Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Writing Year in Review

What a year that was...

2014 saw the final part of my EPIC nine-book series reaching the shelves, and there was much rejoicing. It was a bit of a scramble to get it written in time, as it generally is, but this book achieved everything I wanted it to achieve, and so I remain immensely proud of it. The ninth book, and the events that transpire within it, had been a secret I'd been keeping for seven years, and it was such a relief to get it out there. Sure, I didn't tie up every last plot thread — in some cases I just ran out of time, in others I decided to be mean and simply not resolve stuff — but it was a fitting send-off, I think.

The publication saw another astonishing Tom Percival cover, plus a very limited black edition which, as it turned out, was an extraordinarily clever bit of marketing by yours truly. It meant that the excitement that first morning was ELECTRIC as everyone rushed to search through each shop. That wasn't my original intent — I just wanted a cool black book — but to follow the tweets that morning as each copy got snapped up... that was awesome.

The reaction to the book was exactly what I wanted, also. True, there was some confusion over the chapters that ended mid-sentence, but all in all, readers understood what I was doing. And then to catch you all out right at the end....

... glorious...

The Dying of the Light got me back touring, of course, and we fit in the Requiem Ball and the Theatre of Shadows, and I once again visited New Zealand and Australia and met loads of enthusiastic readers. If ever my ego was in need of a boost...

And then I got home, and got to work on the NEW book.





4,884 comments:

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Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(hey raven!)

Lavender Hope said...

Hi Raven!
*waves*
How are you?

*brain wants to explode from research*
I never been to New York, so trying to find things about it is so hard... So much information... @.@

Lavender Hope said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Wait El!
*follows her*
You...you really dont remember me?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*sags slightly*
*forces a smile*
Okay..nice to..talk.

Lavender Hope said...

*realizes she doesn't have El's email address*
... Oops.

Raven Astracae said...

(Sorry, Indian leftovers were calling me.

I'm back now.)

Lavender Hope said...

Bye El!
*mumbles*
Going to have to find someone else who knows her email add...

Wb, Raven! How're you?

Raven Astracae said...

(Hello Lav.

I've got this killer headache and other than that I'm good. Yourself?)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(*fight*
*sleep*
*ugh*)

Lavender Hope said...

THANK YOU, EL. :)
*continues to send the email*

@Raven: Aw. :( hope it gets better. I'm doing well. Trying to write, but having such a hard time. Too many ideas and none are that great... So basically it's like I have no ideas for a story.
*is actually trying to write fanfiction*

Raven Astracae said...

(Don't fight the sleep. Unless you need to be awake. However, if you have time to sleep Sil, sleep. Because sleep is just amazing.)

Lavender Hope said...

*pokes sleepy Sil*
I think someone woke up too early. ;P

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Homework needs to be done..
@Lavender yeah...or fell asleep too late...or both.)

Lavender Hope said...

*thinks it's probably both*
I did notice that you went to bed at almost 1 in the morning.

Raven Astracae said...

(Gah, I have to go. Bye guys.
*curses her brain for not being stronger*)

Fire Fly said...

Hello?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Bye Raven!

1 am? Huh. Damn. And woke up at like 6:44am..)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Hey lil fly.)

Lavender Hope said...

Don't strain yourself if you have a bad headache, Raven.

Get better soon!
*hugs*

Lavender Hope said...

Hi Fire Fly! I don't think we've met, so nice to meet you!
*waves*

Fire Fly said...

Hi.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(How are you?)

Fire Fly said...

I'm good thank you. How are you?

Lavender Hope said...

Ooh, pretty profile pic, Fly. :)

*realizes that the fish she gave to the cats had poked a bone into her finger and left a mark*
Huh, just noticed it...

*had worn gloves, but somehow the fish bone still went through*
It didn't get stuck in my skin though, thank goodness...

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(I'm..not so bad. Little sleepy..)

Lavender Hope said...

Would you want me to call you Fire or Fly?

Fire Fly said...

Thank you Lavender Hope. You may call me what you like.

Silente Tempest, perhaps you should sleep?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(@Fly please, call me Jai.
And I can't. Work to do.)

Lavender Hope said...

@Fly: You're new, aren't you? Profile says you just joined Blogger this month.

Welcome to Blogland! :) You can call me Lav or Hope if you want. :)
*shake's Fly's hand and puts a cookie in it*

Sorry, can't tell, are you a boy or a girl?

Fire Fly said...

Jai is a wonderful name. Surely you can take a nap?

Fire Fly said...

I joined less than a half hour ago. Thank you, Lav.

*Looks at the cookie noms on it*

I'm a girl.

Lavender Hope said...

Oh. Cool! :)

Be warned, we are some crazy minions. ;P

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(CRAZY MINIONS!
*hangs up a pinuata and puts on a sombrero*
*beats up the pinuata*)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(-_- I'm being blackmailed back to sleep..)

Fire Fly said...

I wouldn't call you crazy.... More odd.

Lavender Hope said...

*tilts head curiously at Sil*
Blackmailed?

*scrambled to steal the candy from under the piñata*

Autocorrect did that. *points to the spelling*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Odd and crazy
*nods*
*frowns*
**carzy..

Oh also Be The Glue Thingie)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(...I can't spell. Not my fault..

Yes. Blackmailed. A friend won't eat if I don't sleep.)

Lavender Hope said...

I guess we'd be both. :P

*goes into a deep voice acting*
Join us on the side of the crazy and odd!!
*drops the voice and uses her normal one*
We've got cookies and cupcakes!!! :D

Lavender Hope said...

*wonders who'd blackmail Sil*
*wonders if it's a Bloglandian*
*goes to see the link*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(*yes it's a bloglandian*)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(*sigh*
Bbs.)

Lavender Hope said...

Several names pop up when you say that.

Arnold Glue? :P I like it.

And that's so cool! You're getting fans from other places!!!

I like Gloonies better, in my opinion. :)

Lavender Hope said...

Okay, I'm also going to have to go eat dinner soon.

Lavender Hope said...

Right, going now. May be back later.

Sorry, Fly for all of us poofing on you. If you wait long enough, some one'll come on sooner or later. Bye, and hope you have lots of good memories while you're here! :)

Inky Flame said...

(*yawns* morning
*curls up in a corner*)

Inky Flame said...

(*realises there's an English mock tomorrow, the first day back to college*
*starts having palpitations*
*leaves*)

Savannah said...

(Hello everyone! *cringes and curls up in a corner*)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Back)

Savannah said...

(Hi Jai!)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(hey)

Savannah said...

(How are you?)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Meh. You?)

Savannah said...

(*looks up* Stomach cramps! *gasps and dies*)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Aaaaand that tells me way more than I needed to know...)

Fire Fly said...

Forgive me, I seem to have been rather distracted by my Hama Beads...

Fire Fly said...

It doesn't require that I prove that I'm not a robot? Well, now is a pretty horrible time to admit that I am a robot...

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Welcome back Fly)

Fire Fly said...

Thank you, Jai.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Fly is fun word..flyyyyyyyyyyyy
*gets a fly swatter*
Hehe..)

Fire Fly said...

Please, refrain from using that on me, Jai.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(*looks at the fly swatter*
*looks at fly*
But..but fly...)

Fire Fly said...

I would much prefer not to be swatted... I will forget tomorrow, but it would be hard to explain an odd mark on myself...

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*appears*

Well, okay then. Four hours of Blogland with nobody here and all I get for it is nothing as nobody is here. So I want to leave with a dedication I feel is important and you guys, Alastair, try to have a go at me. No, thanks. For the record, I do not regret "spamming" to get this ded.

...

Hello, Fire Fly. I am Tanya Halcyon, a vampire. Has Silente welcomed you?

(*hugs Seirsha and Jai* Hey! c:)

Fire Fly said...

I... I guess I should explain what I mean...

As a young child, I was cursed. I can remember being locked in a room with a stranger and being told I was to forget everything as soon as I slipped into unconsciousness every night for the rest of my life.

I cannot remember the previous day... Or that of my entire life except from before I was cursed... My father owed a debt...

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(*cuddles the swatter and sulks*
Meanie..)

Fire Fly said...

Hi there, Tanya. And yes, she has. :)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Oh. How tragic. So..You won't remember me tomorrow?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

You could be tortured every day and so long as you were fixed up you'd never..
I like this girl.

Fire Fly said...

I believe not, Jai. Though I do wish I could remember a spirit as bright as yours... That would truly be an honour.

What are you implying...?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Bright? You're the fire fly..


Oh nothing...

Fire Fly said...

I just met you, I think, and I can already tell tht you are very special. You're not like the others... You're unique and knowing you would be amazing...

You're not going to torture me, right...?

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

(Hello Jai hello why are you ignoring me?

And you confused me because I thought you said she's Ms Bright :S)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*frowns*
*isn't used to being complimented by the New people*
*Hm..*

Probably not.



SORRY KAS HI KAS HOW ARE YOU KAS?!

Fire Fly said...

Tanya, I seem to be the confused one...

Savannah said...

(Back! Sorry, had breakfast!)

Fire Fly said...

You have a special kind of thing that not a lot of people have, Jai. It's a beautiful thing to see :)

Hi Velvet Shadows.

Chione Asahina said...

(Hello everyone)

Savannah said...

(Hi Fire Fly, nice to meet you!)

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

(Read the ded, Jai.

And how are you?

Oh, welcome back, Seirsha

@Fly I am male, btw. My character is female.)

*sneaks up on Sil*

*wraps her arms around her and whispers in her ear* Have you given fresh blood a welcome?

Savannah said...

(Hello Chi, how are you?)

Savannah said...

(Thanks Tia, how are you?)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(GEEEEEMMAAAAAAAA I HAVE COMMENTED ON EVERY FANFIC POOOOST!


Oh and Fly, btw, in parentheses, authors. Out of it, maybe authors, probably rp.


Hmph.
*isn't sure why New person is complimenting her*)

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

(I am okay. How are you? How is everyone today?

Hello, Gem.)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(I have read the ded! *salutes* And I would argue against it but..it's easier to just...not.)


*smiles*
Nope. Go ahead Tanya.

Savannah said...

(I'm not well and I am still being forced to go to orchestra! *moans* I just wanna sleeep!)

Fire Fly said...

(Hi Chione.

Good to know, Tanya :)

Like this, Jai?)

*Looks at Tanya and frowns* Excuse me...?

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

Oh, no. You go. I insist.

*smiles at Fire Fly*

Fire Fly said...

I... I don't know what's happening... Why did you call me 'fresh blood'...?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Yes, like this Fire. So for example, this is me, Jai. The weird fourteen year old.)



And this is Sil. The a hundred and thirty...four year old who likes like a twelve year old cause vampires ftw and could potentially be op.

Fire Fly said...

(You are not weird, Jai. And thank you :D )

'Vampires'...?

Chione Asahina said...

(Hello Tanya, Velvet

I'm glad Silente ^.^ I'll try and type up another later on.)

Savannah said...

(*hugs Fire Fly* Don't worry, Sil's a vampire and she wanted my blood when I first joined last month, but I'm fine, I came out a little bruised but fine! And the welcome is... Interesting...)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(I can be sometimes ;) you're welcome.)


*grins showing slightly pointed teeth*
Indeed.
*lunges forwards, a fist flying for Fires face*

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*keeps smiling at Fly*

Don't worry, you won't remember any of it. Unless it's truly horrific.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(YEEEES YEY! Good. *nods* There were more posts than expected...)

Fire Fly said...

(Velvet... I am terrified...)

Savannah said...

*lets go of Fly and steps back*

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

(@Jai indeed)

Savannah said...

(So was I!)

Sorry, Fly...

Chione Asahina said...

(Hi Fire fly)

Fire Fly said...

*Takes a step back but the fist still cracks into her face, knocking her down* Please don't eat me! *Blood starts to trickle from her burst lip*

Fire Fly said...

(Hi Chione. How are you?)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(I love how everyone just ALLOWS the welcome..)

*grins, crouching next to her*
Eat you? I won't EAT you. I try not to eat flesh. No, I'm thinking more of a drink.
*smiles, eyes sparkling*

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*steps forward and grabs Fire Fly's arm*

Don't resist, and you'll come out of this alive. Mostly.

Fire Fly said...

Don't drink me either!! What did I ever do to you?? *Stares at both of them for a moment before lashing out with a kick for Silente*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*laughs and jumps over the kick, spinning with one of her own aimed for Fires gut*

Savannah said...

(Jai, I let it happen because no one stopped when it was happening to me... But I came out with all my blood because I'm just that special!)

Fire Fly said...

*The kick hit its mark and the air rushed out of her lungs. She gasped and looked at them again, terrified, before she started to cry*

Savannah said...

*frowns* You never went this far with me Sil... *runs to Fly*

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*leans down towards Fly*

Now, now. We won't hurt you.

Much.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*scowls*
She's crying. I hate it when they cry.
*circles until she's behind Fly then moves the hair over her neck aside*

Savannah said...

*snags Tanya's foot from behind and pushes her over*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*smiles at Velvet and winks*

Savannah said...

*jumps onto Sil's back and slips arm under Sil's chin, pulling her back*

Fire Fly said...

*Puts her head between her knees and continues crying, effectively getting her neck away from Silente's teeth* Help...

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*stands easily despite the weight on her back, gritting her teeth and keeping her head where it is*
Velvet. Off.

Savannah said...

*shouts* Fire, what's your favourite animal? Tell me quick, I don't know how long I can keep the others away!

Lavender Hope said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*nods*
That's enough.
*offers Fire a hand up, smiling in a friendly way*
Welcome to blogland.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Hey Lav!)

Savannah said...

*keeps hands on Sil's shoulders and pushes down, swinging my legs up and over to whack Sil on the head*

Lavender Hope said...

Hi.
*glares at wifi connection*

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*tackles Fly*

Did I not say that we'll limit your pain? Maybe you don't want that!

*snarls and goes to bite Fly's neck*

Savannah said...

(Guessing Lav deleted the comment... *hugs her*)
Sorry Fire! *hugs* they aren't usually like that... Only if there's a new person...)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*stumbles and hisses*
Velvet!
*grabs her legs and activates her own wings*
*rockets up into the sky, carrying velvet upside down*

Fire Fly said...

It's a firefly... That's why I called myself that...

*Glances at Silente and scrambles away*

Savannah said...

(How are you Lav?)
*sighs and pulls Fly up away from Tanya*

Fire Fly said...

*Tries to push Tanya away but the vampire is so much stronger than her* STOP!!

Savannah said...

*shouts down to Fire* Yeah, probably should have just gone with my instincts then... *kicks Sil's jaw, pulling my leg out of her grip and creates an air cushion for me to land on*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*spots Tanya*
Crud.
*rockets downwards, grabbing Tanya's arm*
Off!

Savannah said...

*steps in front of Tanya* Stop trying to drink Firefly, I think the welcome is finished...

Fire Fly said...

(I would love to stay and continue this, but it seems I have to get some sleep... Goodnight all.)

Savannah said...

(Night Fire Fly!)

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

(Good night, Fly!)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Night fire fly!)

*shakes her head*
*looks at Velvet*
NEVER do that again.

Savannah said...

*grins sweetly* Of course Silente!

Lavender Hope said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Savannah said...

(*hugs Lavender* I hope you feel better soon!)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*glares*
Seriously.. I know how far I'm taking things. Trust my judgement. I wasn't going to bite her.

Savannah said...

*rolls eyes* Yeah, well I didn't know that...

Chione Asahina said...

(Sorry I was distant, was watching the first season of the walking dead.)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

You do now..seriously, j never bite.

Chione Asahina said...

(Night Fire Fly)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(*cuddles Gem*)

Savannah said...

Okay!

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*nods*
*rubs her jaw*
Ow.

Chione Asahina said...

(*cuddles Sil*)

Savannah said...

Sorry... Can't you heal yourself?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Yey! *smiles at having been cuddled back*)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*raises an eyebrow*
I can do lots of things. Healing myself is not one such thing.

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

(@Jai So I guess the good cop/bad cop act didn't work...)

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*applies her healing magic to Silente's jaw*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(Naaah.)

Savannah said...

You see! All better!?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Thanks Tanya.
*glares at Velvet*

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*collapses from exerting all of her magic*

Savannah said...

*smiles at Sil*

Kayleigh: *runs to Tanya* Are you okay?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*catches Tanya*
*rolls eyes and rips open a cut on the back of her own hand*
*presses the cut to Tanya's lips*

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*awakens with blood in her mouth and Sil and Kay standing in front of her*

*looks confused*

Did I miss the party or something?

Savannah said...

Kayleigh: Party?... *looks up at Sil slowly*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Sure. That's what happened. Drink.

Savannah said...

Kay: *nods at Tanya* Yup! That's exactly what happened! *laughs awkwardly*

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*drinks slowly*

*reaches out for Sil's cut, and applies some healing magic to close the cut, gasping in pain as she does so*

(I have to go to town now, so I will be on my phone and about 3-5 minutes distant. Do you guys want to do an rp or something?)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*looks at Kayleigh*
You okay?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Tanya! Stop wasting energy!

Savannah said...

(I don't mind Tia!)
Kay: *looks at Sil* Fine, why?

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*groans weakly, trying to get up*

It's not a waste, Sil.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*to Kayleigh*
You seem jumpy..

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*pushes Tanya back down*
Not yet.
*closes her eyes, pressing her palms to activate the healing sigils*
*places them on Tanya's head, transferring energy*

Savannah said...

Kay: *looks at Tanya and shrugs*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*frowns And makes a mental note not to trust Kayleigh*

Savannah said...

Kay: Tanya, are you okay?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

She'll be fine.

Savannah said...

Kay: Good...

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*gets up and hugs Sil*

Let's go home.

You too, Kay.

Maybe torture could strengthen our friendship.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Haven't seen you around so much. Where've you been hiding?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*hugs Tanya back and frowns*
Torture?

Savannah said...

*grins at Tanya* That's just one of the many reasons that I love it!

(Dammit, gotta go to orchestra... Be back at half four, sorry!)

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

(Have fun if you can, Seirsha!)

Well, you know, what with you being cheated out of giving the warmest of greetings to Fly, I thought you would appreciate, you know...

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

Sorry Tanya but I don't torture anymore

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*laughs*

*frowns, looking at Sil*

Uh, um... neither do I?

*looks away, sadly*

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*shrugs*
You'll learn not to one day.

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*sighs*

How can you even bear to be around a monster, Sil?

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

I AM a monster.

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*frowns*

You? Monster? I don't think so.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*smiles*
The best monsters are the hidden ones.

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*smiles back*

And you always were the best...

*reaches for her shoulder*

I don't think I'll ever fear you, but I will fear for you.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*raises an eyebrow*
You don't need to fear for me.

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

No, I need to protect you. You have a habit of dying.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

It's a fun habit.

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*looks determined*

I won't let you go.

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

*smiles*
Sure.

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

*growls*

You think I'm joking? I'd give my life to save yours.

...

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

You aren't allowed to do that.

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

I guess I'll break the rules.

(How do I... say something without having you guys send me sympathy and drown me in it?)

Jai (Silente Tempest - St Of Sinners) said...

(No idea.)

No, Tanya.

Chione Asahina said...

(I won't judge and i'll try not to feel sorry for you, if that helps?)

Tanya Halcyon (Kas) said...

You have someone to live for. I'd rather die than let you die and let her grieve.

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