Lori Devoti, paranormal romance and urban fantasy author

Notice the “Intrigue” on the cover and the different font for “Nocturne”. Here’s the link to the eHarlequin Australia page. From there you can search by “Lori Devoti”.

It is also on preorder at Amazon in England…

Sweet!

I grew up in southern Missouri and Decoration Day was one of my favorite holidays. Never heard of it? Maybe you call it Memorial Day. Technically today at least, Decoration Day might not be held ON Memorial Day, but it’s right around there and the sentiment is the same.

So, what is Decoration Day? It’s a day, where everyone connected with a particular church/graveyard get together at that church/graveyard to remember the people we knew or were related to. In my case it was a small one room church that was built on land one of my great-great-great (or more) grandfather’s donated to the community. The church doesn’t have regular services anymore, but the cemetery is still open and Decoration Day goes on. There is a big covered dish dinner and a lot of ladies with Ozarkian accents pushing chocolate cake. There’s seven layer salad (made with lots of mayo), deviled eggs, Watergate salad and Koolaide.

There are people you don’t remember who pinch your cheeks and say “You must be so and so’s girl.” There are graves of babies who died in the early 1800’s that you pause over and think about who otherwise wouldn’t have been thought of for decades. And there are new graves of people you perhaps knew or were related to that you linger over too. And you probably have a tear or two leak out looking at both of these graves.

And there’s a creek with crawdaddies and sparkly rocks, and an outhouse to pee in–if you absolutely must.

And sitting here thinking about all of it, I wish more than anything in the world I was there right now.

Happy Memorial Day. Spend a few minutes thinking about the people who lived before us, then have a big slice of Coca Cola Cake and go catch some minnows–for me.

Lori

A week early….Amazon Ink, Lori Devoti, Book – Barnes & Noble.

A PDF download of Margaret Carter’s novel SHADOW OF THE BEAST goes to Victoria Janssen!
Congrats!
Lori

I’ve started a new Yahoo group for writers. I’ve had Plotspot for a while, but when I started that group I made a mistake by making it closed–meaning people had to email me to join. Because of this, we didn’t get the new blood I think you need to keep a group vital and things petered out.

I’ve been wanting to start something new for a long time that focused on writing–the business and craft of writing. And I had an idea for a book club! Every four to six weeks we will pick a new book on writing, read and discuss it.

The group is open to anyone who wants to join. There are a few rules. The big one being NO PROMOTION. This is about writing not selling our books. Anyone guilty may be booted off immediately. Also, no flame wars. I have enough stress in my life, as I’m sure you all do. Other rules may follow, but honestly, as long as we stick to talking about books on writing…how many can there be?

Our first book is Save The Cat by Blake Synder. It’s a screenwriting book, but also an excellent resource for novelists.

If you are a writer, I hope you’ll come play with us!

The Wisconsin State Journal ran the article on me yesterday. I’m pretty happy with it. My hair is flat. I kind of feel like I need to explain a few things…but I think it represents the book well and accurately.

And now my mom has something she can show my grandmother that will take attention away from the fact that I put sex in my books. ;-)

Something people ask me a lot in interviews is how it feels to see your book on the shelf or to get the first copy. Do I celebrate? Things like that. My answer is usually that I don’t. I toasted when I made my first sale, and I’m darn happy every time I make a new one, but I don’t do anything special when I new book comes out. I have to admit I have even been in Walmarts and not checked to see if my current release is on the shelf…that is probably bad to admit, but it’s true. Usually I do visit them because I like to sign them, but sometimes you are just you know dealing with life and you don’t have time.

But yesterday my doorbell rang, and for whatever reason my ears perked up. I wasn’t expecting anything. I’d already heard my author copies from Pocket wouldn’t arrive until the books were shipped to bookstores, but still I walked a little faster to the door…and there it was one chubby envelope tucked behind the storm door and the return address said Simon & Schuster…It was my book–Amazon Ink. An editor had got a copy and knowing I wouldn’t get my author copies for a while, she sent me one.

And I have to admit, it was a thrill. It looked just like the cover they’d sent me a pdf of, minus the typo on the back (meaning it was on the pdf, but isn’t on the book), but it was still a thrill. My picture is in the back (a little dark, but there) and I even like my bio. (Yes, I wrote it but that doesn’t mean I’d like it.) And they deleted something I’d had in the acknowledgements that I REALLY wanted deleted. All was good in my world.

And, I realized I’m a bit of a liar, because getting a book you wrote all printed and packaged and bright, shiny new IS still a thrill. And I’m betting it always will be. :)

At Romance Divas.

at Romance Divas.

Starting Monday I will be here…Romance Divas Forum -> AUTHOR OF THE MONTH Workshops. Posting my workshop, Dialogue, more than just talk!

Hope to see some of you there!