Archon Paperback Now Available!

Ah, November 6, a momentous day for both the United States and little old Sabrina.  Today our country gets a new president, and I as a happy author get to see a new edition of Archon go up for sale.  Look for a much overdue glossary in the back of Archon's paperback edition, as well as those optimistic ending words: To Be Continued.  Also, check out the new low price at these fine online retailers:

http://www.amazon.com/Archon-Books-Raziel-Sabrina-Benulis/dp/0062116908/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352212666&sr=1-1&keywords=Archon+Sabrina+Benulis

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/archon-sabrina-benulis/1104158559

http://www.indiebound.org/book/9780062116901

http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Archon/Sabrina-Benulis/9780062116901

http://www.bookdepository.com/Archon-Sabrina-Benulis/9780062116901

Happy reading! :-)

Author Interview at Fantasy Books Blog

This particular blog author interview comes courtesy of a reader named Sabrina (no I am not joking or making that up haha) who much like my previous blog interviewer is also from Romania.  The interview itself is in Romanian, but thanks to the magic of Google Translate, you shouldn't have any difficulty copying and pasting if you are interested.  :-)

Find it here at: http://www.justfantasybooksadis.blogspot.ro/2012/10/interviu-cu-sabrina-benulis-archon.html .

Okay, the translation isn't perfect, but you get the gist of things, right?  >_<

Email me if you need solid clarification.

Only a few days till the Archon paperback goes on sale and I am hard at work on the second book.  Because, you see, us authors are always horrendously hard at work . . .

Author Interview at I Eat The Books Blog

My latest interview comes courtesy of a generous book blogger all the way in Romania!  Check it out if you're interested in what fantasy creature I would actually like to be if I had a choice, my current passion other than writing, and of course, the ultimate advice for any would-be writer or author. 

Here's the link at: http://ieatthebooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/interview-sabrina-benulis-author-of.html?spref=tw

In other news, the countdown to the Archon paperback has begun.  About a month or so to go. :-)

Finally-Revisions On Covenant Begin!

At long last I have received the editorial notes for Book #2 in The Books of Raziel series! 

How do things look?  Well, to sum everything up, I have a lot of work to do.  That isn't too surprising--many authors have to work long and hard on the second book of a series to get it right.  But I hope my fans can be patient, because I will be doing my best to make the story as enthralling as I can.

That being said, I would like to open up this post to any fans with opinions out there.  I would love to hear what characters you are most looking forward to seeing again, and also where you think the story might be headed.

I can't make any promises that is how the story will ultimately turn out, but it's always nifty to jump into a reader's head.

So feel free to post or message me if you have any fun comments/thoughts.

I'll update again soon, especially considering that the paperback for Archon is coming out on November 6, 2012, and I am hoping to do at least one or two giveaways in celebration. :-)

And now . . . I've got to put my nose back to the grindstone . . .

Status of The Books of Raziel, Book #2

Okay everyone--I'm going to admit that waiting sucks.

I have been getting questions from various people about when Book #2 will be released, etc.  So I'm going to tell you what I know right now.

Here's the skinny on what's going down over at HarperCollins: I have line edits for Covenant.  Unfortunately, I still do not have the editorial notes.  Without them, I can't revise the book.  And so I wait, and wait, and wait. And in the meantime I keep myself busy, because just sitting there and waiting would be plain dumb, right?

The publication date right now is June of 2013, though this could change.  Believe me, I was hoping for sooner rather than later, but we authors have no say over release dates.  >_>   So I hope you can all be patient with me, everyone!  I am doing my best for us all.  Honestly, it kills me because I love Book # 2 and I know you will too.  But, hey, such is life.

Be assured, however, that I will keep everyone updated when I am updated.

In the meantime, Archon will be released in paperback on November 6 of 2012, which is an amazing milestone for any author.  The content remains the same, although I was able to include a helpful glossary this time--something I had hoped for with the hardcover.  Also, the final words at the end of the paperback now say, "To Be Continued" if only because I never realized how many people read Archon and thought it was both the beginning and end of the story.  Far from it! Stupid me, I know . . . O_O

Anyway, if anyone else has any questions for me, feel free to contact me here, or through email, FB, Twitter, etc.  I'll make sure to get back to you ASAP.

Fairies were angels?

Well, at least that's one theory of where fairies come from. 

In Archon, Tileaf the oak fairy is a fallen angel who, along with other angels in the past who thought similarly, decided to live on Earth in symbiosis with nature rather than in the false peace of Heaven. (Don't worry, kiddos.  This isn't really a spoiler, per say).

Many people have been asking me about this idea and where I got it from, and unfortunately there are a few people who became confused by it--perhaps because it is a concept that isn't used often in fantasy novels.  But the nerdy angel/fairy scholar that I am, I had to use it.  It just fit perfectly with the book.

Don't believe me that it's a legitimate "theory"?  Here's a snippet from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy#Demoted_angels:

Demoted angels
A third belief held that they were a class of "demoted" angels.^[22] One popular story held that when the angels revolted, God ordered the gates shut; those still in heaven remained angels, those in hell became devils, and those caught in between became fairies.^[23] Others held that they had been thrown out of heaven, not being good enough, but they were not evil enough for hell.^[24] This may explain the tradition that they had to pay a "teind" or tithe to Hell. As fallen angels, though not quite devils, they could be seen as subject of the Devil.^[25] For a similar concept in Persian mythology, see Peri.

Fascinating, right?

So the opposition to this idea --rare that it might be--is rather strange.  I don't often take the time to address misconceptions about Archon, but this one was so odd, I couldn't really help it.

Well, in either case, I think it would make an excellent spin-off story.  Do you think that fairies being linked to angels is unusual? 

Or have we all become a little too used to what fairies are and aren't supposed to be?

So where did the term "Blood Head" come from anyway?

Find out in my latest interview about Archon with blog owner Dana Wright at her blog Zombie Girl Shambling:

http://zombiegirlshambling.blogspot.com/2012/06/archon-by-sabrina-benulis-interview.html .  Dana not only gave Archon a great review, but she also asked me some questions that were truly unique.  I guarantee that reading this will clear up a few misconceptions, give you some fascinating answers, and even provide a tiny sneak peek at what to expect in Book 2!

 

Also, I received my first piece of official fanart a week ago! I'll be putting an awesome drawing of Troy up on my website asap.

 

If there are any other fans out there who enjoyed Archon and also like making fanart, I'd love to see what you can do. ;-)

 

Great Review from Newspaper in Malaysia!

Archon just received a great review from a newspaper in Malaysia.  Check it out here at: http://www.thesundaily.my/news/389068

This is mind-blowing for me as it is finally hitting me just how far this book is traveling. 

Amazing stuff.  

Also, I am currently remodeling my kitchen and am knee-deep in piles of stress.  Who would have thought that choosing backsplash tile would be such a grueling process?  Better Homes & Gardens made it look easier than this . . . >_<

BAM Signing/Panel was great fun!

The panel/book signing event at the Books-a-Million in Harrisburg, PA was a lot of fun, and I'd once again like to thank the fans and attendees who showed up, as well as the authors who I met while I was there.  Here's a picture from the event:

I'm the middle with the bright blue shirt.  To my left in the yellow jacket is romance author Gwyn Cready, historical fiction author Mitchell J. Kaplan, and author Meredith Mileti.  To my right is fantasy author Maria V. Snyder and romance/literary fiction/horror author Megan Hart.

I already knew Maria from Seton Hill University, but meeting everyone else was very nice.  I had actually seen one of Megan Hart's books in my local Weis grocery store and (except for already knowing Maria who is a bestselling author) felt like I was in the presence of a celebrity. :-)  Funny how we authors gauge our current fame based on K-mart, Wal-mart, and food chains. If you'd made it there, you know you're doing good.

Cute little factoid, the booksellers at the store chose balloon colors for each of us based on our books covers.  That I got balloons in black, red, and white should be no surprise!

Well anyway, as for right now, I am waiting for editorial notes for Book 2, as well as beginning another super secret project no one will be able to guess.

And I mean no one. *grin*

Group Author Book Signing/Panel Event April 28!

A reminder that I will be participating in a group booksigning and discussion panel event sponsored by Women Read Women Write at the Books-a-Million in Harrisburg, PA from 12:30 to 3:30 pm.  Along with myself will be authors Maria V. Snyder, Meredith Mileti, Gwyn Cready, Mitchell J. Kaplan, and Megan Hart!  The panels are "Breaking into Publishing" at 1:00 pm, and "The Changing Heroine" at 2:30 pm.

Should be a great time! :-D

Parade of Cute: Easter Special

Okay, yeah, I'll get back to the serious writing stuff soon. Promise.
But in the meantime, there's every reason to celebrate Easter with--you guessed it--a few insanely cute bunny pictures.

First, the perennial classic:

And if you're not into carbs, there's always cellulose:

Or for the people who are just obssessed with yarn:

And last, but not least, and just because I can:

 

Happy Easter!

Parade of Cute: Episode One

Found this on random Google image search.  There should be penalties for this kind of cute:

Cockatiels rule, folks. They also secretly plan world domination.

I own one, so yeah, I should know.

BAM Signing at Harrisburg, PA

The booksigning at the Books-a-Million store in Harrisburg, PA was a success!  It's tough when you're a debut author and nobody knows who you are--but a lot of people were interested in Archon, and it was a great feeling! Typically, at a signing you get your own little table at the front of the store where you can sit and greet people who come in.  Until you get the hang of it, trust me, it's nerve-wracking! This is me, sitting, hoping for the best!

And lucky me, my friend from Seton Hill, Maria V. Snyder also showed up to get her copy of my book signed! Maria is the bestselling author of the Study Series (Poison Study, Magic Study, and Fire Study), so I was thrilled.  She's a great writer, btw.  I picked up a copy of her YA two-part novel series Inside Out, and Outside In, and she was nice enough to sign a book for me while I signed one for her. >_<

And of course, there was the bookselling staff at the store, who were awesome!  Thanks to Kat, Ash, and Jennifer for a great time!

I can only hope all my future events go as well as this one!  It can be a scary for a new novelist, because frankly, as I said most people don't know you, and I've heard from many sources that to sell even 1 book is considered good.  Luckily, I definately sold more than one!

And it was a gorgeous day, too.  All that warm spring air and sunshine--I think people who walked into the store were as cheerful as I was that day. :-D

Enchanted Inkpot Blog Interview

Curious about Archon's androgynous angels, mythological influences, and unique POVs?  Well, this is the link to check out if you want official author explanations: http://enchantedinkpot.blogspot.com/2012/03/interview-with-sabrina-benulis-author.html .  This was a great interview because it went really indepth, and there's no better word on a book than the author's.

Suspense Magazine Radio Interview

Suspense Magazine gave Archon a great review, calling me a "force to be reckoned with." I'm so flattered!
They also invited me to share some insights about Archon on their radio blog show.  Here's the link if you want to check it out. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/suspensemagazine/2012/03/03/kira-peikoff-sabrina-benulis-and-thomas-perry  I'm the second author to talk--and feel free to let me know how silly I might sound. >_<

I can't say I wasn't nervous.

Tulsa Examiner Interview Part II

Here is a link to part two of my indepth interview with the Tulsa Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/books-in-tulsa/interview-with-sabrina-benulis-author-of-archon-part-2 .   I really like doing interviews because you always have a chance as an author to not only talk about your work from a personal level, but to clear up any wierd misconceptions about your writing as well.  It's always nice to be able to add your own voice to the churning sea of popular opinion.

Tulsa Examiner Interview

The Tulsa Examiner gave Archon a great review http://www.examiner.com/books-in-tulsa/review-of-archon-by-sabrina-benulis-review, but they still wanted a little more information about me as an author, and about my inspirations, so here is part one of a two part interview that's probably interesting for not only fans, but for anyone interested in the creative process of an author.  http://www.examiner.com/books-in-tulsa/interview-with-sabrina-benulis-author-of-archon  

Did I mention you also get a tiny sneak peek of what might be in Book 2?

To celebrate good reviews in general, I have added another member to my miniature pony collection:

She also comes with a minature wagon that tugs along a parrot friend.  How utterly perfect.

Giveaway and Guest Interview!

Yes, you can win an absolutely free hardcover copy of ARCHON!  Check out author Maria Snyder's blog at http://officialmariavsnyder.blogspot.com/2012/02/author-q-contest-with-sabrina-benulis.html and comment on my interview with her to automatically be entered into the contest!

You would most likely know Maria as the author of the bestselling Study Series, aka Poison Study, Magic Study, and Fire Study.  She also has two other book series out--one of them YA--and a new novel called Touch of Power with some great reviews!

Happy reading, and good luck! :-)

Interview with Wilkes University

Ah, my alma mater . . .

Honestly, Wilkes was where it all began for me.  About seven years ago I took a Creative Writing class that changed the direction of my future, and about six years ago The Books of Raziel series began to take shape. 

Anyway, check out this awesome indepth interview for my thoughts on Archon, Twilight, and a lot of other stuff:
http://www.thewilkesbeacon.com/arts-entertainment/2012/02/07/supernatural-forces-collide-in-wilkes-alums-dark-debut-novel/

You won't regret it if you're interested in what you can expect from Archon--and perhaps the future of fantasy publishing in general.

Road to Publication Interview!

This is a nice addition to my Road to Publication Mini-series (which by the way will be updated with a new post quite soon).  But anyway, if you are curious about little details of my own personal journey to becoming an author, check out this fun interview here: http://carmenferreiroesteban.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/my-road-to-publication-sabrina-benulis/#comment-479

There is also a link at the bottom of the page to a great review of ARCHON.

As an aside, I am currently watching a horror/mystery anime called Another

which so far has been quite intriguing.  You can find it streaming on http://www.crunchyroll.com/.  The interesting thing is that I notice parallels to the development of this particular show and ARCHON.  Both start out slowly but with an effective and creepy atmosphere.  What I find even more interesting is how few fantasy/horror books take the mystery approach.

Anyway, I'll have to continue watching this series to make a definitive judgment on it, but I'll warn you, they don't shy away from some real scares. >_<

Local Newspaper Article

Here is a link to a local newspaper article that follows up on a story they printed about ARCHON almost exactly one year from today.  It's short, but rather exciting to read, as it really gets the idea across of what the book is about and why it is so different.  Here's the tasty link: http://www.timesleader.com/features/A_world_of_angels_and_demons_permeates_author_rsquo_s_first_book_01-29-2012.html?pageType=mobile&id=4

This is also a little off topic, but I truly, desperately wish I was here:

Don't you?

Television Interview on PA Live

PA Live, a show that airs live daily on Pennsylvania's WBRE news station, interviewed me this afternoon about ARCHON, giving me a chance to chat up my book and get people excited about the signing to follow tomorrow.  I really enjoyed this a lot! 
Check it out here at: http://pahomepage.com/palive-details?nxd_id=222732
A lot of people asked if I was nervous about the interview. Of course I was!
I'm just a master of disguise . . .  >_>

The Italian Edition is Here!

Newton Compton publishing house in Italy has released their translated version of Archon, re-titled The Immortal Love: The Secret Book of the Archangel.  I found it very interesting that they decided to keep the American version of the cover, but from what I can gather, the illustration has a lot of fans overseas already.  I can only hope they feel the same way about the book.

If you are curious, check it out at Newton Compton's website for Archon: http://blog.newtoncompton.com/l-amore-immortale/

And make sure to use that oh-so-handy Google translator!

The Road to Publication Part III: To Self-Publish or not to Self-Publish?

That's the big question these days, and while five years ago I would have said unequivocally to go the tradtional publishing route, there are some amazing Kindle success stories out there that are changing the game in a big way.

You might be thinking at the moment: why isn't she talking about literary agents yet?

Patience, patience.

Yeah, if you're an aspiring author expect to cultivate a whole darned lot of it.  You will also feel much like this dog when you find out you need even MORE patience for your next round of book related agonies.
Ahem . . .
Anyway, it just makes sense to talk about the all-important self-publication decision next.  Because if you do decide to take that leap, forget getting the literary agent.  (At least until your book goes "viral").

Now, let's begin with the juicy bad stuff.  There are cons to self-publishing.  First and worst of all is that anyone can do it, even people who can't spell.  This automatically means a lot of people won't pay attention to your book because you're simply self-published and, heck, they're guessing you might not be able to spell either. Two, you are responsible for all the promotion and marketing of your book, even if you become pee-poor in this process.  That's right, this can mean practically selling yourself at bookstores, libraries, the local drug store, you name it, for what might be very little reward.  Three, unless your book attracts the reading public's notice in a huge way, most major publishing houses will not give that particular novel a second glance.  Used goods, they say, turning up their nose. And then there is good ol' number four: no editor for your book.

Oh, and that can be very bad.

Also, don't rely on those wild success stories.  Count on it when I say they are one a million.  Translation: you're not getting rich anytime fast.

Now what about the pros?
Well, first of all, I mentioned above that the rise of electronic publishing has changed the game.  True, most authors at least want the prestige that goes with a major publishing house taking their book under their wing.  Also, they would very much like the promotion, marketing, cover artists, and possibility of New York Times bestsellerdom that goes with it.

However, that also means a nice-sized portion of the sales of your book go right back to the publisher in return for all their faith and hard work.

Translation? Well, surprise, you might not get rich. (In fact it would be best for you not to consider yourself in the same league of luck as J.K. Rowling or Dan Brown anytime soon.)


You just can't win, can you?

  Now, in self-publishing all proceeds from the sale of your book go to you and no one else.  This has led to some very wild, recent success stories out there on the web.  Some authors contend they are making more money self-publishing than they ever did with an honest real publishing company.  Often, this is the case when an author has a few books that never sold "collecting dust" and they just say, "Oh, the heck with it.  Let's self-publish this unpublishable piece of fiction.  What can I possibly lose?"

And the answer is, absolutely nothing.  Geez, at least someone's going to read it.

Pro Number Two: You see, the official publishing industry is having a bit of a problem right now (and I talked about it in the last two posts of this series).  Suffice to say, the more they stagnate, the more even official authors must publish the new and the innovative as a cheap e-book on Amazon.

Another pro to self-publishing is that it's effectively an option for the depressed, and those who have lost faith in the book industry in general.

So self-publish, don't self-publish?

Here's my personal take on the matter, and feel free to argue if you don't find it logical:

My advice is to go the traditional publishing route and search for a literary agent.  Can't find an agent for your novel?  No problem--look for a smaller publishing house that doesn't need agented submissions.  Can't interest them either?  Well, NOW feel free to self-publish, and in the meantime write another book that will hopefuly propel you to author stardom. 

Because it always makes sense to work from the top down.  Honest.

I Told You It Wasn't Over! Blog Tour Pitstop

Probably one of the last stops on my little blog tour, this is a companion post to My Book the Movie.  This is Writers Read, and I got a chance to briefly talk about my current interests in the world of books.  That is--when I actually get time to read.

Check it out here at: http://whatarewritersreading.blogspot.com/2012/01/sabrina-benulis.html

Bigger Blog Tour Than I Thought!

Could this be it?  I'd bet not . . . >_<

This time I took part in another great interview, and it was pretty comprehensive!  For people who have questions about my novel and what makes it different, this is once again for you.

Check the interview out here at: http://scififanletter.blogspot.com/2012/01/author-interview-sabrina-benulis.html

There is also a great review of the book on the site as well.

Cheers!

Mini-Blog Tour Pitstop: My Book, the Movie

Had a fun opportunity to post about the grand dream of my book turning into a movie.  Maybe if I wish hard enough . . .
http://mybookthemovie.blogspot.com/2012/01/sabrina-benuliss-archon.html

In other news, I've heard rumors that Final Fantasy X (in my insignificant opinion one of the best video games ever-freaking made) is going to be re-released for the PS3 in HD.  If this new release ends up trapped in Japan, I just might rock back and forth in a corner, utterly inconsolable.

Or I might travel to Japan and drool at most of their cool merchandise I'll never have.

Wouldn't it be awesome to walk down the street like this--

--and nobody bats an eyelash?

By the way, change this girl's hair to a wig of fluffy chestnut curls and give her some gray-colored contacts and we have one of my characters from ARCHON named Sophia.

Oh, Tim Burton, where are you when I need you?

For Cover Lovers

Recently the artist who created the cover for my book very generously sent me the full illustration for display in all its gothic glory.  So for those of you in love with the cover, this is for you!!

I'm not sure how well this blog post will do it justice, but you can enlarge it at my Facebook fanpage where I also have it posted.  In its full length, the details are even better.  Now there is framing along the top, and you can really see the black mist around Angela's dress. 
Awesome!