The lovely U.K. cover for LOST IN TIME!
Swooon!
Is it okay to call this book The Big Fatty? Coz it’s a long, thick book, as long as Van Alen Legacy, maybe longer. What were you thinking of? OY! So naughty! Mmmpf! *giggle* Sorry…deadline crazies.
xoxo
Mel
Oh my freaking god. The PW review came in. And it’s INSANE!!! Sweet, sweet, sweetness.
Witches of East End
Melissa de la Cruz. Hyperion, $23.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-4013-2390-5
De la Cruz leaves Manhattan and her popular YA Blue Bloods series to start fresh on Long Island. Freya Beauchamp, a 19-year-old bartender engaged to a Hamptons society beau but in love with his brother; her sister, Ingrid, a single librarian; and their mother, Joanna Beauchamp, are all witches living together in relative harmony, as they have for several centuries. They have significant powers—raising the dead, flying—all of which they have been forbidden to use by the White Council after a debacle in 17th-century Massachusetts. As compensation they have gained immortality, but as the story opens, the restrictions placed on them have begun to fray, and they are all “leaking” magic, prompting them to rebel and live true to their natures. The citizens of East End find themselves cured of writer’s block, infertility, and skin infections, and generally profiting from the benevolent attentions of the Beauchamps. Then small disturbances become large ones, otherworldly creatures show up, and humans disappear. De la Cruz is a formidable storyteller with a narrative voice strong enough to handle the fruits of her imagination. Even readers who generally avoid witches and whatnot stand to be won over by the time the cliffhanger-with-a-twist-ending hits. (June)
AAAH!!! This is too much—Kirkus AND PW both loved Witches??!! My brain is going to explode from happiness!
Thank you thank you thank you to the two very kind critics who loved the book. I did not expect these reviews, especially when I was figuring out the plot, scribbling on napkins in bars near my house with my husband, tearing my hair out because I could not make it work, until the final “EUREKA!” moment that fixed the book. I re-wrote that book about a thousand times. I thought the book was good, but I think that of all my books. 🙂 So nice to be appreciated.
I am thinking of having t-shirts made: on one side “Fantasy for well-read adults” on the other “Formidable Storyteller.” Can I get “Formidable Storyteller” on my business card? You think?
Ah! Slap me back down to earth. A few bad Amazon reviews should do the trick. LOL!
xoxo
Mel
Hey, hey!
Our lovely and mysterious trailer for Witches of East End debuts on EW.com today!
xoxo
Mel
I’ve finally joined Facebook thanks to my new AWESOME assistant Kady, who was one of the monitors on the original Blue Bloods message boards!
Come and “like” my page, and also you can friend me on my personal author page!
http://www.facebook.com/authorMelissadelaCruz
xoxo
Mel
Omigod Omigod Omigod. Kirkus loved “Witches of East End”!!! I am DYING. *DYING*!!!
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WITCHES OF EAST END
Author: de la Cruz, Melissa
Review Date: May 1, 2011
Publisher:Hyperion
Pages: 288
Price ( Hardcover ): $23.99
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-1-4013-2390-5
Category: Fiction
First in de la Cruz’s debut adult series about the adventures of a family of Long Island witches.
The author, known for her Blue Bloods YA series featuring undead Manhattan debutantes, again does not have to stretch for likely settings—the Hamptons are the ideal home base for the Beauchamps, a mother and two daughters, longtime residents. Quite a longtime in fact—ever since Salem witch hunters hanged the two daughters, Ingrid and Freya, who were later reborn to their mother, Joanna. After Salem, witchly higher-ups restricted the open deployment of magical powers. The Beauchamps are so deep undercover that the community they inhabit, “North Hampton,” does not appear on any map. This Hampton is refreshingly devoid of rich people until two brothers, Bran and Killian, arrive to restore Fair Haven, their ancestral mansion. Freya, a bartender, recognizes an ancient soul mate in Bran, and they announce their engagement at a lavish Fair Haven party. Nevertheless, she can’t resist shagging preternaturally handsome Killian in the bathroom during the party. Public librarian Ingrid is chafing at the magic ban—with a simple incantation, she could easily cure a distraught co-worker’s infertility. Soon Ingrid is exchanging salutary spells for contributions to the library fund. When she’s not torn between two lovers, Freya lapses back into her own peculiar brand of magic—her aphrodisiac cocktails perform as advertised. Most daringly of all, Joanna raises a local artist from the dead. But once unleashed, the white magic provokes dark retribution: An undersea miasma is killing off fish and wild life, children are contracting a deadly influenza, vampires (vacationing Blue Bloods?) are infiltrating and the police are “liking” the witches for homicide. But this is secular 21st-century New York, not puritan colonial Massachusetts. Things have changed—haven’t they? A decidedly weird mishmash of mythologies, a serpentine plot and a thicket of back stories intertwine as de la Cruz sets up the continuing saga, but it all gels magnificently.
Fantasy for well-read adults.
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WOO HOOO!!!! You hear that well-read adults?? This book is for you!!
xoxo
Mel
I will be chatting with all the fun peeps at #YALITCHAT tonight from 9PM-11PM EDT.
Come and chat!
xoxo
Mel
Had a wonderful week at the Romantic Times convention, meeting readers and hanging out with fellow author friends. (It was like a live version of Twitter-we were all there!) There were Smart Chicks all around, and cool chicks everywhere… YA and the romance community is a wonderful place to be!
Here is a photo of me with lovely authors Alyson Noel (IMMORTALS series) and Kami Garcia (BEAUTIFUL CREATURES series).
And here are some photos of cool t-shirts made by fans.
This is my favorite, with a line from Jack Force. “Stop your doubting my love, I knew you would find me.” (SIGH)
More t-shirt action!
xoxo
Mel
The Romantic Times convention is in Los Angeles this year, and all events are at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel downtown.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6:
YOUNG ADULT: The Never-Ending Story: YA Series and Sequels
Date: Wednesday April 6, 2011 04:45 pm – 05:45 pm
Event Type: Writer Industry Workshop
Captain(s):
Melissa Marr
Moderator(s):
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Panelist(s):
Stacey Kade
Carrie Ryan
Rachel Vincent
Melissa de la Cruz
THURSDAY, APRIL 7:
BOOKSELLER: NOT ANOTHER TEEN PANEL
Date: Thursday April 7, 2011 11:15 am – 12:15 pm
Event Type: Bookseller
Moderator(s):
Melissa de la Cruz
Panelist(s):
Kelley Armstrong
Clare Dunkle
Michele Jaffe
Alyson Noel
FRIDAY, APRIL 8:
GRAPHIC NOVELS: The Female Creators Workshop
Date: Friday April 8, 2011 01:30 pm – 02:30 pm
Event Type: Writer Industry Workshop
Moderator(s):
Anne Elizabeth
Panelist(s):
Kelley Armstrong
Holly Black
Cassandra Clare
Alisa Kwitney aka Alisa Sheckley
Jade Lee aka Kathy Lyons
Richelle Mead
Melissa de la Cruz
YOUNG ADULT: YA Goes Hollywood
Date: Friday April 8, 2011 02:45 pm – 03:45 pm
Event Type: Writer Industry Workshop
Captain(s):
Melissa Marr
Panelist(s):
Holly Black
Ally Carter
Valerie Vaughn
Sally Willcox
Melissa de la Cruz
AUTOGRAPHING:
Friday Expo, 4:00pm-8:00pm
SATURDAY, APRIL 9: TEEN DAY – OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!!!
TEEN DAY: BOOK FAIR
11:00am-2:00pm -> I will be signing books with lots of fabulous authors. Come see us!
TEEN DAY: AUTHOR SPEED-READING (SESSION 1)
2:30-3:30 pm
A host of YA authors read very short excerpts in these timed YA fiction readings. AUTHORS: Alyxandra Harvey, Melissa de la Cruz, Clare Dunkle, Kelley Armstrong, Tera Lynn Childs, Heather Davis, Kady Cross, Jeri Smith-Ready, Rachel Caine
TEEN DAY: Where Do You Get Your Ideas: An Interactive Workshop
Date: Saturday April 9, 2011 03:45 pm – 04:45 pm
Event Type: Reader Social
Captain(s):
Melissa Marr
Panelist(s):
Clare Dunkle
Michelle Jaffe
Melissa de la Cruz
TEEN PARTY
6:00-7:30 pm
A lively, fun Teen Party will follow the sessions and lots of giveaways are planned. At the party you’ll meet YA panelists as well as all of the YA authors who signed at the book fair. FREE Gift Bags filled with goodies to the the first 250 who register as well as music and refreshments!
-We’re providing 100 copies of BLOODY VALENTINE, 250 Misguided Angel postcards, and 250 Blue Bloods makeup bags.
Come see us tomorrow night!
April 05, 2011 (7:00 PM)
Reading with the Smart Chicks Alums in Los Angeles!
Book Soup
8818 West Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
Smart Chicks Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Sarah Rees Brennan, Carrie Ryan, Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia and me play “Marry Snog Cliff” and giveaway lots of fun swag!
xoxo
Mel
Richelle Mead the awesome author of the Vampire Academy series, has organized a charity auction for Japan through eBay. Wonderful books from Richelle, Melissa Marr, Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl and Carrie Ryan are available for purchase. A truly inspired project and 100% of the proceeds go to to charities helping Japan. My husband is an architect, so I chose Architecture for Humanity, what helps to rebuild devastated areas after a disaster. (I like to think Mike is an architect for humanity. 🙂 )
Right now there is a full set of Blue Bloods books, and I will personally autograph each one to the lucky winner.
Also there is a hard-to-get galley copy of Witches of East End! You can’t even BUY this book anywhere. 🙂 So if you want to read it early bid and help Japan. And yes, I will sign this one too.
I will also match all the winning bids so we can send a whole lot of love to those poor people who have lost their homes and have suffered so much.
Thanks for bidding.
xoxo
Mel