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I am home & in revisions for 6 days before I go to NY.  I will announce the winners of the "give a book a home" ASAP, but time with the beasties and the deadlines are first two priorities (always!)  Son & Daughter are sleeping now though, & I'm stepping away from revisions for 5 minutes to post this (which I had saved in advance & set aside for just this reason).

Under the cut is one of the deleted bits from RADIANT SHADOWS. 


This was worldbuilding that was cut. It’s a “did not appear” sequence (ie canon, just not in text).

Once when Gabriel was feeling particularly fatherly, he'd told stories about finding his own steed. 

“They roam wild in Faerie,” her father said. “They pick their riders when they see fit, and if you aren’t worthy they crush your bones under their hooves.”

Ani drew as Gabriel spoke. In her tablet, horses with flames for breath trampled princesses under bloody hooves. It would be better with oil paint, but Rabbit had been surly when she got paint on the felt of his precious pool table, so she wasn’t allowed paint for a whole month. 

“Where can I find one?”

“On the other side of the—” 

“Gabe.” Rabbit was in the doorway then. “No.”

“It’s no harm.” Gabriel scowled. “When the Dark Court had come to the mortal world a few followed after them--”

“Came from where?” Ani put down her marker. Having a steed like Gabriel’s would be cool. 

Very quietly, Rabbit said, “Ani, there’s cookies on the counter.” 

And there wasn’t anything else to do but listen to him. Rabbit was in charge.

Rabbit stroked her hair as she raced past him. His voice wasn’t loud, not like it could be, but he was angry with Gabriel. “She has no 
business even knowing about that place. Are you trying to get her taken?”

“Relax, pup.”

“Relax?” Rabbit’s voice did grow louder then. “You can either follow the rules I have for the girls’ safety or you raise them” 

There weren’t any more stories about riderless steeds after that, no mentions of Faerie, no stories at all--but she stood in an alley now with one in front of her.

NEWS STUFF FROM PAST MONTH
Radiant Shadows released AND hit a bestseller list in Australia, and it hit the USA Today bestseller list AND the NY Times series bestseller list here in the US.

I spent release day in Hollywood with my screenwriter & producers--which was surreal & lovely. 

Tour is mostly done. I have one more bookstore stop (in Virginia), BEA (Book Expo America) in NYC the 26th & 27th of May, & ALA in DC in June . . .  Then the Smart Chicks Kick Ass It tour in September. 

The model for the 5th WL book is Linda. The photo shoot happened, & I am anxiously awaiting seeing the latest of Mark Tucker's amazing photos. He's done me right for 4 covers, & I've no doubt he'll do a 5th fabulous one. (I completely crush on his photos.)

The title--DARKEST MERCY--is official.

No, don't ask me abt release dates. I know what I WANT it to be, though, so pls send me (& you if you want it sooner!) good luck on this one. I'm trying to get it into your hands as soon as I can. Trust me: I WANT to get it to you sooner--as I'm sure my publishers do too. I'm just a touch more eager this year, & they have all this pesky practical schedule stuff. We're all trying though. 

I am forgetting things that should go in here, but I will share them when I remember them.

OVERSEAS SALES & RELEASE DATES

WL sold in Portugal (to Saída de Emergência), Bulgaria (to Panorama Group), & the manga sold in Indonesia (I'm awaiting details on to WHOM it sold, though, so I can't share since that email hasn't arrived yet). 

INK will be published in Japan in June. 

FE will publish in Germany this month.  The paperback releases of INK (as an adult mmpb & as a YA trade paper) are to be in June.

WL just published in Poland AND in Hungary.  

Also in Hungary, Ink will be in September 2010, and (I think) FE will be in December 2010. 

INK will publish in September in France. 

. . . and my UK editor is looking into my request to do a free ebook of WL & making "Stopping Time" available in the UK, NZ, & Australia. No guarantees!!!! However, the initial response was VERY positive, so I'm hopeful.  Keep your fingers crossed, please :)