Monday, August 03, 2009

The Ballad of Shane McAllister

I'm back! Bring on the Night is finished and turned in. Forks sticking out of it and everything. I am very happy with how it's turned out so far (realizing, of course, that I am in for the usual massive rewrite). For the second book in a row, I came up with an ending that changed almost everything I thought was true about its sequel. All part of the adventure, right?

Anyway, appearing today at Stephanie Kuehnert's blog, "Life, Words, & Rock 'n' Roll," is the hero of my WVMP Radio urban fantasy series, vampire DJ Shane McAllister (why I feel like I need to keep introducing him to you is beyond me. But you might be new, so hi!).

Shane is sharing his "ballad," a story of a pivotal point in his life and the music that formed the background, or, in his case, the foreground. It's all part of Stephanie's cyber-launch party celebrating the release of her amazing new novel, Ballads of Suburbia (which I talked about a few weeks ago).

Shane discusses how seeing Purple Rain changed his life, and not in the way he planned. If you leave a comment at Stephanie's blog, you can be entered to win a choice of Wicked Game, Bad to the Bone (signed, of course), or $20 worth of WVMP merchandise (new stuff added recently, including dog T-shirts and "Feed the Need" baby bibs).

Only three weeks until my next deadline (revisions for Shade), and loads of e-mail, etc., to catch up on before I go all hermit again. We should be getting our first foster cat either this week or next, so I'll have fun stories about her. In the meantime, go visit Twinkle's page and say, "Aww!"

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6 Comments:

Another great short story! I love Prince and saw Purple Rain over & over again when it was out. His was the first concert I ever went to.

I was just thinking of The Ballads Of Suburbia book since I'm back in my hometown visiting for the week. I could really relate to that book and now I'm checking in with old friends I haven't seen in over 10 years! Very similar situations unfolding :-)(without the herion addictions thankfully)

Posted by: Blogger Karen at 8/04/2009 11:43 AM

Thanks, Karen! I'm so glad you liked it. And it's wonderful that BALLADS has brought you to reconnecting with old friends.

Posted by: Blogger Jeri at 8/04/2009 12:13 PM

Oh, if I just lived closer that cat would be mine. She's a pretty little lady.

I understand how Shane felt about Prince. I don't think I understood it at the time (I was a kid), but all I knew that there was something really compelling going on there that I wanted to listen to over and over. Everytime one of those songs comes up in my MP3 player, I turn it waaaay up.

Posted by: OpenID CrystalAnne44193 at 8/05/2009 7:42 PM

I know, isn't she adorable? I can't wait to meet her, hopefully tomorrow.

Purple Rain still sounds great today. I'm not sure the same can be said for a lot of the other music that came out in 1984. ;-)

Posted by: Blogger Jeri at 8/09/2009 4:43 PM

Yay on the book being done. Can't wait to read it!!

Posted by: Blogger Lori at 8/11/2009 12:58 PM

Great story. Love the little insights into the charachters.

Thanks!

Posted by: Blogger DavidH at 8/14/2009 3:44 PM

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Shade

Jeri's teen debut — May 4, 2010, from Simon Pulse, for ages 14 and up

First in a worldwide generation of ghost-seers, Aura's relationship with the dead changes when her boyfriend dies and comes back to haunt her.

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Jeri Smith-Ready

Jeri Smith-Ready is a Maryland author of adult and teen urban fantasy.

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