Australia and New Zealand

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, Oi, Oi!

I would like to take this opportunity to profess my deep and undying love for the nations of Australia and New Zealand!


Okay, I have never actually been to Australia or New Zealand. But I have heard that they're both amazingly beautiful and that, upon arrival, every visitor receives a baby koala of his or her very own to take home as a souvenir. And I have also heard that this fall, visitors and residents alike will be able to read my new novel Drink, Slay, Love while they cuddle their complimentary koalas!!!

That's right! I am thrilled to report that the Australia/New Zealand rights to Drink, Slay, Love have been purchased by publisher Allen & Unwin, which means the book will be coming out in Australia and New Zealand around the same time it comes out in the US and Canada! I believe the AUS/NZ edition will have the same cover as the North American edition and will be released sometime in October 2011.

Sadly, reports about the complimentary koalas have yet to be confirmed.....

Website Redesign and DRINK, SLAY, LOVE Excerpt

I revamped my website! (Get it? ReVAMPed. Ah, so many puns, so little time...) Check it out in all its vampirey splendor:

www.sarahbethdurst.com

What do you think???

Also, I am very excited to share with you the first chapter of my upcoming novel DRINK, SLAY, LOVE! You can access it through the Excerpts page of my website, but here's how it starts:

"One hour until dawn," Pearl said. She leaped off the roof and landed catlike on the pavement. "Oodles of time, if we steal a car."

Her boyfriend, Jadrien, stretched out on the roof of Outback Steakhouse. He was a shadow, a lovely shadow, against the green tin. "Come back up, Pearl," he said. "I'll compare your eyes to stars, your lips to rubies, and your breath to industrial-strength air freshener."

"Your charm and sincerity overwhelm me."

Rolling onto his knees, Jadrien clasped his hands to his heart. "Oh, Pearl, jewel of my heart, light in my darkness, grace me with your nearness so I might feast upon your loveliness."

Pearl laughed, even as she admired his silhouette. His silk shirt rippled in the night breeze. "I want to feast on mint chocolate chip. Or maybe Chunky Monkey."

"You can taste the difference?"

"Mint chocolate chip, sharp and clean like an ocean breeze. Black raspberry, rich and smooth as a summer night. Bubble-gum ice cream..." She faked a shudder. "Oh, the horror, the horror."

Click here to continue reading.

Enjoy!!!