Debra-- Go Buy The Book. Please.

I didn't see anyway to disguise my promotional blog so I'm just putting it out there. Today is the release date of WITCH HIGH, a young adult anthology from DAW (Penguin).

Me. Writing Young Adult Fantasy. Who knew?

I loved it. My story COYOTE RUN is about the last girl in the Junior class without a familiar. In my version of the high school, finding your familiar is a rite of passage and a sign of status in the world of witches. If you don't have one, you're talked about, pitied and generally a failure. You can't do the more powerful spells without a familiar. In the South we'd say, "Bless her heart. There isn't a familiar that wants her."

On the day we meet my young water witch she's just finding out she is officially the last of her class without a familiar. Worse, if your familiar hasn't bonded with you by the time you're seventeen, it's not going to happen. In two weeks she'll be turning seventeen.

And so her misery and the schemes to find a familiar begin. Little does she know she's about to have a much bigger familiar problem that will make NOT having a familiar seem like a piece of cake. Toss in a mysterious young man from Ireland, the emotional scars she carries from her mother's suicide when she was younger, a new stepmother, one of the darkest familiars of the craft, and you have COYOTE RUN.

I found an early review on the Internet:

"...imagine having to handle those awkward years and magical powers at the same time.
This is the central challenge to the characters in the 14 stories that make up this truly delicious anthology. There is not a dud in the bunch, each deftly written with a keen ear and eye for the angst-ridden lives of the typical teenager in today’s culture." Pulp Fiction Reviews

So, buy the book already! If you don't read YA, give it whirl. buy those early Halloween and Christmas gifts.

One of the reasons this story was so much fun for me is that I was offered an opportunity to write this story by the editor. We were in casual conversation. I mentioned the anthology sounded like a good one. She immediately said she had room and asked if I'd like to write a story. Like every well-trained writer, I said, "Yes" immediately. And later wondered what had come over me. I had one month to learn everything I could about YA fantasy and meet the deadline. I spent a fortune on YA books and found a new genre to love in the process. Found a new genre to publish through BelleBooks/Bell Bridge Books.

Have any of you guys gotten unexpected opportunities? Times when you weren't seeking an opportunity but it found you anyway, and made you realize everything happens for a reason?

Debra -- Aw, Hell...hound. (Vote)

The fates were smiling on Bell Bridge Books, and we found another fabulous YA author to share with the world. Yay, us! We've done a few cover rounds and you can see the results below.

BITE ME (the first Demon Underground novel) from Parker Blue is an edgy book for teens that spans the gap between YA and adult fiction. Barely eighteen-year-old heroine Valentine Shapiro got a raw deal in the parent lottery. Her father was part incubus demon, and her mother's never forgiven her for that.

Life after high school is tough enough without having to go 15 rounds with your inner demon. Thrown out of the house by her mother, Val puts one foot in front of the other and does the only thing that seems to make any sense--she takes aim at the town vampires. A stake a day, keeps the demon at bay. (But don't call her Buffy. That makes Lola, her demon, very cranky .)

Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.

Great, huh? It gets better. She's the proud new owner of Fang, a hellhound.

Here's where things get dicey for me. We had a great photo of Fang for the back cover. The author felt the photo matched her imagery. What's the problem? We forgot to check the price on the photo. He's very very expensive. (Aw, hell!) I couldn't even buy a reduced resolution to show you!

Instead we're auditioning other's for Fang's role and you can help. Tell us which dog-type you think would make the best hellhound. Are you going to go for quirky or do you like a classic?

1. The terrier-- These little dudes can be relentless. And funny. They have no fondness for vermin and they'll go down a hole to root them out.

2. A Border Collie-- Here's a breed that isn't afraid to do their job. You don't stand up to a 900 lb cow unless you've got some grit. Borders don't back down easily. And they have a strong work ethic.

3. An Irish Wolfhound-- "Gentle when stroked and fierce when provoked. " This dog has the heft to fight at your side. Bred to take down wolves in the "Old Country." Usually stand 34 or MORE inches tall at the shoulder. They've been known to die of grief, shortly after their owners died.

4. Other. If you don't like these choices, describe your take on a quirky or classic hellhound.