Amanda Hocking

Amanda's Blog

a random string of thoughts puncuated by a giveaway and Sheri Moon
May 26th, 2010 by
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Sorry for my absence. I had a long wonderful weekend (where I went canoeing and watched Flash Gordon). It’s currently about 110 degrees in my office, so trust me when I say I’m suffering to write this for you.

It’s less than 36 hours until the giveaway ends and the winner is picked. You get all three books in the series, including Flutter, which comes out this Saturday!!!

For any of you that do buy a paperback copy, if you want, you can send it to me and I’ll autograph it. Just for fun. (Buy paperbacks of My Blood Approves and Fate.)

Also, I do have a poll so you can vote on what book you want me to publish next. The fourth book in the My Blood Approves series will be out in August 2010, but I’m planning on publishing another book in September or October, and I want to know what you all would like to read the most.

For today’s fun fact about the series: I just realized the other day that Violet (introduced to you in Fate) has Sheri Moon’s laugh. But it was one of those things I didn’t do on purpose. Only in retrospect. I heard her laugh, and I was like “That’s it! Exactly!”

(Sheri Moon is the wife of Rob Zombie. I’m a secret White Zombie fan, but come on, More Human Than Human is brilliant. And it’s based on Blade Runner! So cool!)

I just learned that Rob Zombie is a vegetarian, which seems odd, but helps embolden my current decision to become one. I haven’t eaten meat in 2 days, and so far, it’s going well. 

Anyway – I tried to find a clip of Sheri Moon laughing, but they were all from House of 1000 Corpses and featured horrendous things, so… you’ll just have to take my word for it. Or get rent something Rob Zombie directed. 
For my big plans the rest of this week, other than promoting my soon-to-be-hit novel Flutter, I’m going to force my assistant to watch Jaws: The Revenge because it’s the worst film ever made (and stars Michael Caine – gasp!).

you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you
May 21st, 2010 by
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If I haven’t expressed my undying love for e e cummings lately, I apologize. He’s amazing. 
I’ve added some more stuff to my blog, including a short story, some e e cummings stuff, a poll (which you should answer), and links to excerpts of the books.

On Tuesday next week, as a teaser, I’m going to put up the first chapter of Flutter. 
 Until then,  I’ll just leave you with some fun facts: The fight at the end of Flutter was originally meant to take place at First Ave, the most magical place in Minneapolis (well… magical’s not the right word. But Purple Rain was filmed there.) 

But I discovered this book War of the Oaks by Emma Bull has their big end brawl take place at First Ave. Its about musicians, faeries, and set in the 1980’s, and I haven’t read it yet, which is completely shameful. But I really will. Honest.

The moral of the story is: its already been done, so I switched the location. If you wanna know where, you’ll have to read the book. (But the where isn’t nearly as exciting as the who and why, if you ask me.)
If you haven’t entered the giveaway yet, you should! Only 8 days left until it closes and Flutter comes out! (If you commented on any my blogs saying you wanted to be entered, then you have been entered 🙂 ).

And as an added bonus (or as a sign of my obsession) I’m posting the clip of Heath Ledger reading e e cummings. It’s sooo lovely. 

Nice Girls Don’t Bite
May 19th, 2010 by
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Today I’ve got a fun interview with an author, but before that, I’m reminding you that give away is still going on, with only 9 days left, so be sure to enter and tell your friends, if you haven’t already!
Joan Sween was kind enough to an interview with me the other day. She’s the author of the campy Nice Girls Don’t Bite about a pair of middle-aged antique dealers who accidentally become vampires.
Can you tell me about a little bit about yourself your writing?
I have written many different types throughout my life, but currently I am a published humor columnist and an unpublished novelist. Formerly I wrote “Bittersweet” for the ROCHESTER POST-BULLETIN. Currently I write “Dealers Choice” for Minnesota’s antiques newspaper, THE OLD TIMES. I have a mystery novel in the trunk, ONE MINUTE TILL DEATH. I have a cozy paranormal mystery, NICE GIRLS DON’T BITE, that I am currently querying agents about. I am halfway through a horror/haunting novel titled SLEEPER, and a mystery/thriller with a working title of DEATHBLOW.
What’s your favorite thing about writing paranormal?
Paranormal is appealing to me as a writer because it expands the “what if” seed of creativity into anything one can imagine.
How did you become interested in writing?
I became interested in writing in first grade when I found the Dick And Jane books unbelievably tedious. I started inventing my own plots to make things more interesting. My first acknowledged work was a puppet play I wrote in fourth grade which was produced at Lake School in Milwaukee. 
You also lead a group of writers in SE Minnesota. Do you want to tell me a bit about that?
I have founded Minnesota Writers’ Alliance, a nonprofit corporation, which strives to link writers of all kinds in the 11 counties of southeastern Minnesota. It’s not a membership organization; there is nothing to “join.” To receive ongoing information of interest to writers, people only need to send me their email address.
What’s your favorite book you’ve read in the last year (other than yours, of course)? 
My favorite book in the past year would be P. J. Tracy’s MONKEYWRENCH.
If you picked a soundtrack for your book, what songs would be on it? 
I haven’t considered soundtracks for any of my books. Probably something classical. You know in the movie DIEHARD 2, when the big jumbo jets are finally able to land, and they bring them in to Sibelius’ “Finlandia?” That absolutely gives me goosebumps it’s so good.
When you’re not writing, how do you spend your free time? 
I write throughout the day. In the evening I relax by creating two-dimensional paintings and three-dimensional found object sculptures while watching crime-solving programs on TV. Every now and then I am obliged to do a lick of housework. 
When you were a kid, what monster scared you most? 
When I was a kid, wolves scared me the most. Our old house had a ghost. I would see him often, but he was benign and not frightening. Wolves, however, swarmed in my nightmares and stared in my windows with glowing eyes. 
Dogs or cats? Cats.
Do you have any upcoming novels you’d like to talk about?
Check out NICE GIRLS DON’T BITE (www.joansween.com) It made it through the first cut of the Amazon/Penguin Breakout Novel Competition, but was torpedoed at the second cut. The judges criticized it because it was broad-humored and campy.Yup, that’s exactly right.

only 10 more days!!!
May 19th, 2010 by
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First, I’d like to know if anybody has trouble commenting on the blog? Adrienne from An Addicted Book Reader gave me a heads up that she was having issues with being able to comment on the blog. I spent an hour tweaking things, and I’m hoping things have been fixed.

But if you’re having issues with comments and/or want to be entered in the giveaway but haven’t been able to comment, please email: hocking_amanda@hotmail.com.

Also, if anyone has noticed the issues and knows how to correct them, please email me and let me know. I like it when things are fixed.

In the process of trying to fixing the comment thing, I finally figured out that I can add a My Books and About Me tab. The My Books tab is particularly exciting for me because you can find out the info on the books I have published and where to buy him. Which is fun.

In more fun news – tomorrow I’m going to post the interview I did with Joan Sween, author of Nice Girls Don’t Bite.

And for your Flutter sneak peak in the ongoing countdown (only 10 more days!), I made a word cloud of the book. A site took the most commonly used words in Flutter. The more I use the word, the bigger it is. So you can get an idea of what kinds of things that happen the most: (If you click on it, the picture pops out bigger, so you can actually read it.)

Wordle: Flutter

And don’t forget to enter the giveaway for 3 free books & other swag!

check out the soundtrack
May 17th, 2010 by
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So, because of some confusion with the giveaway, I’m clarifying one point: 

#2. To enter: Simply comment on this blog, saying that you want to be entered in for the give away. If you have read the series, please also say your favorite character(s). If you haven’t read it, I’m not holding it against you, and still free to enter. 🙂

In fact, I strongly encourage you to enter if you haven’t read the books!! 

For more information on the giveaway and what you can win, please see my last post. And remember, it goes until May 29th, and if you have a friend enter, you earn a BONUS entry for yourself! Spread the word, yo!
Also, later on this week or possibly early next week, I’ll post an interview with another author. (Me interviewing – them interviewee.) But you should definitely check it out, and I’ll keep you posted on the details.  

For Flutter fun facts, I’m posting the soundtrack to it (or at least the one I would make for it, if it were a film, and I got to have control over that sort of thing).

1. Robert Palmer – “Addicted to Love”
2. Oingo Boingo – “Stay”
3. Flaming Lips – “Can’t Get You Outta My Head”
4. Peter Bjorn & John – “Nothing to Worry About”
5. Panic! at the Disco – “Lying is the Most Fun”
6. Keane – “With or Without You”
7. Shiny Toy Guns – “Major Tom”
8. Lady Gaga – “Paparazzi” (although Greyson Chance does a better version)
9. Imogen Heap – “The Walk”
10. Bats For Lashes – “What’s a Girl to Do?”
11. Rogue Wave – “Maps”

12. Passion Pit – “Moth Wings”
13. The Matches – “Barber’s Unhappiness”
14. blink 182 – “Lost Without You”
15. Foo Fighters – “Tired of You”
16. Rachel Sage – “Vertigo”
17. Billy Corgan ft. Robert Smith – “ToLoveSomebody”

Okay, it’s a little long for a soundtrack, but I couldn’t cut it down any shorter. Really. Also, you can tell my immense love of covers by the amount I have on there. (Four, not counting my plug for Greyson Chance.)

But I also think the soundtrack tells a story that goes along with Flutter. Honest. 


If my soundtrack seems a little pretentious and indie to you, I’ve noticed that myself. It should be noted that the CD’s in my 6-disc-changer in my car are: blink 182, Fallout Boy, Cobra Starship, Lonely Island, Motion City Soundtrack, and Lady Gaga. So I guess I’m only pretentious when I’m writing. 

And don’t forget to enter for the giveaway if you haven’t yet! 
 

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