What is Wicked Kiss about?

It’s about demons and angels, and family and friendship, trust, love, and hope, and trusting your heart vs. trusting your head. It’s about what really matters to you, even if you don’t realize what matters to you until it’s threatened.

Plot-wise, Wicked Kiss continues the story of Samantha Day, a teenage girl whose soul was stolen in a dark kiss, turning her into a soul-stealing “gray,” and the small team of angels and demons sent to earth to stop creatures like her from destroying the universal balance. Sam’s main goal is to get her soul back and be normal again, but nothing is ever that easy…especially not when you’re falling in love with someone whose duty it is to save the world from creatures just like you.

Who is your favorite character?

I do really love writing from Samantha’s POV since she’s strong and smart and funny. And I love Bishop, the main angel who’s in charge even though he’s dealing with a multitude of difficulties. But I know Kraven is a reader favorite and this is very likely because he’s just so much fun to write – a snarky jerk of a demon who has some serious pain he’s dealing with down deep that is rising – very quickly – to the surface. Kind of like a sarcastic volcano.

What was your favorite part about writing Wicked Kiss?

My favorite part was a couple key relationships, beyond the expected “romantic” relationship between Bishop and Sam (which I loved since it’s so much more complex in book two than it was in book one). I loved writing about Bishop and Kraven’s many problems and how the two choose to deal with their difficult history. And I loved writing about Sam’s developing friendship (?) with Jordan, her high school nemesis.

Is there a love triangle in the book?

I do enjoy a good love triangle. And if that dynamic is essential to a plot, then I’m all for it. On the surface, there may seem to be a love triangle in Wicked Kiss…but it’s definitely NOT a traditional one. In my opinion, a traditional love triangle (boy-girl-boy) will have the girl torn between her romantic feelings for two very different boys. She doesn’t know who she really loves the most. It’s not really like that in Wicked Kiss, but Bishop and Kraven’s past definitely play a large part into the trio’s dynamic.

Will readers find out more about Bishop and Kraven’s mysterious past hinted at in book one?

Oh, yes. WAY, WAYYYY more.

Instalove – are you for it or against it?

One of the things I noticed that Dark Kiss was criticized for – or, really, that any YA that features love at first sight seems to be criticized for – is “instalove.” (A term I wasn’t even familiar with until DK came out! LOL). Frankly, I love books with love at first sight, provided that it feels right and natural for the characters. In Dark Kiss, Sam and Bishop are drawn together from their first meeting, attracted to each other in ways they don’t entirely know how to process, but can’t ignore. However, this attraction was VITAL to the plot and it wasn’t just caused by thinking the other person was “super hot.” In fact, this instant attraction is looked at very critically in book two by the characters and it opens up the dialogue of what is real love? Is what we’re feeling real? How do we know the difference between actual love and artificial supernaturally-induced attraction?

Will there be another book in the series?

At this moment, there are no more Nightwatchers books under contract. The series currently consists of Dark Kiss and Wicked Kiss only, no more, no less. Due to this, I took extra steps and extra time to ensure that book two does NOT end on a cliffhanger and that readers will be totally satisfied. That said, if Wicked Kiss sells well, there may be the chance for another book. So, if you enjoy the books, please help spread the word! Word of mouth is THE BEST advertising!

And a couple questions from my Facebook page….

Will Kraven admit that he has feelings for Sam?

Kraven is a complicated character and therefore his feelings are complicated, and definitely not black and white “I like you,” or “I hate you.” Yeah, vague answer, I know!! Read the book for more about Kraven’s feelings – he has a lot of them!

Will Samantha overcome the hunger she feels for Bishop?

Well, that would be a spoiler for sure! All I can say is that pretty much all questions readers might have after Dark Kiss are answered in Wicked Kiss!

: : : : : CONTEST : : : : :

I want to give away TWO signed sets of the Nightwatchers series – Dark Kiss and Wicked Kiss. Please comment below to enter (International entries are welcome) and answer this question:

What celebrity or book character would you want to give you a Wicked Kiss?

Winners will be chosen at random on Sunday, March 3rd at 9:00pm EST and notified by email. They will have one week to reply with their mailing address to claim their prize.

Good luck – and happy reading!!

BLOG MORE.

Yeah, I will admit, I’ve slacked for, um, far too long here on zee blog. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say. I have plenty to say. But usually it’s sent out 140 characters at a time on Twitter or with random observances on Facebook.

Blogging is a whole different animal. It takes a bit more time, a bit more thought. But I do still think it’s a worthy use of one’s time. Just not every day. Because, well, I don’t have THAT much to say online about myself and the world at large. Really, I don’t.

My goal is to blog once a week for sure. Twice if something is particularly interesting. I think I’ll be blogging on two main topics — 1) Seinfeld’s “nothing,” which, really, is everything life has to offer on a daily basis: entertainment, anecdotes, writing progress, upcoming appearances, pictures of my cats, etc., and 2) writing tips. Because I haz them.

And I haz news!

My novel, FALLING KINGDOMS, which I wrote under my high fantasy pen name Morgan Rhodes, is a New York Times bestseller! It snagged the #15 spot on the extended YA list for January 13, 2013. To say I’m super!happy about this would be a vast, VAST understatement. Thank you readers! Thank you FK street team and blog tour peeps! Thank you Penguin Teen and Razorbill Books. Thank you Agent Jim (who also sent me the lovely flowers pictured here). A great way to start off a new year, that’s for sure!

I’m also lucky enough to be included on the Breathless Reads book tour that’s going to be heading out next month. There are two tours, and I’m on the East Coast one, which means I (Morgan Rhodes) will be touring with Beth Revis, Fiona Paul, Jessica Spotswood, Elizabeth Richards, and Lili Peloquin. We’re going to Boston, MA; Chapel Hill, NC; Greenville, SC; Miami, FL; Memphis, TN; New York, NY; and Madison, WI. If you’re near one of these locations, please come out and see us. We’d love to meet you!! You can find all the dates and locations and more information HERE

Do I sound calm about it? I’m not. I’M SUPER EXCITED THRILLED AMAZED BREATHLESSLY OMG HAPPY. But I’m trying to be all cool like Fonzie. Because Fonzie is cool.

What am I doing to fill the time before that??

Well, Right now, I’m brainstorming a new proposal that’s been kicking around in my head for a while. I’m only giving myself a few more days on that to see what I get. Then I need, I NEED to get crackin’ on Demon Princess #4. I had to bump the tentative release date on this book since i was slammed with work at the end of 2012. While I love my DP books, they are, at this point, self published ventures (aka Labors of Love), so they take a back seat to my contracted stuff. Always. But I have promised to write the last book and I always honor my promises. Almost always. Well, I usually do. And this is one of those promises I will honor. And I actually do want to find out how it ends just as much as the loyal readers of this series. Who will Nikki pick? Michael or Rhys? Even I don’t know! (I’m lying… of course I know! Hee hee).

Next official book release is February 26th — WICKED KISS is out. It’s the sequel to DARK KISS. Did you have questions that needed answering after the first book? Well, they get answered. And people get kissed. Check out the first two chapters on the website (follow above linky). It’s a pretty epic book, if I do say so myself. I’ll be chatting WK up a lot more in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned!

Anyway, so that’s what’s going on right now at the beginning of this shiny new year.

Till later,

Michelle

Ten years ago I signed up for the Writer’s Digest Novel Writing correspondence course because I needed guidance on writing a novel with a chance of being published (and to bump me out of my longtime procrastination when it came to pursuing this particular dream). The first assignment was to come up with an idea for a book I wanted to write. I decided I wanted to write about a newly sired, trouble-magnet of a vampire who found herself in a heap of danger in every direction she turned. I sent off this kernel of an idea to my instructor October 26, 2002 and this book eventually became my first published novel, Bitten & Smitten, published January 2006.

This is my roundabout way of saying that this week I’m celebrating the tenth birthday of the creation of my favorite and most challenging character, Sarah Dearly. She’s a character I’m still writing about to this day since she just won’t shut up. I LOVE writing about Sarah, even when she’s making questionable choices that get her into deep trouble or choosing paths that don’t always correspond with what I have in my outlines. And, originally, even when she insisted on falling for the OTHER guy rather than the one I had planned for her (in my original notes, she ended up with Quinn, and the sexy, yet grumpy and dour Thierry was killed at the end of Bitten & Smitten!)

I am well aware that Sarah is a fictional character that I CREATED, but she is one that I SWEAR seems to have a personality all her own. And I’m totally okay with that.

***CONTEST***

I want to celebrate this milestone by giving away a full signed set of the original Immortality Bites series (the UK versions of Bitten & Smitten, Fanged & Fabulous, Lady & the Vamp (that Sarah wasn’t in, but if I had to write it again, she would be!), Stakes & Stilettos, and Tall, Dark & Fangsome) and the first book in my new paranormal Immortality Bites Mysteries series (Blood Bath & Beyond).

And I want to give it to someone who knows the books and Sarah herself. I know you’re out there!

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW SARAH DEARLY?

1. What was the name of the vampire who sired Sarah on her original blind date from hell?

2. How old is Sarah?

3. What’s Sarah’s best female friend’s name (first and last)?

4. Who did Sarah move in with after her apartment went kaboom?

5. What is Thierry’s non-blood, non-alcoholic drink of choice?

6. Which designer suits does Thierry always wear and what color are they?

7. During which historical disaster was Thierry sired?

8. What is Sarah’s favorite blood type and why is it her favorite?

9. What is the name of the vampire council?

10. What happens to a vampire’s body if they’re killed after existing for 100 years or more?

11. BONUS: For those who really know their Immortality Bites and Rowenverse trivia: What was my original title for Bitten & Smitten?

Please send your answers and mailing address to michelle@michellerowen.com — if more than one entry has all questions right, I will choose a winner at random. If no one gets all the questions right, I will choose the winner at random between all entrants. Winner will be notified by email.

Contest closes Sunday, November 4, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. EST. International entries are welcome!

Thank you so much for reading my books — the Sarah ones and the others. Without your support and enthusiasm I wouldn’t be lucky enough to do what I do.

Happy reading and good luck!!

Michelle xoxo

Today is the fangtastic day that BLOOD BATH & BEYOND — the very first Immortality Bites Mystery — is released into bookstores and onto e-readers everywhere!

Any questions?

Hey Michelle Rowen, what’s the book about?

Thank you for asking!

Blood Bath & Beyond

(An Immortality Bites Mystery #1)

Sarah Dearly is adjusting to life as a fledgling vampire, satisfying her cravings at vampire-friendly blood banks. But when her fiancé Thierry takes a job with the Ring—the secret council in charge of keeping vampires in line—Sarah’s about to get more than a taste of danger…

Being engaged to a centuries-old master vampire can be challenging—especially when he takes a job with the Ring. Thierry’s in for fifty years of nonstop travel and deadly risk. It’s enough to make any woman reconsider the wedding…any woman except Sarah, that is!

Traveling with him to Las Vegas for his first assignment, they encounter a child beauty pageant contestant from hell, as well as a vampire serial killer leaving victims drained of blood, potentially exposing the existence of vampires to the whole world. But when Thierry’s truly ancient history comes back to haunt him, and he’s accused of a crime he didn’t commit, it’s up to Sarah to clear his name before their immortal lives come to an end.

“A bloody hysterical paranormal mystery!” –New York Times Bestselling Author Victoria Laurie

4-1/2 star TOP PICK! “Rowen jumps from paranormal romance to paranormal mystery without skipping a beat…Here’s hoping Sarah will have many more adventures in her new series.” —RT BookReviews

5 star TOP PICK! (Rowen makes) the transition from paranormal romance to paranormal mystery with ease. Her writing is sharp, witty and does not disappoint. The ending will delight both old and new fans, and leave you thirsting for the next installment. —Night Owl Reviews

Wait a minute, Michelle… I’m confused. Isn’t Sarah a character from your Immortality Bites paranormal romance series?

Why, yes she is! Sarah Dearly was the star of my original five-book series (although she was only actually in four of ‘em). This is her NEW series, which does continue her adventures, but needs NO knowledge of the previous books for new readers to catch on. Plus she’s in a brand new genre — cozy paranormal mystery — and with a fabulous new publisher — Penguin’s Obsidian mystery imprint, home of such awesome authors as Victoria Laurie, Juliet Blackwell, and Heather Blake, to name but a few! I like to think of this new series as urban fantasy with lots of mystery and romance!

Um, I’m still confused. She ended up with Thierry in Tall, Dark & Fangsome. Will she be getting a new love interest in this new series? Because that’s not cool.

Nope. As shown above in the book blurb, there is no new love interest. Sarah and Thierry are definitely together and it’s great fun for me as a writer to get to explore their relationship beyond the “happily ever after.” These two vampires are the proof that opposites definitely attract, so I am anticipating some very exciting times ahead for them as a couple!

Will there be more books in the series after this?

Yup! I’ve recently sent BLED & BREAKFAST (An Immortality Bites Mystery #2) to my editor and it is scheduled for release June 2013. The first chapter can be found at the back of BB&B!

There wouldn’t happen to be anywhere I can go to read the first two chapters of BB&B, is there?

Yes, indeedy! The first two chapters can be found here!

It’s weird. It’s like you know what I’m going to ask before I ask it. How about this: in BLOOD BATH & BEYOND…is there murder and mayhem and danger around every corner?

Uh-huh. Big time!

Is it also hilarious and delightful?

Well, I certainly would like to think so!

Are you doing a Release Day Contest?

Yes, I am!

*******RELEASE DAY CONTEST********

Please leave a comment at the bottom of this post (and if you’re seeing this on a mirror site, please visit www.michellerowen.com/blog to enter!) and tell me what your favorite vampire novel and/or mystery novel of all time is. I will choose two winners at random who will both receive a signed copy of BLOOD BATH & BEYOND. This contest is open Internationally, so comment away! Contest closes Sunday, August 12th Monday, August 13th at 9:00pm Midnight EST and I will contact the winners via email to claim their prizes. Good luck and happy reading!

Check out these other spots you can find Sarah and win yourself a signed copy of Blood Bath & Beyond this week:

Tote Bags ‘n’ Blogs

Rocco’s interview with Sarah Dearly

A big thanks goes out to my awesome readers — many who have contacted me over the last few years wondering if there would be more Sarah Dearly books. I can finally say — yes there are!

I hope new readers and those who’ve been with me for a while both LOVE Blood Bath & Beyond! Please let me know what you think via email, Twitter or Facebook!

Happy Reading!

Michelle

I have been really busy this year. While I am craving a little downtime to randomly stare at a palm tree and maybe drink a margarita on a beachy vacay, I certainly can’t complain. Year Five of Writing Full Time is going very well. Busy means I have contracts. And having contracts is a Very Good Thing if you want to write full time.

So what have I been doing this year, you might ask? (Or you might not, but I’m going to tell you anyway.)

PROJECTS COMPLETED:

WICKED KISS: the second book in my Nightwatchers series with Harlequin Teen was my first completed manuscript in 2012. It clocked in at just over 100K words and I think it’s pretty darn good. And so does my editor, which is always a relief nice to know. I am waiting on editorial revisions to this, but it will be released March 2013.

BLED & BREAKFAST: the second book in my Immortality Bites Mystery series with NAL Obsidian was sent to my editor just a couple weeks ago. Sarah and Thierry have more adventures, get into tons of witchy and ghostly trouble on their visit to Salem, MA, in this follow up to Blood Bath & Beyond. B&B will be out June 2013. I heart this series more than I can ever express. Enough said.

COUNTDOWN: I finished my YA rewrite of Countdown, a book about a girl forced to play a very deadly game with a dangerous partner. I loved getting the chance to revisit this one and making it fit the YA market — and it seemed to flow really well that way. Plus, I was able to fix a couple plot points that five years after I wrote the original didn’t work for me anymore. So yay. I’m really happy with how it turned out. This will be out in late 2013.

WHAT I’M CURRENTLY WRITING:

REBEL SPRING: The second book in my Falling Kingdoms series for Razorbill. This is rather epic high fantasy with swords and princesses and evil kings and sorceresses, and it’s damn fun. It’s a lot different from my Rowen stuff, so I’m really glad I’m putting on my Morgan Rhodes hat when I write this. Me and Morgan are beyond excited that Falling Kingdoms is part of Penguin’s Breathless Reads campaign for Fall 2012 PLUS Falling Kingdoms has sold to twelve different countries so far and it’s not even out for five more months (December 11th to be precise). Talk about motivating!

ON DECK:

I want to write Demon Princess #4: REIGN STORM in September. This is my self-pub venture so it had to take a backseat to other projects. I appreciate the ongoing patience of the readers of this series and do promise that the final book will be available as soon as I can ensure that it’s as good as it can possibly make it. Or, I suppose I could just save all that waiting time and tell you how it ends and be done with it. NO? Well, okay then. I fully anticipate that the final book will be available Jan 2013. I hope.

OTHER INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT STUFF…….

TV SHOWS I’M WATCHING THIS SUMMER:

Masterchef: I caught up on this one On Demand and I like it. Why are chefs always so mean, though? It’s just food! Enjoy yourselves you silly people! Don’t be so glum about a badly cooked mussel! It’s not the end of the world. Sheesh!

Game of Thrones: I’m catching up on this one — currently finished with episode 3 of season two — and holy cow, there are a lot of new characters this season. I definitely can’t multitask when I’m watching this, it needs my full attention. Jon Snow = hot. Love Tyrion. Hate Joffrey and Cersei. They should both die horrible deaths. Mount their severed evil heads on stakes! Stat!

True Blood: I’m still watching religiously, though mostly for Eric and Alcide at this point.

American Ninja Warrior: Why didn’t anyone tell me about this show before? It’s like a serious Wipeout with ripped dudes. Yes please!

What Not To Wear: It’s like comfort food for my brain. Actually, I watch way too much TLC for my own good. I need more Discovery and History Channel to get my brain synapses firing again, I think.

BOOKS I’VE READ IN 2012:

I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I’ve been so busy writing (oy, my eyes!) that I haven’t read very many books at all (despite BUYING far too many books for my own good!)! But what I have read have been rather fabulous.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green: I’m not a big fan of disease-focused books, or contemporaries for that matter, but the delightfully snarky voice in this one and the sweet romance work to make this a definite winner, as seems to be the general opinion of anybody who’s read it.

ORIGIN by Jessica Khoury: the first of Penguin’s Breathless Reads this year, I got to read the ARC of this fascinating book about a girl bred to be immortal in the jungles of South America. It definitely captured my imagination and felt really different from other currently available YAs (in a good way), and it has a really fabulous romance in it and some thought-provoking themes about life and death.

FIFTY SHADES OF GREY & FIFTY SHADES DARKER by E.L. James: Read these two back to back. Had to see what all the hype was about. All I can say is that I’m getting something different from the books than the obvious smexxy fix. I am reading them for the fascinating character study of Christian Grey and his rather epic and surprisingly sweet (despite the genre trappings) of his romance with Ana. Quite frankly, I consider it more of a touching love story than pure erotica. I really like these books despite their flaws and I’m not ashamed to admit it. But then, I am an unapologetic Twilight fan, so there you go.

CURRENTLY READING:

THE GOLDEN LILY by Richelle Mead. I’m only one chapter in, but I know this is going to be a fantastic read. I just hope to avoid any spoilers online. I hate spoilers!!

Okay, enough blogging, I gots me some writing to do! Till later!

Happy Reading!

Mich xoxo

My first review for BLOOD BATH & BEYOND (An Immortality Bites Mystery #1) has come in — and it’s a great one! RT BookReviews has given it Top Pick status, which makes me very happy! It’s my first Top Pick and I love that it’s for this book in particular. BB&B was a labor of love for me. It’s a book that wasn’t originally on my radar to write, but it had to be written. Sarah insisted! Now she returns August 7th in new genre that, I think, fits her perfectly. And I loved writing every page of this book.

Here’s what RT has to say…

4-1/2 star TOP PICK – Sarah Dearly and her vampire fiancé are back and in a new genre! Rowen jumps from paranormal romance to paranormal mystery without skipping a beat. In the beginning of the book, Rowen removes all of Sarah’s friends. You won’t miss them; Sarah is so lovable that you won’t notice. A child vamp and her caretaker also add a very fun layer to an already strong story. Here’s hoping Sarah will have many more adventures in her new series.

Sarah has had issues being engaged to a centuries-old master vampire before, but never anything like this. Thierry has agreed to take a job with the Ring, a secret council that keeps vampires in line. This job requires a commitment of 50 years of travel and danger. Sarah goes along on his first job, which is in Vegas. That sounds a lot more fun than it turns out to be, when Thierry’s life is threatened and he is framed for murder. Sarah must clear his name before the love of her life is staked and their chance of an immortal life together vanishes. (OBSIDIAN, Aug., 336 pp., $7.99)

I want to give away two signed ARCs (advance reading copies) of BB&B to a couple of randomly selected commenters. So please leave a comment! (if you’re reading this on a mirrored site, please visit the original post.) This contest is open internationally and will close on Sunday, June 24th at 9:00pm EST. Winners will be contacted via email. Good luck!

DARK KISS, the first book in my new Nightwatchers series with Harlequin Teen is now available! This week and next I’ll be on a blog tour, visiting great spots all over the blogosphere. At each stop there will be a copy of DARK KISS given away and a chance to enter for the fabulous Grand Prize Pack from Harlequin!

Monday, May 28th – Alice Marvels: Q&A with Michelle
Tuesday, May 29th – Harlequin Paranormal Blog: Guest post “Things With Wings”
Wednesday, May 30th – Good Choice Reading: Michelle’s Writing Space
Friday, June 1st – Mimi Valentine: Q&A with Bishop & Kraven

Monday,June 4st – Mundie Moms: Guest post “Five Favorite Kisses”
Tuesday, June 5th –  Unabridged Andra: Guest Post “Kraven Takes Over”
Wednesday,June 6th – Endlessly Bookish: Q&A with Michelle
Friday,June 8th – The Unread Reader: All About Bishop

Since I’ve passed 3000 “likes” on the Michelle Rowen Books Facebook page, I wanted to have a contest to celebrate this!

THREE randomly selected commenters get to pick TWO signed books from the following list of my books. **Leave a comment to this post which lists your two choices.** International entries are welcome.

I’ll pick the winners at random on Friday, April 6th at 9:00 p.m. EST and notify them by email that they’ve won.

The BOOKS………

The Demon in Me

Something Wicked

That Old Black Magic

Nightshade

Primal (anthology)

Bloodlust

Demon Princess: Reign or Shine

Demon Princess: Reign Check

Demon Princess: Reign Fall

Bitten & Smitten (UK Edition)

Fanged & Fabulous (UK Edition)

Lady & the Vamp (UK Edition)

Stakes & Stilettos (UK Edition)

Tall, Dark & Fangsome (UK Edition)

Angel with Attitude

Hot Spell

Touch and Go

Inevitable

Once Upon a Valentine (anthology)

Vampire Academy: The Ultimate Guide

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!! 

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!