Very Many Lots Of Things

• So Golden Dawn has suddenly been re-discovered and the reviews are rolling in. Found this one on Amazon today:
  

  I enjoyed this captivating read by Jessie Terwilliger. It was relateable and very interesting, especially for readers very local to the Inland Empire. Many of the landmarks mentioned are indeed real; which makes the novel very believeable, as most of us know of, or actually know children in the "system." I am anticipating the release of Jessie's next novel, with her talent and intellect, I'm sure I'll be just as entertained.

What's interesting about this is that Bombshell also has these local Inland Empire landmarks and such since it takes place in San Bernardino. So if people are reading from around where my books are being written about, they're certainly appreciating the locality aspect of the books, and that makes me smile. I write what I know, and the Inland Empire is all I've known for 25 years, so I consider myself to be an expert. Plus I'm stoked that someone gave me such an awesome review. Be sure to leave your reviews too, they help to promote the books. Golden Dawn is also going to be available for the Kindle soon as well.

• Bombshell is looking for reviewers. I will be happy to send e-book versions to those who have blogs or websites. I will also send hard copies of the book upon request. I'm very excited because it's coming out in just over a week, and I think everyone is pretty hyped up about it. I just hope that you find that it lived up to its hype, I mean I personally love it to death. To describe it in two words I'd just go with "love" and "danger." Golden Dawn could be described in two words as "cold" and "violent." For those who didn't like Golden Dawn, Bombshell will offer something different, and for those who did like Golden Dawn, Bombshell will offer something more. It's more entertaining than intrusive like Golden Dawn was.
  
• I want to warn those who live outside the US that the shipping rates that my publisher offers are what you might consider outrageous, and I don't blame you. Not to worry, because the book will be available at all major online retailers within six weeks of the release, and you will be notified. But if you simply cant wait, then go ahead and order it straight from Lulu and check the shipping prices and options. For those within the US the shipping rates are fairly standard.
  
• There has been question as to whether I will sell autographed copies directly, and I will be happy to do that if there is interest in it. If so, please leave a comment below.
  
• Don't forget to add the book to your To Be Read pile on Goodreads.com.

I think that's it for tonight. I'll let you know if anything else comes up.

A Good Honest Bombshell Review

I asked Kay of Kay's Bookshelf to review Bombshell. I don't know Kay, from IRL or online, but I happened across her great book review site and I liked how well worded her reviews were, like she's talking to you and telling you exactly why you should read this book, or why you shouldn't.

Kay's review of Bombshell is honest and absolutely on the dot as far as recognizing the symbolism and cliches, even if those cliches were put there on purpose ;)

Kay calls it a romance novel, and I've just been calling it general fiction, but she's from the very romantic country of Romania so I have to take her word for it.

"I liked the fact that the book was partially set in a strip club, having strippers as characters, because of the novelty of it (at least for me, I think it's the first such book I've ever read). I have never thought being a stripper was the same as prostitution (nor do I now, of course), and yet the book opened my eyes in a way I couldn't quite put my finger on. I am old fashioned enough to have thought that being a stripper equals lack of morals -- right now I think being a stripper equals lack of opportunities way more (as in the book were quite a few girls, including Marina, who chose this career because they needed the money (Marina to pay her school, her friend Silver to raise her girl) and there was no other way to make them). It all of course gets down to "judge not lest ye be judged", a saying I try to live by, and parts of the book have helped me to do just that." Read the full review

Traffic vs. Traffic Contest

Another contest underway! This is the Traffic vs. Traffic contest and by participating you could win not only an autographed copy of Bombshell, but also a lovely "Bombshell" t-shirt made with Swarovksi crystals from Just Jen. From the Just Jen website:

You don't have to be a blond to be a bombshell! Our Bombshell t shirt is created with a cursive font t0 accentuate all your curves.

Made with Swarovksi crystal, the only crystal with 14 perfectly cut facets for the greatest sparkle. Select your crystal color.

100% cotton, made in USA.

You will have choice of both shirt color and crystal color (but may I recommend a black shirt with hot pink crystals for the full Jessie Terwilliger's Bombshell effect?) You may also choose your style and size.

So how do you win this fabulous shirt to wear while reading this fabulous book? You have two options.

1. If you have a website or blog, link to Jessie-Terwilliger.com and send as many people as you can over here. The traffic will be recorded through Statcounter.com, and I will see each hit that comes in from your URL. The person with the most amount of hits coming from their site to mine will win.
   
2. If you do NOT have a website or blog or you feel like this is a better option, direct some ACTUAL traffic to my site, and by that I mean cars, pedestrians, etc. How do you do that? Signs. The idea is to create a series of thought provoking signs along a stretch of road (be sure that you follow your city's laws in regards to putting up sign advertisements and that you don't upset your neighbors.) The first sign could say, "She wants to quit dancing." The second one, a few telephone poles or trees down could then say, "He wants to help her." After that, a sign that says "But can he be trusted?" with one final sign after that with the website's URL (Jessie-Terwilliger.com.) I want you to be as creative as possible, posting the signs in the most unique AND LEGAL place (nudist bridge? Heavily frequented park? In the same neighborhood as a strip club?) and send in a picture. Alternatively, you can order a free car magnet from VistaPrint.com for your vehicle if you have a daily commute or if your city has laws against signs. Pictures can be emailed to TeamTerwilliger At Gmail Dot Com.
   

Keep it safe and keep it legal. You have until February 1st. Go now!

Bombshell Winners Announced

This was a tough call as I only got a handful of entries, but I have decided two winners on a whim.

Mrs. Flax and Julie

But I still want to thank everyone for participating, and don't fret because there are sure to be some more chances to win coming soon, and more prizes are going to be added such as swarovski crystal Bombshell shirts, bookmarks, and the like.

Perhaps you would like to know my answers? All right, here they are.

1. What is the worst thing you have ever done for money (worked at Burger King? Dug through elephant poo? Sold your body? Think hard.)

I had to think about this one. Was it the few months I spent as a housekeeper for a mad Russian doctor who lived in a mansion full of bedrooms that were larger than my apartment? Hmm...no, because I learned a lot from that experience and it may end up as a side plot of a book someday. No, the worst thing I ever did for money was work for Hickory Farms, or as I refer to it, Hickory Hell. You know, those cute people wearing blue aprons in the mall who sell cheese and beef sticks. Yes, that. The job sucked because of the sample giving. You had to approach random people throughout the mall and go "Want to try some beef stick?" People would shout at me that my shit was overpriced, or that it was sad that we couldn't even give it away. I got in a fight with a lass on my last day because she got all up in my face and was quite upset that I offered her my beef. She was vegan. How could I have known?

1. Is exotic dancing/stripping akin to prostitution? Why? Site your sources if any.
   

No. Prostitution is selling sex. Exotic dancing is dancing exotically and sometimes intoxicated, depending on the club. There is a very big difference. If a dancer sells sex, she is a prostitute, but the girl next to her who does not sell sex is not a prostitute by proxy. See?

1. If the person you loved absolutely hated you, would you shorten their life by 10 years if it meant that they would love you back?
   

No, I just couldn't see myself doing that to someone. Witchcraft maybe, but not shortening someone's life. I can still love a person even if it isnt reciprocated.

1. If your city decided to put in a strip club, or for those whose cities already have them decided to close the strip club(s,) write your argument to your city for or against the placement/removal of this club. If you cannot include your town name, just call it "Small Town" or "Big City" accordingly.
   

Dear Beaumont, Ca,

If we don't get a strip club, we won't know what to do with our loitering teenagers when they come of age. Also it might keep more idiots off the road during normal driving hours. If we could keep everyone contained inside of a building full of naked girls for just a few hours a day, Beaumont would thrive. The lines at Wal Mart would be insignificant. Either strip club or bowling alley, whatever you think might be best. We just need something to do here.

1. When you read an article about a female stripper being raped, beaten, murdered, etc. do you feel that she was asking for it with the type of job that she had? Should she have assumed the risk? Did she get herself into this mess by doing the work that she did?

No, I feel really bad for girls who get hurt doing this job. People need money, for some this is the way to get it, and they shouldn't be punished because of it. Nobody "asks" for it, but there are times when people need to be smarter about their decisions. Don't tell people your name or where you live, or add them on Myspace, just don't do it! Be smart about this stuff! Your life could be at risk.

BONUS ROUND!

If you were a stripper, what would be your stage name and what song would you dance to?


I would be Henrietta Pussycat. Do you love it? A throwback to your childhood AND it sounds dirty. I would dance to "Lullaby" by The Cure. I could get my hips going to that song, I could I could.

Thanks for playing along, I'll let you know when the next chance to win is.

Win An Advance Copy Of Bombshell

So you want to win an autographed copy of Bombshell before it's available to everyone else? I don't blame you, it's a damn fine book. You won't read another book like this, especially not for free.

The rules of the game are simple. You will answer the following questions either down below in the comments, via email (teamterwilliger at gmail dot com) or on your blog, which you will have to leave a link to the entry in the comments or via email so I can come read them.

There is no set amount of winners and winners will be chosen on a whim. I alone will be judging them based on how well I feel that the questions were answered.

But there is a catch. If you win a copy, you must promise to do a review either on your blog (if you have one) or on Goodreads.com, plus you will be asked to leave the review on the sites that sell the book (Lulu, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, etc.)

Contest ends 1/16/09

On to the questions. Answer as thoroughly as possible.

1. What is the worst thing you have ever done for money (worked at Burger King? Dug through elephant poo? Sold your body? Think hard.)
2. Is exotic dancing/stripping akin to prostitution? Why? Site your sources if any.
   
3. If the person you loved absolutely hated you, would you shorten their life by 10 years if it meant that they would love you back?
   
4. If your city decided to put in a strip club, or for those whose cities already have them decided to close the strip club(s,) write your argument to your city for or against the placement/removal of this club. If you cannot include your town name, just call it "Small Town" or "Big City" accordingly.
   
5. When you read an article about a female stripper being raped, beaten, murdered, etc. do you feel that she was asking for it with the type of job that she had? Should she have assumed the risk? Did she get herself into this mess by doing the work that she did?

BONUS ROUND!

If you were a stripper, what would be your stage name and what song would you dance to?

The BART Shooting

This is somewhat on topic, about as much as the last post was as it deals closely with a side storyline within Bombshell: accidental police shootings.

Yes, accidental.

I was asked to respond to what I thought of the videos by a reader. I watched the different videos of the event from all the different angles, and based on the reaction of the officers it was clearly an accident. After the shot is fired, they stand up, all three put their hands on their head, an indication of panic and worry in body language. The officer who fired the shot and another officer stare at each other for a few seconds, and then they go to turn the man over to check for signs of life.

Was it a tragedy? Yes. Was it brutality? Think again.

Just judging on the reactions of the officers right when it happened, and the fact that the man resigned right afterwards sends a clear message that he knows that he messed up. They say that he was going for his taser, which in some agencies is kept on their gun holster in like an extension part. In a struggle to keep this guy still and everything that is going on, it can and did happen. Accidents happen. There is no way that any police officer could honestly pin someone down and murder them in cold blood in front of a train full of witnesses and two other officers right there. That was not adrenaline, abuse of power, that was clearly every officer's worst nightmare.

That's not to say that it hasn't happened before that way. I can't seem to remember where this was exactly so I can't google for the articles on it, but here in the Inland Empire where I live out toward Rialto or Colton there was an officer who had a Marine on the ground. The Marine was following orders and being submissive, but he asked if he could get up off the ground. The officer instructed him to get up, and then shot him twice. Twice. He tried to claim that the man was reaching for a gun, but when that story didn't pan out he claimed that the gun went off accidentally. That man now sits in jail, because it's clear what really happened there.

How do we prevent something like this from happening again? Petition all agencies to train their officers to carry their tasers on the opposite side of the gun, backwards in a holster so that the officer can reach across their body with their dominant hand to draw the weapon. I actually know of an officer who refuses to carry a taser for this among many other reasons, including the fact that he doesn't want to accidentally tase himself.

You can also prevent it by not resisting the police. That's a thought, eh?

It just seems to me that any time someone dies at the hands of the police it becomes a huge controversy, be it the 13 year old boy who drove a car into a group of LAPD officers or the 18 month old who was being used as a human shield by her father as he shot at the SWAT team, it will always be controversial.

And isn't that great?

A police officer can't kill a person, accidentally, justifiably, or on purpose, without it being looked into. The checks and balances exist, people. They do.

Cop Stories

It's been sort of interesting collecting all of these stories for Bombshell. I was told that I made a huge mistake in referring to Graham Green as "Officer," as he works for the Sheriff's department and is therefore called "Deputy." I've been given information about procedures, academy, calls, and they all come with stories of course which I sprinkled into Bombshell and have been using in books two and three of the series. Some stories are incredibly funny, ironic, or just something that struck me as something to write about.

While looking through an online friend's Myspace photo album of her infant son who died of sids, it reminded me of the gentle officer who told me that his first SIDS call made him cry for three hours after he got home. He said the emotion of it all, the screaming mother, the grief-stricken father, it just hit him like a ton of bricks that sent him into uncontrollable sobbing. Of course he remained professional on the job, but once the uniform was off it all caught up to him.

At the end of the day they are still human beings. I tried very hard to convey that with my characters. Not only with the cop, but with the stripper. Strippers aren't sex-hungry devil women (or men.)

That's kind of a blanket statement but so is saying that all cops are callous assholes. They're not. I've met a few who have told me stories that suggest otherwise.

Just a thought I was having, is all.

Bombshell On Goodreads!

Add it to your To Be Read piles!

Bombshell

You Bring The Smokes, I'll Bring The Beer

...though I will probably just watch you partake in those things, they're not really my style. Anyway, Bombshell is still scheduled to come out on the 11th of February, despite some drama regarding the funding and the manuscript being stuck in Oregon for a while due to Snowmageddon.

I'm feeling that a complete deconstruction isn't necessary on the final edit after all. I will keep what I have, but I will do a lot of fixing and adding, mostly adding because now I've really been through some situations that give me insight. Someone who one of the characters is loosely based off of died in real life, and I believe that it will put one of the characters in a more awkward position than it originally had. And dealing with loss, well...I haven't really dealt with loss since the situations surrounding Golden Dawn's theme, but now I have, and I think it will help the story.

One of my editors did make the remark that I'm not very good at writing about feelings, but I think the past few weeks have helped me to actually experience some. Not that my life is always perfect but I'm mostly carefree and not too stressed so these things have given me something to think about and learn from.

I haven't been writing because I've been waiting to redo Bombshell, though I have been itching to work on a few other stories. But I know if I start them I'll only be distracted when my manuscript gets here, so I've been knitting instead. I'm promising to knit 25 scarves this year because I turned 25 and I have oodles and oodles of time on my hands now that my husband is leaving for CHP academy.

Anyway, when all this is done, let's celebrate somehow, hey?