Official Maria V. Snyder Blog

Yesterday I had a photo shoot.  Yes, me - I'm going to be on the cover of the March 2011  Business Woman magazine (a local Pennsylvania magazine).  A local hair stylist did my hair and makeup.  It took her an hour and a half - the photo shoot lasted half and hour.  LOL - it took more time to make me look decent than to take the pictures!  And it took way more time the night before picking out an outfit.  I don't own any business suits and I try to find fun clothes that have an artistic flair.  I actually ironed for this shoot - something I never do - the cat was fascinated by the squeaky ironing board. Below is a picture my daughter took last night - my family thought I cleaned up nice ;)  Since I was out and dressed, I went to the mall to buy my last x-mas present.  YAY.  I was in Sears and a very nice man asked me if I was Maria V. Snyder the writer?  He recognized me!  First time I've been recognized in public that wasn't in my home town AND I looked good (unlike b

As you may know, I graduated from Pennsylvania State University (a.k.a. Penn State) with a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology (a BS in weather ;>)  One of the classes I took during my four years, was TV Meteorology with teachers Fred Gadomski and Paul Knight.  They also are the hosts of Weather World, along with Dr. Jon Nese.  Weather World does a nightly forecast for Pennsylvania as well as some other cool weather features and interviews.  It's shown on the Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) or you can watch it online at:  http://weatherworld.psu.edu   And if you watch it on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard time or later on that day, you'll see an interview with me :)  If you miss it, don't fret - you can watch it here the next day: http://www.meteo.psu.edu/~nese/MariaSnyder.mov My TV meteorology class was...interesting.  I learned the graphics/maps are not really behind you, but on a TV screen off to the side.  You can't wear blue o

I already posted some links, but I wanted to re-post them as there are 4 different blogs where I've been featured or interviewed and 3 of them are holding contests to win a free copy of one of my books :) An interview and international contest at The Secret Writer: http://thesecretwriterblog.blogspot.com/2010/12/maria-v-snyder-interview-and.html Interview and contest at The Page Turner's Blog: http://www.pageturnersblog.com   Interview and contest at Between the Covers Blog: http://www.betweenthecoversblog.net/2010/12/author-interview-giveaway-inside-out.html And an interview at Finding Wonderland for their Winter Blog Blast Tour: http://writingya.blogspot.com/2010/12/winter-blog-blast-tour-interview-with_10.html Stay tuned... I have another interview and contest coming up.  This time, we're offering all 3 Study books and not the US editions...oh no!  But the Australian editions!

It's sort of like last minute shopping - where you rush around and can't find exactly what you were hoping to find.  If only you had planned ahead, or had more time, or could clone yourself... I keep wanting to post blogs, but I want them to be wonderful, informative, and interesting.  I have pictures from the rest of my European trip, but they require me to re-size them and crop and... So what happens?  I delay and delay posting because the post in my mind has grown into this huge time commitment which would be wonderful, informative, etc... except it ends up being a quick post with links.   So I'm making my New Year's resolution early - I will blog once a week in 2011 even if it's short and includes links. A last minute notice about a book signing next week!  On December 17th, I'm going to be at the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center: http://www.pennmedicine.org/presby/vi_files/  at 51 North 39th Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104. 215-662-8000. The

I returned from my adventures in Europe a couple weeks ago. And I've been spending my time meeting little deadlines all due before our Thanksgiving holidays.  One was doing the final edits on OUTSIDE IN - due today and finished last night :)  Another was writing a travel article for a local magazine called b magazine - it's geared for boomers.  I enjoy writing these articles, plus they allow me to take my travel expenses off my taxes :) Another deadline is filling out the Art Fact Sheet for my new Healer fantasy.  The only problem, I still don't have a title and I'm only a quarter of the way in.  But the art department likes lots of time to come up with cover art...so I'll be brainstorming the next couple of days.  Either that or procrastinating. I was also visiting schools last week.  I visited my son's high school's creative writing class (no - he's not taking it :) and talked about writing and publishing.  Here's a group pic:  I'm in t

The reason it's been quiet over here on my blog, I've been in Europe these last 9 days.  My husband has/had business in Switzerland and Belgium and at the last minute...well, not quite that short notice, more like a week...he invited me along.  I'm in Brussels right now and due home this Saturday.  I do love to travel, but I'm missing my kids - they're fun to travel with, but couldn't miss so much school. It's been an interesting trip - we started in Zurich, Switzerland for a few days, then took a train to Luxembourg for the weekend.  My husband is on a quest to visit as many countries as he can and I'm happy to keep him company :)  A train ride through Europe sounds romantic doesn't it??  I was looking forward to the trip - however the realities of train travel is far from idyllic.  After being delayed 4 hours because of the strikes in France (they'er striking over the increase of their retirement age to 62), we finally get underway. The

As promised, I'm going to write about my mini tour in sunny California.  It was pouring rain in Pennsylvania when we flew out - we, as in me, my daughter Jenna and my niece Amy.  Jenna was going to miss four days of school, so she had a ton of school work to take along.  She's in 7th grade.  We flew into Los Angeles and Daniel directed us to our hotel in Glendale.  Daniel is my GPS - it's a Garmin and you can choose which "voice" you want and I picked the British Daniel.  Something about the British accent sounds so...smart. Our first full day we had breakfast with Alethea and her husband.  Can anyone tell me which of my books, Alethea is mentioned??  The real lady works at the Borders in Glendale and she has been a dynamo in hand selling my books and I'm not talking a few copies, but hundreds.  Maybe even over a thousand - it's been about two years.  The picture below is from the last time I was in Glendale for a STORM GLASS release party - April 2009:

Since I've returned from California, I've been scrambling to keep up with...everything!  I  can really relate to the 3 Doors Down song, Running Out of Days , from their Away From the Sun album.  Especially these lines: "All these little things in life and they all create this haze. Too many things to get done and I'm running out of days."  Yep, I hear you! Last week I did get my email newsletter out on Wednesday the 13th. ICE STUDY Part 7 was included :)  If you're a subscriber and didn't get the issue - check your spam folder.  And if it's not there, then you need to add this email addy to your approved list:  Maria_V._Snyder_Author@mail.vresp.com     I've also been scrambling to reply to my emails.  So if you've sent me an email, I'm about a month behind, but I will answer.  I don't like to be so far behind, but I feel better about it after I saw Kelley Armstrong's post on Facebook that she had 666 unanswered emails in her in

That's Los Angeles, California not Louisiana :)  On Thursday, I'm going to be flying all the way across the USA to the west coast for a couple of book signings and to participate in a book festival.  And just like when I flew to Scandinavia for a Baltic Sea cruise back in July, LA is currently having a heat wave!  It was 113 F there on Monday...yikes!  We had temps in the low 90s F when we were in Sweden, which is normally around 75 F that time of year. Speaking of the weather....I wrote a guest blog about weather and magic for Black Gate Magazine.  My short story, Cursing the Weather is going to be published in the magazine this December.  Here's a link if anyone's interested: http://www.blackgate.com/2010/09/27/the-weather-part-art-part-science-and-part%e2%80%a6-magic/ My mini West Coast tour is going to be a blast.  I can't wait to see all my southern California readers again and my friend, Alethea.  Plus my daughter, Jenna and niece, Amy are coming along w

Welcome to my very first author interview and give away on my new blog!  Cue music! PERSONAL DEMONS is Lisa Desrochers debut young adult novel. It was released in mid-September and already getting buzz.  I read her book back in the Spring and give it this blurb: “Fun and entertaining . . . the fight for Frannie’s soul isn’t going to be easy, and the excitement doesn’t stop. Good versus evil shouldn’t be this much fun, but it is! A hot debut.”   Uh... I tend to be wordy with my blurbs... Leave a comment and/or ask Lisa a question by Monday, October 4th if you'd like to win a signed copy of PERSONAL DEMONS.  I'll chose one winner using Random.org.  I also have the good luck to be meeting Lisa in person next Sunday where we will both be on October 3rd over at the Orange County Children's Book Festival ( http://www.kidsbookfestival.com/index.html ). We will be at the Teen stage.  Here's the official cover copy: Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a wicked

I'm heading back to my old Alma mater tomorrow.  I'm doing a really fun event at Penn State University's Abington Campus in Abington (close to Philadelphia - my old stomping grounds) in the evening.  I spent two years there before heading up to the main campus.  It was called the Ogontz campus then.  During my two years there, I drove to school in a bright orange Oldsmobile Starfire - the car weighed a ton and got like 6 miles to the gallon.  Plus there was a dent from the previous owner (my Aunt, who gave me the car so I really can't complain...er...). The dent was patched up and covered with red primer (the plan had been to re-paint the car a more subdued red - my favorite color - it never happened).  Even the wheels were orange!  I was always late for my early morning classes (no surprise - I'm not a morning person) and the only parking I could find was far away and way downhill from the Sutherland Building, which didn't have an elevator we could use - so

Today I'm a guest blogger over at Harlequin's Paranormal Romance blog.  I don't really consider my books romance per say, but they have romantic elements for sure!  I've blogged about how my prison tour affected my story line in SPY GLASS.  And although I hardly use the term "fan" as I prefer "readers" it matched the other two words :)  Guess I could have called it Readers, Romance and....??  Anyone? Anyway, here's the link: http://paranormalromanceblog.com/2010/09/22/i-spy%E2%80%A6fans-friendship-and-fun-by-maria-v-snyder/ And for those who missed the chat last night - it was fun and I was glad there were lots of people there despite my late notice (I really do need an assistant living in my house :)  The chat is still available to view on Eve's Fan Garden and I'll be answering the questions we didn't get to last night and those will be posted as well.  Here's the link: http://evesfangarden.com/blog/2010/09/19/author-chat-wit

I realize this is very late notice.  I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the promotion I'm doing for SPY GLASS. But if you have some time, tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, I'm doing a live chat to talk about SPY GLASS and writing in general over at Eve's Fan Garden.  We're giving away two signed copies of SPY GLASS and a handful of signed bookmarks to those who attend the event. Here's the link: http://evesfangarden.com/blog/2010/09/19/author-chat-with-maria-v-snyder/ And before I forget - I'm doing a guest blog about SPY GLASS over at Harlequin's Paranormal Romance Blog tomorrow - September 22.  Here's the link for that one: http://paranormalromanceblog.com/  

Opal's interview is up on Bitten by Books and the comments are already rolling in :)  If you'd like a chance to win one of 10 signed copies of SPY GLASS go here:  http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=30706   And if you'd like another chance to win, I did an interview over at The Authoress.  Here's the link: http://theauthoress-amelia.blogspot.com/2010/09/interview-w-maria-v-snyder-giveaway.html  

I'm very sad to announce the real Kiki passed away last week :(  Her owner/mother, Susan Kraykowski (Suekray from the Sandseed Clan) emailed me earlier this week and let me know. Here's part of her email: Kiki passed away suddenly, late on Thursday afternoon (9-9-10). We think she had a massive heart attack or a stroke. Deb and Pete told me she had been fine all day and ate her dinner as usual (you always know a horse is unhappy about something if it doesn't eat). Her latest vet call was OK, too...except for the usual elderly horse gimpiness. Her coat was shiny, her weight was good and she was still active and interested in life despite almost 30 years of age ( which is quite a respectable age for any horse) .  I am grateful it was quick and that she did not suffer through a long, painful illness. Tell your readers and Kiki's fans that we'll all meet up at the Rainbow Bridge one day! Here's Kiki's official name: McDonald's Highland Love She was a Fi

I'm doing an event for Bitten By Books on Friday - and it's a Q&A with Opal plus I'm giving away 10 signed copies of SPY GLASS! I need help thinking of questions for Opal. So if you have a question or two you'd like to ask her, now's the time! Please post it here and I'll post her answers over on the bitten by books website (I'll post a link here), and I'll be answering questions all day on Friday as well - should be fun :) Thanks in advance for any help!!! *insert hugs here*

This past weekend was a combination of fun family activities and much needed yard work.  We had something to do every day.  One of the activities was a BBQ at my sister's house.  There were a bunch of teens and young adults and once the sun went down they decided to make two teams and play capture the flag.  Normally I would have joined them, but being sore from spreading wheelbarrows full of mulch...I was more content to watch.  It started like any other game, but soon I realized these weren't the kids of my day or even of a few years ago.  No.  When my daughter was stuck in "jail" instead of calling out for rescue, she texted her teammate with her cell phone.  When they searched for the opponets' flag, they used the light from their cell phones to search. I had to laugh - they were still running around, laughing and getting skinned knees and elbows, and a few more scratches on their cell phones.   A few years ago, I probably would have been annoyed by the te

It is that time of the year - not the start of school (although that's a very good time of year for me ;) but the time when I'm promoting a new book.  So instead of getting a blog about how I went to Hersheypark with the kids on Friday and spent all day today spreading mulch, you get links to interviews and contests and reviews.  Fun stuff right?  Right??  Well, better than hearing about spreading mulch anyway. I also wrote a number of guest blogs that will be coming up in September so I'll make sure to posts links for those as well.  And I do have a couple of Author interviews of my own to post as well. Here are the links: An interview over at Bookyurt: http://bookyurt.com/scouting/maria-v-snyder-on-spy-glass-and-more/   An interview and give away of a signed copy of SPY GLASS: http://amberkatze.blogspot.com/2010/09/author-interview-contest-with-maria-v.html   An interview and contest give away of a signed copy of SPY GLASS: http://www.squeakybooks.com/2010/09/bon

Just thought you might be interested in a guest blog I did over at Reading Rocks 4 me.  It's about why I chose certain names in my Study and Glass books. And there is a great review of SPY GLASS as well that was posted the day before! Here's the link: http://readingrocks4me.blogspot.com/

If you're thinking I'm going to write about books, then that's an odd title isn't it?  Actually, I'm writing about me.  I'm very stiff and sore today because I played volleyball ALL DAY yesterday!  Six hours in the hot 90+ sunshine (33C).  My team is part of a summer volleyball league and we've been playing the other teams all summer.  Yesterday was our end of the season tournament.  We had to play each team once - which meant 8 games in a row (except one bye) and the top four teams played in the playoffs (which meant another 3-4 games).  We went into the tournament as the first place team.  So we had a team meeting before play started and my husband, whose also a teammate asked, "What's our game plan?" and Missy, the cheerleader of the team (and the one who tells us to pick it up when we're dogging) said, "To win." Well, after two games in that heat, I thought I was going to pass out or throw up! I did survive the day (just e

According to my bookstore commandos, t he book has been released!  And if you already get my Free email newsletter, this should be old news so feel free to skip this post :)  One of the unique things about this release is SPY GLASS is also going to be available in the United Kingdom and Australia in the same month. Usually, my overseas readers have to wait, but not this time :) The UK edition will be out September 17th. And, according to my Australian Editor, the AU edition is available now at: SPY GLASS   See all the beautiful covers below??  I must admit...the Australian one (purple with diamond) is my favorite of the  three (shhhh....don't tell!).   I'm thrilled to see this book in print. It was a difficult one to write - Opal had tough choices to make and difficult obstacles to navigate. For this story, I toured the State Correctional Institute in Camp Hill, PA for men. This facility also has a SMU (Special Management Unit - a.k.a. max security). A friend of