Coming Soon – Bastien (The Beast)

That, and technical difficulties. >_< (UPDATE: these have now been resolved)

You will notice a few of things different on my website today. One is that I’ve added a Downloads tab. Click it and you will find some awesome wallpapers for download. The second is that The Beast is  now a novella and a series title. No, it’s not a mistake. And yes, they’re both connected.

See, this is what happened. After I finished The Beast, Bastien showed up, and refused to leave. I mean that in the most literal sense a fictitious character can be taken. He was literally with me 24-7 until I realized he wasn’t going anywhere until I told his side of the story. After all, he’s supposed to be the hero, right? Well, I was not going to do it. No way no how, nope, the story was done and that was it.

Yeah, try telling that to a pissed off prince whom I may or may not have accidentally cursed to 300 years of absolute misery.

So I sat down and wrote him one chapter, hoping that would be the end of it. Uh-huh… not so much. Five days and 22 chapters later, I had my wrist in a brace and a first draft of Bastien’s novella on my computer screen. And was that the end of it, you ask? No! He demanded more. Vain bastard that he is, of course it had to be something with his face on it. Thus, the wallpapers were born for your viewing pleasure. (I currently have all of them set up on my computer to slowly change from one to the next every few minutes)

Consider these a teaser/treat until Bastien comes out May 5, 2012.

And now seriously. I need to say thank you to everyone who wrote to me about how much they loved The Beast, and how they wish it was a full novel (with lots of sex – that one made me LOL). It means the world to me that something I take such joy in doing brings happiness to others. This really is a dream come true and I hope it never ends.

If you liked The Beast, I hope you will give Bastien a chance, too. Fair warning, it won’t be pretty. As Lyssette said, there is a reason Bastien was cursed. Love him or hate him, he is what he is and he refuses to be anything else. If I thought he was difficult in the first story, seeing him through this was worse. The man has no shame. He doesn’t pull punches, and he makes no apologies. If you’re squeamish, it may be best to look away.