It’s a boy! … And a girl! … And a really bad villain!
Aug 28th 2007
Karen RoseOn Writing!
Before Christmas, I birthed a child - a whopping five-hundred-fifty-page bouncing baby book. I was in labor for a whole month. It was quite harrowing. I don’t even want to discuss the stretch marks…
Today my new book comes out - DIE FOR ME (cue scary music). This book has something for everyone. It has a hot hero - homicide detective Vito Ciccotelli. It has a kick-butt heroine - archeologist, linguist, and specialist in medieval weapons and warfare, Sophie Johannsen. DIE FOR ME has history, medieval weapons and torture, video games, ground penetrating radar, opera, romance and hot sex. Did I mention the hot sex? Hot sex and an uber-evil villain - what more could a reader want?
And did I mention it goes on sale TODAY?
For me, book release day is like putting your kid on the school bus for the first time. 
You’ve created this lovely (scary) book, agonized over every word, every one of the grisly, scary murders (and there are a lot). Then you edit it, worry over it, market the ever living daylights out of it, do everything but take its temperature. (But if you did, its temperature would be HOT. Which in kids is bad, but in romantic suspense is very good.)
Then the day comes when you must let your little darling fly, when you can do no more. When you hope the stars will align and that your book will fling itself off the shelves and into the loving arms of readers everywhere. (EVERYWHERE, get it? That means YOU!)
I hope my book’s first day in the world is more successful than my first day of school. I remember it well as it was a traumatic experience. Let me preface this by saying that as a child, I was a grade A wuss and almost everything became a traumatic experience. I was in Mrs. Bobby’s kindergarten class and somehow managed to get lost on my way from the bus to the classroom. See, not only was I a wuss, but I was also exhibiting my tendency toward being directionally challenged at a very early age. I’m no longer a wuss, but I still get lost everywhere I go.
I also get easily distracted. Where was I? Oh, yeah. First day of school, lost, and traumatized. Being easily distracted, I think I’d stopped to look at a bulletin board or something, then all of the sudden the hallways were silent - everyone had gone to class and that’s when I realized I had no idea where to go! Problem solving had not yet become one of my skills, so I sat down in the middle of the hallway and burst into kindergarten tears. Luckily one of my neighbors was passing by and saw me crying. She knew exactly where to take me. I made it to Mrs. Bobby’s class safely and thus began my academic career.
I really hope my book has a more auspicious beginning!
So how do you handle such landmark events, be they a release date, the opening of a play, your kid’s first day of school, your first day of school? Do you fly free or do you sit in the hallway and burst into tears? Do you get lost everywhere you go? Are you easily distracted? Dang. And the $100 question - when will DIE FOR ME fling itself into your loving arms? Have you seen the video at my website - www.karenrosebooks.com? Were you totally terrified?
37 Comments »
37 Responses to “It’s a boy! … And a girl! … And a really bad villain!”
Judy F on 28 Aug 2007 at 4:57 am #
I ususally get pretty nervous at first time things. Have to talk myself into it a lot. I remember my first booksigning I went to, had to talk myself into meeting “the Authors”…
Congrats on your new baby. I have a copy on hold at my bookstore I just might have to go get it today after my day job. My friend Loretta got her copy the other day and already started it. She keeps teasing me with it, says its awesome.
Oh I loved the video. very scary.
congrats again.
Lisa H on 28 Aug 2007 at 5:58 am #
Karen, You mean I’m not the only one who got lost between the bus and her kindergarten classroom? Yep, I stood in the hallway, crying…you see I hadn’t yet learned to read and my mother must have forgotten that someone should actually SHOW me where my class was! A nice “big girl” a hall monitor (looking back I bet she was all of eight years old) showed me to my room!
Anyway, I tend to get excited over milestone events but also very emotional. I always hate the first day of school for my children, they both cried and I felt horrible all day. (Even though it was a peaceful day!)
I want to read your new book, but I am afraid…how scary is it? Can the average Historical Romance reader handle it?
However, the hot sex may be worth the nightmares, I may just pick up a copy today!
Stacy ~ on 28 Aug 2007 at 6:02 am #
Yeah, I admit I get nervous too. I think it’s that “oldest kid syndrom” when your parents hovered so much I wasn’t able to really do a lot of exploring on my own.
I’m like Judy, though I went to my first booksigning with a friend - it was for Diana Gabaldon. Then my next one was for Suz Brockmann, and I was soooo nervous, but she was just the nicest, sweetest person.
And yes, I easily get lost. I have a horrible sense of direction. And I definitely get distracted easily. I’m a wreck LOL.
dbrown3400 on 28 Aug 2007 at 6:32 am #
Yes, Karen, the UPS man is coming today with DIE FOR ME. And there had better be no foulups or I’ll send the killer in your GREAT trailer after him!
For some reason, my attention span seems short right now. I have several projects going on and don’t stay on one until it’s finished but work on one for an hour or two, flit to the next, back to the first, on to the third, etc. I’m reorganizing my books, a major project in itself and adding the series or reading order to my list already in Excel. I have 647 books here in my small apartment and thousands in storage so it isn’t a small project.
AND I’ve pulled out my ms and am working on it for the first time in two and one-half years. I’m off a med that apparently was stifling my “creative juices” *g*. Right now it’s caught in the short attention span cycle but the other projects will be over soon.
cont.
dbrown3400 on 28 Aug 2007 at 6:43 am #
I don’t get nervous about many things because I’ve been involved in public speaking in one form or another since ninth grade. Before that I couldn’t say my name in front of the class without going into hysterics, seriously. I deliberately enrolled in Speech Class to work my way through the problem. It’s a good thing it worked because my entire career involved teaching or public speaking in one form or another.
I’ve met many celebrities and not been nervous close-up but more excited from a distance e.g., at a concert caught up in the excitement of a crowd. I met Robert Conrad, then the star of Hawaiian Eye, who was in Tulsa giving a documentary on surfing??? In Tulsa? He had the most gorgeous blue eyes and I shook his hand and wasn’t nervous, nor was I anxious when I met Bill Clinton. But I was completly out of my skin when I saw Elvis Presley in concert.
Donna
dbrown3400 on 28 Aug 2007 at 6:46 am #
I was also ‘completely’ out of my skin. *g*
db
Karen Rose on 28 Aug 2007 at 7:49 am #
Yay! I’m glad to hear DFM is finding good homes!
Lisa, it’s scary, but you can handle it! Besides, Vito is hot!
I always think it’s funny that people are nervous to meet me. If they only knew I was nervous to meet them, too, LOL.
I’ve never met a TV or movie celebrity, but I’ve met many of my writing idols and felt like my tongue swelled to six times its normal size. Um, um, um… When I stand up in front of a crowd to speak, I tell myself they’re all 16 years old and just a class full of my high school students. I’m still a wuss, sigh… But I’m a better actress now!
SuzyQ on 28 Aug 2007 at 8:17 am #
My daughter’s first day of Kindergarten is coming up soon and I will be there with the cameras documenting it all. I have no worries about her; she’s such a social butterfly. And my son does great at school too.
It’s a different story with me. If I have to give a presentation, I still get anxious. I seem to over prepare everything to make sure nothing goes wrong. Once I get going, I relax and just go with it.
Karen – your book is going to fling itself into my arms at lunch! Can’t wait to read it!
DebMarlowe on 28 Aug 2007 at 8:21 am #
Congrats Karen! I’m planning on picking up DFM this week. Ready to get the pants scared off me!
I sniffled at the first kid’s first day of all day kindergarten, but the second was so happy to go that I couldn’t be sad!
Best of luck with the book!
KMB25 on 28 Aug 2007 at 8:28 am #
I have to be honest here, I’m not very good with change, and I don’t think I handled all of these landmarks very well! I cried the night before I made the big move here to Nashville to start grad school (and the night before I started lots of other big endeavors) so I know I’m not so good with change!
Because of that, before I got married, I lived with my hubby for a year…drove my mom crazy (she’s a bit conservative) but I was able to handle the wedding and stress completely tear-free!!
I’m headed to the bookstore today to get my copy of DFM!! I can’t wait to read it!!
~Kim
Karen Rose on 28 Aug 2007 at 8:31 am #
I sniffled at my kids’ first day of school, too! But they were so excited to be climbing on the bus with the “big kids.” I remember taking the day off on their first day of kindergarten. I waved as the bus drove away and then went inside and had coffee and enjoyed the quiet!
cail on 28 Aug 2007 at 8:34 am #
i always love first days. new adventures, may it be a play or school or work, are always fun.
the one thing that makes me very nervous are new boy situations. i can sometimes turn into a wreck because of the uncertainty that is presented to me. but thats only sometimes.
Excited for DFM
Freshechelle on 28 Aug 2007 at 8:38 am #
The book looks great. I’ll run by B&N on the way home to pick it up. My anxiety as a kid was the night before the first day of school every year. I panicked thinking everyone else was a savvy 3rd grader and no way was I ready for 3rd grade. It didn’t dawned on me until junior high that these were the same dim witted kids I attended 2nd grade with. I get nervous only when I meet celebrities connected with something special to me. I once met Jackie O and was almost cool (but not very - I mean come on it was Saint Jackie) about it but the time I saw Peter Gammons, an ESPN baseball analyst, I was hyperventilating like he was Jesus Christ appearing in my bathroom. Let me clarify - I can keep it together for the former first lady, mother of John John, one of the most famous women in the world but a grizzled, curmudgeonly sportscaster gave me the shakes. It was in Boston and it was the day after the Sox knocked the Yankees out of the post season…excitement was in the air…
Freshechelle on 28 Aug 2007 at 9:40 am #
Yikes Karen - that’s clip is like watching a Nine Inch Nails video. Disturbing but you can’t turn away.
Kay on 28 Aug 2007 at 9:43 am #
I was lucky to get an ARC of Die For Me, and LOVED it. Vito, *SIGH* is an uber hero, to match the uber villain. The scary parts are nicely balanced by the hot romance and interesting internal conflicts of the hero and heroine. The secondary characters really come alive, too.
If you haven’t seen the video, click that link NOW, and turn down the volume if the screams may disturb your coworkers. I hope more books will have trailers in the future. It really gets me excited about the book.
I will be picking up my “official” copy today when I take the kids back-to-school shopping. They are too old for tears from me on the first day–and I think my middle schooler is ready to regain his social life! I cried when each of them got to the bus for the first time in kindergarten, but they like school (and their friends even more) so I don’t worry.
Casee on 28 Aug 2007 at 9:45 am #
Karen, I’ve already finished it. After You Can’t Hide, you did Vito justice. I luuuurve him. I want him for my own. I even had to go back and re-read You Can’t Hide after reading DFM. LOL
amy1242 on 28 Aug 2007 at 9:52 am #
Karen, I too, got lost my first day of kindergarten. It was after school on my way home. My brothers all showed up at home after school without me and mom went into a panic. They eventually found me six blocks off course. I was playing with butterfly’s and skipping over the cracks in the sidewalk oblivious to the dangers of being lost in the city. I still don’t freak out when I end up in situations that are unfamiliar to me. I actually enjoy being pushed out of my comfort zone from time to time. I look at it as an adventure. As for your book…it’s on my list of things to do today while I’m out and about with the kids. Congrat’s!
Julia London on 28 Aug 2007 at 10:12 am #
Good luck with the book, Karen! I am sorry they made your name so small–I hope people can find you in the stores! I am going to take my magnifying glass and look for your name on my way out of town.
Lismore on 28 Aug 2007 at 10:12 am #
Yay! So excited for Vito’s story. Karen, you can terrify me like no one else, but I love it. Picking it up today.
I always get that lovely pit in your stomach kind of feeling before a big event.
Claudia Dain on 28 Aug 2007 at 10:36 am #
I don’t remember my first day of kindergarten, but I’m definitely a sit-in-the-hallway-and-cry type. I don’t handle frustration well! It’s pretty well documented. Anyone who’s known me for more than a few months has seen it: the Claudia Meltdown. It happens anytime I have to face new technology, directions to a strange place, opening a can of pickles…you get my drift.
Karen, I am running out today to buy my copy of DFM. The video alone would have clinched the deal, so money well spent there!
Erica R on 28 Aug 2007 at 10:43 am #
Yay! It sounds AWESOME! (Er, the book, not your first day of kindergarten. *g) Can’t wait to read it!!! =)
Sabrina Jeffries on 28 Aug 2007 at 11:00 am #
Karen, I am getting my copy today! I wouldn’t miss this one–it sounds fascinating, and you write such GOOD books! Can’t wait.
As for first days, nothing scares me. Nothing. Except supernatural things. But I am such a flaming Leo that I usually just stride right in and corner the first person I see and say, “Where do I go?” It’s a sickness, I confess.
Karen Rose on 28 Aug 2007 at 11:07 am #
Amy, that’s so cute - for you, not for your poor mom! I can see a little girl skipping along, oblivious…
Thanks, Casee! LOL, if you want Vito, you’ll have to fight Sophie for him, and that I do not recommend. She kicks butt. How I wish I were a six-foot-tall blonde that digs up cool old stuff and speaks 10 languages… Who am I kidding? I just wish I were a five-foot-six non-chemically aided brunette.
Goddess Julia - I know. They made the name font so tiny, chuckle. I was thrilled when I saw it!
Kay, as always - you’re the best
Lismore - bwahahahaha. Love to scare OTHER PEOPLE! I don’t like to be so scared myself as I am a self-proclaimed total wuss.
Fresh - I assume Nine Inch Nails is scary. Now I have to go check them out! The DFM video is compelling. The production company did a fab job!
Karen Rose on 28 Aug 2007 at 11:11 am #
Claudia - I melt down when I cook. Never fails. Put me in the kitchen, even if I’m only scrambling eggs - and I start muttering unprintable things. Pickle jars - isn’t that what husbands are for?
Hi Erica - yes, my first day of k-garten was less than stellar, but I remember Mrs. Bobby fondly. My first grade teacher - oh, she was mean! But I’ll save her for another blog. Or maybe I’ll make her a victim in one of my books. I like that better…
Hey Sabrina - I can see you striding down the hall toward the door behind which someone is screaming. You’re fearless. I’m hiding behind you if there’s ever a scary event.
Thanks, everybody!!
Lisa H on 28 Aug 2007 at 11:26 am #
Okay Karen…I am gathering courage, tonight, I go to Barnes and Nobel!
colinfirthfan on 28 Aug 2007 at 11:35 am #
I get EXTREMELY nervous about any public speaking. I was anxious about my sons first day of school when he was in Kindergarden. Not anymore.
Both my kids had tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy recently (they are 6 and 3) and I bawled both times when they wheeled them away for surgery. I was so stressed, I had a stomach upset for 2 days straight (and managed to loose a little weight) :-))
I think I clung to my mom and bawled on my first day of school - I was 3 years old!!
Karen Hawkins on 28 Aug 2007 at 11:56 am #
Karen R, got DIE FOR ME in my hot little hands! Can’t wait to dive in.
I can so relate to first day jitters! First day of middle school, I was wandering lost in the hallways when my bra strap broke. I clutched my books to my chest, ran to the girls bathroom and cried. Fortunately, there was an eighth grade girl there who had a safety pin and soon I was back on track.
I always cry when I get mad, too. It’s a horrible way to have an argument, let me tell you. You WANT to be powerful and logical and all that, but all you can do is quiver and tear up. after I cry, I can be very elquent, though. Just have to have a bit of pressure release first.
And colinfirthfan, anything that has to do with kids makes me weepy, especially my own. But even tv kids make me cry; I’ve never seen a complete episode of ER in my life. Just can’t watch it.
colinfirthfan on 28 Aug 2007 at 12:23 pm #
Karen H I forgot - I too sometimes cry when I am very angry I find it most annoying…. :-))
I was a nervous wreck on my first day of college too.
About getting lost - I have a fairly decent sense of directions when I am paying attention. Yesterday after dropping off my kid for first day of school , I was chatting with one fo the mums walked all the way to her car and then realized that I was parked on a different street. Had to walk all the way back to my car……
I was so stressed before my wedding I broke out in rash all over my body - luckily it cleared up in a right before the wedding. When I moved to California I again broke out in rash - on my arm this time….
I seem to be better now - haven’t had any stress rahs for about 9 years!!
doglady on 28 Aug 2007 at 12:30 pm #
I would love to say that when I was singing opera, I did not get nervous before a performance. That would be a big fat lie!! I was ALWAYS nervous!! Performing live in front of Europeans who KNOW every word and note of these operas is nerve-wracking!! My husband was always fascinated by the fact that we were all basket cases right before the curtain went up and solid as a rock as soon as the overture started. How did we do it? I have no earthly idea!! I too was lucky enough to get an ARC of DIE FOR ME!! I stayed up all night reading it! Vito is just a heart breaker and I love Sophie! I am going to be her in my next life! Thanks, Karen, for writing such a great read!! Were you just thrilled to pieces when you saw your name in those HUGE letters??? Oh, and I have recommended your book to everyone at work. I will probably be working with a bunch of sleepy bakers tomorrow!
twolilhahas on 28 Aug 2007 at 1:15 pm #
Claudia, I’m with you. I don’t remember my first day of kindergarten…probably blocked it out! lol I’m totally bad with frustration. I’m the sort of perfectionist that HAS to do it exactly right and if I think I can’t get it just right, I won’t even try. So, doing new things kills me. I’m bad with directions, bad with driving in heavy traffic, bad with being in crowds. lol I get really emotional under pressure…and I end up in a Brandy Meltdown. Glad I’m not the only one.
Karen, I cry when I’m angry, too. And then I get even angrier, because crying in the middle of a fight makes me feel wimpy. And I either A) have a great point to make and can’t make it because I’m horrified that I’m crying…or B) completely lose the argument because the tears make it seem like I’m not playing fair. lol I hate, hate, hate crying in front of people. It’s like the worse punishment in the world.
Karen Rose on 28 Aug 2007 at 2:12 pm #
Oh, I cry when I’m angry too. I hate it!!! It makes me feel like a stupid little kid and the other person gets the upper hand. It’s hard to be powerful when you’re wheezing and sniffling up snot.
Go Lisa! You’re brave, girl.
Colinfirthfan - watching them wheel your kids away to surgery simply does exist in the same plane as anything else. You’re entitled to cry. I remember when my youngest was five, she had some major surgery too close to her brain for my comfort. Before the surgery we read her the Curious George book where he swallows a puzzle piece and has to go the hospital. As they wheeled her away she said, “Curious George wasn’t afraid and neither am I.” I bawled for the entire five hours of the surgery.
Thanks, KarenH and Doglady - I hope you like DIE FOR ME!!
Kay on 28 Aug 2007 at 2:42 pm #
Oh, Karen, there is NOTHING like seeing your child wheeled into the OR. My youngest had two operations last year, and I was a mess. He, of course, was fine. There is a possibility for a repeat operation this fall, and it’s killing me–he’s looking forward to being spoiled during the recovery! LOL
As exciting and scary as your terrific books are( and DIE FOR ME is both) nothing can scare me like my child going under the knife!
Suzanne Enoch on 28 Aug 2007 at 3:04 pm #
I freak out before a big event — worrying over all of the possible things that could go wrong, inventing new things that could go wrong, everything. But then when I actually get started on the event, I’m fine. Just another aspect of wacky ole me. *g*
Vicki on 28 Aug 2007 at 3:46 pm #
Congrats on the release today!!! I’ll be buying it this weekend. One for me and one that I’m giving away on my blog this week.
Kay on 28 Aug 2007 at 6:50 pm #
Karen, Loved,loved the trailer. Is this the wave of the future? Other Goddesses—are you doing this for your books? I hope so. I can’t wait to see more of them.
Brandy on 28 Aug 2007 at 7:51 pm #
I get very nervous and near tears at many occasions. But, most especially new ventures where I’ll be forced to be around people. I also cry when I am happy, sad, nervous and unsure of myself.
I read Die For Me last week and loved it! It was a wonderful book and has gone on my keeper shelf.
Aspen on 28 Aug 2007 at 9:14 pm #
I am fortunate (most of the time) to have twin sisters six months older than me. Those of you quick enough to do the math are now frowning and scratching your heads. My twin sisters were adopted at birth.
Anyway, everything we did we did together. We were pseudo triplets and as such faced all scary first days together. My mom has a great pic of us holding hands while in line for our first day.
Aspen