Stocking Your E-Reader Sale 2014

The second annual STOCKING YOUR E-READER SALE has ended. Please check out our sponsors, and come back again at the end of the year! I'll be back momentarily to list the prize winners, and will contacting them by e-mail shortly!

Xio Axelrod | Benita Pearse | Steven Trae Lauder | Frank Freudberg

Michael Burnside | J.B. Markes |  Linn Schwab | Larry Kollar

The Most Amazing Sale of the Year Starts in 2 Days!

Put a big red circle on your planner, you aren't going to want to miss this!

More than 100 e-books .99 or LESS. More than 60 authors. AND AWESOME PRIZES. This is the biggest sale yet!

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The Wait is OVER! Dust of the Dead Sea is out NOW!

I know you Skeleton fans have been waiting, and the day is finally here! Dust of the Dead Sea, the second book in the Hollows series (third, if you count the prequel to Skeleton Lake, The Skeleton Song) is out now!

Next week we're going to talk about the history if this series, but for now...

Here is the blurbish:

There are many things between Heaven and Hell, and Marlow the Skeleton is just one of them. Taking the fight to the Hollows who tried to take her, Marlow travels with Raiden, the other half of her soul, to the worst place she can think of. The Dead Sea. Part crazy religious cult, part vengeful god, The Dead Sea isn't what she thought it would be—it's worse.

The thing is, you don't know you're addicted until you're in the monster's teeth. Marlow doesn't think she needs The Dead Sea, but it's poisoning her with every drop, and every raging wave, and all the dust collecting in her lungs. How do you fight a villain when the villain isn't a man, but a place?

Old characters with new agendas break the surface again, bringing fresh pain. Beneath a starless desert sky, Marlow and Raiden will confront a destiny that will end everything.

They should have never gone to The Dead Sea to look for answers—they should have gone looking for questions.

Get it on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1sRWtQa
Get it for Kobo: http://bit.ly/1AL6UNE
Get it on BN: http://bit.ly/1FmWqUq
Get it on Paperback: In time for Christmas*

*More on this later.

Anyway, what do you guys think? Can you believe it finally happened?

Don't have the other books in the series? Here are the links:
Skeleton Lake http://amzn.to/YUP9Yx
The Skeleton Song http://amzn.to/19ke9it

Halloween Reads Part 2

It's 9PM the night before Halloween. Do you know what you're reading yet? 

Welcome to the last minute! Don't worry, we've picked out some awesome Halloween reads for your procrastinating butt. 

Plus, these books you can get FREE FOR HALLOWEEN!

Read all about the Skeletons & are in the market for something else? I recommend ZOMBIES! 

Grace Lost is also FREE for Halloween!

So is Hollowland by Amanda Hocking! These deals can end any time, so go go go!

Awesome Halloween Reads Part One!

If you are looking for a fun Halloween read, I've find some for you. I'll be posting them all week!

Authors, have an awesome read good for Halloween you'd like listed? For consideration fill this out.

This year, HALLOWEEN IS OURS! Readers, Authors, PAY ATTENTION

Every year I've said, "Next year I'm going to throw a raging Halloween Party on Twitter." Then next year comes around and I hit the repeat button--well not this year, this year it's ON!

6:30 Eastern Standard time until roughly 10:30ish unless things get real crazy.

Come for games, giveaways, books, and Halloween themed fun!

Enter to win tons of prizes, including:

• Kindle Fire 6--in your choice of color
• Amazon Gift Cards
• Books, ebooks
• Swag
• And so much more!

Readers, reviewers, and fangirls! Click here to RSVP! Why should you RSVP? Because people who do will score their own raffle ticket, and be entered to win exclusive prizes!

Authors, publishers, other brands/businesses; want to get in on the action? Click here to find out more!

IDEAS COME FROM EVERYWHERE :: GIVEAWAY

I have to go to the post office anyway! Who'd like to win these? No Raffle Copter this time! Easy as pie, leave a comment about anything you like and I will pick 2 random winners Tuesday.

I have 2 sets of these, one reads IDEAS COME FROM EVERYWHERE -Alfred Hitchcock the other has a gold light bulb. The are awesome lined notebooks for you to fill with all the ideas they'll give you! Open internationally.

WIN THIS!

Friday for Author Friends!

Are you an author? If not, you might want to ignore this, and look for the awesome giveaway post later!

I am starting this new thing, where I want to help promote books from friends. Friend, being a loose term of course. It used to be a lot easier to pick promo tweets out of the blue on Twitter--but even with lists I struggle and miss things. THUS MY PLAN. It's actually a multi-step plan where I roll out different parts of it over the next few months. The first step is this:

I would love to share your book, post, giveaway, etc on Twitter. For free. There are people who charge for this service, some of them charge even to reach a fraction of the Twitter Followers I have (25,000+), but they aren't me. Unfortunately, I will probably not be able to share every thing submitted. If you are wanting some tips for being selected they are pretty easy. 1.) Make sure we know each other. You don't have to be my best friend--trust me I run into those crazy stalker types online, but introducing yourself to me via Twitter or email if we don't already talk regularly would be great. 2.) Make sure if you are promo-ing a book, that it has a great cover and is received well. No, I don't have some magic star, review count, formula. I am the only one seeing these things and I think I can pick a decent book from a poor book! That's pretty much it. Keep in mind your content could be KILLER and still not be picked just because I will run out of space.

Eventually, I hope to expand to opening my blog (13,000 hits a month and growing) and my Facebook Page (roughly 5,000 fans) to a similar program. Then working on networking other people together. I am also open ideas. Tell me how to help you then leave a comment, let us know you are coming.

Ready to submit your stuff for this week (9/17) fill this out by Thursday 5 PM Central Time.
http://bit.ly/1tmmhJM

Whatever Happened to the #1 Pencil? GIVEAWAY

Most people have gotten their prizes in the last giveaway already! So, I figured we'd have another fun one just because! As you guys know, I write all my first drafts by hand. I can often be found talking about pens and posting pen shots online. I have my favorites, my methods, and my obsessions with pens BUT did you know I also use pencils? Usually the old fashioned wooden kind. Why? Because changing up what I write with helps me be able to write longer by hand with out cramps and having to stop. I have triangle pens, short pens, skinny pens, but the weight of pencils is just different and I LOVE THAT,

So in this giveaway I am giving away some very special pencils, and even some matching notebooks. To my knowledge, there are only a dozen of these pencils in existence. I had them custom laser engraved. There are 2 sets of a notebook and 2 pencils, and 3 pencils to be won!

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25,000 Twitter Giveaway is OVER, did you win?

The giveaway has ended, and all the winners have been sent emails. If your name matches a name on my list and you did not get an email, check your spam folder. Some of the names are common or abbreviated, all winners will have an email with instructions. If I don't hear back in a couple of days I will re-send and then start a witch hunt!

If there is a check mark by the name it means I have already gotten your info. This list was last updated at roughly 12:00 AM Central time, so if you emailed me after that it has not been updated. I have scheduled the post to go live at 6:00 AM Central and will update it again after breakfast.

List last updated at 11:15 Central Time
List updated at 8AM Central Time 9/29 (highlighting means I am missing your info)

Grand Prize Winner (Kindle, Case, etc):

Johnathon B. ✓

These people each one a Syringe Pen Pack:

Nicole B ✓

Anna W ✓

Ali✓

PM Hernandez✓

Mikel D ✓

Heidi B ✓

These people each one a I'M NOT AFRAID OF THE DARK wristband:

Jessica L ✓

TR Carrell ✓

Barbara S ✓

Sheena N ✓

Hanna T

Amy M ✓

Danielle P

Shannon L ✓

Patty B ✓

Samantha W✓

Book Boyfriends Month Continues with LEO from Pigments of My Imagination

Book Boyfriend Month continues on the blog! This time with dear Leonardo (Leo) from Pigments of My Imagination. Leo is an artist, with every fiber of his being. He thinks in shades of colors most people don't know exist, and he loves Lucia more than he loves his own life in every single existence, but this time something has gone seriously wrong.

And the wrongness was only the beginning

Leo is essentially a very good boyfriend, husband, partner in eternal existence; but circumstance has kind of made him something of a control freak. That's not really a character flaw, in his case it's not who he is, but what has been done to him. Leo fights hard to put things back as the always have been, because that's what he knows. Only Lucia has put into motion things neither of them can really comprehend until it's too late. They are playing a game, and they have been since the very first lifetime.

In Pigments of My Imagination, to love, might be the only reason any of them are alive.

Get the book reviewers have said is unlike anything else, on sale for .99 THIS WEEKEND ONLY.

Better Together! Skeleton Lake & The Skeleton Song eBox Set SALE $1.88

People always want to know, what order to read Skeleton Lake and the prequel The Skeleton Song--hardcore fans of the series do not agree. I used to prefer them read in the order they were written, but I am no longer even sure of that.

But the best answer? The best answer is, they are best TOGETHER! Get both books and bonus content in sweet little eBox for the scary (in a good way) price of $1.88

Only need one or the other? Get Skeleton Lake here for .99. 

Get The Skeleton Song here for .99

Want to know more about The Hollows series in general? It's a dark YA Paranormal Romance.
Read about the book boyfriends in The Hollows series Book Boyfriends Month Post.

Have you read the books? Have you got them loaded up on a Kindle App somewhere? Let me know in the comments! There is maybe a really, really cool giveaway coming up for people who have reviewed the the book. No, it doesn't matter how long ago you did it either--years or days. Here is a teaser...

 Looking for the current giveaway? The 25,000 Twitter Follower Giveaway is on until 9/27 Midnight
You could win a Kindle Paperwhite, Custom Case, or tons of other prizes.

BOOK BOYFRIEND MONTH: The Boyfriends of Skeleton Lake (Raiden, Conrad, and Alex)

Skeleton Lake is on sale for .99, and Book Boyfriend month continues with the boys from The Hollows Series. Skeleton Lake is a dark YA paranormal romance. Yes, they are Skeletons. No, that's not gross. I assure you, it's probably not like you're thinking. There are many boys and men in Skeleton Lake--they're all husbands, boyfriends, or love interests; but I'm only going to talk about the three main boys today.

Looking for the Epic 25,000 Follower Giveaway? Click here.

Conrad is a broken heart wrapped in a bit of broken flesh. Some of his holes are obvious, some of them he was born with, and even more holes were caused by the repetitive wounding of those he is forced to live around. Conrad, unlike the other boys, was born at Skeleton Lake. As as a result, he lacks the ability to really exist in the normal human world. For Conrad being stubborn could be considered a positive attribute. Over-compensating is a way of life.

But it he does have some fantastic qualities too. Conrad is easily the most forgiving of all the boys at Skeleton Lake. Not that he can't hold a grudge right along with the rest of them, just that he lets go before everyone else. Even if he doesn't show it. Sometimes he's an ass because everyone expects him to be an ass. He is the best and worst sort of underdog, and I know many fangirls who have bled right along with him every time he's hurt.

Then there is Alex. Alex is Lena's boyfriend--soul mate--enough. Alex is a lot of people's favorites because he's like an amazing boyfriend when so many of the others fail miserably. He's not controlling and he doesn't need to be. Lena already gets the lifestyle and doesn't struggle against it like Marlow does, and like Cassie did before her. Alex is totally bossed around by a tiny blond and he is really, really, alright with that. Alex is supportive, sensible, and totally swoon worthy. He's a good friend, a good person, but he's totally going to hell. Nothing, I did not say that.

Lastly.... well... OK, I don't even know how to talk about Raiden without divulging major plot points. The thing is, Raiden is just as broken as Conrad but people pretend he isn't. Which is hard for him. He doesn't like being pitied, but no one really has any idea what to do with him. When Marlow is--dropped--into his life he's not ready for it and neither is anyone else. He really needs to grieve, but he's not really allowed to. He really needs space, when there is none to be found. Raiden doesn't have obvious holes--he has fault lines a mile wide and getting deeper by the day. I think the key to understanding Raiden is understanding how people grieve. Also, Raiden is the blond one.

I recently had someone write in a review say they didn't even know what the characters looked like. I thought that was kind of sad because it's there, It might not be together in one neat block of text--conveniently laid out in front of a mirror to make it easy on you--but if you will look there is far more than eye and hair color, more than angles and lips.

But the lips are kind of important.

Want more of the Skeletons? You can Also get the prequel to Skeleton Lake--the reason Raiden was broken to begin with--The Skeleton Song, on sale for .99 as well. OR get both books in a ebox set for $1.88 on Kindle

25,000 TWITTER FOLLOWER GIVEAWAY

Why say anything? This is my EPIC 25,000 Twitter Follower Giveaway. I could ramble on, and cry or something--but you're awesome, let's party!
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Subscribe to my mailing mailing list (you can still score that entry if you're already on it)

Twitter Themed Weekend Giveaway!

I have been running some strange giveaways as of late... and it's not getting any less weird here on Angela Kulig DOT COM.

SHAKESPEARE NEVER TWEETED A SONNET

This weekend, as a but of a prequel to my upcoming 25,000 EPIC TWITTER FOLLOWER giveaway, I am going to have a couple of people win some awesome TWITTER THEMED notebooks.

Shakespeare never tweeted a sonnet, but he never wore deoderent either. Invention is good. Embrace the Twitterverse for your chance to win!


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M Patterson won my last giveaway. His favorite part was the GIANT highlighter... My favorite part was the sound machine...because what author/freak doesn't want to give themselves a round of applause?

I Still Sleep with the Light On

I still sleep with the light on. NO, it's not a metaphor.

It's not the dark that scares me. The blackness on the underside of my eyelids is worse than a moonless Halloween night an infinitely longer. What I'm afraid of is something much, much, worse. Because what I'm afraid of, is myself--what I might think up in the emptiness of a night with out the sun, or stars, or light bulbs. 

Spoiler Alert! I'm not exactly normal. Normal people don't write books about skeletons. Beautiful but horrible creatures. Sometimes they are nothing more than bags of brightly cover bones, all held together with bits of weak and stringy flesh. 

Or something. 

These are those books. These are my fears in blood and ink.

Normal people, don't write horror, thriller, paranormal--weird books for Christmas, or anytime.

Even when you think I have written a normal book--you should probably know, I don't write normal books. So, fair warning for all my  other books that aren't listed here. Just because they aren't about skeletons, doesn't mean they aren't about skeletons. 

Normal isn't breathing the life into villains with every bump in the night. Normal isn't terrible claws in darkened corners. Normal is never going to be me--but I wouldn't have much of a career if I was normal and I am totally OK with that.

This is one of those things you never think you will admit on the internet...where it will live forever and ever. But I had been thinking about for the passed couple of nights when I was sleeping alone and then last night...last night I sat in front of an open graphics editor and made the sign. The sign that says, I am not afraid of the dark. 

A lie that is very much the truth.

My Weekend is BOOKED!

Last weekend was the 3 Day Novel Contest, and I have not stopped since then. I was seriously looking forward to vegging out this weekend, I planned to read a book or three. I planned to go bra-less and eat sushi for breakfast. I planned a fabulous--low stress--stay-cation for myself. One that involved the minions being watched by their father so I could recover the good old fashioned way, with lots of ice cream.

But of course, the universe ate my soul! The Air Force is taking sexy pants away from me for a week so I suppose my weekend is booked in a different way.

And since I have to put on a bra, I guess I can write a few words. Still, I'm curious.

Let's say, the stars aligned and you could spend a whole weekend reading however, wherever, you want. A cafe' in Paris, a springtime river bank, BED? Where would it be?

For me there would be plush chase lounges, incense, candles, plus absolute quiet. I don't get enough of that these days.

September is BOOK BOYFRIEND MONTH!

Let's get real about fictional romance for a minute.

What are the kind's of guys girls like in books? There is a spectrum I think. Good boys, bad boys, but far fewer in between. The boys from my books tend to send the meter reeling back and forth. That's because I tend to write about people with massive character flaws.

But trust me, that's not a choice.

My characters come to me full formed, flaws more vivid that clothes. Having flaws, doesn't mean they are bad people--though some of them are--having flaws makes them more real. I don't like book boyfriends that are too perfect. Perfection doesn't exist in people, not really. So it shouldn't exist in fiction because fiction mirrors real life.

Many people have checked out the the excerpts for my upcoming New Adult Romance 23 1/2 Hours to Live--which is awesome. Jack Claret has been my absolute all time favorite book boyfriend to write about. His books aren't supernatural, or paranormal, his situations could happen to any of us (if we were so lucky!) and that I think makes him the most real. He's so fun, and he's also a writer--and most of us are insane. Jack Claret is not an exception to this rule, and I can't wait until you can read every single one of his flaws.

If you haven't Excerpt One is here: http://bit.ly/1oT6bof
Excerpt Two is here: http://bit.ly/1AOj5GR

In honor of Jack Claret, and 23 1/2 Hours to Live coming out at the end of the month--September is Book Boyfriend month here on angelakulig.com. Stay tuned for awesome posts about every book boyfriend I have written--and some I haven't.

And seriously? Who is your fave book boyfriend? I'm curious!

Vote for SNAPSHOTS in Cover Wars!

Angela is letting me commandeer her blog today, for which I am very grateful. It is the utmost importance that I get the word out. The very fate of the universe hangs in the balance!

...Okay, the fate of the universe doesn't hang in the balance, at least, not for most of the world. It does, however, for my book, Snapshots, which is competing in not one, but two cover wars. And Cyclop, the main character of the story, needs YOUR vote. I mean, just look at the cover!

Isn't it gorgeous? Or creepy if you back up and look from afar, but trust me, that's the point. Cyc isn't your average guy after all.

Also, is that a tear in the corner of Cyc's eye? Is he sad you're considering not voting for him? Has he foreseen it in your future? QUICK! There is no time to waste, go vote for him. Only you can change the future. His fate is in your hands.

Voting at Author Shouts ends Saturday. If Cyc wins, then he competes again. (Also, if you don't see the images, AdBlock is blocking them and you have to allow ads for that page.)

Over at Page Curl, the first round of voting ends Saturday. Don't let Cyc be eliminated in the first round! Think of the tear in his eye. Don't make him cry, he'll be embarrassed (gang members don't cry.) In fact, if you want to make him happy, why not pop over to Amazon and buy Snapshots for less than a buck. Of on Nook if that's your poison.

**Angela Here! There are some great book covers in the coverwar--sadly there are also some really bad ones. Friends don't let awful book covers win! Pick a pretty awesome one! Snapshots looks great!***

Labor Day #EBOOK Sale. All My Books .99

I am in day one of the Three Day Novel Contest, which I will tell you all about later. I just want to let you know all my books on Amazon are just .99. Even the box set! A Huge Impromptu sale for my best fans, while I am on the verge of ODing on Red Bull... or something.

Ebooks really are the cheapest thrills you can get!

Skeleton Lake + The Skeleton Song Box Set

What other THINGS are like Skeleton Lake? I use Fan-Answers! Check it out, and score your copy for just .99 TODAY!

People always want to know, what other books are like Skeleton Lake. My answer is always, there aren't any--well besides the prequel The Skeleton Song. Reviewers have overwhelming replied that Skeleton Lake is like nothing else out there. I pride myself on the level of insanity that has spawned not one, but multiple, totally original series, however, I realized people weren't asking to be critical. They want to know whether or not they are going to like the damn book. 

Yeah, I am totally cool with being totally crazy.

Since Skeleton Lake is Featured on Kindle Books and Tips today for just .99, I thought I'd list the top five things Skeleton Lake is compared to.




5. Edgar Allan Poe 

By a route obscure and lonely,
Haunted by ill angels only,
Where an Eidolon, named NIGHT,
On a black throne reigns upright,
I have reached these lands but newly
From an ultimate dim Thule-
From a wild clime that lieth, sublime,
Out of SPACE- out of TIME.

                                        --DREAMLAND Edgar Allan Poe

I can see Edgar Allan Poe in the seams of Skeleton Lake sometimes. The Hollows series is very lyrical very poetic. It's also dark and whimsical. Though Skeleton Lake is a Paranormal Romance it does, on occasion, produce that spark of insanity that appears always, somewhere, always lurking in Poe's work. I see that often in my own writing. Even in some places where you wouldn't expect. 

In the night, weeds like taloned hands reach at the road like needles looking deep for veins. Never will they reach them, but somehow never beaten all the way back. The small wisp of moon gives no light that our headlights can't block out. The sky is only as dark as the asphalt that lays before us, cracked and wrinkled is the skin we can't seem the shed. Stars that should fill the sky like specks of dust in the dark underside of things seem not to exist--and in the late hour it seems as though I have forgotten what they look like; standing both alone in their own light, and together in thick cluster families in the sky.

                                         --Dust of the Dead Sea

                               the upcoming Skeleton Lake Sequel 

4.Tim Burton's Animated Films

People are always throwing around comparisons to The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Corpse Bride, around, and lets be honest--that makes my inner fangirl want to barf and then faint. 

Then it makes me want to burst into song! Who wouldn't want to be compared to Tim Burton?

Despite the fact that Jack Skellington and the Skeletons in Skeleton lake are very different kinds of Skeletons. The fact that they are both Skeletons makes people link them instantaneously. 

Whew, I don't think I have ever used the word Skeleton so much in one block of text!

3.The Forest of Hands and Teeth

One of my favorite zombie novels of all time! It's beautiful and lyrical at times. It's also a book in which the setting is also a character in the story. In Skeleton Lake, the location is as much a member of the cast as the voice of the story is. But in the Carrie Ryan novel, the Forest isn't really alive or dead--but the lake in Skeleton Lake? Well I guess we'll have to see how the story ends.

2. Tim Burton's Live Action Films

To me the comparison to films like Beatlejuice and Edward Scissor Hands is obvious, but that's because I know so much more about the world of The Hollows Series than is currently in the books. However, I know people are basing their thoughts off the fact that you have these totally OUT THERE creatures coming to upset what is otherwise a normal existence.

1. Donnie Darko

I have had positive reviews and negative reviews claiming Skeleton Lake is destined to be a cult classic like Donnie Darko.

I'll just let that one hang.

Skeleton Lake is just .99 on Kindle for a VERY limited time. 

Want to live in the world of Skeletons? You can get the prequel to Skeleton Lake The Skeleton Song here . Fans disagree which book should be read first, I think they are best together.

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23 1/2 Hours to Live Excerpt 2

So I am trying really hard not to post blogs at 11:59 PM when most people would miss them. That's why this is late. But I am SUPER stoked for you guys to read chapter 2 of 23 1/2 Hours to Live. If you missed chapter one you can find it clicking here.

Don't forget to enter the awesome giveaway, and tell your friends!

And we were back to him telling me I had a nice rack… that’s what it felt like, anyway. How could a guy with such pretty thoughts and words deliver the absolute worst pickup line I had ever heard? Not that I had heard many pickup lines.

His ability to spew that comedic crap, with such a sincere face, made me wish I felt sick. I had serious reasons to doubt my willpower—there was a point in my life where I thought eating gallons of ice cream was a great idea. Worse, my willpower around good-looking guys was wildly untested.

Don’t ask me again. All I needed was to be his number thirty-four, or sixty-seven—or hell, two hundred and twenty-three. What was this guy doing in my bookstore?

“Um,” I stuttered, then I stalled. “Was there something else I could help you with?”

Lord, I hoped that didn’t sound as dirty as it did in my head. The edge to my voice said my mental state was somewhere between Warning! The edge of the cliff is near and Panic! Too late to turn back. But I pressed on. Where had the Kaylee with the calm voice gone? I wanted to scream, dance, shout, do something, but I could think of nothing besides the anger boiling under my skin.

The dude with two last names sauntered over to me, and he had total girl hips. But seriously, who saunters? Only whores and bad boys, in equally bad romance novels. In this case, he was probably both.

“I already told you what I want,” he said, cocking his stupid lady-like hips. Perfect pose for a cocky bastard.

Sure, he told me what he wanted. The G-rated version of it. He also told me he’d be dead tomorrow—and since he didn’t look like he was on his deathbed, one could only assume he was full of shit. I opened my mouth to tell him my suspicions about the content of his character, but he cut me off. I really wished he’d shut up; words were far more dangerous than fists, after all.

“But since you’re not interested,” he says to every pile of books in the space—but not me—he went to great lengths with his eyes to avoid mine, staring all the way back to the aisle of 1980’s cookbooks—”Got any Jack Claret novels?”

The guy made no sense, whatsoever.

“Of—of course," I stammered. "Those would be the kind of books someone like you would want to read…”

“Of course?” He asked, amused. Still, his eyes didn’t smile like his lying lips. Maybe it was hard to keep up the total jerk life. Maybe it was getting to him, being pretentious to people like me wherever he went. Maybe I was trying too hard to paint him as the perfect book boyfriend.

“We have every book he’s ever written, except for Dakota, because that’s the only book of his I’ll rec to friends.” Friends don’t let friends read stupid Jack Claret novels.

Suddenly the crooked stacks of 1970’s National Geographics were way more interesting than my internal monologue. First time for everything. Thinking about stupid Jack Claret made my mind shut down to protect itself. Blue screen. Something has gone terribly wrong. Pop up. Warning. Do not even go there, girlfriend.

“Dakota fan, huh?” he asked, making me flinch. “Couldn’t waste all that cute fangirl love on Greene?”

Deep. Breath. In. Have I mentioned that I really hate when people tease me about books? Especially pretty people.

Deep. Breath. In. Speak. “Dakota is the only one of Claret’s novels worth a damn. It can make you love enough to want to bleed when it’s over. It can make you want to live only long enough to die. But he must have lost his fucking mind after that, because the rest of his crap is all commercial garbage slapped together for pretentious pricks like you.”

For milliseconds, Jackson Bennett looked as though I had slapped him. My triumph, however, died before it could get to my head. Jackson looked like I had slapped him, but he also seemed to like it.

“You like Dakota—you’re not just—you’re serious! But it doesn’t even have an ending!” His arms went up, flailing as he spoke.

I wasn’t watching, I was thinking about the book. So Dakota didn’t end with a well-organized bow. Jackson didn’t exactly scream happily ever after, and predictability was for teenagers who read about emo werewolves who are shockingly devoid of facial and chest hair as they stand half-naked on their book covers. Jackson reminded me more of ripped-off butterfly wings than dying of old age. Really, what was his deal?

“You know why it doesn’t have an ending, Kaylee? Because Jack Claret doesn’t just write books—he is one..

The heat kicked on with a thud and a whir—mechanical, like the iron lung I was about to need. Stupid Jackson might be every book-loving girl’s wet dream come to life, but he seriously needed a warning label. Danger! Fire! Run away! Three hundred and forty-seven!

That snapped me out of it.

“Now,” Jackson said—and he was so close I could see every pore in his almost perfect nose, “ask me how I know.”

As near as he was, I could have smelled his soap—or eau de douche cologne, like the guys wore too much of at the clubs downtown—but Jackson didn’t smell like those things. He smelled like ink.

“It’s not a secret. Everyone thinks Claret is an—”

Jackson flinched. It was really obvious because he was all up in my personal space.

“Not think, Kaylee! Know. Ask me how I know Jack Claret is an absolute asshole.”

I glanced down, watching Jackson clench and unclench his fists. His knuckles turned white, but the sides of his fingertips were stained red like mine were stained blue. Colored by smeared, hurried writing.

“How do you know?” I asked. I didn’t have to fake the curiosity. It was there, as real as the towers of books that encased us. My heart no longer needed to be reminded to beat. It was fluttering into warp drive, or the angry percussion of speed metal. I got the feeling I was about to be let in on juicy, plot-worthy gossip.

But the A-hole shut the book in my face.

“I’m not going to tell you until you kiss me.”

I could still say no. It was in my power. So was turning off the light after reading one more chapter. Just because I could doesn’t mean I would. Even if I knew I’d regret it in the morning.

Besides, every guy I had dated wound up being a jerk. At least I knew Jackson was one to begin with. The idea was kind of freeing, and kind of really, really hot. A kiss with a super sexy guy and gossip about my least favorite guy in publishing? No messy attachments? It sounded amazing…

Unless he was lying, but even then he was still hot. Super hot.

You never realize how tall a guy is, until you are leaning in to kiss him and have to stretch up and up. My bare feet were not doing me any favors. My legs—still warm—brushed against his denim-clad ones, as Jackson bent down to meet me.

The kiss was just light enough not to draw blood, and just firm enough for me to realize this had been a terrible, no good, awful idea. Jackson moved one hand to push the tendrils of sweat soaked hair off my neck. I couldn’t be embarrassed. I couldn’t even breathe. For the rest of my life, I’d dream of his smell and this kiss. It wasn’t fair. Every love interest I’d attempt to pen for the rest of my life would pale in comparison to my idea of him. I’d never be able to write another word again. I hated Jackson Bennett for it, but I still wouldn’t stop kissing him.

You wouldn’t have either.

I didn’t need to pull away, though. He did. Killjoy. I’m sure I sighed, or did something equally embarrassing. I didn’t have time to over-analyze what I did or did not do, however, because Jackson—with his lips swollen from our kiss—or pride at getting his way—rested his cheek against my temple. Probably just to relish in the frantic pace of the blood through my veins. Or to drive me crazy with nothing but breathing out. He also did it to tell me exactly what I wanted to know, but I had forgotten.

“I know Jack Claret is a pretentious asshole because…”

More breathing out. More brain cells I would never get back.

“Because I’m him.”

Whoa, his lips were way better for kissing than telling lies.

“Get out,” I said.

“No,” he breathed out again, but now I just wanted to hit him, “really.”

“No,” I mocked—because the witty part of my tongue was still only getting static from my brain, “Really.” I pleaded, shoving him toward the door and away from me. Forever, I hoped.

I had to give it to the guy. He was way more original than I gave him credit for. He probably told girls he picked up in clubs that he was the DJ. He probably told the girls he picked up at the mall that he was Versace. Those were the kinds of girls that would fall for it.

But he knew a lot about books. Maybe he normally picked up girls in Barnes & Noble.

“You are so full of crap,” I added for good measure. It didn’t make me feel better, though, and it didn’t seem to detour Jackson in the slightest.

“What will convince you?” He whirled back toward me again. I looked back at the clock by the register, willing it to be closing time. Jackson Bennett and I would probably better off with a locked door and a wall of iron bars between us. Alas, the stars and the clock were never in my favor. Twenty more minutes.

“I know!” He snapped his fingers. “Look at this!” He pressed something cold and slick to my face.

“A SighPhone," I grumbled, still unable to come up with anything remotely witty. "So what? You and a million other conformists have one. That just proves you're a tool—not that you’re a famous one.”

Jackson laughed. He thought I was hilarious. I didn’t feel funny. Just too tired to stand up.

“But do you know who this is?” He asked, indicating whatever was on his screen. Against my better judgment, I looked. I had to. It was a contact from his address book, for a Harold Silverman. Harold Silverman. I had attended three of his Webinars.

I tried to swallow, but I couldn’t make my throat work. I had written twenty-seven query letters for Harold Silverman, and deleted every single one of them without hitting send. For you non-writer types out there, query letters are what a writer does when they decide that they are really, really, into pain and punishment—and want people of power to crush their dreams and cut their souls.

Harold Silverman wasn’t just a crazy hot literary agent in New York City, he was like the agent. The guy on the top all the dream sheets, the guy lusted after by losers like me. He represented some of the top writing talent out there. Including stupid Jack Claret.

“Fine,” I admitted. “You’ve done your research, but that number could belong to anyone.”

His finger slid across the screen.

“Speakerphone,” he told me, but the phone didn’t ring. It went right to voice mail.

“You’ve reached the private line of Harold Silverman. I’m off getting the doctor recommended eight hours—but if I gave you this number I would probably be inclined to call you back. In the morning. Oh, and if this is Jack…” The man’s voice changed suddenly, “Jackson, for Christ's sake, don’t do anything drastic. Not without talking to me first, and Jackson don’t hang up without—”

Oh. My. GOD.

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