Mexico and the Steampunk Indie Mart!

Goodness me. I've been traveling so much that keeping up with myself has been hard. :) I went back to Ohio, trekked down to Mexico and over to Brooklyn for a Steampunk Festival. Somewhere in there I did some film work and finished a novella. All in a month's work. :)
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Mexico City. WOW. How do I describe it? Here are a few tangled phrases and brief highlights to give you some idea of my rapturous sentiments; the thousands of years of culture and the sheer VAST mass of Mexico City had me in awe from the start. The exceedingly generous people warmed my soul, the many kinds of music was enchanting, the drinks were delectable, the never waiting more than a minute for a subway train on a platform that was very clean was unheard of for us New Yorkers, the incredible museums like the Anthropology museum where the huge and famous Aztec Sun Stone now lives- look how enormous it is compared to the onlookers- was daunting and overwhelming. The shopping was incredible and made me wish I had a hedge fund to sponsor all the things I wanted to take home, the architecture was diverse and spoke of so much complex history, Diego Rivera's murals in the governmental palace truly had us speechless. The Casa Azul- Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera's aptly named blue-house-turned museum was full of art and the palpaple life of two geniuses. The pre-Columbian excavation site at Templo Mayor- a thrilling work in progress led by Annabella's inspiring cousin Carlos is a must-see. We witnessed an amaing Aztec dance next to the colonial Metropolitan Cathedral- (also the first picture above) that is hundreds of years old and was built atop the Aztec holy structures which had stood in that plaza in the 16th century - you can see the dancing beside the church came out like an amazing ghost dance on our camera, the faint traces of the white shifts and some of the elaborate plumed head-dressing.
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Our souls were transported by the invitation, due to a fateful and meaningful connection across a dinner table, to Guernavaca south of the City, to attend church with and visit with the generous Catherine and her inspiring family (she is pictured with us at the incredible pre-Columbian pyramid sites at Xochimilco - our stellar guide Rey told us about the mix of different indigenous cultures that the stone carvings behind us indicate were present at this sacred site). The beauty of these Pre-Columbian pyramids and temples high above the valleys took my breath away amidst my trying to spot local birds.
The language continues to enchant me (es bueno practicar mi Espanol!), the food... well, the food was: *swoon*. I was in Mexico City thanks to and on behalf of the Annabella Gonzales Dance Theatre, helping out with the sound board in exchange for the trip - we were put up in an amazing historic hotel in la Zona Rosa and treated to some of the most incredible meals I have ever eaten, including divine fare at the San Angel Inn, thanks to Annabella and her extremely generous friends and family. What an incredible week, and bonus, I was with my sweetheart/parnter/real-life-hero. I cannot pick one favourite experience. I've tried. Every museum, meal, conversation and sight was its own distinct pleasure. One of my favourite things of all? The incredible Goth clothing shop I found; The Horror Boutique. I found it because of the dress high in the window; a gorgeous gown many stories up in a shop window with all the trappings of fine Gothic couture. I elbowed Marcos saying: "Mi gente!" - "My people!" The Horror Boutique is a heavenly little shop just off the central plaza near the enormous Metropolitan Cathedral pictured above. I got a great deal of clothing at a great deal, direct from the designers. Ariel was so cool, as were all the designers and staff, and the talented designers were there making clothing as we shopped! The whir of sewing machines on corsets while I drank in all the finery was dreamy. I happy-danced right in the store. Just look at this incredible Dia de los Muertos gown hanging in the window high over The Zocolo (square) below! Squee!
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I was beside myself with all of the amazing Dia de Los Muertos (day of the dead) crafts. My suitcase returned full of cut paper banners, ceramic skulls (calaveras) and joyful skeleton dioramas in boxes called Nichos, a tin skeleton with a winged heart bearing an image of Frida Kahlo from the Casa Azul, and a Jack Skellington necklace. Jack, from The Nightmare Before Christmas, is all over Mexico this time of year. Tim Burton had to be aware of the incredible rich cultural history of calavera art throughout the country, and Mexicans embrace Burton’s imagining as their own. Speaking of which, my favourite Halloween movie is The Nightmare Before Christmas. I listen to the soundtrack throughout October. Well… all year, really. Jack Skellington is one of my many gothic-esque literary love-affairs. Hail to the Pumpkin King!
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But I do love my town, New York, and its always good to come back to the city, and to Persebunny the bunny who I miss madly whenever I'm away.
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Coming back to a Steampunk event is always nice too. Thanks to the fine folks at Tor Books and Tor dot com for sponsoring the Steampunk Literary Corner at the Brooklyn Indie Mart, the Lit Corner organized and presided over gloriously by editor extraordinaire Liz Gorinsky (who was dressed in a gorgeous corset and emerald green doubled skirts and had managed to bake over 200 DELICIOUS scones and prepare delicious tea- as if she wasn't a rockstar already, this took the cake). I was invited to read from The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker to a fabulous (and fabulously dressed) crowd which included readers, Steampunkers, fellow authors and bloggers like Ay-Leen from Beyond Victoriana who, while at the fest, managed to win The Last Drink Bird Head Award on her awesome blog's first birthday. Huh-to-the-zzah! A good time was had by all. Thanks to dear friend (and NYT Bestselling author) Sarah MacLean for coming and for taking this photo! And note: I'm wearing clothing I got at The Horror Boutique in Mexico City!
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In other news, I turned the sequel to my 2009 Prism Award winning novealla "Dark Nest" (futuristic fantasy), titled "Dark Nest: Reckoning" in to my editor so more news on that will be forthcoming, in the meantime if you're curious about "Dark Nest" - head on over to my Facebook page where I'm holding a contest and giving away one print copy.

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Stay tuned for more book news and events. Next up? A report from the RALLY FOR SANITY / MARCH TO KEEP FEAR ALIVE... Considering I get a healthy dose of my news from Mr. Stewart and Colbert... It's nothing short of my very duty as a citizen to attend. :)

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Blessings!

Announcing MAGIC MOST FOUL... a new series!

(Photo by Barbara Vey - Thanks Barbara!) Monday night was quite an exciting night. It being the first Monday of the month, it was Lady Jane's Salon and we had an incredible lineup of bestselling authors; from L to R, Sabrina Jeffries (who recently hit #8 on the NYT with her latest!), innovator, author and activist Donna Hill, the charming and hilarious Janet Mullany, and myself in my Victorian regalia, de rigeur whenever I'm reading. We also had the pleasure of Publishers Weekly's Barbara Vey being our guest Emcee for the evening, thanks to Barbara for this picture and for mentioning us on her Beyond Her Book PW blog! Getting to step from Lady Jane's co-founder into the spotlight to read is always one of my favourite events, since I don't have time to be on stage in productions anymore, reading at Lady Jane's certainly scratches that itch. I read from "A Christmas Carroll" featured in A MIDWINTER FANTASY, and since there's been a delay in the release, Dorchester has put up a special MIDWINTER Page where you can join the mailing list and receive coupons too! Check it out!

The crowd was filled with industry professionals, authors and readers. It was here, as I took the stage, that I got to make the announcement of my really good news; a new book deal!

Come November, 2011, I'll begin my new Victorian Paranormal Young Adult series: MAGIC MOST FOUL...


Set in 1882 New York City, the story is told via the diary of eighteen-year old Natalie Stewart, a spirited and intelligent young woman who, despite innate talents, suffers from Selective Mutism due to a childhood trauma. When her father, who works for the new Metropolitan Museum of Art, gets wrapped up in a supposedly haunted painting, Natalie's world is turned upside down. A sensitive young woman who has always wondered about the supernatural, she has no idea how profoundly her curiosity is only the tip of a terrifying iceberg of dark magic. The portrait of young Lord Jonathon Denbury is no ordinary painting. Inside that canvass is a trapped soul, while a body possessed is terrorizing New York's infamous Five Points. Its up to Natalie and her newfound guide, the wealthy and compelling caretaker of the painting, Mrs. Evelyn Northe, to solve the mystery of the curse and up to Natalie alone to reverse it. All while on a ticking clock; the soul of Lord Denbury is fading. The harrowing mystery must be solved before more murders take place, and Natalie must find the courage to not only stare a demon in the face, but to use her most hidden of all gifts; her own voice.

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With ties to my favourite 19th century novels, this series will create common ground for those who love the classics and those who love YA/Teen paranormal fiction. I get to maintain my background in and my profound love of Victorian-era stories, continue with my theme of unusual, unique, underdog heroines; as Natalie is a strong and vibrant character despite her disability, and weave in the sort of dark, lyrical, fantastical paranormal reality that I love most in storytelling. For those of you who have loved the Strangely Beautiful saga, I promise you this will appeal to you as well. While entirely new; it will feel familiar; a different dress out of a similar fabric, creating a fresh design from my favourite materials.
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The series will release in Trade Paperback format, as well as in digital, from Sourcebooks and their Teen Fire line. I'm very, very excited. My editor, Leah Hultenschmidt, is fabulous, and the Sourcebooks team is a thrilling cast of individuals passionate about the book arts. Follow Sourcebooks on Twitter, Paul their Fire publicist, and Danielle their Romance publicist, they've got a lot of exciting things going on. Those of you who love YA fiction check out the Teen Fire forum.

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Blessings and thanks for your support along the way! I couldn't do it without my committed readers, friends and fans. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to continue writing the fantastical stories that keep me up at night for the love of them.