Welcome to Smugglivus 2009 – Day 2!

Throughout this month, we will have daily guests – authors and bloggers alike – looking back at their favorite reads of 2009, and looking forward to events and upcoming books in 2010.

Who: Jackie Kessler, author of Urban Fantasy with two ongoing series: Hell on Earth with three books and three novellas published; and the Icarus Project, a superhero series written in collaboration with Caitlin Kittredge. Plus, a YA novel is in the works, to be released in 2010. She is also one of the Deadline Dames.

Recent Work: Black and White (an awesomely cool and fun book with superheroines!), the first book in the Icarus Project. Reviewed here by Ana.

Ladies and gentlemen: Jackie Kessler with her favorite reads of 2009, information about her 2010 releases and a giveaway:

Jackie:

Oh my goodness, I can’t believe 2009 is drawing to a close. There were so many terrific books I read this year — both new books and books that came out before 2009 but I finally got around to reading. (I know I’m probably leaving out a bunch of books, and I’ll slap myself upside the head when I remember what I’m leaving out.) In no particular order…

TURN COAT, Jim Butcher. Love, love, love me that Harry Dresden! I’m itching for the next — and pivotal — book in the series, CHANGES. Come on, 2010! Hurry up and get here!

THREE DAYS TO DEAD, Kelly Meding. I was fortunate enough to read this as a manuscript, and I was very proud to blurb it. Terrific urban fantasy debut!

SPEAK, Laurie Halse Anderson. Yes, I know this one’s been out for a while, but I finally read it, and I was blown away. Absolutely stunning, and extremely powerful.

TENTH GRADE BLEEDS, Heather Brewer. Who says that being a teenage boy vampire is all fun and games? Definitely not Vladimir Tod. Full disclosure: Heather is my critique partner. That being said…MAN, terrific book! The best in the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod to date…and I promise you that ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS is going to be even better.

THE STEPSISTER SCHEME and THE MERMAID’S MADNESS, Jim C. Hines. You don’t know fairy tales. You only think you do. Jim is brilliant.

The entire Cal Leandros series, Rob Thurman. God, I don’t know who I love more — Cal, Niko or Robin Goodfellow. Fabulous dark fantasy series. Bravo, Rob!

THE GATHERING STORM, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Major kudos to Brandon for taking up the mantle after James Oliver Rigney, Jr., (the esteemed Robert Jordan) passed away in 2007. This 12th volume in The Wheel of Time series brings some plots to a close and moves the overall story along very, very well.

CAPTAIN TRIPS — PART 1 of THE STAND, graphic novel edition. Normally, graphic novel renditions of novels leave me only lukewarm. But this rendition was as close to perfect as I could imagine it — updated for today’s world, beautifully depicted, artfully told…and freaking terrifying.

And now…coming in 2010, from yours truly:

Writing as Jackie Kessler:

1. “Hell’s Angel,” in the 28 DAYS OF HEART paranormal romance anthology (February 2010). This is a charity anthology from ARe, and all proceeds will go to the American Heart Association. As the novella title may suggest, my story is all about the angel called Angel from the HELL ON EARTH series. She’s horribly lonely, and outside the gates of Paradise she meets the one being who truly understands her pain. Yes, boys and girls…Angel pops her celestial cherry. Any guesses who the lucky lover is?

2. SHADES OF GRAY (coauthored with Caitlin Kittredge), from Ballantine Spectra (June 22, 2010). This is the second book in the ICARUS PROJECT series. It picks up right where BLACK AND WHITE left off: in the midst of chaos. Along with Jet and Iridium’s story, we get to see the previous generation: how their parents all met, and the devastating events that ended with betrayal, death, incarceration, and madness. I write in the POV of Jet, Angelica (Jet’s mom), Night and new character Garth McFarlaine; Caitlin writes in the POV of Iridium, Vixen (Iri’s mom), and Luster/Arclight.

3. “Hell Bound,” in the THOSE WHO FIGHT MONSTERS urban fantasy/mystery anthology, from Edge SF&F Publishing and edited by the amazing Justin Gustainis (fall 2010). Other confirmed authors include Rachel Caine, Lilith Saintcrow and Laura Anne Gilman. “Hell Bound” is a Jezebel story, which takes place before HELL’S BELLES and after “Hell Is Where the Heart Is” (in A RED HOT VALENTINE’S DAY). It’s not paranormal romance, but it is rather sexy. (Hell, it’s a Jezzie story — it has to be sexy!)

For those who have been asking about HELL TO PAY, the fourth book in the HELL ON EARTH series…please be patient. I promise to announce what’s happening with it ASAP.

Writing as Jackie Morse Kessler:

My debut YA novel, HUNGER, will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Graphia Books (August 11, 2010). This magical realism novel is about an anorexic teenage girl who becomes the new avatar of Famine, the Black Rider of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It’s a hard-hitting look at eating disorders, and a portion of proceeds will be donated to the National Eating Disorders Association. (I’m currently at work on the second book, RAGE (spring 2011), which is about a teenage girl who self-injures—and is chosen to be the next avatar of War.)

Thank you, Jackie!

Giveaway details

Jackie Kessler is generously offering one copy of Black and White to one lucky winner. The contest is open to EVERYONE and will run until Saturday, December 5 at 11:59pm (PST). To enter, simply leave a comment here. ONE entry per person, please! Duplicate and/or multiple entries will be disqualified. Good Luck!

Next on Smugglivus:  Melissa Marr