Fresh Meat Straight from RWA 2011

Hello there!

No need for confusion or panic. A hacker has not taken over the Supernatural Underground blog- just a newbie. I'll be possessing the feed on the 3rd of every month, hopefully providing a very fresh take on all things writing, publishing, and things that go bump in the night.

My debut novel, Diaries of an Urban Panther, comes our July 5th. So when I say I'm new to this, I'm not lying. Like straight from the fridge and into the fire.

New to paranormal though? No way! I've marinated my brain in all things PNR for the past hhummph number of years. So when I got the e-mail from Pamela Palmer to join the group, i shrieked so loud I scared my co-workers (which, frankly, isn't a new thing). I mean, come on. Palmer? Garey? Sparks? I supposed that i would only be appropriate to say that i devoured their books when researching Diaries. But being upon their ranks now is just the cherry on the top of the contract.

Romance Writers of America 2011 provided me an opportunity to meet the wonderful ladies of the Supernatural Underground. All of them were so welcoming, even when I fan-girled my foot into my mouth (there's a reason I'm a writer and not a public speaker). Juliana Stone has already declared a shifter showdown between her jaguars and my panthers.

Okay- enough with the gushing and the name dropping. This blog is about paranormal romance, not my complete adoration for my fellow bloggers. I just want you to know that as well as being a writer, I'm a fan of the genre.

More about me? Well, I've been writing since about third grade and I finished my first full length novel at 17, which is just too angsty to ever see the light of day. Through college and now the full time day job, I daydream about epic wars and secret magical conspiracies. Mostly, I write shapeshifters. Well, shapeshifters and fairies. Okay, shapeshifters, fairies, and demons. Frankly, it's all in there somewhere and if its not in Diaries, it will probably end up on the menu sometime soon.

As you can see, fresh back from RWA and excited about my launch on Tuesday, I need to get my thoughts together, focus on finishing the second in the series, and probably do some laundry. But I promise to think of something a little more substantial for you guys to sink your teeth into next month.

Happy reading!

Amanda Arista

Diaries of an Urban Panther- out July 5th