Jeri Smith-Ready

Big fat announcement

No more teasing. It's official!

Pocket Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, has bought my vampire novel, Bad Company, and its sequel, Bad to the Bone. Pocket is starting a new focus on urban fantasy, and BC will be one of the introductory books.

Me. Thrilled. Beyond. Words.

Never was a book so much fun to write as Bad Company, and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to dive back into that crazy world.

What's it about? Here, I'll let the (obviously very effective) cover letter tell you:

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In her first legitimate job, former con artist Ciara Griffin hopes to redeem herself by saving her small-town radio station from corporate takeover. Known for its eccentric disc jockeys--40s blues, 80s punk, 90s grunge, etc.--WMMP needs a new marketing strategy, or it will be bought by Skywave, a soulless communications behemoth that will fire those DJs and turn the station into something mainstream, derivative, and boring.

But the DJs are not quite what they appear. They're vampires, each stuck musically and psychologically in the era in which they were changed. The station has become their home--without it, they would “fade,” like most old vampires: growing slowly insane as fossils of another time, vulnerable in a world unaware of their existence.

Though daunted by their bloody diets and bizarre idiosyncrasies, Ciara keeps her new job, since she’s determined to live the straight life, not to mention hopelessly attracted to 90s grunge DJ Shane McAllister.

She comes up with a brilliant marketing plan: “WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” She hides the DJs’ vampire nature in plain sight, playing up their musical authenticity and capitalizing on the public’s lust for these “fictional” monsters. Unfortunately, the campaign also catches the attention of crooks, secret agents, and vampire anarchists.

Ciara’s toughest--and most darkly irresistible--obstacle turns out to be Shane himself. He doubts her honesty and motives, even as her free-spirited manner brings the light and laughter he craves. These two natural predators must learn to trust each other if the station--and their relationship--can survive.
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Estimated publication date is early 2008. Should be tons of fun.

Labels: vampire series

• posted by Jeri @ 4:31 PM
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