Winner of Bewitched & Betrayed ARC

Sorry I'm posting so late, but I got 12 hours (yes, 12 HOURS) of mucho needed, incredibly blissful sleep. Derek and I went out to grab some breakfast, then hit the grocery store, and here I am. After this post, I'll take care of some book business, finish Chapter 18 of Con & Conjure, then plant some flowers in the flowerbed off the front porch. We're fixing up the house now for putting it on the market, and nothing says "I'm a happy house, buy me now!" like colorful flowers in the yard. (At least I hope so.)

On to the contest results. I loved each and every entry and really enjoyed reading them. It was SO hard to choose, but I managed.

So, the winning entry for "what character in Raine's world would you like to see get their own series" and the winner of a Bewitched & Betrayed ARC is . . . Robyn Foster! Congratulations! Send me your full mailing address and I'll get your ARC to you ASAP!


Here is her entry:

I would love to see Phaelan get his own spin-off series. I think he would make such an incredibly fun, morally-ambiguous, swashbuckling protagonist. Although he has such unorthodox methods of getting the job done (cannons, anyone?) and some of his endeavors may be ethically unsound, you still can't help but feel like he's one of the good guys. I think it would be really interesting for readers to explore exactly what makes them classify a character, such as Phaelan, as good, in spite of his (numerous) transgressions. And I really see a lot of potential for growth in his character both personally and as a creative problem-solver. He definitely has the charisma and the depth to fuel his own series, and if we're being completely honest, he's got the swoon factor going, too. At any rate, you can never go wrong with pirates, right? Excuse me, I meant seafaring businessmen.

I think Tam is another prime candidate for his own series. He has an air of mystery about him that I believe leaves readers wanting more, wondering about his back-story which seems like it could be filled with all sorts of surprises. And with Tam as the main character, it gives the readers an opportunity to learn all we've ever wanted to know about goblins. There's so much rich culture and history there that I think would make a perfect backdrop for a series about one such as Tam, who has one foot in that world and one foot in the world he's tried to make for himself. I think his struggle for reform is compelling, and it would certainly make for a fascinating microcosm to see him wrestle with his inner demons while also tackling whatever obstacles (possibly ACTUAL demons) may come at him. Since Tam used to work as the chief shaman for the queen, his storylines have the potential for taking place in the political sphere, entangling him in court intrigue within a world he's not sure he can or wants to be a part of. He has tremendous power and skill as a mage, and I think it would make for an interesting series to see him test his boundaries, to maybe overcome the fear he associates with using his power, even to fall off the wagon and have to find his way back. Because with his personality, wit and undeniable charm, there's no question that we'll be rooting for him the whole time. I had a wonderful time writing about these guys, you do an amazing job bringing them to life!

Thank you, Robyn! And I'll give everyone a hint -- one of the guys Robyn's rooting for to get his own series is my front runner for the new series to pitch this winter when I finish writing All Spell Breaks Loose. I can't give any details because one, I don't want to jinx it; and two, I haven't pitched and therefore haven't sold it yet. So for all of you who voted for either Tam or Phaelan, one of your guys will hit the jackpot -- that is if my publisher wants a series about them.

Next week sometime, I'll do a post with some of the other entries. I shouldn't be the only one to get to enjoy reading these.

On Monday, there will be the usual B&B snippet -- and it's only about five weeks until you all can get your hands on your own copy of B&B. I simply cannot wait for you all to read it.

And on Tuesday, I'll announce the contest for the second (and last) ARC that I have of Bewitched & Betrayed.

Have a great rest of your weekend!

BTW -- Andy is doing great! Thank you all so much for your emails, Tweets, posts, comments, and eCards. Andy liked looking at the eCards. ; )
Lisa