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We’ve reached the end of questions week, unless anyone wants to weigh in on Casear’s chicken-or-egg query, or tell Patrick the difference between a preface and a foreword? Like, officially? (I think it’s whatever you decide it is. I think prefaces are usually written by the author and forewords by the author OR someone else, but that’s merely anecdotal. Google was no help either.)
In the meantime, my buddy Andrew has started a crusade. I can’t wait to see how it turns out. Also, it shocks me every time I realize how groweds up he is. I still think of him as the college kid who needed a place to crash one Spring Break…
As a writer, you are subject to lots of reviews of your work. Some of them are negative, but you can see their point, and will secretly vow to do better next time. Some of them are negative, and you know the reader has caught the entirely wrong end of the stick and/or is taking crazy pills to get that interpretation, and you must powerfully resist the temptation to tell them so. (Pause, while I powerfully resist temptation to give examples.) Some reviews are positive, and those make you happy, even if you aren’t always sure what they so loved about the story was what you were getting at. These may make you wonder if you will accidentally repeat the effect in the next book you write, or if you are doomed to disappoint the reader through no fault of your own. But the best reviews for a writer to read are the ones where the reader gets it the way you do, loves what you love, and says so in a way that you took 300 pages to get across. Those are the ones I can’t resist sharing. Especially this part:
And let me just say, I have been reading just tons and tons and tons of sex scenes of late and have been pretty well burnt out, but this book made me sit up and get interested again. Hubba hubba.
That made my day. Several of them, in fact. Thank you, Speed Reading Book Nerd, wherever you are…
Enough about me. Let’s talk about two very different books that are both out this week:
First up, we’ve got Unmasqued: An erotic novel of The Phantom of the Opera, by Colette Gale. I am dying to read this book. I actually won a copy the other week, but I’m keeping it out like a carrot on a stick until I finish ROS(B). Here’s the description:
 One of the world’s most beloved stories as it has never been told before, Unmasqued is a novel of breathtaking historical erotica. His exquisite obsession… Christine Daaé heard rumors of the hideous Phantom said to haunt the great Opera House in 19th-century Paris. But its youngest and brightest star knows something no one else does-the truth. For in the darkness she thrills to the deep velvet timbre of his arousing voice, and quivers to the soft strokes of his leather-gloved fingers. He is real. Her inspiration. Her Ange de Musique. Her liberator.
Her erotic awakening… Condemned to the catacombs below, Erik has desired his obsession from the shadows, careful to keep his identity, and his secret, in the dark. Only he understands Christine’s extraordinary talents and her beauty. Only he can pleasure her like no man has before. But his sensual power comes with a price-and a risk to everyone who stands between them. For Christine too is succumbing to her most forbidden and dangerous desires-and to the Phantom who’s making them all come true.
Oooooh. Yes, I had that whole Phantom phase when I was in high school musicals. Plus, I loved the recent movie starring Leonidas Gerard Butler, and I know Colette was more than a little inspired by it as well. So this one is just pushing all my buttons. I’ve been hearing about it for ages from Colette, and I’m so excited it’s finally on the shelves! And that cover! Wow! (Rumor has it she’s working on another one based on my all-time favorite book, too!)
And, on the opposite end of the spectrum, we’ve got the teen-friendly Beyond Cool, by Bev Katz Rosenbaum, a sequel to the cryongenic comedy I Was A Teenage Popsicle. Here’s the description:
Apparently being frozen for ten years hasn’t made me any cooler… The next in the hot series about a girl whose life is really on the rocks. Floe Ryan was frozen at sixteen because of a rare disease. Now she’s been thawed back to her normal self-but everything else has changed: her little sister’s older than her, her teachers are holograms, and she’s learning to drive a hovercar. Plus, with her boyfriend acting distant and having to deal with all the cliques, high school is becoming an even colder place. She’s also learned that those who were frozen are susceptible to illnesses, and the one doctor who can cure them has gone AWOL. Floe must find him. But she’s learning that someone might be hunting for her too-and she could be iced for good this time.
I know a lot of folks who have been waiting on tenterhooks for this book, so I’m so glad it’s finally out!
Leave a comment here, and I’ll enter you in a contest to win these books (two winners, one of each book).
I’m cheating a bit today, since I’m really tired. I’ll tackle Celeste and Patrick’s questions later.
Taylor said:
First off I want to say I really enjoyed SSG and Under the Rose, both books I got so into it, that I ended up staying up really late to finish them. I look forward to next summer, I can’t wait to see what direction next book goes in, I bet it will be great.
As I was reading I took an instant liking to Amy, and when I got farther into Under the Rose, I started becoming a fan of Poe (Jamie) and decided they’re my two favorite characters. Do you have a favorite character other than Amy?
Thank you very much, Taylor! Also, thanks, Ashley!
Yes, I do have favorite characters. I probably shouldn’t say that, but hey, if J.K. Rowling can admit it, why can’t I? (She must have a weak spot for Luna, which is why we get to know what she does for a living post-Hogwarts, but not my fictional boyfriend Neville.)
(Please note: if you haven’t read my books, there are some spoilers below. I’ve whited out the text where indicated, so mouseover to see.)
I really like Poe, too, and have ever since I first had him stick Amy in that coffin. He’s a lot of fun to write. So evil! He was supposed to be a minor character (which is part of the reason he never got a real name in the first book), but he remained so interesting that I (spoiler for SSG in white text) gave him a bigger part towards the end and then sent him to Eli Law School so that he’d stick around for the sequels. I’ve pretty much been thwarting my original plans for his future at every turn. Poor kid. Like he hasn’t had a hard enough life. But yes, definitely one of my favorites! (Interesting bit of trivia, that may or may not ruin your own image: In my head, Poe looks like Christian Coulson, the guy who played Tom Riddle in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie. He’s pretty much the only character I have such a firm visual on. Just FYI.)
I also really like Malcolm, and it’s too bad he didn’t get more screen time in Under the Rose. I think he and Amy work really well together. They have fabulous chemistry. Spoiler (in white text): He’s back in a big way in the third book. I even have some letters begging me to get them together! (In passing: The bulk of my fan mail addresses whether or not real secret societies are angry at me and/or who Amy will “end up” with. My question is, does she need to “end up with” anyone?)
I love all the Diggirls, especially Clarissa, Demetria, and Odile. I love how they are so different in their personalities and needs, but they can find common ground. Their relationships with each other and Amy remind me so much of friendship I had in college.
I love Lydia, too. She was fun in the first book, but I think I really fell for her in Under the Rose, especially given her plotline. Spoiler for UTR (in white text): I think it was writing Josh falling for her that did it to me.
And I love Brandon. I love writing him, because he’s so different than all the other characters in the story, but he’s also a very strong and complex person. He’s a “moral compass” character, and as such, he’s probably the one that let’s me know most easily whether I’ve written him right or wrong. But he’s also really challenging for that reason; he’s not perfect, but it’s harder to show that than it is with a character who is more obviously flawed, like Amy or George.
Ahhh… George. Talk about characters who weren’t what I planned them to be! George was supposed to be a jerk, but he basically refused to be so from the very beginning. He’s not without his flaws, and I think (spoiler in white text) he makes some pretty big mistakes in UTR, but overall, I believe George is a nice guy. I’d originally envisioned him as a sort of ruthless player, very Valmont-type, but I like him so much better this way. More like Daniel on Ugly Betty, I think.
Is that enough favorites? That’s most of the cast, isn’t it? Yeah, I like them all.  I think if I had to pick one fave, it would be Poe, because it’s the most obvious choice. He’s the only main character who wasn’t originally envisioned as such.
HUGE HARRY POTTER SPOILER WARNING FOR THE COMMENTS SECTION. (Sorry, Leah and I had ourselves a little late-night HP party…)
A new review for Secret Society Girl, from Coffee Time Romance. This site apparently gives out “cups” instead of stars. (SSG got four.) Cute idea, huh? An excerpt:
Ms. Diana Peterfreund has written a quirky glimpse into the life of a typical college woman trying to navigate through campus politics while managing to have fun in the bedroom without getting too serious. Amy is a sharp witted heroine who chooses to stand up to the powers that be while inwardly quaking. Brandon is a sweet brainiac who loves Amy enough to back her up in the name of sexual equality. The minor characters are a diversified group of students from various backgrounds seen on many campuses. I enjoyed this book immensely.
And for anyone in the Washington DC area:
I’ll be reading from Under the Rose, talking to fans, and signing copies of both of my books on Tuesday, August 21st, at 7 p.m. at the Borders Book Store in the White Flint Mall, Rockville, Maryland. Love to see you there!
Are you looking for a signed copy of Secret Society Girl or Under the Rose? Try here:
Borders Books
400 S. Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91007
Borders Books
8518 Fenton Street
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Borders Books
2683 Gulf to Bay Blvd.
Clearwater, FL 33759
(As of yesterday, SSG was available as buy one, get one half off).
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
23654 US 19 North
Clearwater, FL 33765
And, right now, BarnesandNoble.com is having a buy-two-get-one-free sale on paperbacks, including Secret Society Girl.
I’m pretty sick right now — started last night on the plane flight home, and has gotten worse since, so this blog post will, most likely, reflect the pathetic state of my body and brain. Regular readers know how poorly I deal with illness. There might be rants coming up.
The timing couldn’t be worse. I’ve got a major deadline coming up, and my brain and typing fingers need to be in top physical condition for the next few weeks. Ugh… can I will myself to get better?
Enough downers, however. Let’s talk about some cheerful stuff:
 There’s a cool article about me in this week’s edition of the Washington City Paper, complete with this picture (which apparently makes my hair look quite long), and the compulsory discussion about the value of chick lit. I’m actually starting to wonder if there’s a class on this topic at journalism school, seeing how often reporters write articles about it. I was also surprised to learn that the phrase “killer unicorns” is inherently chick litty. Who knew? I always thought it was pretty gory (ba DUM ching!) Regardless, I’m pretty happy with the way the article turned out (and glad that I got to use Sophocles and Harlequin in the same sentence!)
And there are a few new reviews out of my books:
From Teen Book Reviewer, Jocelyn, on Secret Society Girl:
I wish I’d picked up SECRET SOCIETY GIRL sooner! Once I did, I was hooked. The world Diana Peterfreund creates in this novel is totally different from mine, and maybe a little far-fetched, but still completely real once you start reading. Her characters all step right off the page—even the most minor background characters are three-dimensional. Peterfreund really breathes life into her protagonist, though! Amy’s voice is witty and funny and perfectly suited to the character that the (rather brilliant) author creates.
I’ve been gushing about the characters so much this sounds like a character-driven book with no plot, but that would be the wrong impression. SECRET SOCIETY GIRL is nothing if not a suspenseful page-turner! There’s not a dull moment in this book. I couldn’t put it down! This smart, wickedly funny novel is a new favorite of mine.
From CanaryNoir, on Secret Society Girl:
The way Ms. Peterfreund works out that drama, and fills-in several of the principle supporting characters inside the society, makes for a great story. There is a large cast of characters, most of whom come from very privileged backgrounds in comparison with Amy’s own hard-working, self-made origins, and Ms. Peterfreund has a lot of fun with undercutting stereotypes by having Amy face up to her own acceptance of them. She also leaves a lot of threads open for future books (and this looks to be the first of some number of these books). While not quite as dark and dangerous as it implies itself to be, Secret Society Girl is fun and interesting and intriguing enough to pull the reader along. It also stands out as a book more focused on the main character and her new friends figuring themselves out and showing what they’re made of instead of tying up the end in a big romantic bow. This book is about Amy coming into her own as Amy; not Amy finding twu wuv to complete herself.
From The Yale Alumni Magazine, on Under the Rose:
Cross Dink Stover with Nancy Drew and Bridget Jones and you get Amy Haskel, the sarcastic senior at transparently disguised “Eli University” who briskly narrates this winning mystery. When Haskel gains entry to the elite secret society Rose & Grave, she finds that its stodgy alumni are still cold as a crypt on the subject of women being admitted. Then erudite and threatening anonymous e-mails begin to fly around the society-only server, and naturally, Haskel investigates. The mystery is twisty, but the real fun lies in Haskel’s tossed-off asides about Yale, oops, Eli traditions–from shopping period (during which undergrads “weren’t hunting for good bargains, but rather, for gut classes”) to the annual Halloween concert, when students wear costumes aimed at “inducing everyone around you to marvel at your brilliance and beg you to tell them what the hell you’re dressed as.”
I also found out in that article that Lynn Harris, author of Death by Chick Lit, is another daughter of Eli. I’ll definitely have to pick up her book.
Okay, and now, the important stuff:
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie might be the best HP film yet. LOVED it. Also, whoa, sexy! That was certainly a change from the book! Now I’m very looking forward to the final installment. I may or may not actually go to one of the release parties. If so, I may or may not go dressed as Tonks (I do have the pink wig, after all.)
 The Seventy Days of Sweat Challenge is back on, since the wedding extravaganza is over. I hope I can wrangle my broken body and brain into shape for this thing. Write write write!
And the bloggy stuff:
The fabulous Jo Leigh blogs inspiration. This woman has written over 40 books and she just keeps getting better. How cool is that?
The Buzz Girls tour Marley around RWA Nationals. They owe me a new keyboard after reading their posts.
Scott and Justine talk about how Justine has never even seen the inside of a box, let alone wanted to think there. Having gone first-reader rounds with Justine, I know how very valuable her input is.
And now I sleep. And take my medicine. And wonder why we haven’t progressed to the point where we can just upload our consciousnesses into some kind of invincible, impenetrable, can’t-get-sick bionic machine. Ugh. Would someone get on that, please?
It’s been so busy around here, it’s hard to believe that Under the Rose has been out for almost a week. I finally got my hands on a copy of the recent Life & Style Magazine with the UTR advertisement in it. Check it out:
There I am, right next to Cate Blanchett and Hilary Duff, who looks very glamorous as a brunette. It also looks like she’s smiling at my book, doesn’t it?
The lovely flowers are a gift from my lovely editor to celebrate the release. Fun, huh?
Speaking of, if you want to win a free copy of Under the Rose, head on over to the Manuscript Mavens, where Carrie is sponsoring a giveaway.
So, other than the big fat book release, life has been hectic around here. So hectic that it’s been hard to find time to blog. I recently discovered that my stat tracker can tell me what search phrases people are using to come to my website. Most of the time, it’s “diana peterfreund.” I also get a lot of people looking for information on Princess Di, which I actually can’t help them out with much, since I think this may be the first time I’ve ever mentioned her on the blog.
I also get a lot of writers looking for information on writing, such as these searches:
Partial manuscript format: Look at Primer, part two. (I should really add more to the primers.)
Kill your darlings editing: Look at When Good Advice Goes Bad: Kill Your Darlings. But, just a quick FYI, I like the phrase “love the book, not the scene,” better, since you don’t ALWAYS have to kill your darlings, and it is a mistake to think that anything good in your book is the part that’s “wrong.”
Sandra Payne and books for the teen age: Sandra Payne is the coordinator for Young Adult Services at the NYPL. Books for the Teen Age is a list the NYPL puts out every year of their favorite books for teenagers. My first book, Secret Society Girl, was on that list this spring.
Wizard of Oz three act structure: I’m actually a fan of the four act structure, and I discuss it here.
Making plotting board: Aren’t they fun?
Andrew Karre, Deidre Knight: Karre is the head of the FLUX imprint, YA books. Knight is my literary agent. As far as I know, the two have yet to work with each other on a project.
Megan Atwood Firebrand Literary: She left the agency last year.
And here’s an interesting one:
What happens if critique partners get upset?
Anyone want to weigh in on that one?
A new review of Under the Rose from Lisa Baca at Romance Reviews Today:
“Diana Peterfreund has performed a minor miracle; she has created a sequel that works. The entire cast is back from SECRET SOCIETY GIRL, and boy, are they hiding some secrets. It was impossible to predict which way this story would go, and I got the sense that the likable Amy has more to discover about friendship and what it means to be a knight of Rose & Grave. Amy has a wonderful sense of humor, and each chapter begins with a wry comment, hinting where the action will lead. This time, Amy has a relationship brewing with another society member, and is it hot and yet very funny! Ms. Peterfreund has also managed to weave a very credible, complicated mystery into the plot, with more twists and turns than you would believe. UNDER THE ROSE is definitely worthy reading for this summer.”
Woo hoo!
 USA Today has a whole section on beach books for the summer, and Under the Rose is one of their “summer sizzlers!” Check it out:
Okay, how cool is that? I’m on the same list as Jackie Collins.
The online version even includes an excerpt.
Yippee!!!!
 Today marks the release of my second novel, UNDER THE ROSE.* The book picks up where my first novel, Secret Society Girl, left off, and chronicles the further adventures of Amy Haskel and her class of initiates in Rose & Grave.
(But, if you read this blog at all, you probably already knew that.)
Publisher’s Weekly calls it “impossible to put down” and Booklist warns that readers will “get swept up in the sexy story in no time.”
One early reader said it was fabulously witty, another “devoured it” and can’t wait for Book 3, and yet another called it a “terrific summer read.”
My future sister-in-law says it’s better than the first one, my friend’s little brother says it’s surprisingly steamy, and a librarian I met at ALA last weekend said it has one of the best sex scenes she’s ever read.
And if that’s not a sales pitch, I don’t know what is.
UNDER THE ROSE introduces new challenges to Amy and her compatriots, including a devious website run by a paranoid conspiracy theorist, called secretsofthediggers.com. Click on the above link to learn more, and read the book to see what happens!
In honor of the book’s release, my friend Carrie is giving away a copy of both Secret Society Girl and Under the Rose on her blog, and then Carrie and Erica are giving away a few more on the blog of the Manuscript Mavens. (If you are posting about Under the Rose this week, let me know and I’ll link to it here.)
Are you still reading, or have you already taken off for the nearest bookstore? What are you waiting for? Conspiracy theories, hot sex, Hamlet lectures, and Halloween. This book has it all, I’m telling you… except for the stuff I’m writing into Book Three.
But that, my friends, is the subject of another blog post. Right now, it’s all Under the Rose, all the time around here. It’s a veritable UTR marathon.
And okay, fine. Twist my arm. A giveaway. A signed copy of Under the Rose to the commenter whose Secret Society Girl series-related haiku or limerick amuses Sailor Boy the most.
Enter as many times as you like.
______________
* Here be release-day giddiness. Move aside for the shameless self-promo train.
Back from NYC and a little bit tired, so this will be a short blog today.
Please Note: the Sophia Nash Giveaway is still going on in Monday’s post. Scroll down to enter. I’ll be giving the book away on Friday.
Also, have you been to Target lately? Checked out their book selection? Now’s a great time to find Secret Society Girl at Target, since it’s been chosen as a Breakout Book for the next month!
Looking for a free copy of Secret Society Girl? Enter the Plotmonkey Giveaway here.
And The Knight Agency interviews my YA editor Kristin Daly of Harper Collins about her recent acquisition here.
Speaking of The Knight Agency, I will be chatting on their website at 9 p.m. tomorrow (Thursday, June 21st) as the kickoff to the Under the Rose release party extravaganza.
And, confidential to Mae: Congratulations, chica! No one deserves it more!
 Sorry for the lack of posting. It’s been really busy around here. (I will post on exactly what I’ve been busy with soon, but some of it includes dealings with: Several pounds of beef, Brazilian monkeys, and four yards of tulle.)
The first thing on my blogging To Do list today is give away the prize from last week’s giveaway. The winner of the paperback of Secret Society Girl is:
CRYSTAL G
Please email me with your address to receive your prize.
By the way, the contest continues this week, with another copy of the paperback to give away. Leave a comment on this post to enter. (I promise I’ll try to do the drawing on Friday this time!)
Next up: gossip magazines. Anyone seen the new issue of Life & Style magazine? (May 14th, the one with Angie and brad on the cover.) There’s a gorgeous ad for Secret Society Girl and Under the Rose on page 19, right next to J.Lo.  I’ll take a picture of it as soon as I locate my camera.I know I had it recently, since I do have pictures of what I did with the aforementioned yards of tulle:
Moving on…
Reviews are pouring in for Under the Rose. First, we heard from Publisher’s Weekly:
Deep within the Rose and Grave Secret Society at Eli University, the secrets even members aren’t privy to make Peterfreund’s second novel impossible to put down. Picking up where last year’s Secret Society Girl left off, the novel follows the misadventures of Amy Haskel, who, having endured the initiation only to unravel a misogynistic plot set on destroying the first class of “Diggers” to include women, is looking forward to putting her troubles behind her. But things begin to sour when all the “Diggirls” receive a mysterious letter warning them of the society’s impending implosion. To make matters worse, Amy’s ex-boyfriend has a hot new girlfriend; her roommate starts dating a society member with commitment problems; another society member is dying to get under Amy’s ceremonial robe; and Amy’s senior thesis looms. When the Diggers realize they have a mole, Amy is intent on finding the culprit. Peterfreund offers an intimate view of the modus operandi of a college society, and even when the story’s revelations feel anticlimactic, readers will be absorbed by the juicy romantic plot.
And now, from Booklist:
Peterfreund picks up where she left off in Secret Society Girl (2006). Now that elite secret society Rose & Grave has accepted its first female initiates, they have a new obstacle to face—a traitor in their midst. Amy Haskel thinks she knows who’s leaking the society’s secrets, but she has to convince the others that it’s not just a conspiracy theory. It doesn’t help that she’s a little distracted by her hot-and-heavy relationship with the resident Rose & Grave lothario, George Prescott. Peterfreund pairs romance and suspense in a picaresque university setting with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. Readers who picked up the series debut will be excited to continue the adventures of Amy and her cohorts. The author doesn’t spend too much time rehashing the first book, but new readers will get swept up in the sexy story in no time.
And, I’ve been hearing from the non-reviewers who have ARCs as well, such as OC Annie, who is really pulling for a more frequent use of footnotes, and Erica (and Carrie) who are speculating heavily on Amy’s future (Erica uses white text for spoiler’s sake).
In passing, I’ve realized that Google and Ice Rocket and their ilk are not going to be particularly helpful in tracking down web whispers about my new book, due to the fact that I share the title with, among other things, some song from a Finnish rock band’s latest album. All in all, I’ve decided that this is a good thing.
As for me, I’m still hard at work on the latest SSG novel. It’s an interesting time to be writing, because I keep hearing from people who are just discovering the book, via the paperback, and reading the first reviews for the sequel, but in my head, they are all living a year in the future, they’re all on Spring Break of their senior year, and I have to keep that in mind when I’m responding to questions or taking part in conversations or interviews. I have seen what happens to these characters, where they go, what changes in their relationships, etc., and I’ll sound like a loon or a big spoiler machine if I talk from that mindset. So I have to keep in mind who Amy is at the beginning of SSG and who she is at the end, which is very different than who she is at the beginning of UTR, let alone the end, or in the third book. For example (white text), think about how significantly her feelings about Clarissa change over the course of the first book. Stuff happens. This isn’t a big problem, but it’s a professional hazard of being a series writer that I hadn’t really given any thought to. (Speaking of series, Carrie has an excellent post on the subject right now.)
So, that’s all the news that’s fit to print right now. I’m leaving town on Wednesday, but I’ll still be blogging from sunny Florida.
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