And the Winners Are…

Alvin, Erica, Lindsay, Amber, Katrina, and Monica!

A HUGE thank you to all of you who submitted answers to these questions, I received so many amazing responses that it was nearly impossible to just pick six for this giveaway. But don’t you worry, there will be other chances to win cool Fallen prizes coming up soon, I promise.

So let’s see what our six had to say about the series and upcoming Fallen possibilities!

Tell me about something in your life that has reminded you of Fallen, or vice versa, something in Fallen that has reminded you of anything you’ve experienced in your own world – huge or small, but still important. How are you and Luce and Daniel connected?

“Fallen has reminded me so much about my personal life that it is beyond scary. I have almost lost my love on plenty of occasions due to her being so ill and constantly being checked to see if she has another tumor in her brain or cancer in her body. Luce reminds me a lot of her because they are innocent women who blame themselves for the things that their boyfriends have to endure to protect them. I’ve had arguments and fights with friends or family because they speak or think certain things about her that are not true, just like Luce. I am not an angel and I internally battle my beliefs on plenty of occasions because I cannot comprehend how so many bad things can happen to a wonderful woman or how our love  gets constantly tested by outside factors.”
What do you want to see happen in Rapture? What are you hoping for most of all?

“I know I’m probably going against what everyone else wants to see happen,  but honestly I wish some how Luce and Daniel’s bond could be broken. That they would no longer be so crazy in love with each other… I think Luce should be able to end up with Miles. His character was just so nice and sweet and he was obviously in love with her, since he was able to project her to save her life at the end of Torment. If she were able to be with someone more normal like Miles I think her life would be a happy and drama free one! Then without Daniel being so connected/drawn to Luce he would be free to move on too.”

What part of the series was the hardest for you to read, the most painful scene or scenes to watch unfold?

“The part of the series that was hardest for me to read was Penn’s death in Fallen. Poor Penn she had already had such a hard life with her father dying and being stuck at dismal Sword & Cross. It seemed like she was able to open up by becoming friends with Luce. Then all the drama of the angels had to unfold and then poor Penn was murdered by Miss Sophia. We never even got to find out what would have happened to her and how her life would have turned out. It was just so sad. And then In Torment when Luce was back at Sword & Cross she went to visit Penn’s grave and it just brought up all that sadness again. Penn was such a sweet character it was sad to see her go.”

With a movie possibly coming out in a few years, (the process is so slow!) what are you most concerned the filmmakers will get right?

“I can’t wait for the movie to, eventually, come to light, however I am worried about a couple of things. The first thing obviously being the casting. If the casting is wrong for any of the cast then the movie just won’t work. They have to stick to, as close as possible, the exact description of your characters, luce’s hair, daniel and cams build, arriane’s attitude and wit, Pennyweather’s friendly albeit through lack of choice love for luce. If the characters cast don’t understand any of this the movie will be wrong, so casting is a concern that must be right. The other concern would be how they relay the book to script/film. As it usually happens everything is shortened, or lines from one character in the book given to another on the screen, it needs to stay the same even if its shortened, sometimes movies are rushed through because obviously movies can’t last usually over the 2/3 hours mark, but please keep the characters lines to themselves. I know a said a couple of things, however, I can’t help myself the sets have to be right. When I read your books, I have in my head visuals of what everything looks like, sword & cross, the cemetry, shoreline, all her past lives the hospital in italy, the crumbled church in Moscow, the sets should be to your exact description. And lastly, if it is at all possible, could you have a consulting role in the movie, because if you did, then I could live with the decisions of the movie, because you would have been fine with them.”

Which of Luce and Daniel’s past lives did you enjoy best, or would love to see more of?

“I have to say. I teared up when I read about the Luce’s past life in Prussia. It’s not one with an entire chapter on it but it’s one where Luce (present) got to her life in Prussia and watches her own funeral. But as I saw the sorrow and pain in Luce’s (Prussia life) family and friends eyes. I was mesmerized how Daniel laid there next to Luce’s coffin and how I got that small fact about Daniel. How Daniel sleeps for days after Luce dies. I enjoyed that life the most because for the first time. There wasn’t any kissing, or even words but just Daniel’s gesture of being there with to stay connected with his memories to Luce. It was the one life that I wanted each and every detail about through Luce’s and Daniel’s eyes.”

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Win this: Fallen in Love Giveaway!

Fallen in Love has been out two whole weeks now, and while I hope that many of you have already had a chance to pick up your copy, I’ve got a handful of  audio books up for grabs. Wouldn’t you like to take Luce and Daniel with you on those  dreary early-morning rides to school? That bus trip to that faraway boyfriend?  Those train rides to, well… anywhere? Give your eyes a rest and let your imagination take over!
For those interested, simply answer TWO of the questions below and email your response to me at LaurenKateBooks@gmail.com! I’ll pick the answers I like best and annouce the winners at the end of next week!
Good Luck,
Lauren Kate
Giveaway Questions:

1. What do you want to see happen in Rapture? What are you hoping for most of all?
2. Which of Luce and Daniel’s past lives did you enjoy best, or would love to see more of?
3. What part of the series was the hardest for you to read, the most painful scene or scenes to watch unfold?
4. Tell me about something in your life that has reminded you of Fallen, or vice versa, something in Fallen that has reminded you of anything you’ve experienced in your own world – huge or small, but still important. How are you and Luce and Daniel connected?
5. With a movie possibly coming out in a few years, (the process is so slow!) what are you most concerned the filmmakers will get right?
6. Now that our beloved Fallen series is coming to a close, what do you think I’ll write about next?!
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Today’s the Day! Fall in Love.


Today’s the big day! I’m thrilled to share this collection of short stories from the Fallen world with you. I can’t wait to hear what you think of the book.

Fallen in Love came along as something of a surprise. I wasn’t expecting to write it. My publisher was waiting on Rapture. You were waiting on Rapture. I was waiting on Rapture….

But I wasn’t ready to write it yet. It made me nervous to think about writing “The End” to a series that has meant so much to me. How would I tie up a story that has covered six millennia of time and space and passion? I really had no idea.

So I did what you do when you’re nervous: I procrastinated. My mind ambled over someplace easier…like Arriane. Had she ever had a love story of her own? And what about Roland? Was there a heartbreak hidden beneath that cool façade? I started jotting down a few notes for side stories about the other characters in the series, but I didn’t know what they were adding up to.

Then one day I got a very moving letter from a reader who was going through a difficult breakup. I searched for a way to respond to this person. Eventually, my response came out in a story—a story that turned into Fallen in Love.

Luce and Daniel’s love story is emblematic for eternal love—but it’s far from the only kind of love. There’s platonic love, love that grows slowly over time, even (unfortunately) unrequited love. Over the past couple of years, I have had the pleasure of interacting with many of you—either in person, over email, or in chats like this. And every time you open up about your own romantic experiences, I come away inspired. Fallen in Love is a tribute to my readers and the many different kinds of love you’ve shared with me.

I’m going to be answering questions all week on Random Buzzers  so I hope you’ll come on over and join the conversation.

Thanks so much for reading and enjoying my books,

Lauren

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Dash of Romance vol. 6

The Saffron Flower...

Some of you know how much I love to cook. When I’m done writing at the end of the day, cooking something exciting often feels like the most fun way to wind down. To me, cooking is the opposite of writing: where writing is sedentary and brain-draining…cooking is hands-on and can be done with a clear, calm mind.

My husband Jason loves saffron, so for Christmas one year, I got him a book called the Essential Saffron Companion. Here’s our favorite special-occasion recipe from the book. It take some time and effort but it’s worth it!

Mussels in Saffron Cream with Noodles

serves 4

40-50 saffron filaments infused in 2tbs (30ml) of warm (not boiling) white wine*
40 large mussels (green lipped ones work great)
6oz (150 g) unsalted butter
3tbs (45ml) chopped onion
3tbs (45ml) chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 bottle dry white wine

Sauce:
2 shallots, diced
2tsp (10 ml) tomato puree
8oz (250 ml) mussel stock
4oz (175 ml) heavy cream
juice of one small lemon

To cook the mussels:

Scrub and de-beard the mussels. In a heavy pan, melt 2oz (50g) butter, add onions, parsley, half the wine. Bring to a boil and add the mussels. Cook, shaking the pan periodically until the mussels open (time will vary depending on what kind of mussels you use..anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes). Discard any that do not open. Remove each mussle from the pan and into a bowl with a slotted spoon to ensure that the juices remain in the pan. Reduce the contents of the pan for two minutes, then strain the mussel stock and reserve.

To make the sauce:

Sweat the shallots in 2oz butter for 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, half of the saffron, and the rest of the wine. Add the reserved mussel stock and reduce everything in the pan by half (maybe 10 minutes of cooking on medium). Taste, season with salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat for a few minutes. Add the cream and reduce again if needed, adding a little lemon juice to taste.

To serve:

Cook your preferred type of noodles. (On an ambitious day, we’ll make homemade paparadelle using a pasta maker, but fresh store bought noodles will work great, too.) Bring the sauce to a simmer and stir in the remaining saffron and the last 2 oz of butter. Place the mussels back in the sauce pan to warm them. Pile pasta on plates or bowl, add ten mussels per serving, then divide the sauce over the dishes. Garnish with chopped chives or parsley.

Bon appetite!

*I’ve been using this incredible Iranian saffron that I was so excited to buy from the spice bazaar in Istanbul last fall. But you can use powdered saffron or any kind of filaments infused for 1/2 hour to an hour in warm wine.

We travel frequently for work, so sometimes it can feel like a special treat to stay in and cook together. I have a feeling that’s just what we’ll be doing this Valentine’s Day.

Do you have any favorite romantic recipes?

Until tomorrow (and you KNOW what tomorrow is!)

Lauren

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Daily Dash of Romance vol. 5

Sometimes, love is hell. Just ask Arriane (or read about it in her chapter of Fallen in Love). But that doesn’t mean your whole world has to screech to a halt. If your Valentines Day this year is shaping up to be less than romantic (as mine have been many times), take a cue from Robyn and keep dancing on your own.

And when your tired feet need a rest (if you are wearing shoes like Robyn, that could happen quickly), I can think of a real good book for you to curl up with…

What’s your favorite song to dance to on your own?

Until tomorrow,

Lauren

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Daily Dash of Romance vol. 4

Virginia Woolf is one of my favorite writers and To the Lighthouse is my favorite book of hers. It’s not expressly a love story, but there is romance flowing across every page, to and from each one of the characters, often showing up in the most surprising places. I am always in awe of Woolf’s ability to jump in one character’s mind one paragraph, then leave it to enter another character’s mind in the next. She writes a killer dinner party scene.

Megan and Me at my wedding--best friends since the age of 3!

My closest friend Megan (some of you may have heard me speak about how Lucinda was based in part on her) read this passage from the point of view of Lily Briscoe at my wedding:

“What art was there to love, by which one pressed through into secret chambers? What device for becoming, like waters poured into one jar, inextricably the same, one with the object one adored? Could the body achieve, or the mind, subtly mingling in the intricate passages of the brain? Or the heart? Could loving make them one? For it was not knowledge, but unity that was desired, not inscriptions on tablets, nothing that could be written in any language known to man, but intimacy itself–which is knowledge.”

Feel free to share your favorite romantic passage from a novel below!

Until tomorrow,
Lauren

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Daily Dash of Romance vol. 3

Clark Gable and Vivian Leigh

My first book crush was Rhett Butler from Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. I must have read all twelve hundred pages of that book twelve times when I was twelve years old. I remember reading it once while visiting my grandmother in Baltimore. She told me how much she loved the movie–it was the only film she’d ever gone to the theater to see twice. When we rented and watched it together, I fell in love with Clark Gable’s depiction of the character. This contentious scene between Scarlet and Rhett scene has always been a favorite of mine.

Does this guy remind you of anyone you know? (Or have ever read a book about…?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nACj50uq6_s

Until tomorrow,

Lauren

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Daily Dash of Romance vol. 2

A portrait of John Donne from the National Portrait Gallery in London

Today’s Dash comes from love poet master, John Donne. His words inspire me regularly. (Look for him again in the epigraph of Rapture!) Like The Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis, this poem centers around two departing lovers, but in this case, this speaker finds reasons to celebrate the separation. Take a look:

A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
by John Donne

As virtuous men pass mildly away,
  And whisper to their souls to go,
Whilst some of their sad friends do say,
   "The breath goes now," and some say, "No,"

So let us melt, and make no noise,
   No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move;
'Twere profanation of our joys
   To tell the laity our love.

Moving of the earth brings harms and fears,
   Men reckon what it did and meant;
But trepidation of the spheres,
   Though greater far, is innocent.

Dull sublunary lovers' love
   (Whose soul is sense) cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
   Those things which elemented it.

But we, by a love so much refined
   That our selves know not what it is,
Inter-assured of the mind,
   Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss.

Our two souls therefore, which are one,
   Though I must go, endure not yet
A breach, but an expansion.
   Like gold to airy thinness beat.

If they be two, they are two so
   As stiff twin compasses are two:
Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show
   To move, but doth, if the other do;

And though it in the center sit,
   Yet when the other far doth roam,
It leans, and hearkens after it,
   And grows erect, as that comes home.

Such wilt thou be to me, who must,
   Like the other foot, obliquely run;
Thy firmness makes my circle just,
   And makes me end where I begun.

The best poems (and books and songs and paintings) give us something new to admire and enjoy each time we return to them. I was hooked by the speaker’s suggestion in the fourth stanza that his love is so elevated it resides above the moon. (Look for elements of this in Roland’s story withinFallen in Love). Today I am particularly struck by two images towards the end of the poem: The first in lines 21-24 suggests that because the lovers’ two souls are joined, when they are apart theyexpand and their love fills in the space between them. And the second says that if their souls are in fact two–they are like a compass, one always pulling the other toward it during periods of separation. It reminded me of Luce and Daniel–and I hope it inspires you too.

Until tomorrow,

Lauren

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Daily Dash of Romance vol. 1

Counting down to the release of Fallen in Love (6 more days!), I thought I’d share a selection of things I find romantic and inspiring. Check back here every day from now until the book’s release on Tuesday (in the US…sorry for those of you elsewhere who have to wait a little longer) for your DDoR.

Today’s Dash of Romance is a painting I fell in love with during a recent trip to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. It’s called The Farewell of Telemachus and Eucharis and was painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1818. David was inspired by the French novel, Les Aventures de Télémaque, which is loosely based on characters from the Odyssey. Here we see Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, who has has fallen in love with Eucharis only to have to leave her to continue searching for his missing father.

There is an electricity between these two lovers that makes their goodbye both torturous and stunning. And of course, I love the loyalty in that little dog’s eyes! And I want her dress. Clearly there is much to covet here.

Maybe it’s the hopeful romantic in me, but I’ve gotta believe these two (and the dog!) will meet again…

Do you have a favorite romantic painting? Have you ever had to say a very difficult goodbye to someone you love? I’d love for you to share your thoughts below.

Until tomorrow!

Romantically yours,

Lauren

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Fallen (Fan Art) Thursday…!

Not a single day goes by where I don’t receive a handful of inspirational letters, beautiful pieces of personal artwork, or a soulful song, all created by my passionate and caring fans. 2012 is the year of sharing more with you all, as you’ve shared with me, so prepare yourselves for weekly treats – every Thursday – that will help you get a glimpse of what this Fallen journey has been like on my end!

XO,
Lauren

———————————————

Hi Lauren!

Carolina, one of the managers of our blog, posts her drawings. Hope you like and you can post them in your blog.

The blog is Saga Oscuros:

Beautiful drawings by Carolina from Colombia 🙂

Hi Lauren! recently I won Passion with this fan art via the Random House company! It was such a treat and I’d love to share my work with you. Here is my inspiration for Luce’s dress. I would love to be a writer someday and follow in your footsteps!

– Beth

Wonderful drawing of Luce by Fallen Fan Beth!
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Three Gems For You

First, two things that need no introduction:

(Don’t forget to scroll down for a third very special surprise!)

And now, because I’m so happy with this book that I can’t keep it to myself anymore, here is a very special sneak peak at FALLEN IN LOVE! This will give you a taste of the kinds of stories you’ll find in Fallen in Love. There are four complete love stories in the book. Can you guess who else is featured?

Happy Monday everyone. I hope you enjoy!

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Your Stories – From the Passion tour

Dear all,

I’ve received a handful of wonderful stories and photo submissions from fans across the world, and now the time has come for me to share them with YOU! First off I’d like to thank you all once more for coming out to support the release of “Passion.” You are the greastest.

Now here’s our very first installment of fan tales from my worldly wanderings. More to come soon, so if you haven’t sent me your story yet, there’s still time – email away!

– Lauren Kate

    • Wilson – Melbourne:

      “Well, I first went on plane. Ever. To go to Melbourne. To meet Lauren Kate. On Collins street, Boarders.

      The plane flew, then deceneded in Melbourne. When, there we and my family, then went to the apartment. Went around Melbourne, and explored the place. Then it hit, “six’o clock” and me and my mum rushed into Boarders. Quickly.

      Then we where there. And lauren kate walks in. Yay! Then the angels start to fall. And so on.”


      Anastasia – Melbourne:

      “On August 3rd my life long dream was fulfilled. I was able to finally meet you, give you a hug, have a conversation with you (one I will NEVER forget) and get my books signed. My friend Denise, and I were so ecstatic about meeting you. For months we were planning what we were going to wear, as well as what gift to get you, we even arrived at the signing before anybody else. Days before the signing, I noticed that you posted your love for Tim Tams and Carmello koalas on your Twitter. That was the ultimate decider. Along with a basket full of goodies, came a note (hoping that you read it :p) expressing our absolute love and admiration for you. Lauren, you have inspired me in numerous ways. Before I read Fallen, I was in no way, shape or form to interested in reading, period.”


      Christine and Tom – London:

      “I got to meet you in London during a High Tea, because I won the contest from WPG from Belgium, I was there with my boyfriend Tom.

      You signed the first two books from the Fallen collection and the third one which we received in London. We also talked about the things I am writing and you gave me a lot of tips. Which off course I am using! Thank you for the wonderful day we had in London. I still remember it as yesterday and think about it when I am reading Passion. Keep on writing, because we love your work.”



      Lucimar – Rio:

      “Yes! I was with you on tour of the book Passion, with my sons Jeremiah and Gerard, Matthew and a friend. The conference was great, you’re very sweet, and helpful, answered all questions, and at the hour of autographs …. was great, congratulations on you meet your fans with all affection. I love your books!”


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Passion for the UK – Scenes from the Tour

The leaves may not be turning in Los Angeles, but it’s truly autumn in the UK where they’ve more than “Fallen.” How wonderful it was to hop across the pond and celebrate the release of Passion with so many dedicated readers. As always, I was blessed with countless memorable meetings, deeply touching conversations, and innumerable brilliant fan creations.

You never cease to amaze me. Thanks to each and every one of you who came out to support the book. Keep reading and keep reaching out!

Speaking at the London Launch Party...
Chatting with cool UK bloggers 🙂
No good launch party is complete without hot angels.
A fun and spirited reading at Easons in Dublin!
Fans in hand painted t-shirts featuring their favorite boys - all brilliant and hilarious.
Honored to be signing the wall of legendary authors who've visited Easons before me!
My very last stop on the epic Passion tour: the Bath Festival of Children's Literature. I got to meet fans who I'd been tweeting with for years!
At the Roman Baths, in Bath. It's is a BEAUTIFUL place, and the whole city was alive and feeling literary because of the festival.
At high tea with fantastic Dutch and Belgian readers who flew up just for the afternoon to meet me! It was wonderful to have real conversations with fellow book lovers 🙂
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Greetings From Brazil!

I have had a BLAST trekking around this beautiful country – From Rio to Sao Paolo, from Curitiba to Florianopolis – my fans never cease to amaze me with their warmth and enthusiasm.

How lucky am I to be here?! More soon as I finish up and head back home…

Hang gliding in Rio - Now I know how Luce feels 🙂
Cecilia and I up in the clouds! Cecilia is a wonderful woman from my Brazilian Publisher who just so happens to have the down low on some amazing secret restaurants in Rio.
What a crowd! Rio has been good me.
And another warm welcome.
Lovely journalist Frini moderating my very first translated public event!
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Tell me your Passion Tour story!

These last few months, I’ve lived in airports – hopped and skipped all the way around the world so that I could meet you: my amazing and dedicated fans.

We’ve had wonderful discussions about about love and fate, about how to write and what fuels my own imagination as an author. And of course, we’ve gone back and forth between Cam and Daniel, over and over again… (it’s a tough decision!)

Unfortunately, I can’t visit every city, every bookstore, and talk with every passionate reader.

So I ask those of you who have participated in the Passion tour this summer to share your stories with the rest of us!

Please send any tour stories (under 200 words), photographs, or videos to laurenkatebooks@gmail.com – I’ll then select a handful of submissions to go up on the site so that everyone can experience a little bit of the excitement for themselves!

Happy emailing,

Lauren Kate

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A Little Glimpse into my Tour Abroad…

How wonderful to be able to travel the world and meet so many of my amazing fans! Your creativity and dedication had me in constant awe. As I settle back into my own time zone I’d like to share with you a quick look at some of my travels.

Reconnecting with my wonderful Filipino fans...
Fascinating conversations with readers at Kinokuniya Bookstore in Kuala Lumpur 🙂
A new kind of fan mail; awesome fan nails!
Angels in the aether...
The Swankiest book signing: The Sword and Cross Prom
Proper prom wear for the Fallen...
Our band of angels
A lovely turnout!
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Tour of the Passion Tour

I had the most amazing time last week on the US Passion tour. A huge, impassioned thanks to all of you who came out to the events in SF, Atlanta, Miami and Dallas. You drove from other states, through crazy weather, carting your whole families with you. You shared fascinating, poignant, and funny stories with me about your lives and your relationships to the Fallen books. You even got me to do the Time Warp (see below). I ended the tour feeling happy, lucky, and grateful to have such wonderful support from so many readers. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

If I missed your city this time, I wish I could have gotten everywhere to meet you all. I hope I’ll be somewhere closer to you in the near future.

If I’m heading your way in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Cebu, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, or Auckland–I can’t wait to see you and share Passion with you. See you soon!

First stop at Keplers in Menlo Park, CA. A great kickoff to the tour.
The crowd at Barnes and Noble in Alpharetta, GA. They got soaked in a summer storm but still made it out!
The very lively crowd at Books and Books in Coral Gables
What's Miami without a little beach action?

The long line at the Southlake, TX signing. Thanks for waiting in it, y'all!

I had the most amazing time last week on the US Passion tour. A huge, impassioned thanks to all of you who came out to the events in SF, Atlanta, Miami and Dallas. You drove from other states, through crazy weather, carting your whole families with you. You shared fascinating, poignant, and funny stories with me about your lives and your relationships to the Fallen books. I ended the tour feeling happy, lucky, and grateful to have such wonderful support from so many readers. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

If I missed your city this time, I wish I could have gotten everywhere to meet you all. I hope I’ll be somewhere closer to you in the near future.

If I’m heading your way in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Cebu, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, or Auckland–I can’t wait to see you and share Passion with you. See you soon!

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A Quick Note on Being Hacked

My email account was hacked on Friday and as a result many of you got a strange email from me saying that I was mugged in London and needed cash. I’m fine! Please don’t send money! This was a false email from the hacker!

I’ve reclaimed my accounts now and everything is back under control. BUT the worst part is that my entire email archive was wiped out. I say this because many of you have written me through this website or through my direct email account and I have lost all record of it. Which means if you have written to me in the past week or two and are waiting on a response from me, please write again! I’m sorry for the confusion and delay but I would love to hear from you!

Thanks for your support (and the very nice outpouring of offers to help in case I really had been in trouble!)

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Passion Playlist

Many have asked for this. Now that Passion’s release is just FOUR DAYS AWAY, I thought I’d share some of the songs that inspired me while writing. Hope you enjoy! Feel free to comment with songs that you connect to the book too!

Thirteen by Bigstar
You Look So Young by the Jayhawks
I Envy the Wind by Lucinda Williams
The Book of Love by The Magnetic Fields
Marvelous Things by Eisley
One by Harry Nilsson
Strangers by the Kinks
A Thousand Kisses Deep by Leonard Cohen
Beaches by Bridezilla
I Know Goodbye by Jason Morphew

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A New Look for Natalie Hargrove

Styles change. And Natalie Hargrove was never one to be caught wearing last year’s look. That’s why this summer, The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove is getting a brand new look. Have you read my first novel, which Publishers Weekly calls “deliciously twisted?”

Cruel Intentions meets Macbeth in this seductive, riveting tale of conscience and consequence.

And guess what? It’ll be available in store on June 14th. Pick it up along with your copy of Passion!

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Voting Ends This Friday!

Tell me, which way do I go?

I’m doing something different and very exciting for my US Passion tour. You get to decide which cities I’ll visit. Do you want to a signed copy of Passion? Do you live in (or near) one of these places?

* Atlanta, GA
* Boston, MA
* Dallas, TX
* Denver, CO
* Detroit, MI
* Houston, TX
* Miami, FL
* Minneapolis St. Paul, MN
* Phoenix, AZ
* St. Louis, MO
* San Francisco, CA

If so, cast your vote on Facebook by this Friday!

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Countdown to Passion

With just a little over 2 months until Passion comes out (in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), I wanted to let you know some exciting news. First of all, this time when I go on my book tour, YOU get to decide which cities I’ll visit. Log on to the Fallen facebook page and vote from eleven US cities for the one nearest to you!

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for a Passion trailer, sneak peeks from the books, and some never before revealed behind the scenes information! I can’t wait to share all of this with you–and of course, cannot wait for June 14th!

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10 Books That Rocked My 2010

A look back at some of last year’s most excellent reads:

10. The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff: If you’ve encountered me in the past year, you might have heard me rave about this book. I got to read an advanced copy, and as soon as I was finished, I was desperate for the book to publish so I could talk about it with the rest of the world. It’s chilling and lovely and weird and not like any book I’ve read before. I’ll be Brenna’s fan for life.

9. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins: I’m hesitant to add this book to this list because I’m sure so many of you have already read it, and also because I had such a complicated with reading this book. I fell hard for the Hunger Games, and harder still for Catching Fire. But I struggled with Mockingjay. I had so many questions about the choices that Collins made. I wanted it to be different. By the time I finished the book, I was satisfied with the way the series ended, but frustrated with a big part of the journey in the third book. Mockingjay goes on my list because it was still an important book for me this year and because it made me think a lot about the expectations readers have at the end of a series.

8. The Glory of Angels by Edward Lucie-Smith: this is an art book that explores artistic depictions of angels across history, religious, and cultures. It’s more a coffee table-stunner than a curl-up-and-read kind of thing, but it is so beautiful and such a great reference that I’m throwing it on the list. I bought it last month in the gift shop of the oldest cathedral in Santa Fe and just know I will be pouring over it when I sit down to write Rapture in a few months. If you’re all about angels, you will surely dig this book.

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Passion unveiled

I’ve been waiting for a long time to show off how gorgeous this is!

When I started writing Passion, I knew the series was bursting into some very exciting uncharted territory. This chase backwards through time, with each chapter set in a different country and a different century across five thousand years is undoubtedly the most romantic, most intense, most…passionate book I’ve ever written–and I think you’ll agree it has the cover to match. I love the dramatic bursts of color, the intensity and desolation of the backdrop, and of course, the dress. It’s also the perfect book to show just a hint of Luce’s face. I am counting down the days until I can share the book with you, but in the meantime, I hope you love the cover as much as I do.

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My lovely UK tour

I just got back from a terrific tour of the UK, making stops in London, Manchester, Bury, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, and Birmingham, and talking up Torment to tons of bloggers, librarians, teachers, booksellers, and lots and lots of readers. I met all the wonderful people who are publishing my books in the UK and even got to attend the 4th annual Eternal Twilight Convention It was a blast.

See?

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Come Visit Me on Tour!

Torment Tour USA Dates and Store Addresses:

TORMENT TOUR:

San Francisco:

Tuesday, September 28th–Barnes & Noble, El Cerrito, CA at 6:30 PM

(6050 El Cerrito Place)

Wednesday, September 29th–Kepler’s, 7pm

(1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA)

Seattle:
Thursday, September 30th–University Bookstore in Mill Creek at 6:30 PM

(15311 Main Street, Mill Creek, WA)
Friday, October 1st–Borders in Redmond, WA at 7pm

(16549 N.E. 74th St. Redmond, WA)

Portland:
Saturday, October 2nd–Powell’s in Cedar Hills at 2:00 PM

(3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton OR)

AND Barnes & Noble in Clackamas, OR at 7:00 PM

(12000 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland, OR)

Orange County, CA:

Sunday, October 3rd–Orange County Book Festival at 11:00 AM

(2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa, CA)

Atlanta:

Monday, October 4th–Barnes & Noble in Alpharetta, GA at 7:00 PM

(Mansell Crossings Shopping Center)

Tuesday, October 5th–Books-A-Million in Discover Mills at 7:00 PM

(5900 Sugarloaf Pkwy #321, Lawrenceville, GA)

Memphis:

Wednesday, October 6th–Davis-Kidd at 6:00 PM

(387 Perkins Road Ext, Memphis, TN)

Thursday, October 7th–Barnes and Noble at 7:00 PM

(2774 N Germantown Pkwy, Memphis, TN)

Nashville:

Friday, October 8th–Davis-Kidd at 4:00 PM

(212 Green Hills Village Drive, Nashville, TN)

Saturday, October 9th–Southern Festival of Books

(War Memorial Plaza, Nashville, TN)

New York:

Monday, October 11th–Barnes & Noble in Carle Place, NY at 7:00 PM

(91 Old Country Road, Carle Place, NY)

Tuesday, October 12th–Borders in Westbury, NY at 7:00 PM

(1260 Old Country Road, Westbury, NY)

Chicago:

Wednesday, October 13th–Anderson’s in Naperville, IL at 7:00 PM

(123 West Jefferson Avenue, Naperville IL)

Thursday, October 14th–Borders in Schaumburg, IL at 7:00 PM

(1540 Golf Road Schaumburg, IL 60173)

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Berlin!

Last week, Jason and I took an unforgettable trip to Berlin to celebrate the 175th anniversary of my publisher’s parent company, Bertelsmann.

The view from our hotel room
First night at the Brandenburg Gates
I had not lived until I feasted on this hotel brunch
Jason's and my feet straddling the former division between East and West Berlin.

The week was packed with meetings, parties, photo shoots, and one very fancy gala at the Konzerthaus. It was the place to be in Berlin that night and everyone from Chancellor Merkel to Leona Lewis was there.

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The Passion Pastiche

While you’ve been patiently waiting for Torment

I’ve been hard at work on the first draft of Passion. It’s third book in the Fallen series, and a prequel to everything that occurs in Fallen and in Torment. In its conception, this book felt like an impossible project to me: It covers a span of 5000 plus years, dips into a new setting, a new country, and usually, a new century with each new chapter. And it aims to explain just about every important moment that ever passed between Luce and Daniel. Definitely the biggest narrative challenge I’ve ever given myself.

I was nervous before I started writing it. I’d had such a great, fun, charmed experience writing Torment, but I know this book was going to be much more complicated, much more taxing. Just as I did when I started writing Fallen, I turned to books for help. Only this time, in addition to the theological research books I used for Fallen, I also got to look at some of my favorite novels for help with period and setting. Recognize any of these?

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Read a Book, Save a Life

PLEASE NOTE THAT AS OF 8/20/2010, THE AUCTION IS CLOSED. I RAN OUT OF BOOKS! THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED MY RACE!

For the past three months I have been training for a half-marathon with a group called Team in Training. Team in Training is a philanthropic organization that raises funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20 and is the number 1 cancer in senior citizens.

I was personally touched by the disease last year, when my grandfather lost his battle with leukemia. So now, along with my Team in Training running group, I am racing to raise money to help battle blood cancers.

By September 5th, the day of the half marathon (in Disneyland!), my goal is to raise over $2000 to go toward finding new treatments and eventually a cure for this devastating disease.

So what does this have to do with you, you ask? I have forty copies of my books (including some various fun editions, like a lush mass market paperback of Fallen from the UK, the audio book, a couple Spanish and Italian versions, and even a few advance copies of Torment!) that I will be auctioning off to the first forty people who make a donation (of $10 or more) through my Team in Training website. I will sign, personalize, and send a special thank you note with the book to anyone who helps me support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

You can visit my fundraising website here and make a secure online donation on the right hand side of the page. I’ll get an email notification when you do, and as long as you include your email and mailing address when you fill out the donation, I’ll have all the information I need to send you your personalized book. I will email you before I send your book to check whether you have special dedication wishes, or if you can read, say, Chinese and want that edition! I have no idea how many of you will be interested in this, but if we exceed the forty books I’m starting with, I’ll update my blog and maybe increase the quantity. (That would be incredible!)

These can be yours!

I know that many of you and the people you love have also been touched by some form of cancer, and it feels wonderful to know there are great organizations out there like Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that allow all of us to get involved–even in a small way–to save lives.

Do I look like a girl who is about to run 13.1 miles?
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Comic Con

My first trip to Comic Con was a great time this weekend. I did a few video interviews that will be available on youtube very shortly. I got to sit on a Bite Me panel with  six other fantasy writers, where we spoke to around 350 Comic Conners about everything from demented unicorns, to how we do our research, to whether or not proper vampires have fangs.

I had a really nice signing after the panel:

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A little bit of news…

Hi everyone! Several bits of news today:

First off, I’m excited to report that I’ve been nominated for an Indigo Teen Reads award in the Best New Writer category. This is the inaugural year for the contest, run by the great Canadian bookstore, and the best part is: readers get to choose the winners! Please visit the site, fill out the very quick registration form, and vote for Fallen (and me) in the Best New Writer category.

This is what you’ll see after you vote. If you’re hard core, you can come back and vote every day!

Next up, I’m about to head out on a blog tour in the UK for a little armchair (or desk chair) travel. Tomorrow (June 30th), you can find me at Book Chick City, and I’ll be making about ten more stops after that. More details, dates, and links to come.

My Brit blog tour coincides with the perfect-beach-read mass market paperback release of Fallen in the UK, and I also have this wonderful new trailer to share. Some of you Brits might be seeing it during the theater previews for Eclipse this week!

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You think YOU read a lot?

Try going head to head with Jason. Behold the list of 100+ books my favorite PhD candidate has spent the past 5 months reading.

Yes, the monster list, taped on the back of our closet door, is taller than both of us and took three photographs to capture. But Jason still managed to slay it. See all the little check marks?

For the past five months he’s been preparing for his oral exam, which he takes this Friday (!!!). For three hours, three professors will grill him on any/all of these books, asking questions like “How would you teach this text in an introduction to Shakespeare class?” And this is just the first of two monster tests he has to pass before he writes his dissertation. Hear that, all you future English PhD’s out there? Are you scared? (I’m scared.)

So around here, it’s been one book a day, every day, for five straight months. He wakes up in the morning, he reads. I take the dog for a hike, he reads. I fool around online for seven hours, he continues to read. Because these are major doorstops of books. Tomes. Like on Tuesday: he sat down and read the Bible. The whole thing! Another day he tackled the very thrilling Shakespeare’s Perjured Eye: The Invention of Poetic Subjectivity in the Sonnets. Sounds like a real page turner, huh? Today he’s reading Paradise Lost. He’s got serious speed-reading skillz.

I marvel at his reading stamina and am feeling very proud that he’s made it through this list. As if it wasn’t already before, his brain is certainly a goldmine now.

So good luck on Friday, Jason, and thank you for always flagging the angel references for me. xx

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Book Expo America 2010

I went to New York last week for BEA, which, for those of you who don’t know, is a huge book expo held every May to showcase books coming out in the fall. I’ve been a couple times before back when I worked as an editor, and it’s always a whirlwind of book signings, banquets, award ceremonies, and lots of oogling upcoming releases. There is much to get excited about and so much swag to snag. From my own stash, I’m most excited to dig into Lauren Oliver’s Delirium and Jennifer Donnelly’s Revolution. People bring extra suitcases to schlep back all the ARCs and books they take home. I once saw a woman wielding one of those Costco-sized grocery carts.

At my signing. Thanks, Lacey, for the pic.

This year, being on the author side was so much fun. I loved spending time with my team at Delacorte and loooved hearing all about their brilliant plans for Torment’s release in a few months. I got to meet my British, Australian, and even Croatian publishers and talk about plans to visit both the UK and Australia/New Zealand over the next year. I got to see Susanne Collins accept an award from the American Booksellers Association—and had to hold myself back from tackling her and telling her how much I love her books. I sat down with my agents to talk about plans for the next book after Torment (hard to believe I’ll start writing that in a few weeks!).

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On Curiosity

(Note: I recently wrote this for a blog called Fragments of Life, but I thought I’d also share it with you here.)

A few months ago, I went to visit my parents at the house where I grew up in Texas. My mom, in her mom way, likes to make use of my presence to clean out closets.

“Can we throw out these softball trophies?”

“What about these old dance recital costumes?”

“You’re never going to wear these shoes again, are you?”

And on it goes. If Mom and I fill up a garbage bag to take to goodwill, the day has been a success. This last trip, she was going through my old dresser, tossing things into the trash with reckless abandon—until we came across an old sketchbook buried in the recesses of a drawer.

“What is that?” my mom asked, when I leapt up to save the sketchbook from its date with the trashcan. I recognized it immediately. I’d filled it up on a road trip my family took to Colorado in the summer of 1994. The binding was split and a few of the pages were loose, but otherwise, it was still in good shape. Once glance at its rough maroon cover brought back a flood of memories.

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Time Off!

I’ve been on vacation this week. Torment finally went to my editor, my parents came to visit, and it was my birthday on Sunday. A perfect little storm. My favorite thing we did with my parents was take them up to Santa Barbara for a night. We drove along the PCH through sun and fog and seabreeze, ate at the Hitching Post (of Sideways fame) and stayed in the cute Danish town of Solvang.  While we were gone, Milo went to visit his godfather, Matt.

Some say he’s a cautious dog. Easily terrified is another way of putting it. Matt captured a lot of Milo’s adventures on film. Here’s a clip of some of the fun he had without us.

For my birthday on Sunday night, Jason took me to a secret supper club in Santa Monica. It’s run by these two cool women chefs, pops up in a new location just four times a year (you get an email two hours before the meal to let you know where to go), and is so underground that I was supposed to agree not to blog about it. Whoops! But I the food was so so so incredible and it was such a cool, special birthday present that I must at least mention it. Not by name. Below is the remains of a chocolate souffle with corn ice cream and chile-flecked cotton candy.

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Welcome Milo!

We got a dog on Monday! His name is Milo and he’s a brindle boxer about six months old. I’ve wanted to get a dog for a long time but have had to wait until we had enough time and space to make it possible. I’ve been scouring rescue dog websites for a few months, looking for medium-sized, floppy eared young dogs, but we hadn’t gone to actually look at any yet. Then, last Sunday, a friend saw Milo at an adoption street fair, gave us a call, and as soon as we got down there and saw him, we had a feeling he was the one.

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The Only Immortal Boy in New York and My First TV Appearance

I hear it was cold this weekend in New York. Luckily, this guy was there to heat things up.

On Friday, right before Valentines Day, “Daniel” hit Times Square to promote Fallen. People often ask me my favorite part of writing teen novels.  I’m not embarrassed at all to say that promo events like this are dangerously close to the top of the list? Look at this! It’s fantastic!

While Daniel was busy wooing the ladies of New York, I ventured back up to northern California for my first ever TV appearance. I used to watch Good Day Sacramento when I lived in Winters while I was in grad school, so it was a lot of fun (and very nervewracking) to be asked on as a guest. Here’s a shot of me prepping in the Green Room and a link to the clip on Good Day’s website. (It will load, eventually, on the right side of the page.)

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Snow Days

I’ve been friends with my oldest, closest friend Megan since we were three. We met in pre-school, spent every waking second we were allowed to together as kids, tormented her little brother together, were tormented by my older brother together, and ran up enormous phone bills when we moved away from each other to go to college. We have the kind of friendship where I’m not really sure something big has happened to me until I’m able to pick up the phone and tell Megan.

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Driving Lessons

There's the car down at the bottom.

My husband launched his car off this cliff a half an hour before hour wedding. Some of you already know this little story, but for those of you who don’t: Relax! No one was in the car, no one was hurt (save an olive tree that was split in two), and our wedding was pret-ty perfect after that. As the Jewish side of the family was quick to point out: “What’s a wedding without a little broken glass?”

I bring this up now because the car we bought to replace the wrecked one is a stick shift. And I have never driven a stick shift. So the time has come for me to learn.

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Pictures of ze Day

The Fallen display at the ALA Midwinter conference in Boston. Sounds like it was a great weekend!

From my reading last night at the Borders in Mission Viejo. Thanks to Carlos and Rose at the store and to the great group who braved the apocalyptic storm to come out!

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Selective Reading (re-post)

Happy torrentially downpouring Monday from Los Angeles. Thought I’d throw this short essay up today in case anyone missed it from my guest blogging at Beatrice last week:

When I was ten months old, my mother made an appointment with our ear doctor because she thought I was deaf. Hearing the story told for the first time to my husband recently, I was impressed by my mom’s verve as she relayed the family lore. Her eyes lit up telling of the placid way I’d stare into space when she tried to reason with me, how often I ignored my name being called.

A half-hour doctor’s visit revealed perfectly sound hearing in both my ears, and left only one explanation: at less than a year old, I was already selectively hearing my mother. (This is when my dad chimes in: “smart kid.”)

When people invoke the term “selective memory” or when my mother refers to my lifelong “selective hearing,” they’re referring to a way of tuning out what, for whatever reason, we don’t want to retain. Those terms get a bad rap, but I’d like to make a case for selective reading—tuning out or tuning up certain moments in a narrative—as a key to reading fiction.

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Weekend Update

Here’s a pic from a book signing I did in LA with my friend Anna Carey, author of Sloane Sisters. It was a lot of fun, filled with cookies and enthusiasm–if you don’t count the one angry dude who walked into the store and barked at us because we didn’t know where the bird guides were. “You don’t work here? You’re just sitting in the middle of the store then?” Yes, sir.

Bird guides aside, my weekend was a relaxing mix of football watching, picture hanging (officially the last step in Moving Into a New Place), Mexican food eating at my new watering hole, El Compadre, and lots of Torment revising. I’m about halfway through the second draft and it’s hard to contain my excitement about this book. I hope it’s worth the wait until September!

My blog tour continues this week with a few added stops, on at Bitten by Books on Tuesday, and two more at SUVUDU and The Undeath Match (both on Thursday). And I have a reading and a signing in Mission Viejo on Tuesday night. Hope to see some SoCal-ers representing!

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Next Up: A blog tour and SoCal signings

On Monday, January 11th, I’m excited to embark on my first blog tour. I’ll be guest blogging about all sorts of things from forbidden love, to why I sometimes ignore my mother, to what it felt like to get the news that Fallen hit the New York Times Bestseller List. Here’s a list of the blogs where I can be found–and I’ll post what I write here as well:

January 11th Beatrice

January 12th Through a Glass Darkly

January 13th A Patchwork of Books

January 14th The Reading Zone

January 15th The Children’s Book Review

January 20th TeenReads.com

January 21st The Book Butterfly

January 26th CynthiaLeitichSmith.com

I also have a few upcoming events in Southern California, so those of you who live nearby, please come out!

On Saturday, January 16th, I’ll be signing books at Chevaliers in Los Angeles from 1-3pm.

On Tuesday, January 19th, I’ll be reading from Fallen and signing books at the Borders in Mission Viejo at 7pm.

On Saturday, January 30th, I’ll be reading from Fallen and signing books at the Borders in Long Beach at 2pm.

When I was in Arkansas recently for the holidays, my publisher sent 300 copies of Fallen to my mother in law’s house for me to sign for the ALA mid-winter conference. It was a tough job, but at least I had a helper:

Laurenbook signing 039

Laurenbook signing 025

Laurenbook signing 007

I wish my nephew David Franklin could come to all of my signings with me, but I understand he’s got other things on his plate.

christmas09 048

That’s all for now. If you’re local, I hope you can make it to one of these upcoming bookstore events! If you’re reading this from afar, I hope you’ll join me on my blog tour.

Have a great weekend, everyone. Tonight I’m going to see a double feature of Crazy Heart (an overdue birthday present to Jason) and Youth in Revolt (because Michael Cera is the bomb). Living on the edge here!

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Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from Hot Springs, Arkansas where I am spending the week with family and friends. We spent a week in Dallas with my fam hoarding QT with this little longhorn:

My niece Jordan
My niece Jordan

then drove up to Arkansas to see this little cookie monster:

My nephew David Franklin
My nephew David Franklin

before we head to New Orleans for New Years Eve and then jet back home to L.A. Altogether, a pretty perfect holiday break! It’s been so cool to see copies of Fallen and The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove under some nearby Christmas trees. I hope everyone is enjoying the break, relaxing with family, and having some holiday cheer.

Now it’s time for me to give a shout-out to the three winners of my Natalie Hargrove giveaway contest!

*drumroll pls*

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Hello from the Big D

I can’t get enough of this Bridezilla song in the beautiful Fallen trailer from Australia.

I am home at my parents’ house for the holidays and last night, I did a reading and signing at Legacy Books in Plano, TX. It was great to promote Fallen and The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove in my home town, in front of so many friends and family members, and at such an amazing bookstore! 

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Born in Time

The other day, a reader asked me the best question I’ve been asked yet about my books. She’d read a particuarly lovey-dovey scene between Luce and Daniel and she wanted to know whether I really believed that love like that existed in the real world. Of course! I told her. I just found it myself.

j+l

Today is my husband Jason’s birthday. Because we’re going home to our families in Texas and Arkansas this weekend, he will get not one, but four birthday parties. Today we’re celebrating with a few of his favorite things: The Beatles (we watched disc 5 and 6 of the box set last night), Starman (we’ll squeeze in a viewing of that classic sometime today), and cheese dip–he is from Arkansas (we’re going to a Mexican joint tonight with a 30 person mariachi band!). HAPPY BIRTHDAY JASON!

This was our first song at our wedding. Also works for birthdays: Bob Dylan: Born in Time

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A Contest!

Sabal palmetto

This is a Palmetto. It’s being showcased today for two reasons:

1. Because it’s so cold up here in Laurel Canyon right now that I needed to reminded myself that I live in tropical southern California now and not the blustery East Coast.

2. Because this innocent little Palmetto tree plays a very important role in my book, The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove. And with all of the excitement yesterday over Fallen’s release (which has been wonderful*), Natalie was getting a little bit…jealous. You know how she is. Always has to be in the limelight. This fabulous review from The Book Scout yesterday assuaged her a little, but poor old Natalie is still feeling like the other white meat compared to another book of mine. Which is why I’ve decided to throw her a little book-giveaway party. Yes, three lucky people will get a signed copy of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove just for attending her little bash. All you have to do is register to follow my blog, send me a message here with your email address, and include your nomination for the best dog name (I want one for Christmas!). The contest will run through 5pm EST Christmas Eve, and the three winners will be chosen at random. Just don’t tell Nat that you’re getting it for free. She doesn’t like to think of herself as that kind of girl…

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This Time Tomorrow…

Here in rainy Laurel Canyon, we are no long counting down the days until Fallen comes out, we are counting down the hours! It’s been a hugely busy past few weeks: finishing up the first draft of Torment, participating in blog interviews, web chats, and book discussions everyday, picking out what to read at my release day reading at Barnes and Noble in Glendale, CA tomorrow night–all while moving into a new house, unpacking, and starting to settle in.

I am so very excited about tomorrow, I think going to sleep tonight is going to feel like going to sleep on Christmas Eve or the night before a birthday. Thanks to everyone who has been contacting me through this site. It’s been great to read all your supportive and excited comments.

Speaking of websites, there’s some very cool new stuff on the Fallen Books website. Check out the Sword and Cross Archives!

If you live in or around LA–please come out tomorrow night to my reading at Barnes and Noble in Glendale. It’s a 6pm at 210 Americana Way, Glendale, CA  91210!

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My First Reading

Lauren reading

My mom sent me this old photo today. I think, all those years ago, I was preparing for my future first book reading (which takes place a week from tomorrow at Barnes and Noble in Glendale, CA!). What a captivated audience I had.

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Fallen in the Random House Windows

In the Random House windows

I’m a sucker for a good window display. When I lived in New York, I walked past all the big department stores on my way to work and always loved when the holidays rolled around so I could see what Saks, Bendels, and Bergdorf had concocted. Though not quite as elaborate as a Saks display, this one made my week. I’ve been hearing about this poster but haven’t had a chance to see it myself (one of the pitfalls of living across the country). Thanks to my friend Cristin for sending this along!

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Details from the tour

The last week of October, I went on a six city pre-publicity tour to promote Fallen. Having finally caught up on some sleep and taken a little time to process all of the amazing things that happened, I’ve decided I feel about book tours the same way I feel about roller coasters:

They are wild. They are intense. There are moments when you think your stomach will drop out of your body—but as soon as the tour is over, you want to go again. And you wish you’d made a different face when that automatic camera snapped your picture after the first big drop. The point is: I loved it. I want a season pass.

The first stop on the tour was New York, my former home, which I miss. When I checked into the hotel, the receptionist looked down at her notes, then up at me and said, “Fallen. Is that that movie with Denzel?” Not yet, I told her.

I got to sign books at this very cool event called Teen Vogue Fashion University. It was swank-city. I think I got a full year’s worth of fashion inspiration from the teen girls ambling up and down the halls. Click for more details and pics after the jump…

TeenVogue_1

Teen Vogue_2

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