: I don’t think she dislikes me. I think I’m simply in her way.

Michele-Venessa Neubauer says: Kaylee, Do you think if you and Sabine didn’t both want Nash that you and her would have been or could be friends?
Kaylee: I doubt Sabine and I ever would have met, without Nash pulling us together.

Amy says: Hi Kaylee! You always give a lot of thought to the emotions swirling in Nash’s gorgeous eyes. However, what do you make of Tod’s emotions and his sudden inability to keep his eyes from swirling when around you?
Kaylee: I don’t know. Isn’t that weird?

Nicole S. says: If you could bring back any of these people who would you choose? Your mom, your aunt, or Addison??
Kaylee: My mom.

Camille says: Kaylee, do you hate your father for leaving you behind for 13 years?
Kaylee: No. I could never hate my dad. I don’t have much hate in me, honestly. Except for Avari. I hate him completely.

Maria C says: Kaylee, Alec has been in Avari’s tender mercies for all those years, and you really hardly know him. if you find out that he did something unforgivable to survive, what would you do?
Kaylee: I would sympathize and try to help him forgive himself. Alec is a really good guy. If he’s done something wrong to save himself, it’s killing him on the inside. I can say that without any doubt.

bobby says: was there ever a moment when you viewed Alec in a romantic way?
Kaylee: No. He’s very much a brother figure. Maybe like an uncle. He’s old and kinda wise, you know.

Kimberley S. says: Kaylee, do you ever think that everything was ruined by that balloon with demon’s breath popping in Nash’s face and that if that hadn’t happened you and Nash would still be a “perfect couple”?
Kaylee: I honestly don’t know. Sometimes I think that popped balloon was the most tragic thing to happen to our relationship. But then I realize that that pop was an accident. The real tragedy was in the decisions we made. Both of us. We both messed up. It’s not what happens to you that really matters. It’s how you handle the fallout. Don’t you think?

Zella Jewett says: Do you ever think your relationship with Nash and his family would be different if Todd never died and became a reaper? If so, how do you think that it would be different?
Kaylee: If Tod had never died, Nash and his mom never would have moved to my town, and I never would have met any of them. Sometimes wonderful things come out of tragedy. That’s what I keep telling myself, anyway…

 Thanks so much to everyone who followed the If I Die blog tour! A grand prize winner will be announced soon, but it’s not to late to enter. Click here for details. And thanks again to everyone who asked the characters questions during this past month! It’s been a blast.

Next week, we will resume giveaways of the foreign editions currently taking up too much space in my office…

What would you ask Tod?

First, a note: The official If I Die blog tour (run by Kismet Blog Tours and sponsored by Harlequin Teen) begins today with an interview by The Story Siren. And a double giveaway! To enter the 1st giveaway, you’ll be asked to go answer a question posted on the Soul Screamers Facebook page. To preempt any confusion, that’s the question posed by Danny Kismet. You may have to click “everyone” at the top of the page to see the question.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled character Q&A…

This is week three of five straight weeks of If I Die release madness! Each week you’ll get a chance to ask one of the five major Soul Screamers characters a question. That question will be your entry in the week’s drawing. That week’s character will answer a handful of the questions on Friday, but even if your question isn’t answered, you will be entered in the drawing.

The winner will be announced on Friday’s post.

This week’s character is: Tod, the reaper.

[Questions containing spoilers from If I Die will be deleted. Few people have had the chance to read that book yet, because it isn't officially released yet.]

The rules:

• One question/entry per person. So think carefully. Also, read through what’s already been asked, to avoid duplicate questions. But please be aware that the questions MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS (from any story except If I Die). If you haven’t read the first four books and both available novellas, you may want to scroll past the questions without reading them and leave yours in the comment box.
• Repeat questions will still count as entries, but if the character answers a question asked more than once, the first person who asked will be credited in the response.
• Because of astronomical shipping costs and the size, weight, and number of the prizes, I will only be able to ship to US addresses. If you live outside of the US but have someone stateside willing to pass your prizes on to you, you’re welcome to enter and make those arrangements privately. But this time I can only ship to US residences. I apologize to the international readers and hope you understand.
• You may ask a question even if you don’t wish to be entered in the drawing.
• Please allow 3+ weeks for shipping.
• Void where prohibited by law.
• If you are under 18 years of age, you must have a parent’s permission to enter.

This week’s prize:

• A signed set of the first five Soul Screamers novels.
• Assorted swag including an If I Die bookmark and an Enthralled postcard.
• A Soul Screamers t-shirt featuring a Tod quote.

We are designing a new Tod shirt for this contest, to match the other stick-figure shirts, but it’s not quite ready yet. To see the others available, click here.

Okay, if you have a question for Tod, leave it here!