I’m on deadline this week and didn’t have time to poll you guys for a song, so here’s one of my tried and true favorites.
Hope you enjoy it!
And check back tomorrow for the Escape Into Book Summer Reading Giveaway! I’ll be giving away two big summer reading packs with tote bags and other summer essentials along with some of my favorite addictive reads. I want to help you guys start your summer off right!
<3
Okay, so I promised something special for those of you coming to see me at this year’s TEEN AUTHOR CARNIVAL, and I’m here to deliver.
Behold, the Cuh-razy Coffer of carnival Madness!!!
Here’s how it works; if you’re at the Fourth Annual Teen Author Carnival tomorrow night at the Jefferson Market Branch Library in New York City, all you have to do is get in my signing line with a book, and you get to choose a prize from the Cuh-razy Coffer of Carnival Madness. There are an array of goodies on offer – all wrapped to preserve the surprise – including nail polish, picture frames, iTunes gift cards, body sprays, candles, lip gloss, Prophecy of the Sisters t-shirts, vouchers for free downloads of Whisper of Souls (the first of three Prophecy novellas which release tomorrow), picture frames, books (hardcovers, paperbacks, and ARCs) plus ONE $50 VISA gift card.
YOU MUST HAVE ONE OF MY BOOKS TO SIGN in order to play. It can be an ARC. a book from home, or one you purchase at the Carnival. I’m happy to sign anything else you want to bring and also happy to say hello and chat for a minute, but you can only pick from the Cuh-razy Coffer of Carnival Madness is you have one of my books in hand to sign.
And don’t forget! There will be TONS of amazing authors at the 2012 Teen Author Carnival. It’s always a blast with fun, interesting panels and ample opportunity to chat with authors and book people.
Hope to see you there!
<3
I know you’re all waiting anxiously to hear the winners of the Ipad giveaway, so without further ado…
The Grand Prize winner of a new Ipad and $50 Itunes gift card is Tiffany Mahaffy.
First Place Prize Pack; Jessirae Lloyd
Second Place Prize Pack; Aurora Momcilovich
Third Place Prize Pack; Crystal Martinez
Congratulations to all the winners and A HUGE THANK YOU for helping me spread the word about the release of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. Please send an email to prophecypress@aol.com to claim your prize. All winners were chosen my Random Number Generator, but with over 6,000 total entries, I don’t think it’s a surprise that these four peeps had the most entries. They all worked tirelessly — some in very inventive ways — to get the word out. At the same time, there were tons of people who helped out and aren’t on this list, and I want you all to know how very much I appreciate you.
As always it means so much to me to have your support. If you enjoyed A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS, please continue to spread the word by recommending the book to your friends and posting a review on Amazon or B&N online. For the time being, I’m going to continue offering free bookplates to anyone who purchases a copy of TEMPTATION. If you have a reading friend or family member and would like to purchase a copy for them, just send an email to prophecypress@aol.com and we’ll send you out a bookplate as long as they last (or until I get tired of buying them!).
I also want to announce that I will be hosting monthly giveaways until my next book comes out next year. Sometimes the prize packs will feature books signed by other authors, sometimes other goodies of my choosing.
But you all know I give good swag, so stay tuned.
😉
Congrats again to our winners!
I know, I know… Another Brand New song! But this one is perfect for sickle training.
😉
I’m also pleased to announce Shelley Koons as the winner of the $250 bookstore gift card! Thanks to everyone who rushed out to buy a copy of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS in-store. And stay tuned, because I will continue to offer AH-mazing giveaways and will announce the Ipad contest winners on Saturday.
SO EXCITED.
In the meantime, check this song. And don’t’ be turned off by its militant vibe. As with all Brand New songs, you really have to listen to the lyrics.
<3
Sorry I blew it on the Temptation playlist song of the day yesterday! I spent the day on a college visit with Rebekah and came home BEAT.
To make it up to you, I’m giving you Songs 3 AND 4 tonight!
This one is song #3 and is labeled “Helen discovers her identity” on my playlist. I’ve always loved this cover of the Eurythmics original, and it’s a perfect fit here.
The 4th song on the contemporary playlist is Heartbeat by the Fray. I see this song when Helen and Griffin first become friends, walking the streets of London, getting to know each other, and doing sickle training in the ballroom.
Hope you guys enjoy these!
On another note, the Ipad GIveaway is officially closed. Thanks so much to everyone who entered in the month of March by helping me spread the word about A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. You really made a difference. Winners will be announced on Friday April 7th, so stay tuned!
You still have a couple days to enter for the $250 store gift card by buying a copy of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS in any brick-and-mortar bookstore (ANY store, as long as it’s not online). So many people bought copies online that we have surprisingly few entries for this mega gift card, which means great chances of winning. So hurryyy!
<3
After posting the first song on the A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS playlist yesterday, I wanted to continue by giving you guys the second song, chosen for Helen’s escape. Those of you who have read the book will know what I mean.
Hope you enjoy it! And don’t forget there’s still a few more days to enter the $250 gift card giveaway for buying a copy of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS in any brick-and-mortar store as well as two more days to enter to win the Ipad and assorted other goodies.
Hurryyyy!!
<3
I’m all about atmosphere, so if you’re looking for a little taste of the atmosphere in A TEMPTATION IF ANGELS, here are two good ways to check it out!
You can go to the A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS Pinterest board, which is a virtual bulletin board of images that fit in with the vibe in the book. It’s GORGEOUS, if I do say so myself! I had so much fun choosing all the beautiful images.
You can also listen to samples of Kenneth’s original A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS score, either on Itunes or on Amazon. It’s a perfect fit for the book. Kenneth and I collaborated for months on the project, with Kenneth coming up with new pieces and calling me over to listen when he thought he had something good. We have a lot of fun with these projects, and I feel so lucky to have someone around who really “gets” the atmosphere in my work and is able to so perfectly match it with his own.
You have almost a week left to buy a copy of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS in any brick-and-mortar store (an Indie, a B&N, Books-a-Million, etc.) for an entry into the $250 gift card giveaway, and you have a little less than a week to accumulate entries in the epic Ipad Giveaway (which includes lots of other great prizes in addition to the Ipad).
So.. yeah! Tons of awesome prizes and chances to win, in addition to quite a few blogger giveaways still going on.
And with that, I need to share some links of more awesome blogger reviews fro A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. I try to say thank you to bloggers who enjoy my work and review. If I missed you, it was entirely unintentional! If you’d like me to link to your review, just send it to prophecypress@aol.com.
Gothic Angel Book Reviews wrote, “I must say that few books end with me in tears with a pile of tissues beside me. Even fewer books still that start with tears and end with a wry kind of smile. A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS was one of the latter.”
Book Kitty Blog called TEMPTATION, “Dark and beautiful.”
Rebecca’s Book Blog said, “If you love historical fantasy, or if you love paranormal romance but want to read something that’s different and unique, I highly recommend this book.”
You can still enter Reading or Breathing’s giveaway for personalized copies of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS, and Novel Thoughts is still running their giveaway for two wonderful prize packs, including book store gift cards.
Tomorrow I’ll start unveiling the contemporary A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS playlist. Come back to check it out!
<3
Wow. You guys continue to amaze me. I watched my numbers at B&N climb OVERNIGHT after launching the initiative to give readers an entry for a $250 gift card for EVERY COPY of A Temptation of Angels they purchase in an actual store – any actual store.
This is because, as I’ve said more than once, my readers RULE.
And that’s not all, purchasing a book in-store qualifies you for tons of other contests and giveaways, too, with some amazing prizes up for grabs including an Ipad, gift cards to Itunes and Starbucks, Visa gift cards, Victoria’s Secret swag, and MOAR!
You can read more about the giveaways in play here, but here’s the gist; buy A Temptation of Angels at any bookstore and get an entry in the $250 gift card giveaway. This also entitles you to TEN ENTRIES per copy purchased for the Ipad giveaway (an online purchase counts for this one, too) as long as you purchase before Sunday April 1st.
And that’s not all.
I’ll send you a free signed limited edition bookplate and bookmark for each book (this makes for an amazing and personal gift for the reader in your life) you purchase, too.
So basically, but a book in-store and be entered to win a $250 gift card, an Ipad, and assorted other swag, PLUS get free personalized bookplates and bookmarks for each copy.
Not a bad deal, if I do say so myself!
Thank again to all of you who have mobilized on my behalf by going out to your bookstores and buying the book, as well as those of you who have bought online. What would I do without you?!
<3
Okay, I’m sort of recovered from the crazy that was release day for A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. If I owe you an email or a tweet or a Facebook comment or ANYTHING, I promise you, I’m working on it.
First things first; Like many people, I buy a lot of stuff online. I live in a very rural area where the nearest bookstore is almost an hour away, the nearest Thai restaurant is 40 minutes away, and the only restaurant in town that delivers is a pizza place – four of them, to be exact.
As a single mother to four teenagers, sometimes I just can’t get in my car and make the haul somewhere to buy something (not to mention how expensive gas is – eeek!). Enter online shopping.
That said, I would HATE to come to a place where we don’t have any more brick and mortar stores, because sometimes, there’s nothing like going to a bookstore or a music store or a natural foods store and just… wandering. So I’m going to do something to encourage brick and mortar buying.
I’m offering up entries for a $250 bookstore gift card (you can choose – Indiebound, Books-a-Million, B&N, Book Depository, Amazon, etc.) to anyone who purchases A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS in ANY brick-and-mortar store.
Yes. $250!
All you have to do is send a picture of your receipt (please make sure it’s legible) to prophecypress@aol.com.
And I’ll give you one entry for EVERY copy of TEMPTATION you purchase at a brick and mortar store.
This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada (the release date for Temptation is different in other countries) and runs from the release day of TEMPTATION (March 20th) through Midnight EST on Tuesday April 3rd. So if you purchased the book at a brick and mortar store prior to now, you are still eligible to win. If you’ve already supplied a brick and mortar receipt for a bookplate, just shoot as en email and we’ll enter you automatically. Plus, I’ll still send you a signed bookplate for your book and a bookmark.
That’s it! No tweeting, no Facebook status, no blog posts. Just a receipt for your copy or copies of TEMPTATION from a brick and mortar store.
Now, I need to give a little blog review and giveaway love!
Seventeen Magazine said A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS, “…will leave you craving more until the very end.”
The Story Siren is hosting a TEMPTATION swag giveaway and said about the book; “An absolutely beautiful story! I only hope there is more to come! There is more, right?”
Alice Marvels said A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS is, “… always a delicious, captivating ride.”
Dark Faerie Tales said, “Zink builds a convincing and mysterious world around historical London that will keep you turning the pages!”
Esther’s Ever After called TEMPTATION, “… an addictive, fascinating, page-turner that’s remarkably refreshing for its genre.”
Christine Fonseca, author of another angel book called LACRIMOSA, says TEMPTATION is, “… a beautifully crafted historical tale that tackles themes I can really relate to – love, betrayal, temptation.”
The Book Faery said Temptation was, “… most definitely a One-Sit-Read for me, my highest honor!”
Nina Reads said, “Michelle Zink has once again created something completely original… If this is not on your to-read list already, add it now!”
Starting the Next Chapter said, “Michelle Zink has created a wonderfully imaginative take on the battle between angels and demons that will set your imagination alight.
Thanks for all the kind words, you guys!
And there are some blogger giveaways still in play, too!
Novel Thoughts has two awesome TEMPTATION prize packs up for grabs!
There is ONE MORE DAY to enter WhatchYAReading’s giveaway, including swag and book store gift cards!
The Story Siren’s TEMPTATION giveaway also includes swag and a book store gift card!
You have two more weeks to enter I Am a Reader Not a Writer’s giveaway for a signed copy of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS plus swag.
Aaaaand! Don’t forget that you still have 9 days to enter the massive Ipad giveaway right here! There are tons of amazing prizes, and all you have to do is help me spread the word that Temptation is out in the world. Easy!
And lastly, a big shout out and thank you to Kelsey at Reading or Breathing for rallying the troops to help me with a little distribution problem. 😉
Whew! This day has been CUH-razy. But in a good way!
I’ve been sitting on my Twitter and Facebook feeds more or less all day, trying to keep on top of all the tweets, retweets, and statuses about A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. You’ve been so wonderful, really working to get the word out all day long. I can’t thank you enough. You guys rock my socks!
Now I want to give you instructions for tonight’s Twitter partyso everyone knows how its works.
Kenneth and I will be co-hosting the chat. You must be following us both to win prizes. Kenneth is @kenneth_zink and I’m @michellezink.
You must use #atemptationofangels in all of your chat/party tweets to win. Just copy and paste it if you’re not using a Twitter chat app that does it automatically.
Kenneth and I will ask questions related to our conversation (which we’ll play by ear but will likely be about the book, Kenneth’s score, book in general, music, movies, and video games) and the book. I WON’T ASK YOU ANYTHING YOU CAN’T KNOW IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE BOOK since it just came out today. I’ll only ask you things that were part of the party convo and/or that you might have learned by reading the TEMPTATION THURSDAY excerpts here on my website.
I may give you fun games and tasks to complete for prizes as well. Mwah-ha-ha-ha!
The first person to supply the correct answer or complete the task will win a variety of prizes from gift cards to body sprays to nail polish to bookmarks to books!
If you win, please send an email to prophecypress@aol.com with “Twitter Party Winner” in the Subject line and what I said you won (Rebekah will kill me if I attempt to keep track of it myself since I just randomly give stuff away without any record of it… O_o).
Feel free to ask questions of either of us, but when you do, please format your question this way so it doesn’t get lost in the chat feed; “Question for @kenneth_zink; do you write the music first or choose the scenes you want to write for first?”
The feed moves very, very fast. We’ll try to keep up and not lose or miss anyone, but if we miss your question, please know it’s purely by accident. Just tweet it again and we’ll probably catch it the second time.
That’s it! It should be fun. I hope you’ll all join us!
Also want to remind you that you can still get a free limited edition bookplate and a TEMPTATION bookmark just for buying the book. Each book purchase also earns you TEN POINTS in the Ipad giveaway. Just send in a receipt or order confirmation or a picture of either to prophecypress@aol.com with your mailing address and we’ll get it right out to you!
<3
Welp, tomorrow’s the day! A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS will start shipping and I’ll be able to share Helen’s story and the world of the Keepers with all of you. I’m super excited and so hope you enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I have a couple of updates for you about the release and the many contests and giveaways going on right now;
You can still enter the Ipad giveaway for a free Ipad, Victoria’s Secret goodies, gift cards, jewelry and more! Check out the rules here. Contest runs through the end of the month, and while there are a few people who have been going HARD since it started, there are plenty of ways to make up entries FAST. But you gotta get on it! Even though the winners (there are four prize packs) will be chosen via Random Number Generator, you definitely up your odds of winning something by having a lot of entries (last year’s winner of the Ipod Touch had the most entries of anyone, which I’m sure wasn’t a coincidence).
I’m still giving out free bookplates to anyone who pre-orders Temptation before midnight EST tonight (3/12/2012). A bookplate is a sticker (these are custom designed to match Temptation) that can be signed (by me, of course!) and placed inside your book, effectively giving you a signed copy. Just send your receipt and/or order confirmation or a photo of one of them to prophecypress@aol.com and include your mailing address and the name of the person you’d like the bookplate made out to. This is a double bonus, because you also get TEN POINTS in the Ipad giveaway for EVERY SINGLE copy of Temptation that you purchase. This means that if you buy one for yourself, one for a friend, and one for your niece (all of who will get signed bookplates), you get 30 ENTRIES. If I have bookplates left after today, I’ll offer them up first come, first served to anyone who buys the book in the first two weeks. So stay tuned!
Tomorrow night from 9pm – 11pm EST, Kenneth and I will be hosting a Twitter launch party for A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. During this time we’ll give you fun tasks and ask you questions related to the book, Kenneth’s original score, and/or our conversation during the launch party, all of which will give you opportunities to win fun prizes! All you have to do to participate is log-in to Twitter and use #atemptationofangels on all of your contest-related tweets. To win, you’ll need to follow both Kenneth (@kenneth_zink) and I (@michellezink). This is the first time Kenneth and I have done something like this together, and it’s going to be a blast! Kenneth has so many interesting things to say about music and books and movies. I’m super excited for you all to get to know him better.
There are tons of other contests and giveaways going on for A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS and other assorted swag, among them giveaways at WhatYAReading and Stephanie, A History. More giveaways will be added daily, so keep your eyes on my Twitter feed for updates. I try to RT them when I see them! I’ll also be posting a fresh round of great blogger reviews very, very soon.
And here… we… go.
Wheeeeee!!!!
<3
Ahhhhhh! I can’t believe A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS will be out in just three more days. So very excited to finally be able to share this world and these characters with every one of you.
This week has brought some more AH-mazing reviews for the book, including Booklist who said about Temptation (among other wonderful things);
“Set in a steampunk London, where gas lamps and rudimentary computers share time with corsets, waistcoats, and a bit of magic, this well-paced and delicately detailed story is full of recurring imagery, creeping terror, deftly wrought secondary characters, and slowly building sexual tension that has a gothic romance feel. Caught between light (her fellow Keeper, Griffin) and dark (Ruam, a childhood friend who turns out to be much more dangerous than she could ever imagine), Helen must make a choice
and learn that love and sacrifice cannot be separated.” — Charli Osborne
Love it!
One of my favorite reviews this week came from Jessirae at Words, Pages, and Books. Jessirae happens to be one of my favorite readers and bloggers (if you haven’t been following her Tweets about Temptation, you’re missing out!). Jessirae had a lot of incredibly flattering things to say about A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS including, “Each moment had me reeling. I wanted to devour this book at the same time savor it to keep from reaching the end. The action and excitement in the book was never ending. Not a single dull moment in this book was present whatsoever. The plot and build-up are breath-taking and heart stopping. There is no measurement to how much I love this book.”
Another reason to check out Jessirae’s blog is her one-of-a-kind Team Griffin button. It — and he — is smokin!
A great review from earlier in the month (but which just came to my attention this week) was from Danny at Bewitched Bookworms who called A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS a, “Fantastic introduction into a new world of Angels secrets, love and friendship. Wonderful heroine, smart and hot boys and so much more!! I’m eager to get back into this wold!”
Thanks so much, Danny!
I also loved this review from Kari at A Good Addiction, who said, “… Zink has created a type of story all her own, and done it masterfully. Vivid in setting, with beautifully written scenes and actions, this one will easily play out like a movie in reader’s minds, and setting them right beside Helene the entire time. The writing is stunning, saying so much in few words, and having a lulling air about it while also keeping with the tense and sorrowful emotional atmosphere that comes with the situations Helen finds herself in. This book is easy to get lost in, and memorable in many ways.”
That review made my day, Kari!
Thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to read and share their love for the book through reviews and tweets and Facebook posts and Goodreads reviews. You guys are totally my secret weapon!
I try to stay on top of good reviews (yes, I said it, because while I know there are bad ones out there for every book, no writer goes out of their way to read them) and to repost and help drive traffic to your blogs. But it’s tough to stay on top of everything, especially as I get closer to the release date for TEMPTATION. If I’ve missed your review and you’d like me to feature it here, please send a link to Rebekah at prophecypress@aol.com and I’ll try to post it for you. Any omission is purely accidental!
I’ll be hosting a Twitter launch party on Tuesday night that will include a Temptation-, writing-, and reading-related chat with prizes given throughout. Just log-in to Twitter at 9pm EST (party goes to 11pm EST). You must be following me and tweet with #atemptationofangels to win!
Lastly, don’t forget you still have a couple of weeks to enter the Ipad giveaway. There are lots of amazing prizes in addition to the Ipad, so what are you waiting for?!
First of all, I know I’ve been slacking on our regular blog features, but a book launch always throws me for a loop, and A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS releases in exactly EIGHT DAYS. I promise once April comes, we’ll start getting back to normal!
In the meantime, there are a couple of things I want to tell you guys;
1. I’ll be at the Houston TeenBookCon on April 14th in Houston, Texas!! WOOT! I’m unbelievably excited about this, both because I’ve heard such good things about the HTBC and because my Texas readers have been begging me to come to Texas for YEARS and now I can finally meet them all. SO HAPPY about this.
2. I’ll be appearing at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, NY in a joint signing with Jaclyn Delorme, author of Magic Under Glass and Magic Under Stone, on Sunday, April 22nd at 4pm as part of Oblong’s Hudson Valley YA Society. Everyone is welcome to attend and I really hope I’ll meet some of you NY, NJ, CT, MA peeps! Jackie and I have an interesting pre-publication history. and I’m looking forward to recounting the story. Plus, the people at Oblong are just awesome.
3. I’ll be appearing at YA Fest2012 in Easton, PA on Saturday August 4th from 11am – 3pm. Tons of amazing authors will be there and I know we’re going to have a blast. I hope you’ll join us!
I’ll be updating my Appearances Page over the next few days, but for now, that’s what’s on tap in the way of events.
But wait! There’s more!
4. In case you missed it, A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS was part of a feature on angel books in USA Today earlier this week. I have to admit, I was pretty psyched!
5. The Be Tempted Ipad Giveaway is in full swing through the end of the month, with the Grand Prize recently upgraded to a NEW Ipad. We have a ton of entries, so try to do as many of the things as possible to boost your total number. Even though we use the Random Number Generator to choose winners, last year the Grand Prize winner (of an Ipod Touch) also had the most entries. It just ups your odds of winning and there are lots of ways to enter. And the Ipad is just the beginning, there are more great prizes including Victoria’s Secret body care items, gift cards, jewelry, signed books, and MOAR.
6. If you missed last week’s Temptation Thursday, you can meet Anna and read this week’s free excerpt of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS here.
7. In case you missed the premier of the trailer for A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS (featuring one of Kenneth’s pieces), I’m sharing it again for your viewing pleasure;
8. Last but most certainly not least, Kenneth’s original score for TEMPTATION comes out this Friday. And you guys… it’s SO INCREDIBLE. I can’t wait for you to hear what he’s done.
<3
Only 12 more days until the release of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS, which means this is our second-to-last Temptation Thursday. After that, you’ll be able to read the story in its entirety. WOOT!
Tonight I’m super excited to introduce you to Anna, Darius’s love and the one and only chink in his very significant armor.
I picture Anna like this (that’s actress Ana Sophia Robb);
Anna is quiet and serene, determined to carry on her family’s duty of protecting and supporting the Keepers. Despite the fact that she has a heart problem that makes her physically fragile, Anna has an iron will, the kind of strength that doesn’t require her to prove it or wave it around. Instead, she’s simply unflagging in her determination to support the Keepers, whether through new weaponry, a safe haven, information, or a hot pot of tea.
Anna is the only one who can calm Darius’s during one of his temper tantrums, and though he rebels against the determination that puts her in danger, she makes it clear in a uniquely-gentle Anna way that it isn’t up for discussion.
I hope you enjoy this excerpt of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS, featuring Anna (and a little bit of Darius). And don’t forget to check out the Be Tempted Ipad giveaway, featuring a NEW IPad (the one just unveiled yesterday – consider it a contest upgrade!), Victoria’s Secret goodies, signed books, gift cards, and MOAR!
<3
“Father is in the laboratory. He’s a bit frustrated with the
progress on one of his newest inventions.” She looked at Dar-
ius. “Perhaps you’d like to take Griffin down while Helen and
I prepare tea?”
Darius nodded, his eyes soft, and Helen marveled that he
could look so different by virtue of the fact that he was gazing
upon Anna. His affection for her changed his features com-
pletely. Or rather, he seemed to come more fully into them, as
if his everyday countenance, the one that was angry and smug
and sarcastic, was a mask he only let drop in the company of
Anna.
“Will you be all right?” Griffin asked, turning to Helen.
She smiled. “Of course.”
He gave a small nod of his head. As Helen watched him
descend the stairs after his brother, she couldn’t help wonder-
ing at the look in his eyes. She appreciated his protection, of
course, but she was not sure if she wanted to be looked at in
the way Darius looked at Anna. As if she were fragile. A thing
to hold gingerly, as one holds a delicate rose, careful not to
bump its silken petals lest they should spill to the floor.
“Well!” Anna’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “I daresay
you’ll know how I feel soon!”
Helen’s cheeks grew warm. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Of course, you don’t.” Anna grinned, and Helen caught
the first glimpse of something clever and sly in it. She linked
her arm with Helen’s. “Come. We can talk all about it while
we get the tea.”
Other than her parents, Helen had had little company
over the years. She was only now beginning to sense how
very alone she had been. Anna’s offer of friendship was a
lifeline, and though Helen was unused to being touched by
strangers, she allowed herself to be pulled from the room,
unable to stop the smile that sprang to her face as Anna told
her of the difficulties she had suffered due to Darius’s over-
protective nature.
“He’s simply maddening!” she said, letting go of Helen’s
arm to cross the kitchen. She made her way to the kettle,
steaming angrily atop the stove. “The way he behaves, you
would think I’m about to fall over dead any moment.”
“Why does he worry so?” Helen asked.
Anna sighed. “My heart has a small irregularity,” she said. “It
gets bored beating to the same rhythm day after day, you see.”
Helen shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“Well,” Anna hesitated, reaching into one of the upper cabi-
nets for a tin of tea before continuing. “It skips a beat now and
then, and sometimes it speeds up so that I’m short of breath.”
“Does it hurt?” Helen asked, moving toward the counter
where Anna spooned tea into the cups.
Anna stopped for a moment, looking into the distance as if
the answer to Helen’s question lie against the faded paper on
the far wall.
“Not exactly.” She laughed a little, turning her gaze to
Helen. “It rather feels like I’ve been running too fast. I can
feel it beating in my chest, and then my face feels very hot as
if I’m coloring from embarrassment. But no.” She shook her
head. “It doesn’t hurt.”
“Is it . . .” Helen paused, searching her mind for an appro-
priate word. “Is it dangerous?”
Anna turned to Helen, placing a hand gently on Helen’s
arm. “You’re wondering if I’ll die from it.”
It was not a question, and Helen was surprised at the ache
that formed in her own heart at the idea of something happen-
ing to Anna. Yet, Anna deserved the same truth she seemed to
give to everyone else.
Helen nodded. “I suppose so.”
Anna’s smile was kind. “You needn’t worry. The doctors are
still learning about my condition, but I’ve had it since I was born
and have managed just fine.” She poured the steaming water into
the waiting teacups and turned back to place the kettle on the
stove. When she spoke again, it was under her breath. “Darius has
to understand that I have obligations equal to my love for him.”
Helen tried to hide her surprise at the boldness of the con-
fession.
“He worries that something will happen to you?” Helen
asked. “Because of your heart?”
“Among other things. And I understand it. I do.” Anna set a
saucer of sugar and a small dish of lemon on a silver tray. “But
my family has been in service to the Dictata for centuries.
They’ve suffered an assortment of hardships, yet they’ve all
done their duty, as I will do mine.”
Hi, guys! I just want to share a few TEMPTATION-related items for those of you who have missed stuff;
First, I have to squee a little about a feature in USA Today on A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. I wasn’t expecting it to hit until tomorrow and was dying to tell you all about it, but I found out it went up a bit early when I started seeing tweets about it. So now I can share! You can find the article here, and I’m beyond excited to have TEMPTATION featured – plus an excerpt. If you would be willing to Share on Facebook and tweet from the article page, I’d appreciate it!
I also want to remind you about the Ipad giveaway currently in full swing to celebrate the release of Temptation. You can find the details here, but basically, I have TONS of awesome prizes to give away, including an Ipad, Victoria’s Secret Swag, gift cards, jewelry, etc.
And I have an announcement to make; I totally did NOT know Apple was announcing a new Ipad today. So I’m updating the giveaway to include a NEW Ipad, the model that was just unveiled TODAY. No old model for my readers!
There are lots of ways to accumulate entries and the contest runs through the end of the month. Some of you are going HARD, and I’m really enjoying the creative ways you’re entering, from Youtube videos to the HILARIOUS photos and captions that Tiffany is using on Facebook to get her point across. You guys are the best, and while I know the Ipad sweetens the deal, I’m super grateful for the help spreading the word.
Free bookplates – I’m still giving out free, limited edition bookplates to anyone who pre-orders TEMPTATION. Plus, you get TEN – yes, TEN – entries in the the Ipad giveaway for EACH copy you order. I think it’s a pretty sweet deal! Just send your receipt or order confirmation or a picture of your receipt or order confirmation to prophecypress@aol.com.
Tomorrow, you’ll meet Anna in this week’s edition of Temptation Thursday. Anna is Darius’s love, and I’m excited for you all to meet her.
And this will be our second to last teaser! Because in just 12 more days, A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS will FINALLY be on shelves. In the meantime, thanks so much for all your support.
This week’s song comes to you by VERY popular demand. After an informal shout-out on Facebook asking for recommendations, multiple people put this one up for consideration.
Who am I to fight the majority?!
Hope you enjoy this one, Somebody That I Used To Know, by Goyte.
;
And don’t forget that the Be Tempted Ipad Giveaway is in FULL SWING. People are going hard to help me promote, but with prizes like the Ipad, signed books, Victoria’s Secret goodies, Visa gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, jewelry, bookplates for anyone who preorders, etc., I can’t say that I blame them. You should totally check out my Facebook page, if for nothing else, to see all the funny things people are doing to help get the word out. I’m dying! 😀
And it’s not too late! The giveaway runs all month, and I so appreciate your help spreading the word.
<3
You heard me!
As many of you know, I always do a big giveaway to celebrate the launch of a new book. This is in part because, well, it’s fun! But also, I’ve learned over the years that there is very little I can control about the publishing experience. Most of the marketing is handled by the publisher, and to be very honest, a lot of the really big stuff is out of reach for most authors.
But there are two things in which I believe unequivocally; the writing and the enthusiasm and support of my readers.
A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS will be my fourth published novel, and if it’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that NOTHING beats word of mouth for building book buzz. Nothing. So while I could spend my marketing budget taking out high-priced ads, I think I’ll bet on you guys instead.
With that in mind, I have FOUR incredible prizes for the A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS Giveaway.
The Grand Prize is a 16GB Ipad with WIFI and a $50 Itunes gift card.
And if you read this contest post the night I put it up, you’ll notice change; I’ve upgraded this contest to feature the NEW Ipad as a Grand Prize (the one just revealed by Apple). I’m just editing the contest entry now (March 10, 2012), but let me repeat; the Grand Prize is a NEW Ipad.
The Ipad is a truly amazing device, allowing you to read books and magazines (often with special apps and features), listen to music, work on graphics, surf the internet, and basically do anything you can do on a full size computer using something you can stick in a regular-size handbag. This new one is even more amazing, because it has a vastly improved display and camera giving you incredible clarity on the screen and the ability to take pictures as clear as those taken with the Iphone 4S (and is you have an Iphone 4S, you know how amazing the camera is).
This prize will ship direct from Apple, so you can choose black or white if/when you win. If you’re fortunate enough to already own one of these bad boys, I’m sure you know this would also make an amazing gift for a special someone.
One First Prize Winner will receive;
A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS signed hardcover
Victoria’s Secret bath and body set with make-up bag
BE TEMPTED t-shirt
$50 Visa gift card (not pictured)
$15 Starbucks gift card
$10 Itunes gift card
Gold High Roller nail polish
Angel mini-frame
Mini-candle
A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS postcard and bookmark.
One second prize winner will receive;
A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS signed hardcover
Victoria’s Secret Seductive Amber Fragrance Mist and Body Lotion
Be Tempted t-shirt
Gothic-inspired bracelet
$25 Visa gift card
$15 Starbucks gift card
$10 Itunes gift card
Purple Haze nail polish
Angel mini-frame
Mini-candle
A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS postcard and bookmark.
One third prize winner will receive;
A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS signed hardcover
Victoria’s Secret Seductive Amber Fragrance Mist and Body Lotion
$15 Starbucks gift card
$10 Itunes gift card
Purple Haze nail polish
Angel mini-frame
A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS postcard and bookmark.
Pretty awesome, am I right?!
So here’s the deal; The most critical time for a book is right after it comes out. That’s because during the first couple of weeks, the publisher is closely watching the numbers to gauge how its being received by the reading public. I’m really hoping that you guys will help me spread the word, because if anyone can get the buzz going, it’s YOU. And even though I know many of you would do that anyway, it’s kind of fun to sweeten the deal for you with some extra special goodies. And I’ve given you lots of ways to win!
Here’s how you earn entries;
TEN (count them – 10!) ENTRIES for EVERY copy of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS you purchase or preorder for the duration of this giveaway. That means if you buy a copy for yourself, one for a sister, and one for a friend, you get THIRTY entries. PLUS, I’ll send you a signed, personalized bookplate at no charge for each copy you purchase. To claim these entries, send your book receipt, order confirmation, or a photo of your receipt or order confirmation (cell phone pics are fine as long as we can read them) to prophecypress@aol.com. If you have already preordered and requested a bookplate, just remind Rebekah of that in your contest entry email (no documentation required in this case since you’ve already provided it).
TEN ENTRIES for uploading a Youtube video in which you explain why you’re excited about the book. Include a link to the video when you email your total number of entries.
FIVE ENTRIES for changing your Twitter picture to the A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS book cover (must remain for the duration of the giveaway).
FIVE ENTRIES for changing your Facebook picture to the A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS book cover (must remain for the duration for the giveaway).
ONE ENTRY for each time you tweet a link to the book (on Amazon, B&N, Indiebound, or any other bookstore site). You must include #atemptationofangels for these entries to count.
ONE ENTRY for each time you tweet a link to this contest post. You MUST include #atemptationofangels for these entries to count.
ONE ENTRY for each friend you refer to me on Twitter. Your friend must follow me and @michellezink with #atemptationofangels that they were referred by you. They get an entry when they do plus any other entries they accumulate by participating in the giveaway.
ONE ENTRY for each time you tweet the link to the A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS trailer here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmB4L671wqA. You must include #atemptationofangels for these entries to count.
ONE ENTRY for each time you post a Facebook status about the book. You must be my Friend on Facebook and tag me for these entries to count.
As you can see, there are TONS of ways to win. You can do one thing or twenty. You can spend a day accumulating entries or you can work on entries all month long and email your total at the end. Pick and choose whatever works for you. It’s no accident that Keisha Natalee, last year’s Circle of Fire Grand Prize Winner (of an Ipod Touch), had 80+ entries, many of them a result of friend referrals. The more entries you have, the better chance of winning. And truly, it will help me so much, which I appreciate more than you know.
Here’s the fine print; Contest runs now through midnight on Saturday, March 31st. Winners will be chosen by Random Number Generator and announced April 7th. You MUST email your total number of entries plus any supporting documentation (receipts, Youtube links, etc.) to prophecypress@aol.com with “BE TEMPTED LAUNCH GIVEAWAY” in the Subject line by that time to win. This giveaway is open only to residents of the US and Canada or anyone with a shipping address in the US or Canada (you can use a friend or relative’s address if you like and have them forward the prizes to you).
That’s it! And you guys… many of you have been with me for years now. I want you to know how very much your support continues to mean to me. I feel as if I know many of you, and you are the very best part of this journey. <3
You guys get it here first! Less than three weeks now to the release of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS and tomorrow marks the launch of my biggest giveaway yet. All of which makes this perfect timing for the release of the A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS book trailer.
And remember; you can get a signed, limited edition bookplate with every copy of the book that you preorder PLUS 10 entries each in the giveaway. Just send your receipts, order confirmations, or pics of either to prophecypress@aol.com. Don’t forget to tell me who you want me to sign the bookplate to!
Huge thanks to Kenneth for the incredible (as always) trailer music. The soundtrack for the book releases in just a couple of weeks and it’s AMAZING. Can’t wait to share it with you. And special thanks goes to Caroline who produced and edited the trailer.
Enjoy!
<3
Well, the bad news is that I’ve been super busy writing and taking care of family/kid stuff so I don’t have a mystery OR a movie review for you tonight.
The good news is that A) March 1st, a week from this Thursday, I’ll be announcing the super big, amazingly awesome A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS giveaway, and B) I’ve decided to continue the free bookplate offer to anyone who pre-orders A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS. All you have to do is email a receipt or order confirmation (or a photo of your receipt or order confirmation) to prophecypress@aol.com with the name you’d like the bookplate signed to and your full name and address (for mailing). I’ll do this as long as I still have stock on them, so don’t wait too long! They make an awesome personalized gift when placed inside a book.
And seriously, you guys. I’m SOOOO excited to announce my big giveaway. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done. I’m like a kid before Christmas right now!
<3
Aurora, otherwise known as @scarletredwill, with 12 entries! Congratulations, Aurora! Please send your full name and mailing address (we have you on the mailing list but we like to make sure it stays updated) to prophecypress@aol.com with “Valentine’s Day Winner” in the Subject line. We’ll get everything out to you right away.
Thanks so much to everyone who entered. If you didn’t win, don’t worry! My biggest giveaway EVAR starts March 1st to promote next month’s release of A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS and features FOUR amazing prize packs.
And the grand prize is quite literally, the biggest and best thing I’ve ever given away.
I’m not going to post a mystery OR a movie review today because I’m seriously under the weather. But I’ll be back with Song of the Week tomorrow and this week’s teaser from A TEMPTATION OF ANGELS on Thursday. Hope you are all well.
<3
Michelle Zink is the award-winning author of over seven novels. She lives in New York with too many teenagers and too many cats.
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