Pre-Orders!

Hi guys! I know I haven’t been around much, but I wanted  to let you know that I’ve paired with my local indie, The Learned Owl, again to offer personalized, signed pre-orders of ANY of my books! Well, I guess technically, you can only pre-order A Touch Menacing, but if you order any of my books, I’ll be signing them around March 5th so they won’t ship until then!
What to do: Order your books through The Learned Owl (handy link). When you check out, alllllllll the way at the bottom under the payment options is a box that says Order Comments. In that box, you can write who you’d like me to sign your book to and even what you’d like me to write! (“Hey Jane Doe! Thanks so much for taking care of Luke for me after the series ends! I know he’s in good hands. Best, Leah”) and I will do it! A Touch Menacing comes out March 5th, so you will want to get your order in by Feb. 26th to avoid any FUBARs!

Thank you guys so much for reading! I can’t believe it’s over….

PS. Morbid’s posters have been designed. I’ll be printing/shipping them out at/around the end of March. I’m very sorry for such a huge delay and so many unexpected problems with getting them to you! Thank you for being way more than patient!

Our Christmas Tree

This is our Christmas tree.

You’ll notice, it doesn’t have many branches.  You’ll also notice it’s a bit too tall, and bends across our ceiling.  But it’s our tree. It’s my tree.

Scott said on Twitter that our tree looks like I got mad at someone and hacked off the top of their tree to punish them. And us.  In truth, this is the top of a Christmas tree.  It’s the top of a tree that until the storm that had been Hurricane Sandy hit Ohio, grew in my parents’ front yard. I have pictures of myself as a kid in front of it when it was just a bit taller than me. When it came down, it was much taller than the house. Throughout the years, birds nested in it and raised their babies. I’m pretty sure a few litters of stray kittens were born in the safety of the hollow space near the trunk. Every year, my mom would decorate it with big colored ornaments and shine a spotlight from the middle of the yard. When it fell, it didn’t crash down, but gently tilted to the side across the front yard as if to say, “I’m sorry. I can’t hold on,” and then let go at an angle that would keep it away from the house. My mom asked if I wanted the top of it for my Christmas tree, and then kept it in a bucket of water until I was ready.

While I decorated it, I couldn’t help but think about the other tree that came down in my parents’ yard in the storm.  We’d joked for years about the mammoth oak taking out the house.  It was a decade past dead, hollow and Halloweeny.  My mom had made an appointment for it to be cut down, but the tree trimmers hadn’t been able to get there yet. 

My brother heard the crack. 

He’d run through the house, thinking if he could get to my dad in the living room, he’d have a chance to throw himself on top of him and shield them both. That tree should have fallen into the house.  It should have killed them both.  Instead, it, too, fell at a strangely perfect (and completely different) angle and only clipped the side of the garage. 

This year, I’m thankful my family is here to make fun of my tree. It’s not a pretty tree.  It’s not a tree anyone would pick out to bring home.  It is the tree that reminds me to be grateful for the things I have: a house to put it in, family and friends that love me and whom I love, and another crazy year of life that I’ve been blessed to live as if it were my last. I don’t think there’s anything else I could possibly ask for.

Merry Christmas.

 

Adding to the Epic!

In my last post, I let you guys in on the gatherings I’ll be doing while on my epic road trip. A few people noticed that I would be in Seattle, but didn’t have anything planned. Well, you know I aim to please, so not ONLY did I add in a Seattle gathering, but  I also talked  Danny Marks, author of Velveteen, into doing a gathering with me. Danny, awesome guy that he is, sweetened the pot for you guys. In Seattle, we’ll be doing an official signing at 5:00pm at Barnes and Noble FOLLOWED by dinner with both Danny and myself! I hope you guys can make it if you’re in the area and both Danny and I are looking forward to meeting you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For other cities and gatherings I have planned check this post!

 

Announcing Epic Roadtrip Stops

Hello, Darkings! It’s been a damn long time since I’ve posted on here. Namely because…well…how do you top the Insanitea Party?

With this…

And that, my friends, is one hell of a road trip. When I first started planning, it was just going to be a crazy adventure.  But you guys know I couldn’t head to all these places and not try to see at least SOME of you!  So I’ve added in a few gatherings, and even a signing.

The signing will be October 29th in Cedar City, Utah at Braun Books at 6:30pm.

The other gatherings will be unofficial debauchery. We may meet up in a park, or at a bookstore, or have lunch together. Hell, we could end up in a cemetery Kristen style (I will be in New Orleans at one point, after all).  I’ll announce where and when closer to the dates!  If you are familiar with a city I’m doing one of these in and have a place to suggest, let me know! I’ll sign any of my books (or anything else) that you want to bring with you and will try to have a few copies of Mortal and Morbid with me for sale just in case. Hell, maybe I’ll even mark them up extra for you!

The unofficial gatherings will be…

October 4th – Austin, Texas
October 18th – LA, California                                                                                                                        

October 20th San Fran, California   

October 23rd Seattle, Washington 

October 27th – Manitou Springs, Colorado (They’re having Coffin Races in town that morning, which you should TOTALLY check out!)

If you see in the map above that I’m stopping in your town (if you click on the map, it’ll make it larger), but not having an official gathering, let me know! If there’s enough interest, we might be able to put something together and hang out!

I’m counting on you guys to spread the word and hope to see you in October!

InsaniTea Party Pics, Bookmarks and Swag Packs!

It’s not every day one gets to throw a Gothic-Steampunk-Asylumtastic Victorian tea party to launch their novel.  And Sweetheart, you better believe when that opportunity arose, I wasn’t about to let it pass by.

Me and Amber (MyshelfandI and Wednesday on the YA Rebels!)

While writing A Touch Morbid, the second book in the series, I wondered about having a launch party.  See, parties make me nervous.  Like everyone else, I’m always terrified no one will come.  And as much as I love being the center of attention on BlogTV (for oh, 5 hours lol) in person I get so nervous.  Before signings, I’m a wreck inside. But the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to hold something to thank everyone who had bought and supported the first book. I have the best readers in the world, and I wanted a way to thank them. A party seemed like a good idea, but I knew a normal signing wasn’t gonna cut it.

I don’t think I’ve made it a secret that while writing this trilogy, Kristen’s scenes were ones I looked forward to most.  A schizophrenic graverobber with a penchant for spouting poetry to hold her mind together? In reviews and in talking to people, she always seemed to pop up as a favorite character.  If I have a launch party, I thought, maybe I can work a Kristen style Sider ball into it.

Signing line!

It could be a tea party!  People could wear costumes!  The idea spun in my brain for a few days and then something important happened.  I went to Maggie Stiefvater’s signing in Novi, Michigan.

Some of the attendees!

One of the people there was Krys, who works at Schuler’s in Lansing.  Afterward, when a bunch of us went out to eat, she asked me if I planned to do a launch party for Morbid.  I kind of blushed and told her my silly skeleton of a thought.  “You’re doing it!” Krys told me.  “I’m telling them about it tomorrow and we’re totally making this happen!”  And so it was, that a writer from Ohio wound up having an InsaniTEA Party complete with

skull shaped sugar cubes and a live band with character look-alikes at a bookstore in Lansing, Michigan.

For those of you who attended, THANK YOU! Thank you thank you thank you– I can’t say it enough!  Your total commitment (commitment, committed, asylums and insaniteas…) took this so far beyond my wildest expectations! Even if you were only able to come to the liveshow, thank you! I had friends of mine who popped in to check it out and passed on all the lovely things you said!

A huge thank you to Claslan, fronted by our Az look-alike, Clay, for performing!  They absolutely rocked it! Many MANY of you have asked where to get their album.  The website, along with links to grab their songs and the merch they had available at the InsaniTEA is http://www.claslan.com/! There’s also a video of them performing on the facebook event page.

This is the drummer for Claslan! His name is Gabe! In the background there is Ian, aka the "Other options" hand in the Kristen Trailer.

And finally a HUGE thank you to Krys and Whitney at Schuler’s Books and Music in Lansing, who made this all possible! They both went out of their way to make this event something special (Who has a live band in a bookstore?! *two thumbs* This girl!) and made sure the livestream happened, which was really important to me!

I know there were a lot of you who couldn’t attend.  Don’t worry! No one is getting left out!

At the event, I handed out the first of the BEAUTIFUL bookmarks that Courtney Allison Moulton designed for A Touch Morbid! To get your hands on some, send an email with your address to LeahCliffordBooks (at) gmail (dot) com! I’ll be sending out bookmark packets sometime in April, so spread the word!

In the next few weeks, I’m going to be doing some giveaways for the swag bags I handed out, which will include the lockets and necklaces I had made! Along with those items will come a variety pack of tea and some of those sugar skull shaped sugar cubes so you too, can have an Insanitea Party!

Check out more pictures in the InsaniTEA Party album on my facebook page!

Did you attend the event or the liveshow? What did you think? Let me know in the comments if you have any ideas for Book 3′s launch party! Who should we theme it after?

*Edited to add: The Mortal Portal store has been updated with shirts and a ton of other products for both A Touch Mortal AND A Touch Morbid (including the infamous kitten shirt!) . Click on each of the categories to see other designs!

*Edited to add 2: Schuler’s has signed copies of both books! You can order them by calling the store at 517 316 7495

Livestreaming the InsaniTEA Party and Updates!

My lovely Darklings!

FIRST I need to say thank you! So many of you blogged about, reviewed, Waiting-on-Wednesday’d and squeed about A Touch Morbid on your blogs and Twitter and Facebook these past few weeks! Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart, guys! There are so many books out there and coming up, and I’m always honored when you choose mine to talk about! I worked so hard on this book and it truly means everything to me to see you excited and sharing that excitement with others.  Plus, without your enthusiasm, I wouldn’t have the courage to do any of the crazy fun things I have coming up for you! (Seriously…I didn’t have a launch party for book 1 because I was too scared no one would come.)

Thank you for coming to my launch party, Rock!

If you don’t already know (maybe you were under that rock) Saturday is the InsaniTEA Party!  It’s the official launch party for A Touch Morbid.  Dress is Gothic Victorian or steampunk or Wonderland Gone Wrong or “I have this insane outfit and nowhere to wear it.”  This party is based around the mind of Kristen, a schizophrenic grave robbing dead girl, slowly unraveling.  If you’re in doubt that your outfit is too over the top, let me assure you, it is NOT.  It’s also worth noting that I just had to tell the bookstore I need 4-5 feetof space between the podium I speak at and the wall. Otherwise my dress will not fit.  I have not figured out how I’m going to go to the bathroom yet.

Objects in mirror may be smaller than they appear.

Sadly, because the event is in Michigan, some of you can not be there in person.  BUT !

I just learned last night officially that

The InsaniTEA Party will be livestreamed!

Starting around 1pm EST we’ll be broadcasting live on my BlogTV channel. I’m going to try to set the computer up in a way that you all can see what’s going on, watch the band Claslan perform and hear my reading!  This will also allow guests and myself and other authors to wander by and talk to you all!

Nextly.  I just realized that I never officially posted the two trailers for A Touch Morbid on here!  Eep!  Edit brain will do that too you… I know most of you caught them on Twitter and Facebook, but if not:

Eden and Az’s trailer!

Kristen’s trailer!

And finally, an update on the special swag item for those of you who pre-ordered Morbid and sent me your proof of purchase.  These won’t be shipping out until mid-April!  I didn’t want to skimp on them because of being in edit-mode.  I promise they WILL get to you and they WILL be awesome.

All right lovelies.  It’s 12:05pm, I’m leaving at 2:30pm and I have not started packing, which means I need to get my butt in gear!

See you in the asylum!!

Morbidly yours,

Leah

 

Morbid Trailer Pictures!

You guys! It’s almost here!  February 28th, A TOUCH MORBID, the second book in my trilogy hits shelves!

Most of you know how much I adore the spontaneous crazy, and filming the trailer was no exception.  Spur of the moment, we decided to film the trailer ON LOCATION.  In New York City.  Luckily, my amazing videographer, Clay (who also plays Az) and my two amazing actresses (Chelsea, aka Kristen’s doppelganger and Emili, who rocks as Eden, were down for a no-notice-get-in-the-car eight hour drive to the city.

I can’t tell you how pleased I am with the footage we got!  The trailers (yes, there are TWO!) are going to premiere on several blogs on February 14th, so for now, all I can give you are a few teases!

Don’t forget–if you pre-order A Touch Morbid from ANYWHERE, send an email to MorbidPrize (at) gmail (dot) com, you’ll get your very own limited edition, signed poster of the cover.  This is the ONLY way you can get your hands on this poster!  I’ve also teamed up with my local indie to offer personalized pre-orders of both A Touch Mortal’s paperback and the hardcover of Morbid! Click here to order!

If you’re in the Lansing, Michigan area or down for a road trip, come to the InsaniTEA Party launch!  We’re doing it up Kristen style–dress code is Victorian Gothic, but honestly anything steampunk, graveyard couture, or even repurposed prom dresses will work! We’ll have a live band, some grave-robbed jewelry door prizes courtesy of Kristen and of course, tea! Don’t miss it!

On to the pictures!  Keep in mind, we’ve saved all the best stuff for February 14th!  I can’t wait to share the final trailers.  Clay’s ideas and abilities have blown me away!  If you’re a writer and looking for someone to shoot your trailer, I can’t recommend him highly enough!

Without further ado…Take a sneak peek!  I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

 

Creepy angel is creepy

Kristen at the cemetery! This is the chapel she lived in when she had her "tiff" with reality after first becoming a Sider.

For those of you who've been lucky enough to snag an ARC of Morbid, we recreated Eden and Az's date! These two were so adorable, tourists were stopping to take pictures of them!