February 07, 12 @ 5:15 pm
A few years ago I wrote an action-packed, futuristic romantic suspense novel called COUNTDOWN under a now-retired pen name, which got fantastic reviews and a couple very cool award nominations. The book was favorably compared to The Hunger Games in its Booklist review — BEFORE The Hunger Games came out.
That was then. This is now. And I’m happy to share that something really cool is going to happen with this story….
Here’s the official deal announcement from Publishers Marketplace!
Michelle Rowen’s COUNTDOWN, in which a street thief and a convicted murderer must work together against the clock to beat a deadly reality game, previously published as adult fiction, to be revised and retitled for young adult, to Natashya Wilson at Harlequin TEEN, by Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.
Soooo excited to work on this with Natashya and Harlequin Teen (they’re also publishing my Nightwatchers series, starting with DARK KISS in June). This is one of my favorite books I’ve written to date and I’m thrilled to have this chance to make it available to a brand new audience!! 
January 04, 12 @ 10:38 pm
Last year I didn’t read half as much as I would have liked. This year I want to change that. I have a ton of books on my kindle I haven’t even opened yet and I’ve been sorting them into two categories — will DEFINITELY read, and… maybe later. Likely, I’ll never even attempt the maybe laters.
Based on the few books that I buy and devour because they hit all the right notes with me (normally I have the concentration of a gnat), I’d like to share the top 10 things which will indicate that I’ll (probably) enjoy a novel….
1. First person POV from heroine. I’ll read and enjoy third, but I prefer first.
2. A subtly evolving, but intense romantic subplot (with payoff). All this “lust at first sight” rarely works for me in a novel, but “awareness at first sight” is another thing all together. Slow, but steady wins the race. As far as “payoff,” well… I think you know what I mean. I’m very patient, but there better be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
3. An enigmatic, badass hero with secrets who could very easily be a bad guy, apart from his feelings about the heroine. Yes, please. The more screwed up the hero is, the more I like him. I don’t know what this says about me.
4. Pain. Sending a main character through intense pain — emotional and physical — really earns her/him my respect. Plus, it’s entertaining. I know, I’m a bit sadistic.
5. A love triangle. Love writing them, love reading them. Prefer 2 guys and a girl to the opposite. The heroine should always be the one to have this wonderful and horrible choice. I’ve rarely read the opposite.
6. A certain level of predictability. I like to be able to guess how a few things will turn out, especially with the romance. Don’t make me invest in a couple and then kill one off. I will not like you. Ever. Even if it’s done well.**
7. Twists and turns for everything else. Surprises that I can’t see coming — that still make sense in the context of the story — make me happy and turning pages.
8. Make me laugh. Even the darkest book needs to have some comic relief. Otherwise…how incredibly dreary. I’d rather watch the evening news for the same effect.
9. Make me cry. Grabbing me by the throat and making me feel the pain of the main characters is a guaranteed way to getting a spot on my keeper shelf.
10. Creative worldbuilding. I’ve read vampires, werewolves, and fairies many times before, but if I find a world clever and unique, I want to know more. More more more!!
**I should say, that they shouldn’t be killed off permanently. In a paranormal, there’s always the hope of resurrection. THIS IS OKAY.
Know any books that fit the bill? PLEASE recommend them to me to read in 2012! And please share what you look for in a book as well!
January 02, 12 @ 3:18 pm
I’m very happy to announce that REIGN FALL (Demon Princess #3) is now available! Getting this book out to readers has truly been a labor of love.
Love — because I love this story and these characters. Labor — because this is my first foray into self-publishing. I’m extremely happy with the results — I might do a blog post sometime soon on the interesting and detailed process of self-pubbing a novel.
I want to give HUGE thanks to my friends and colleagues who helped get it into shape through beta-reading, copyediting, proofreading, and formatting — they get a shout-out on the acknowledgments page. Also to the readers who remained optimistic that I would continue the series on my own. Some were a bit forceful with their opinion and their disappointment at the thought that I was going to end things with Nikki after the end of book 2 with so much unresolved… I totally understand. Nikki’s complete story HAD to be told, people! It HAD TO. And now it gets its chance.
REIGN FALL is my favorite book in the Demon Princess series and I had a blast writing it. Things are getting crazy for our little demon princess! What was hinted at at books one and two are really coming to a head. Romance, adventure, danger! This book definitely has it all. And I’ve certainly paid attention to what readers said about the first two. A character I wasn’t going to pay toooo much attention to is definitely moving more to the forefront to become a real contender for Nikki’s heart. I shall say no more.
And the story’s not over yet. There’s one more book to come, REIGN STORM, which I haven’t written yet, even though I know pretty much what’s going to happen. I will be working on that in my spare time and endeavor to make it available sooner than later.
I’ve received a couple lovely early reviews of REIGN FALL….
“This series is extremely fun, cute, exciting and enjoyable. If you have not picked up the first book yet you should definitely do that! Or you should just pick up all of Michelle Rowen’s books because her writing is like Pringles so once you start you can’t stop. I can never put the books down. I’m off to read it a third time.“ —Some Like It Paranormal (full review here)
“This has been a favourite YA series of mine since I read the first two books mid last year and I have to say I loved this as much as the others…A lot of secrets are revealed and those that were previously kept in the dark are now finding out the truth.” —Manda’s Movements (full review here)
Haven’t read books 1 and 2? I included a brief recap at the beginning of #3 in case you want to start here. I don’t think you’ll be too lost! However, both of the original books are still in print and available as ebooks.
So you might be asking yourself — where and how can I get my hands on REIGN FALL? I want to get reading!!
PRINT VERSION:
CreateSpace is producing the print versions — I picked a size that matches the original books so everything looks lovely and uniform on the shelf. I received a proof of this and was amazed at the quality! POD sure has come a long, long way in the last handful of years, so I’m very impressed and happy to make this format available to those who prefer a physical book to an ebook.
I’ve arranged for wider distribution on this than only Amazon, but it will take a little longer before the print version will be available through other venues (like B&N, Chapters, etc). For now, you can order it from CreateSpace and Amazon.com and it’s priced at $11.99 US.
EBOOK VERSION:
For the ebook version, wider distribution again will take a few weeks to process — I’ll add buy links to the Demon Princess book page when they become available (for Sony, Kobo, B&N, etc). At the moment, it’s available at Amazon Kindle and Smashwords for $3.99 US.
Check out my Demon Princess Facebook Page and/or my Michelle Rowen Facebook Page for information about the next book and talk about characters, sneak peeks, quotes, etc. Check out the Demon Princess FAQ. When I get some more copies of the print book I’ll be doing giveaways as well. Stay tuned!
This has been an incredible learning experience for me and I am happy to be able to provide Nikki’s continuing story for interested readers. I hope that you love the book!! Feel free to send me an email to let me know what you think of it!
Happy reading!
Michelle xoxo
P.S. You can read the first three chapters here.
P.P.S. If you have a book review blog, please contact me if you’d like to review the ebook version of REIGN FALL!
December 24, 11 @ 5:09 pm
Wow, thanks for all the fantastic comments on the contest post! One of the amazing things about the VA series is that there are so many compelling characters that readers can connect to. I think just about everyone got mentioned as your favorite characters, although it seems as if Ms. Rose Hathaway herself took the grand prize for the most reader love. I think she kind of deserves it!
The contest is now closed and I have chosen at random my two winners — yes, two! I decided since there were so many comments I’d give away an extra copy.
Congrats to Gail Goodenough (comment 1.1) and Irene Boggs (comment 273), both of whom have been contacted by email to claim their prizes.
Happy Holidays, everyone!!!
Michelle xoxo
P.S. I still love Adrian the best.
December 22, 11 @ 3:19 pm
The official guide to the #1 international bestselling Vampire Academy series
Sink your teeth into the perfect holiday gift and must-have collector’s item for every fan of Richelle Mead’s totally addicting Vampire Academy series.
Discover the history of St. Vladimir’s Academy, explore the dark psychology behind Rose and Lissa’s spirit bond, and find out even more illicit secrets about Moroi society. This ultimate guide will feature everything readers want and need to go even deeper into the world of Vampire Academy, Frostbite, Shadow Kiss, Blood Promise, Spirit Bound, and Last Sacrifice . . . every heartache, every betrayal, every sacrifice, and so much more!
It’s the official release day for VAMPIRE ACADEMY: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE! Hooray!! I was thrilled to get the chance to be a part of this fun project, especially since I was (and am) such a fan of Richelle Mead’s series.
Here’s a few FAQs I get about this project….
Who is your favorite VA character?
Too many to mention all of them, but Adrian is a stand-out character for me. He was gorgeous, he had charm, and he was incredibly sarcastic. The perfect man!
Which character would you most like to be bitten by?
Without a doubt: Dimitri. *offers neck*
What power would you want if you were a Moroi?
Spirit, if it didn’t have the side effects. Otherwise, I’d like fire. It seems to be the most kickass power by far.
Does writing the Guide mean you get to meet Dimitri and Adrian?
I wish! But, alas, no.
I’d love to give away a signed (by me) copy of the Ultimate Guide to a commenter! Tell me who your favorite VA character is and why you love them so much! I’ll pick a winner at random tomorrow night, December 23rd, 2011 at 9:00 p.m. EST. International entries welcome!
December 13, 11 @ 10:53 pm
The randomly selected winner (thanks to www.random.org) is Emily and she’s been contacted by email to claim her prize. Congrats! And thanks so much to everyone who entered!
It’s the one week birthday of THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC‘s release. Thank you to everyone who has bought the book and contacted me or tweeted or Facebooked about how much they loved the finale of Darrak and Eden’s tale!
I haven’t had much time for promo since I’m deadlining it like crazy before the holidays, but I wanted to put up a fun new contest. This is for all three books in the Living in Eden trilogy, 1) The Demon in Me, 2) Something Wicked, and 3) That Old Black Magic. A signed set from yours truly! That’s Darrak times three for your bookshelf! How attractively devilish!
I’ll ship internationally for this so anyone can enter — just leave a comment here on the blog and answer this question: What gift, book, wish are you hoping to receive this holiday season?
I’ll choose a comment at random on Friday, December 16, 2011, and the winner will be contacted via email to claim their prize.
Good luck and happy reading!
Michelle xoxo
December 06, 11 @ 6:45 am
First there was THE DEMON IN ME. Then SOMETHING WICKED. Now it’s the official release day for THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC. Hooray!!! The third and final book in the Living in Eden trilogy was a blast to write and I’m so happy it’s finally out there. I hope readers find the finale to Eden and Darrak’s story to be a fun ride!
Check out my interview with “Rocco” that will be posting today on catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com. There’s a signed copy of TOBM up for a commenter to win! I’ve never been interviewed by a cat before. It was awesome.
I’m on vacation today through the end of the week and won’t be taking my laptop with me (withdrawal should start in T-minus three, two, one…), so I thought I’d put up a contest here as well.
Post a comment for the CHANCE TO WIN a $20 Gift Card to your online retailer of choice. I’ll pick a winner at random on Friday, December 9, 2011 at 9:00 p.m. EST. Good luck! (If you’re viewing this post on a mirror site, please visit michellerowen.com/blog to enter)
Here’s a reminder of what THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC is all about…
When it comes to magic, sparks aren’t the only thing that can ignite…
Reluctant witch Eden Riley knows that codependent relationships aren’t good, but it’s hard to be independent when you’re possessed by a sexy but troublemaking demon. Darrak’s physical form makes good girl Eden want to go bad, but the constant itch to use the soul-destroying black magic she’s recently acquired might force Eden to explore her dark side in an entirely different way.
When her dangerous magic starts manifesting itself without conscious effort, Darrak insists she seek outside help—which also leads them to the potential answer to ending the demon’s curse. Suddenly, everything starts spiraling completely out of control, threatening both her life and the possibility of a future with Darrak—since only one of them might be able to survive this…
You can check out the first three chapters RIGHT HERE!
Also, I wrote a Dear Reader letter for the Penguin website. There just MIGHT be a typo in it. But I think it adds a bit of personality.
Anyway, I really hope if you get a copy of the book that you enjoy it! I’ve enjoyed writing Darrak a lot (oh, and Eden too, of course — but Darrak, um, more), and I’m going to miss him (them) a lot. You just can’t go wrong with a funny, sexy demon hero in my opinion!
Happy reading!
Michelle xoxo
November 04, 11 @ 3:29 pm
I have permission to show off my fabulous cover for DARK KISS, the first book in my new young adult urban fantasy Nightwatchers series I’m writing for Harlequin Teen. There may still be a few tweaks to this cover before everything is absolutely final, but I have to say — I think it’s my favorite cover ever! (Please meet my hero, Bishop — ain’t he cute?). Also, this book has a very special place in my heart — definitely one of my faves I’ve ever written and I hope readers enjoy it a lot!!
This book is out June 2012. Will be sharing more information about this book as we draw closer to the release date — and Harlequin Teen will be sharing the back cover copy soon, likely on their Facebook page. Will keep you posted!
October 24, 11 @ 10:35 pm
I’ve found that there are some readers who are a little confused about my book and series status and what I have ongoing right now.
Allow me to help!!
2011 marks the end of both my Nightshade and Living in Eden paranormal romance series at 2 and 3 books respectively. That’s okay. Short and sweet, right? I’m proud of both of these series, I enjoyed writing the books, and have been very grateful for the warm reception both have received from the readers who discovered them. I do think that Living in Eden is definitely done at the end of book 3, That Old Black Magic (out December 6th!), but I am open to returning to my Nightshade world someday if I ever have the opportunity.
2012 marks an exciting new start for three series… my current writing schedule will allow for new releases in each series every 8-9 months. I’m soooo excited about each one of these, I can’t even tell you….
NIGHTWATCHERS — New young adult urban fantasy series with Harlequin Teen.
Book #1 — DARK KISS — June 2012
In a nutshell, this is about a girl who gets a kiss from her ultimate crush but it’s, as the title suggests, a rather Dark Kiss. She then gets swept up into an world of angels and demons in a city at siege with an unseen evil that threatens everyone who lives there. It’s fun, it’s romantic, it’s thrilling. Currently, I’m contracted for two books in this series. The second book will be called WICKED KISS and it’ll be out in early 2013. I have seen an early cover for Dark Kiss and, I gotta say, it’s FREAKING GORGEOUS. Can’t wait to share the final version.
IMMORTALITY BITES MYSTERIES — New paranormal mystery series with NAL Obsidian; a fresh continuation of my original Immortality Bites books. Think: “season two.”
Book #1 — BLOOD BATH & BEYOND — August 2012
Sarah Dearly just wouldn’t stay quiet after I gave her a happily ever after in Tall, Dark & Fangsome. Nearly three years later (in real life anyway, in “book life” it’s only about three months), she’ll be back in her first cozy mystery — with the same feel, same humor, same voice as the original books. Sarah has her man, and he has a new and dangerous job as traveling consultant with the Ring, the vampire council. She tags along. Chaos ensues. I think it will be very fun to explore the ongoing relationship of a funny optimistic fledgling vampire who trusts too easily and a pessimistic and secretive master vampire who rarely trusts anyone. I think I could very happily write about Sarah’s future adventures for the rest of my life. But for now, I’m contracted for two books in this new series and I hope readers connect to it in a big way!
FALLING KINGDOMS — New YA high fantasy series with Razorbill
Book #1 — REBEL SPRING — Date TBA
I’m dipping my toes in a different genre — high fantasy — and I couldn’t be happier for the opportunity! Since this is a different feel from my paranormal fare, I will be writing it under the pen name Morgan Rhodes. Two books are contracted in this fun and exciting series so far. Woo hoo!
Oh, and I certainly can’t forget……..
DEMON PRINCESS — the self-pubbed finale(s) to my YA paranormal series.
Book #3 — REIGN FALL — January 2012
I like closure. I just couldn’t let Reign Fall be the last Demon Princess book. After all, I already KNEW what was going to happen next. So I wrote it. I couldn’t finish up everything in book three, so book four is…um…coming. Eventually. I swear!!! I’m not TOTALLY sure when I’ll have time to write the last book, but I can promise you that it WILL be written. Ideally, I’d like to have the last book out in late 2012. I’m going to try my very best!! Promise!
And that, my friends, is pretty much it. I’m very lucky to call writing my full time job and I’m grateful to my awesome readers and my fabulous editors for giving me the chance to keep doing this. Life is good!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some writing to do….
October 20, 11 @ 3:12 pm
This has now gone up on Publisher’s Marketplace, so I can finally announce it on my website!
Michelle Rowen writing as Morgan Rhodes’s REBEL SPRING, the first novel in the high fantasy series FALLING KINGDOMS, in which an ensemble cast led by a princess-turned-queen see their fortunes tangle together in times of war, pitched as GAME OF THRONES for teens, to Laura Arnold at Razorbill, in a two-book deal, by Jim McCarthy at Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.
I loved working with Razorbill on Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide and I’m both grateful and thrilled to get the chance to continue my relationship with them on this fun new series!
I’ll definitely talk more about REBEL SPRING when I get the book written and I receive the cover art. But in the meantime — Hooray! I’m a happy girl.
