Well, I'm touring again! Only, this time, I'm touring from the comfort of my office, while typing away at my next project and chilling out with my dogs. Check out my virtual tour schedule at the end of this post, and take a look at all the other authors on virtual tour this month. The tour is a mix of interviews, guest blogs, reviews and writing advice with a few giveaways sprinkled in for good measure. I'm also hosting a contest at I'm Not Obsessed today and tomorrow. You can enter to win a signed copy of STAY, a copy of the audio book, and some amazing eco-friendly dog products from … [Read more...]
An Interview with Julia Whelan
When I first heard STAY was going to be an audiobook, I thought it was pretty cool, but I also thought it might be strange to hear someone else reading my work. I honestly wasn't sure if I'd want to listen to it.Then, I heard Brilliance was doing the audiobook, and well, when it comes to audio books, it doesn't get better than Brilliance. And then I got to talk with Julia Whelan before she recorded STAY to go over name pronunciations, etc. From our talk, I could tell that she really "got" Van, and all of a sudden I couldn't wait to hear the audio version. At the risk of sounding completely … [Read more...]
STAY Reader Photos!
Okay, so the STAY on Vacation project got a little confusing. There were photos on the Facebook page (but apparently the upload process is complicated) and some on Twitter (but apparently the Twitter archives are often hard to access), so I decided to simplify things.Now, you can upload photos directly to AllieLarkinWrites.com, so we're moving over there! Take a photo of STAY in your life - with your dogs, on vacation, with a friend, at a cafe, or hanging out around the house, and upload it to be entered to win a $50 iTunes gift card! When we reach 50 photos, I'm going to add a STAY-themed … [Read more...]
Notes from the road
I'm in Denver! I haven't seen much of the city yet, but from what I've seen, I love it! And, as someone with asthma, I am amazed by just how well I can breathe here. I can totally understand why Asthma Mom moved her family here. I went running this morning and my body tired out (altitude) but my lungs didn't. It's wonderful! And gorgeous!And I get to stay with my dear friend, M, her adorable fiance, and their sweet, sweet dogs (one of whom is lying at my feet while I type).I'm speaking at a creative writing class at Regis University this afternoon, and reading at Tattered Cover tonight. … [Read more...]
The Dreaded Lurgy
There were kids coughing in the waiting area for the plane to Seattle, and clearly remember thinking, Please don't make me share a big flying germ box with them. Please let them be on another flight.And then I heard coughing when we boarded the plane. By the end of the trip, I had a nasty sore throat, but I convinced myself it was allergies. Then it got worse, and the cough started. On Monday, I went to the doctor because I couldn't stop coughing, and she sent me home with a fist full of prescriptions. I am not a graceful sick person. I have no patience for it and it makes me crabby. One … [Read more...]
STAY on vacation!
You guys are wonderful! I've been getting lots of pictures of STAY on the shelves in your local stores, with your pets, with your friends, and out and about in your home towns. So, we decided it would be fun to do a giveaway with your photos as the entries, and we're giving away a $50 iTunes gift card to one lucky STAY reader!Here's the deal:Take STAY with you when you travel this summer, and snap a picture (like the ones my fabulous editor sent me)! Tweet the photos of STAY on Twitter with the location and the tag #STAYnovel in the text.Or add your photos to the "Fan Photos" section of the … [Read more...]
Cameras need batteries
So, I left my camera battery in the charger at home, which means you'll get more cell phone pictures and like it. :)I am so amazed by Seattle. There's so much to do right in out directly outside of the city. Lady is an amazing tour guide. We went out to the shore to look for tiny sea creatures under rocks (one of my all time favorite activities. It's been grey and rainy, but still absolutely gorgeous.I got to have brunch with a high school friend who relocated to Seattle. I hadn't seen her since 1994. And I got to meet her amazing husband and adorable little boy (seriously, seriously … [Read more...]
Third Place Books!
Third Place Books is a truly amazing place. I had a wonderful time at the reading last night! When we got there, they were hosting Reading with Rover, a program where kids can spend some quality quiet time reading to specially trained dogs. It's such an amazing program!I got to speak in front of a shelves full of signed first edition books to a great group of people. And, I got to meet blog & Twitter friends Rob, Ana, Lacey, and Mindi, in person!Lady made me pose with the display of STAY books.And I got pictures with Mindi (who will be reading at Third Place this fall),And Rob, who is a … [Read more...]
So much amazing stuff going on!
Well, the query contest will close tomorrow and I'll announce the winner on Monday. If you haven't entered, you can go to this post to learn more about it! And there's another amazing contest going on! Allison Winn Scotch has organized "the mother of all giveaways." TWENTY-EIGHT women who write are giving away books (including me). Twenty-eight lucky readers will get one book, and one winner will get a complete set of books! Learn more about how to enter, and find links to follow these lovely ladies on Twitter here. I'm heading out to Third Place Books in a little bit for my second STAY … [Read more...]
The First STAY Event
Oh my gosh! Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that my first reading for STAY would be so freaking fantastic. There were so many people. I started reading to a really good sized crowd, and when I looked up at the audience a few paragraphs later, the room was completely packed with a crowd of people standing in the back. It was also as I started to read a more emotional scene, and, well, you know me -I started to get a little choked up.The Q&A part of the event was so much fun. Great questions! It's so much fun to talk about the writing process with other writers and talk … [Read more...]