In two weeks I’m going to a writer’s retreat in Texas with the following folks:

Brandy Allard, @BrandyAllard *
Anna Carey, @AnnaCareyBooks
Rae Carson, @raecarson
Corinne Duyvis, @corinneduyvis
Sonia Gensler, @soniagensler
Tessa Gratton, @tessagratton
Bethany Hagen, @Bethany_Hagen
Tara Hudson, @thudsonwrites
Emily Kate Johnston, @ek_johnston
Michelle Krys, @michellekrys *
Gretchen McNeil, @GretchenMcNeil
Myra McEntire, @MyraMcEntire
Amy Parker, @amychristinepar
Natalie C Parker, @nataliecparker
Amy Plum, @AmyPlumOhLaLa
Beth Revis, @bethrevis
Carrie Ryan, @carrieryan
Victoria Schwab, @veschwab
Amy Tintera, @amytintera
Kim Welchons, @Kim_Welchons
Stephanie Winkelhake, @StephieWink
Brenna Yovanoff, @brennayovanoff

Fun, right? I promise to post lots of pics and bring back some good stories!

I wanted to give you something romantically mushy on this VD, since I think you’re so cute and all. I can’t really give much mush from IF I SHOULD DIE without totally spoiling, so here is a tiny snippet of DIE FOR HER.

This happens after Georgia’s boyfriend’s concert. Jules is with the Italian girl he brought as his date—meanwhile Kate, Arthur, Violette and Georgia are facing off with the numa in the alleyway behind the concert hall.

The air in her studio is heavy with perfume. Giulianna drapes her coat over a chair and turns to face me. I lift her chin with my fingertips and touch my lips to hers. She’s soft and warm. I pull her closer, feeling my pulse accelerate as she presses her chest against mine. She runs one hand through my hair and traces circles behind my ear with her fingertips. Our kiss deepens.

Guilianna starts fumbling with the buttons of my shirt, and in seconds I’ve torn it off and am holding her in my bare arms and we’re stumbling toward her bed unable to stop kissing even while we’re pulling each other down to lie atop the scattered cushions.

I know what’s coming next. I look at Guilianna’s expertly made-up face, sink into her catlike beauty, and then close my eyes and I’m kissing Kate. I don’t even try to stop it any more—this happens every time. With every girl.

Coming April 2, 2013. Pre-order DIE FOR HER here.

I listened to the IF I SHOULD DIE playlist several times, and there are two songs that stand out, both in 1. the lyrics being perfect for Kate & Vincent & the storyline of IF I SHOULD DIE, and 2. the music being the kind of thing I can imagine setting a Kate & Vincent scene to, if the book were a movie.

So there will be two theme songs for IF I SHOULD DIE:

Everything Good – by Ashes Remain (first nominated by Amanda Brown)
Keep Holding On – by Avril Lavigne (first nominated by Taliah)

both Amanda and Taliah will win an ARC of IF I SHOULD DIE!

Thank you EVERYONE for participating. As I listen to it, I will keep adding scene suggestions beside each song on this page. I love our playlist, and hope you do too!!

Here is the final IF I SHOULD DIE playlist!!!

How I chose: I listened to your whole list of suggestions (only 1st on list) and picked out a couple I liked. Then you voted on your top 5, and I took that vote into account (but still took a couple off that I didn’t love). And then I added the last two songs because I listened to them a lot while I was writing the book.

As you’ll see, I’m little by little adding scenes that go well with the songs. 🙂

Coldplay – The Scientist
Evanescence – Bring Me To Life
Sleeping At Last – Turning Page
Coldplay – Fix You
Avril Lavigne – When You’re Gone
Jason Mraz – I Won’t Give Up
Avril Lavigne – Keep Holding On
In The Mourning by Paramore
State of Grace by Taylor Swift
My Darkest Days – Still Worth Fighting For (fight scene in the Passage du Cerf)
Florence + the Machine – Seven Devils (for the walk into the Arenes de Lutece)
Ashes Remain – Everything Good (the walk in Brooklyn)
The Wanted – I found you
Parachute – forever and always
Gorecki – Lamb
Sufjan Stevens – The Dress Looks Nice on You (Jules’s song for Kate)
The XX – Angels

You can listen to most of them on this Spotify list.
Now I have to decide which song best represents the book as the THEME SONG in order to choose the winner of the ARC!

I could have had a love like that with Vincent. I had felt it. There had been something right about us: It was bigger than just two people in love. When we were together, it had been like one of nature’s true and rare beauties; like an impossible beam of sunlight piercing through black clouds, bathing the patch of earth before you in gold. Together, Vincent and I had created something beautiful.
(from page 63).

For the other teasers, go here!

Just a little taste of wintertime Paris for you!