New Fiction and Upcoming Appearances!

Hello friends,

New fiction and Upcoming Appearances!

Apologies on the delay of this post, I update my social media (Twitter / Instagram / BlueSky) a lot more than the blog. But this year has been crazed, often difficult, with stints of taking care of loved ones in the hospital and more, all while on some of the more intense deadlines of my life.

I also carved out a month to perform in a full, professional theatrical production, the world premiere of Let's Misbehave, where I originated the role of The Countess, a delightfully zany character. It won't be the last you'll see of us. Check out the Let's Misbehave Instagram account to keep updates and check out my Instagram feed for some wonderful pictures and celebration of the show.

New fiction!

BLACKTHORN AND AMBERFIRE is book 1 of a Fantasy Romance novella duology exclusively in digital and audiobook (with me narrating!) via Everand, an amazing new fiction site where I have a host of novellas available, like my sequel to The Spectral City series, called THE SPIRIT SUITOR! 

About BLACKTHORN AND AMBERFIRE:

The Three Courts of Allforth have lived peacefully for generations, but they all keep a deadly secret that is about to break free…

Blackthorn, the Silvervale Court executioner, has not questioned his duties, he knows he sends the condemned to The Great Dreaming peacefully. He is an Evergreen; one of the rare people able to wield magic past childhood. But when a young boy on his execution table insists that something terrible is going on in their kingdom, Blackthorn secretly spares the boy’s life, asking for proof.

When a beautiful healer from the land of Amberfire, Roseleigh, is brought in to be executed next, Blackthorn hesitates, drawn to her. His death spell rebounds on him and only her healing light can spare him. He leaves the castle for recuperation and learns more about a world in which he was kept ignorant.

BURNINGWOOD AND DEVILSBANE, novella 2, releases 9/24 via Everand!

UPCOMING APPEARANCES:

KENNEBUNK, MAINE: 9/21: 11-4pm

Thrilled to return as a featured guest at the 10th annual Southern Maine Steampunk Fair! - I'll be giving a talk on The Eternal Importance of Ghost Stories in the main lecture-hall area and signing books! Tickets available here. 

FAIRHAVEN, MA: 10/5

Saturday, October 5th, I'll be part of Sam Baltrusis' MassParaCon! I'll be part of the Women in the Paranormal panel and also discussing A Haunted History of Invisible Women: True Stories of America's Ghosts! Tickets available here. 

SALEM, MA: 10/6 - 4-5pm

Meet and Greet at Wicked Good Books! - I'll be signing copies of A Haunted History of Invisible Women in-store and answering spectral questions! 

KING MANOR FALL FESTIVAL - QUEENS, NEW YORK:  10/26 - 1-3pm - Free event!

At this incredible historic house museum's Fall Festival, I'll be giving a talk on the importance of Victorian Spiritualism as it relates to the fight for Women's rights and suffrage, discussing Victorian Seance culture and the significance of ghost lore as cultural touchstone. More about King Manor, directions and more, visit here. More about the Fall Festival here. 

Happy Haunting! 

A HAUNTED HISTORY OF INVISIBLE WOMEN: TRUE STORIES OF AMERICA'S GHOSTS National Tour!

Join us for A HAUNTED HISTORY OF INVISIBLE WOMEN: TRUE STORIES OF AMERICA'S GHOSTS National Book Tour!

 New York! Denver! St. Louis! Salem! Online!

Sept. 27th Brooklyn 6-9pm

SPIRITED AWAY Launch Party!

Barrows Intense Tasting Room

In-Person Author Talk & Signing!

RSVP: http://Tinyurl.com/spirited927 

 

Oct. 4, Sleepy Hollow, NY 7pm EST

Washington Irving Memorial Chapel

at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

In-person Author Talk and signing!

 

Oct. 5, 6pm EST

Village Preservation Force

Broadcast of Leanna & Andrea’s

Book Talk at the Salmagundi Club!

https://villagepreservation.force.com

 

Oct. 6, 6PM EST

Savoy Bookshop, Westerly, RI

Virtual Event with the authors

http://MysticBooksInc.com

 

Oct. 11, 6PM MT

Goldspot Brewing Company, Denver, CO

Beer Tasting and Book Event

Book Sales by Tattered Cover Books!

http://Goldspotbrewing.com

 

Oct. 13, 6:30PM CDT

Buder Library, St. Louis, MO

In-Person Author Talk +

Book Signing with Leanna!

 

Oct. 17, 8PM EST

Swamp Fox Books, Des Moines, IA

Virtual Event with the Authors

http://Swampfoxbookstore.com

 

Oct. 19, 7PM EST

Bookwoman Books, Austin, TX

Virtual Event with the authors

BookWoman 

Oct. 20, 7PM EST

Monmouth County Library, New Jersey

Virtual Author talk

http://Monmouthcountylib.org

 

Oct. 25, 7PM EST

WORD Bookstore, Brooklyn

In-Person Author Event

In-Person Signing!

RSVP: http://Tinyurl.com/hauntedword

Oct. 26, 7PM EST

92Y Virtual Author Event

https://www.92ny.org

 

Oct. 28, 1PM EST

East Meadow Public Library, NY

Virtual Author Talk

https://eastmeadow.info

 

Oct. 28 7PM EST

Mystery to Me Books, Madison, WI

Virtual Event with the Authors

http://Mysterytomebooks.com

 

Nov. 7, 7PM EST

Morbid Anatomy Museum

Virtual Book Talk

http://Morbidanatomy.org

 

Nov. 10, 7PM EST

Harvard Bookstore, Boston, MA

In-Person Author Event with Andrea & Leanna

Moderated by Sebastian Crane

http://Harvard.com 

Nov. 12-13, Salem MA

Salem ParaConn at Salem State University

Leanna is a Guest of Honor!

Book Talk & Signing

http://TheShamanAndTheShowman.Com

 

About the book:

From the notorious Lizzie Borden to the innumerable, haunted rooms of Sarah Winchester's mysterious mansion, this offbeat, insightful, first-ever book of its kind explores the history behind America’s female ghosts, the stereotypes, myths, and paranormal tales that swirl around them, what their stories reveal about us—and why they haunt us…

Sorrowful widows, vengeful jezebels, innocent maidens, wronged lovers, even the occasional axe-murderess—America’s female ghosts differ widely in background, class, and circumstance. Yet one thing unites them: their ability to instill fascination and fear, long after their deaths. Here are the full stories behind some of the best-known among them, as well as the lesser-known—though no less powerful.

Tales whispered in darkness often divulge more about the teller than the subject. America’s most famous female ghosts, from from ‘Mrs. Spencer’ who haunted Joan Rivers’ New York apartment to Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witchcraft trials, mirror each era’s fears and prejudices. Yet through urban legends and campfire stories, even ghosts like the nameless hard-working women lost in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire —achieve a measure of power and agency in death, in ways unavailable to them as living women.

Riveting for skeptics and believers alike, with humor, curiosity, and expertise, A Haunted History of Invisible Women offers a unique lens on the significant role these ghostly legends play both within the spook-seeking corners of our minds and in the consciousness of a nation.

Pre-Order Wherever Books are Sold! http://linktr.ee/AHauntedHistory

Leanna's 2022 DragonCon Schedule! 13 Panels Across 5 Tracks!

Darlings! Here's my insane DragonCon 2022 13-panel schedule across 5 tracks!

I'll be talking A LOT about my upcoming non-fiction A HAUNTED HISTORY OF INVISIBLE WOMEN: TRUE STORIES OF AMERICA'S GHOSTS, coming 9/27 from Kensington Books! Pre-Order here!

Gothic Literature: Ruin and Evil

Time: Thu 07:00 pm Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Homecoming Celebration

Time: Thu 07:00 pm (Leanna will arrive at 8:15)

Location: Savannah Ballroom Westin (Length: 4 Hours)

Masquerade Costume Party!

Foundations of Fear: Building Haunted Houses in Fiction

Time: Fri 01:00 pm Location: Peachtree 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)

Same Places, Different Times: Historical Urban Fantasy

Time: Fri 02:30 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)

Things That Go Bump in the Night (or Day): Ghosts & Spirits in UF

Time: Fri 10:00 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)

Spooky Tales and Haunting Music

Time: Fri 11:30 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 Westin (Length:1 Hour)

Time Goes By: Pacing! (Writing Track)

Time: Sat 11:30 am Location: Embassy EF Hyatt (Length:1 Hour)

Herstorically Speaking: Vanishing Women in History

Time: Sat 05:30 pm Location: Macon Sheraton (Length:1 Hour)

International Death Customs

Time: Sat 08:30 pm Location: Macon Sheraton (Length:1 Hour)

Spies & the History They Affected

Time: Sun 01:00 pm Location: Macon Sheraton (Length:1 Hour)

Herstorically Speaking: Women Who Beat The Status Quo

Time: Sun 04:00 pm Location: Augusta Sheraton (Length:1 Hour)

Thrills and Chills in YA

Time: Sun 05:30 pm Location: A707 Marriott (Length:1 Hour)

Victorian Spiritualism: The Movement's Role in Society & Grief

Time: Sun 08:30 pm Location: Macon Sheraton (Length:1 Hour)

When not paneling I’ll be at Kelley Hensing’s Art Booth in the Hyatt Art Show!!

Happy Haunting!

Leanna's DragonCon 2021 Schedule!

OMG! DRAGONCON! I'm fully Vaccinated, I've got cool new gothy masks for safe fashion statements and I'm ready to Con!

Here's where I'll be! Come say hello! I'll have my latest books available for sale and signing! Come check out my latest novel, A SUMMONING OF SOULS! 

Any time I am not paneling I'll be with my bestie Kelley Hensing at the Art Show, we're in the Hyatt, Booth 208!! Stop by and treat yourself to COOL art! I'll have my books on hand everywhere I go and when helping Kelley, I'll have some of my vintage restored and vintage reimagined jewelry available for sale as well! 

Here's my SCHEDULE! Check it out:

Title: Writing Historical Fiction for a Modern Audience

Description: So you want to write a tale where Hitler took over, or where JFK was never shot? Or perhaps where Charlemagne never united Europe? But how do you keep your readers interested? Listen to our master authors & learn their tips & tricks.

Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: Macon - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Back in Time: Historical Urban Fantasy
Description: Our panelists explore supernatural beings & magic occurring in historical real-world settings.
Time: Fri 04:00 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Through the Veil: Ghosts & Spirits in UF
Description: Ghosts in Urban Fantasy take many forms & have a variety of goals & purposes. Our panel will discuss those they employ in their work, as well as others they admire.
Time: Fri 10:00 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Spooky Tales & Haunting Music, Part II
Description: Our group of authors will each read a scary story & the time in between each presenter will be filled with atmospheric music by Victorian Chamber Metal virtuosos, Valentine Wolfe.
Time: Fri 11:30 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Her-Storically Speaking: Women Who Beat the Status Quo
Description: If you loved the Queen's Gambit, join us as we take a look at the real-life women who challenged the boys at their own game. We'll look at what it's like to break glass ceilings & how these women had to fight for their positions in the world.
Time: Sat 02:30 pm Location: Macon - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Thrills & Chills in Young Adult Literature

Description: YA can be suspenseful & even terrify you. Whether knife-wielding killers, pandemics & plagues, or werewolves & vampires, come hear about what gives us chills.

Time: Sat 07:00pm Location: A707 - Marriot (Length 1 Hour)

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Title: Mindbending: Psychics in UF
Description: Psychics serve differing purposes in Urban Fantasy tales. Our panelists will describe how their characters use their abilities & how that impacts the stories they tell.
Time: Sun 11:30 am Location: Chastain 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Gumshoes, Shadowy Figures, & Meddlesome Kids
Description: There are hundreds of books out there about the sleuths & spies that have changed the course of history, both real & imaginary. Gather with our panelists will discuss some of our favorite sleuths & their wildest cases.
Time: Sun 02:30 pm Location: Augusta - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel

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Title: Scandalous: Unearthing Historical Gossip
Description: Some of our favorite authors share secrets they've uncovered as they researched for their books & stories. Bring the tea, because these authors will spill it as they reveal the hidden side of history.
Time: Sun 07:00 pm Location: Macon - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)

Again, come say hello! Please pick up a signed book! If I'm not paneling I'm helping out at Kelley Hensing's Art Table at the Art Show in the Hyatt, Booth 208!! We both really appreciate your support! Cheers and Happy Haunting! 

Leanna's 2018 DragonCon Schedule!

DARLINGS!

IT'S NEARLY THE TIME FOR MADNESS ONCE MORE! Check out this UTTERLY AWESOME panel lineup!!!

I'm SUPER honored to be a part of Sherrilyn Kenyon's launch party! So exciting!

Please note, in particular, as always, Princess Alethea's Traveling Sideshow is never to be missed, you get tons of goodies and the chance to procure amazing things! Also PLEASE NOTE my reading session on Saturday, I'll have books and jewelry available for sale and signing, I'll do a Q and A and ALSO, I'll be previewing a NEVER BEFORE HEARD piece of fiction from my upcoming November release THE SPECTRAL CITY! I can't wait to share this book with my DragonCon family!

SEE YOU THERE!

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Title: Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Stygian Masquerade Party!

Description: Demons & Daimons are on the loose and it's a night to be remembered! Come dressed to party and to celebrate one of the most anticipated books of the year! #1 New York Times bestseller Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Stygian (Urian's book).

Time: Thu 07:00 pm Location: Regency VI-VII - Hyatt (Length: 4 Hours)

(Tentative Panelists: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Alethea Kontis, Leanna Renee Hieber, Mari Mancusi)

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Title: Realms of the Dead: Ghosts and Spirits in UF

Description: Our panelists discuss the various types of ghosts and spirits found in their work, and in the genre.

Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: Chastain 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber, David B. Coe, E.J. Stevens, A. J. Hartley, Matthew Kressel, Gail Z. Martin)

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Title: Victorian Death Customs

Description: Victorians raised mourning to a high art, with Queen Victoria modeling extreme grief and fueling an industry built on mourning attire. Elaborate social customs dictated how one was supposed to behave after the death of close family. The discussion will center around mourning made creepy.

Time: Fri 05:30 pm Location: Augusta - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)

(Tentative Panelists: Gail Z. Martin, Leanna Renee Hieber)

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Title: Princess Alethea's Traveling Sideshow

Description: Alethea Kontis and her misfit band of bestselling authors perform their hilarious annual variety show!

Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 2.5 Hours)

(Tentative Panelists: Alethea Kontis, Leanna Renee Hieber, Mari Mancusi, Diana Peterfreund, Gray Rinehart, Zac Brewer)

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Title: Reading Session: Leanna Renee Hieber
Time: Sat 02:30 pm Location: Vinings - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber)

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Title: Her-storically Speaking

Description: Well-behaved women rarely make history, as they say. So we'll be talking about some of the women who made waves, with a focus on pirates, vikings, and detectives. History professors, writers, and all-around smart ladies talk about the stories we may not have been taught in history books.

Time: Sat 07:00 pm Location: Athens - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)

(Tentative Panelists: Octavia Randolph, Jean Marie Ward, Leanna Renee Hieber, Nancy Holzner)

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Title: Oops, I Sold My Novel. Now What?

Description: Selling your novel is Step One. Presenters will discuss what happens next. How do you make your first novel the success you dreamed about?

Time: Sun 04:00 pm Location: Embassy CD - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

(Tentative Panelists: John L. Flynn, Lucienne Diver, Leanna Renee Hieber, Michael J. Martinez, Scott Sigler, Jean Marie Ward)

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Title: The Secret History of Spies

Description: From the Culper Ring to M16, the secret organization of intelligence gathering and spies is a fascinating topic for fact, historical fiction and alternate history. Our panel of authors will discuss and highlight some of the amazing facts and inspiration behind the art of espionage and intrigue.

Time: Sun 07:00 pm Location: Athens - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)

(Tentative Panelists: Michael J. Martinez, S.M. Stirling, Walter H. Hunt, Austin Sirkin, Leanna Renee Hieber, David B. Coe)

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Title: Same Places, Different Times: Historical Urban Fantasy

Description: Our panelists explore supernatural beings and magic occurring in historical real-world settings.

Time: Sun 08:30 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

(Tentative Panelists: David B. Coe, Laura Anne Gilman, Clay and Susan Griffith, Leanna Renee Hieber, E.J. Stevens, Tim Powers)

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Title: Winding Down the Clock, A Time Travel Story Hour

Description: Round out your Con experience by joining the Alt History Track for a few good steampunk stories told by a few of our favorite authors. They'll spin a long yarn and we'll wind down our Con experience swapping war stories.

Time: Mon 10:00 am Location: Athens - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)

(Tentative Panelists: Michael J. Martinez, Leanna Renee Hieber, Laura Anne Gilman, E.J. Stevens)

DRAGONCON 2017 Schedule!

DARLINGS!

I'm so very thrilled to present my 2017 DragonCon schedule! I'll have copies of PERILOUS PROPHECY, a Strangely Beautiful prequel, on hand at all times for sale & signing, I'll also have jewelry, Pandora's Pets, and the rest of my books! (ETERNA & OMEGA is now here in mass market!)

Please note the AMAZING events like the inimitable Sherrilyn Kenyon's launch and the ever-popular Princess Alethea's Traveling Sideshow! At my Sunday Reading Hour, I'll give you a teaser of THE ETERNA SOLUTION coming in November!

Don't hesitate to come say hi at panels, I'll always be happy to sign books for you whenever you catch me! Hope to see you there!!

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Title: InteNsity/Dragonsworn Launch Party!
Description: Celebrate #1 bestseller Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dragonsworn and the launch of InteNsity, the newest Chronicles of Nick novel! Come dressed to party with fellow fans and a few of Sherri’s favorite fantasy authors—costumes will be rewarded! Meet Sherri and get InteNsity before it even hits stores!
Time: Thu 07:00 pm Location: Regency VI-VII - Hyatt (Length: 4 Hours)
(Tentative Panelists: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Alethea Kontis, Leanna Renee Hieber, Mari Mancusi)

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Title: Princess Alethea's Traveling Sideshow
Description: Alethea Kontis and her misfit band of bestselling authors perform their hilarious annual variety show! Collectible gift bags for the first 40 attendees (sponsored by Sherrilyn Kenyon).
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Alethea Kontis, Leanna Renee Hieber, Gray Rinehart, Diana Peterfreund, Zoraida Cordova, Mari Mancusi)

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Title: The Foiled Fable: Adult Themes in Victorian Classics
Description: The fairy tales we fondly remember from youth were darker and scarier before they were "cleaned" for the sake of the children. Our panel of authors and experts will talk about the origins of those stories, and the adult themes that the censors want you to forget.
Time: Fri 10:00 pm Location: Augusta - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber)

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Title: Across the Veil: Ghosts, Spirits and Souls in UF
Description: Protagonists in urban fantasy deal with the gamut of supernatural beings, and not all of them have physical form, posing additional challenges.
Time: Sat 02:30 pm Location: Chastain 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber, E.J. Stevens, R.R. Virdi, Myke Cole, David B. Coe, Cherie Priest)

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Title: Author Roundtable: The Magic and Technology of Building Alternate Worlds
Description: Be it alchemical spells or industrial revolution, many alternate history and steampunk worlds feature magic, fantastic technological marvels, or even both. But each choice shapes the worlds these authors build. This roundtable discuss worldbuilding and the balance between fantasy and science.
Time: Sat 05:30 pm Location: Augusta - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)
Moderator / MC for panel
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber, Anthony Francis, A. J. Hartley, David B. Coe, Jack Campbell, S.M. Stirling)

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Title: Plotting or Plodding?
Description: Tired of the same, old plots? Discover creative ways to liven up your plotting.
Time: Sat 07:00 pm Location: Embassy CD - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Jean Marie Ward, Debbie Viguié, Leanna Renee Hieber, David B. Coe, Jake Bible, Ed Masessa)

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Title: Reading: Leanna Renee Hieber
Time: Sun 01:00 pm Location: Techwood - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber)

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Title: Series or Single Title?
Description: Writers wrangle with this question all the time. How do you decide whether to write single titles or expand into a series. Okay...Series. So how many books in a series?
Time: Sun 04:00 pm Location: Embassy CD - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber, Kathryn Hinds, James Minz, James A. Moore, Gail Z. Martin)

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Title: Spiritualism and the Occult in Victorian Times
Description: While the Victorian era was a time of great technological advancement, many prominent citizens including Queen Victoria had a fascination with the occult. Come hear our panelists discuss spiritualism, seances, and the beginnings of serious scientific investigation into otherworldly phenomena.
Time: Sun 07:00 pm Location: Athens - Sheraton (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber, Gail Z. Martin)

Leanna's DragonCon schedule!

And now: DragonCon panels! 

I'm doing a lot this year as usual, please note the Sideshow on Friday and my reading on Sunday are the best places to get books signed and buy new ones! I'll have copies of the new Strangely Beautiful, The Eterna Files, my new Eterna and Omega, some of my medals and jewelry and Pandora's Pets! See you there! Cheers!

Leanna Renee Hieber

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Title: Alternate History YA Author Roundtable
Description: Alternate History authors gather for a roundtable discussion on the challenges around writing Alternate History YA with regard to knowing your audience, world building, and the delicate balance of historic treatments of age, race, and gender, alongside good storytelling.
Time: Fri 11:30 am Location: 204 J - Mart2 (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Eric R. Asher, A. J. Hartley, Leanna Renee Hieber)

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Title: Back in Time: Historical Urban Fantasy
Description: Our panelists explore supernatural beings and magic occurring in historical real-world settings.
Time: Fri 02:30 pm Location: Chastain DE - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Delilah S. Dawson, Clay and Susan Griffith, David B. Coe, Cherie Priest, Leanna Renee Hieber, James R. Tuck)

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Title: Penny Dreadful Fan Panel
Description: Penny Dreadful has ended its run after three seasons. So, what did we think of the series as a whole? Do we feel it was a successful finale?
Time: Fri 04:00 pm Location: Peachtree 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Michelle Belanger, James A. Moore, Cherie Priest, Catherine M. Scully, Leanna Renee Hieber)

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Title: Princess Alethea's Traveling Sideshow
Description: Join this motley band of talented (and costumed) authors for an entertaining hour of readings, musical numbers, and more. Swag for the first 40!
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Alethea Kontis, Leanna Renee Hieber, E.C. Myers, Gray Rinehart, Mari Mancusi, S. J. Tucker)

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Title: Spiritualism and the Occult in Victorian Times
Description: While the Victorian era was a time of great technological advancement, many prominent citizens including Queen Victoria had a fascination with the occult. Come hear our panelists discuss spiritualism, seances, and the beginnings of serious scientific investigation into otherworldly phenomena.
Time: Fri 08:30 pm Location: 204 J - Mart2 (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber, Kathryn Hinds, Catherine M. Scully)

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Title: Writing for the Young Adult Market
Description: Since Harry Potter exploded on the young adult book scene, the market itself is on fire. How do writers take advantage of this challenging and lucrative market?
Time: Sat 07:00 pm Location: Embassy CD - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber, Mari Mancusi, Catherine M. Scully, Lou Anders, Eric R. Asher, Lindsay Cummings)

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Title: Phantom of the Opera: Music, Masks, and Madness
Description: The legacy of Gaston Leroux’s immortal novel and its many adaptations.
Time: Sat 08:30 pm Location: Chastain I - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: L. Andrew Cooper, John L. Flynn, Leanna Renee Hieber, Corvis Nocturnum)

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Title: Living with the Dead: Ghosts, Spirits & Necromancers in UF
Description: Our panel explores ghosts, spirits and those who communicate with them.
Time: Sat 10:00 pm Location: Chastain DE - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Eric R. Asher, Leanna Renee Hieber, Myke Cole, Jonathan L Howard, David B. Coe, E.J. Stevens)

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Title: Reading: Leanna Renee Hieber 
Time: Sun 01:00 pm Location: Vinings - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber)

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Title: Genre-Bending--Making it Work for You
Description: Great ideas sometimes splatter across genre divisions. How can it work to your benefit? How can you turn that great idea into a great novel?
Time: Sun 05:30 pm Location: Embassy CD - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Lee Martindale, Lois H. Gresh, Leanna Renee Hieber, Richard Kadrey)

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Title: Bride of Dreadpunk
Description: In 2015, some fans of Victorian Horror screwed around for an hour. One year later, we grapple with the question: what the hell is dreadpunk?
Time: Sun 08:30 pm Location: Peachtree 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Leanna Renee Hieber, Cherie Priest, Jonathan L Howard)

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Title: The Dark Side of Alternate History
Description: One of the enduring tropes of steampunk is its unflagging optimism. Yet many alternate histories and historical fantasies have darker views of events. Steampunk zombies, alternate apocalypses and intrigue abound, and this panel explores what happens when optimism gives way to a darker reality.
Time: Mon 11:30 am Location: 204 J - Mart2 (Length: 1 Hour)
(Tentative Panelists: Michael J. Martinez, Chandra Free, Leanna Renee Hieber, James R. Tuck)‎

DragonCon 2014 Schedule!

Dear Dragon Con attendees! I'm so thrilled to be returning again for the annual tradition, promoting my latest and forthcoming novels! Here's my exciting SCHEDULE, come say hello and bring a book of mine you'd like signed!

Title: Bending Historical Tradition
Time: Fri 02:30 pm Location: Augusta 3 - Westin (Length: 1)
Description: A discussion ranging from blood herbivores to water pistol protection f...rom blood drinkers to vampires herding humans in a post-apocalyptic world.

Title: Supernatural History
Time: Fri 07:00 pm Location: Augusta 3 - Westin (Length: 1)
Description: Zombies, bunnies, and voodoo: see how the paranormal and the "normal" coexist in Alternate History worlds.

Title: Princess Alethea's Traveling Sideshow
Time: Fri 08:30 pm Location: A707 - Marriott (Length: 1)
Description: A motley band of talented (and costumed) authors offers an entertaining hour of readings, musical numbers, and more.

Title: Folklore & Mythology in UF
Time: Sat 01:00 pm Location: Chastain ED - Westin (Length: 1)
Description: Our panel of authors discusses how they employ folklore and/or mythology in their work.

Title: Skye of the Damned: The Making of a Web Series
Time: Sat 05:30 pm Location: Chastain ED - Westin (Length: 1)
Description: Two episodes of this web series about vampires and fallen angels in NYC will be screened, with the creator and actors on hand for a Q&A.

Title: Melding the Past with the Supernatural: History in UF
Time: Sun 10:00 am Location: Chastain ED - Westin (Length: 1)
Description: Not all Urban Fantasy takes place in contemporary times. This panel of authors discusses how they use historical settings in their work.

Title: Crossculture in History
Time: Sun 05:30 pm Location: Augusta 3 - Westin (Length: 1)
Description: Non-English and non-American cultures in history, with a focus on Africa and India.

Title: The Crypto-Historians: Screening
Time: Sun 07:00 pm Location: Augusta 1-2 - Westin (Length: 1)
Description: This Steampunk TV series chronicles the adventures of a band of time travelers as they struggle to protect mankind's destiny, with Q&A to follow.
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LEANNA'S SIGNED BOOKS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT LARRY SMITH BOOKSELLERS, Booths 103-105, facing the dealer table area in the Americas Mart expo area. Cheers!

DRAGONCON Schedule!

Per annual tradition, DRAGON*CON!
*crowd roars*
It's right around the corner! The end of this month! I've just received my schedule from the programming committee and it's jam-packed with awesome! I particularly hope you'll come to my autographing session and my reading, because not only will I have book swag for you fabulous folk, I'll also have Auror's Tale swag for attendees at my autographing and/or reading sessions on Saturday!

My schedule:
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Title: Frightening Folklore
Description: A look at the ways folklore is used in dark fantasy fiction
Time: Fri 05:30 pm Location: Embassy C - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Victorian Gothic Literature: The Brontës, Dickens, Stoker, and Others
Description: What separates Gothic Literature from modern? We look at subtle differences in tone, subject, pace and how it is reflected in our 21st Century eyes.
Time: Fri 08:30 pm Location: International A - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

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Title: Autograph Session
Time: Sat 01:00 pm Location: M301 - M304 - Marriott (Length: 1 Hour)
Bring your copies of Leanna's books, Larry Smith Booksellers will have DARKER STILL available, and come get some book-related swag and some Auror's Tale swag!

-------------------
Title: Reading: Leanna Renee Hieber
Time: Sat 02:30 pm Location: Roswell - Hyatt (Length: 1 Hour)
Leanna will take audience requests! Either she will read her upcoming Tor.com story "Too Fond", her upcoming Tor anthology story "Charged" in Queen Victoria's Book of Spells or a work-in-progress piece of the upcoming ETERNA FILES... you be the judge! Book giveaways, swag and Auror's Tale goodies shall be present!

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Title: Princess Alethea's Traveling Side Show
Description: Fabulous authors doing fabulous things. With goodies and lavish entertainment.
Time: Sun 2:30pm Location: Edgewood, Hyatt (1 Hour)

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Title: Victorian Mysticism and the Occult
Description: Mysticism, mesmerism, and the love of picnics in the graveyard, Victorians dug their dead.
Time: Sun 07:00 pm Location: International BC - Westin (Length: 1 Hour)

Princess Alethea's Traveling Side-Show will again occur, stay tuned to Alethea and me for time and place!

Cheers, blessings and happy haunting!

Nashville Event Next Friday: Signing Darker Still & Promoting Auror's Tale!

I'm so thrilled that MUGGLE-NET has announced our first Auror's Tale public appearance next week at UTOPYA Con for Young Adult Paranormal and Fantasy literature in Nashville, TN, July 6 & 7th, where I'll be speaking on panels and signing DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul at the Auror's Tale booth, talking up my latest books and promoting Auror's Tale along with our co-creators and cast members!

Calling all Young Adult literature and Harry Potter enthusiasts! Come see us! Click the links above for details!

My schedule for RT 2012 in Chicago!

Hello friends! I'll be returning to the Windy City as part of RT Bookreviews' Annual Booklover's Convention! Before Chicago I'll be stopping off and participating in Barbara Vey's Reader Appreciation event in Milwaukee! Very excited. I'll be tweeting @LeannaRenee and hashtag #RT12
Here are my events / panels at RT:

Wednesday, April 11
3:30-4:30pm
LOVE, MONSTERS and MYTHOLOGY Panel
Location: Capital Room, Lower Level

11:45-1am!
YA MIDNIGHT SLUMBER PARTY!
Join an amazing list of YA authors: Ann Aguirre, Josephine Angelini, Brodi Ashton,

Charlotte Bennardo, Anne Greenwood Brown, Zoraida Cordova, Kady Cross, Bree Despain, Debra Driza, Cole Gibsen, Rachel Harris, Leanna Renee Hieber, Nancy Holder, Tara Hudson, Colleen Houck, Sophie Jordan, Suzanne Lazear, Lea Nolan, Jana Oliver, Amy Plum, Jeri Smith-Ready, JA Souders, Natalie Zaman - for prizes, games and fun!

Location: Entry Level, Grand Ballroom A, B and C

Thursday, April 12

10-11am

Publisher Spotlight: Sourcebooks

Location: Lobby Level, Midway

2:45-3:45pm

STEAMPUNK GASLIGHT GATHERING

Join Steampunk and Gaslight Fantasy authors for a fun party of prizes, snacks, visits and fabulous costuming.

Location: International E 

Saturday, April 14

10:45 - 2pm

The MASSIVE BOOK FAIR!

Please note I will be signing DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul only, (No Strangely Beautiful titles due to issues with the publisher) and I'll be signing in TEEN ALLEY!

DARKER STILL is an Indie Next List recommended title by the ABA and is "Highly Recommended" by Scholastic Book Fairs!

3:45 - 4:45pm

UNDERSTANDING STEAM AND OTHER PUNKS

Location: Entry Level, United

5-6pm

ROMANCING BOOKSELLERS & LIBRARIANS

Private Party for Booksellers / Librarians with Sourcebooks authors

Location: Lobby Level, Conference Center Atrium Foyer

6:15-7:30pm

TEEN DAY PARTY

Location: International Ballroom

Cheers!

The NYC Teen Author Festival!

I am SO excited to be a part of the NYC Teen Author Festival next week! Please note I'll be taking part in The Writer as Time Traveler panel on Friday at 3pm at the 42nd street NYPL and signing at Books of Wonder on Sunday in the 1:45 group. Here's the full schedule:

Monday, March 26 (Mulberry Street Branch of the NYPL, 10 Jersey Street b/w Mulberry and Lafayette, 6-8):
Plotting Dangerously: Doing What it Takes to Find the Story
Coe Booth
Jen Calonita
Paul Griffin
Deborah Heiligman
Melissa Kantor
Morgan Matson
Kieran Scott
Melissa Walker
Moderator: David Levithan

Tuesday, March 27 (McNally Jackson Bookstore, 52 Prince Street, 7-8:30):
The Mutual Admiration Society Reading
Madeleine George
Ellen Hopkins
David Levithan
Jennifer Smith
John Corey Whaley

Wednesday. March 28 (42nd St NYPL, Bergen Forum, 6-8):
Things Fall Apart: World Building and World Destroying in YA
Anna Carey
Sarah Beth Durst
Anne Heltzel
Jeff Hirsch
Andy Marino
Lauren McLaughlin
Lissa Price
Jon Skovron
Moderator: Chris Shoemaker

Thursday, March 29: The NYC Big Read
(See the FB page for further school / library details, all 5 boroughs included)

Friday March 30, Symposium (42nd Street NYPL, 2-6) 
2:00 – Introduction
2:10-3:00: Being Friends With Boys
Elizabeth Eulberg
Jenny Han
Terra Elan McVoy
Stephanie Perkins
Moderator: Sarah Mlynowski

3:00-3:50: The Writer as Time Traveler: Writing the Past While Sitting in the Present
Judy Blundell
Matthew Cody
Jennifer Donnelly
Leanna Renee Hieber
Suzanne Weyn
Moderator: David Levithan

3:50-4:40: No Ordinary Love: How to Create a Satisfying Love Story and a Satisfying Supernatural World at the Same Time
Andrea Cremer
Melissa de la Cruz
Jeri Smith-Ready
Victoria Schwab
Margaret Stohl
Moderator: Barry Lyga

4:40-5:30: New Voices Spotlight
Emily Danforth
Kate Ellison
Lucas Klauss
Carley Moore
Aleica Whittaker

Friday March 30, Barnes & Noble Reader’s Theater/Signing (Union Square B&N, 33 E 17th St, 7-8:30)
Andrea Cremer
Emily Danforth
Lucas Klauss
Stephanie Perkins
Siobhan Vivian
John Corey Whaley
Moderator: David Levithan

Saturday March 31, Symposium (42nd Street NYPL, 1-5)1:00 – Introduction
1:10-2:00 – Rising to the Challenge: YA Characters Facing Down What Life Throws Them
Tara Altebrando
Matt Blackstone
Susane Colasanti
Kody Keplinger
Siobhan Vivian
K.M. Walton
Moderator: David Levithan

2:00-2:50 -- Killer Instincts: Death, Murder, and the YA NovelJennifer Lynn Barnes
Gina Damico
Kim Harrington
Barry Lyga
Moderator: Marie Rutkoski

2:50-4:00 -- Moments of Truth: Characters at a CrossroadsNatasha Friend
Margie Gelbwasser
Jennifer Hubbard
Stewart Lewis
Sarah Darer Littman
Jess Rothenberg
Daisy Whitney
Moderator: E. Lockhart

4:00-5:00 – Looking Forward to FallDavid Levithan
Marie Rutkoski
Eliot Schrefer
…and more authors reading from their upcoming books

Sunday April 1: Our No-Foolin’ Mega-Signing at Books of Wonder (Books of Wonder, 1-4):  
1-1:45:
Jennifer Barnes (Every Other Day, Egmont)
Matt Blackstone (A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie, FSG)
Caroline Bock (LIE, St. Martin’s)
Jen Calonita (Belles, Little Brown)
Anna Carey (Eve, Harper)
Susane Colasanti (So Much Closer, Penguin)
Andrea Cremer (Bloodrose, Penguin)
Gina Damico (Croak, HMH)
Emily Danforth (The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Harper)
Jocelyn Davies (A Beautiful Dark, Harper)
Sarah Beth Durst (Drink, Slay, Love, S&S)
Elizabeth Eulberg (Take a Bow, Scholastic)
Gayle Forman (Where She Went, Penguin)
Natasha Friend (For Keeps, Penguin)
Kim Harrington (Perception, Scholastic)
Barry Lyga (I Hunt Killers, Little Brown)
Daisy Whitney (The Rivals, Little Brown)

1:45-2:30
Margie Gelbwasser (Pieces of Us, Flux)
Alissa Grosso (Popular, Flux)
Jenny Han (We’ll Always Have Summer, S&S)
Leanna Renee Hieber (Darker Still, Sourcebooks)
Anne Heltzel (Circle Nine, Candlewick)
Jeff Hirsch (The Eleventh Plague, Scholastic)
Jennifer Hubbard (Try Not to Breathe, Penguin)
Melissa Jensen (The Fine Art of True or Dare, Penguin)
PG Kain (Famous for Thirty Seconds, S&S)
Melissa Kantor (The Darlings in Love, Hyperion)
Kody Keplinger (Shut Out, Little Brown)
Lucas Klauss (Everything You Need to Survive the Apocalypse, S&S)
David Levithan (Every You, Every Me, RH)
Stewart Lewis (You Have Seven Messages, RH)
Sarah Darer Littman (Want to Go Private?, Scholastic)
Elisa Ludwig (Pretty Crooked, S&S)

2:30-3:15
Carolyn Mackler (The Future of Us, Penguin)
Andy Marino (Unison Spark, FSG)
Wendy Mass (13 Gifts, Scholastic)
Terra Elan McVoy (The Summer of Firsts and Lasts, S&S)
Lauren McLaughlin (Scored, RH)
Sarah Mlynowski (Ten Things We Did, RH)
Carley Moore (The Stalker Chronicles, FSG)
E. C. Myers (Fair Coin, Pyr)
Michael Northrop (Plunked, Scholastic)
Micol Ostow (What Would My Cell Phone Do?, Penguin)
Stephanie Perkins (Lola and the Boy Next Door, Penguin)
Jessica Rotherberg (The Catastrophic History of You and Me, Penguin)
Marie Rutkoski (The Jewel of the Kalderash, FSG)
Erin Saldin (The Girls of No Return, Scholastic)
Leila Sales (Past Perfect, S&S)
Kieran Scott (He’s So Not Worth It, S&S)

3:15-4:00
Melissa De La Cruz (Lost in Time, Hyperion)
Alyssa Sheinmel, (The Lucky Kind, RH)
Jennifer Smith (The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, Little Brown)
Jeri Smith-Ready (Shift, S&S)
Jon Skovron (Misfit, Abrams)
Victoria Schwab (The Near Witch, Hyperion)
Mark Shulman (Are You Normal?, National Geographic)
Margaret Stohl (Beautiful Chaos, Little Brown)
Arlaina Tibensky (And Then Things Fell Apart, S&S)
Siobhan Vivian (The List, Scholastic)
Melissa Walker (Small Town Sinners, Bloomsbury)
K.M. Walton (Cracked, S&S)
John Corey Whaley (Where Things Come Back, S&S)
Alecia Whitaker (The Queen of Kentucky, Little Brown)
Maryrose Wood (The Unseen Guest, Harper)
Natalie Zaman and Charlotte Bennardo (Sirenz, Flux)

Hope to see you there! Support amazing YA fiction! Can't make it but want a signed copy of DARKER STILL from Books of Wonder? Click here.
Cheers!

Fantasy on the Bayou: In Which I am Called A Vampire

The first FF and P (Futuristic, Fantasy and Paranormal) national conference, the "Fantasy on the Bayou" kicked-off in New Orleans this past weekend, and it was a delight.

The first special interest chapter I joined when I first became an RWA member and began networking in the paranormal and fantasy realm was FF and P. I'll never forget my first Gathering at Nationals when I won my first PRISM award, where everyone was so wonderful, everyone was so kind and on my same wavelength, I knew I'd found "my people". And I'll always belong to FF and P. I may not have time to be as active on the loop as I wish I could be, but what was so wonderful about the conference was being present with "my people" in person. Big shout-out to local paranormal author Dawn Chartier who took such good care of me from the get-go - I truly wouldn't have made it there without her, and huge thanks to the entire conference team for such a pleasant event on all counts. The lovely and talented Kerri Nelson also has a great rundown on her blog.

Here's what was great about the Fantasy on the Bayou: Um. New Orleans, for starters. New Orleans is one of my "magic special places", much like London, a place where the spirits of the city open their arms to me and say "welcome home". I'm going to set a novel there, and have several ideas percolating. It's an inspiring and gorgeous city, a dreamland for a lil' Goth girl like me.

The con: I was SO impressed by the level of programming, there were so many interesting and impressive offerings that the only problem I found was not being able to be in two places at once. I tried to juggle a bit of writing research (I'm going to set a future project there), beignet eating (a crime not to), and catching up with friends amidst wanting to soak up as much conference programming as possible. I enjoyed everything, from a valuable Editor / Agent panel to Terry Spear's discussion of Conflict, to keynote guest Maggie Shayne just being flat out amazing, down-to-earth, talented and kind, to Ursula Whistler explaining the science behind the physical effects of attraction - FASCINATING and brilliantly presented. I wish I could have seen everyone's presentations, but darn that inability to be in two places at once.

I had the joy of presenting Steampunk / Gaslight Fantasy 101 and my Direct Your Book: Theatrical Techniques to a Blockbuster Novel workshops, and as always, presenting and workshopping are some of my favorite parts of being a writer. I get so invigorated by panels and by sharing with and learning from others. I also really appreciated some quality time with the wonderful agents and editors the conference brought in. What wonderful company.

Our ghost / vampire tour ROCKED, we had an amazing tour guide (also a writer) and saw some seriously spine-tingling sights. And as I walked beneath the gaslight in my Neo-Victorian regalia, again, it was magic and I was home.

I adored being able to catch up with some beloved authors who I just never see enough of (*poke poke* Angie, Amanda, Maggie) and we managed to "haunt" a couple of New Orleans famous establishments (and they haunted us). I had the best Absinthe of my life in Pirate's Alley and the next night local brew and local ghosts (seriously, major ghost action) at Lafitte's Blacksmith shop, oldest continually operating bar in the country. (1720).

And the book-signing was an additional blast, I sold lots of copies of DARKER STILL: A Novel of Magic Most Foul and talked up the sequel coming this November from Sourcebooks, THE TWISTED TRAGEDY OF MISS NATALIE STEWART. More creepy Gothic goodness with heartfelt characters coming your way soon!

Needless to say, I didn't really want to leave my home away from home, New Orleans, but I was consoled by the fact I'll be back in August for Authors After Dark! Yay!

So kudos, FF and P Board and Conference Committee, for being lovely and charming and making me feel just as at home as New Orleans makes me feel.

Oh, and PS. A Highlight:

As you know, I take rabid joy in my Neo-Victorian wardrobe that ranges somewhere between casual Goth / Victorian to full blown regalia, depending on the day. It isn't really costuming, it's me. I also walk really fast even for a New Yorker. Transplant me to the slow and relaxed South? I appear as though I am moving with preternatural speed when at my normal pace.

So imagine, dear reader, I am walking at dusk along Jackson Square, dressed in a long black velvet coat with capped sleeves and corseting on each side, tall black boots, black corset, my black raven choker and black roses pinning up my hair, all beneath the beautiful gas lit sconces of the French Quarter. I pass a gaggle of teenagers. One elbows another, another claps hands over their mouth, another says as I pass: "Ohmygod. That was a LEGIT vampire!"

Made my weekend. Thanks, FF and P, much love, sincerely,

 

Leanna Renee Hieber, author, Legit Vampire