Where'd I Go?

Hey folks, as is probably obvious, I haven't posted here regularly in a while, but you can still find me on the interwebs:

Twitter: @sugarjonze
Tumblr: sugarjonze.tumblr.com

Pop on over and say hi!

THE 100 Live+3 Tweeting: "Contents Under Pressure"

"Contents Under Pressure," the first of the two episodes I co-wrote this season on THE 100, aired on April 30. It was live-tweeted by a number of our fantastic cast and producers, but I did want to share some tidbits of my own.

Akela Cooper was my wonderful writing partner-in-crime on this episode, and she tweeted some cool behind the scenes photos if you want to scroll back through her Twitter timeline.

(Missed the ep or want to rewatch as you read? You can watch it online for a couple more weeks -- the CW streams the most recent five episodes)

• Windy pixels - That cool storm outside at the beginning? All CGI courtesy of our vfx house Zoic (BSG, FIREFLY, too many others to list). This episode is what's called in the biz a "bottle show," meaning it's shot on our existing sets (putting production designer Matthew Budgeon's work deservedly in the spotlight). The ep's title is a tip of the hat to that.
• Cat's out of the bag - It was important to show that everyone on the Ark heard Raven's transmission from Earth. The Council's policy of secrecy is about to bite them in the rear...
• Is there a doctor in the house? - Not all writers like doing research, but all of us on THE 100 really do. I researched how Civil War doctors treated stab and arrow wounds to get a sense of what Clarke would be able to do with basically no supplies. We also got assistance from Hollywood, Health, & Society, an organization that works with TV and movie writers on health and medicine topics, in vetting the dialogue of Abby and Jackson as they talk Clarke through the procedure.
• Hic! - We wanted to thread in a mention of Monty's moonshine and the still he and Jasper built earlier in the season, but couldn't find an organic place for it. You haven't seen the last of Monty and Jasper's hobby, though, so stay tuned.
• Speaking of, where's Monty and Jasper? - In our minds, they went out to get some of that antibiotic seaweed from ep 103 for Finn. Ultimately, since it's not important for the story, we just mention that they're out and about and move on. There's limited time in these episodes to tell a lot of story, so the inessential gets trimmed out.
• Solar cells - Torches look cool, but it's tricky and limiting to shoot with them indoors. Raven to the rescue! In other episodes, you can sometimes catch a glimpse of other solar cells in the outdoors camp set.
• So Say We All - Mad, mad love for BATTLESTAR GALACTICA from all of us on THE 100. So excited that Alessandro Juliani (Gaeta/Sinclair) and Kate Vernon (Ellen Tigh/Diana Sydney) are in the cast!
• The Grounder's journal - As EP/creator Jason Rothenberg has said, the journal is full of Easter Eggs. Including a hint about the Grounder's name, which we'll learn soon.
• Wire sutures - Yep, this is a real thing. Hardcore, right?
• Call poison control - I based the poison on manchineel tree sap, a real poison used by indigenous people of the Caribbean and Florida. Arrowroot is the antidote, taken orally or as a poultice. Thomas McDonell (Finn) did research on seizure behavior and symptoms for his frightening "code blue" moment.
• "This is not who we are" - Just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed reading the online discussion and debate on this issue: when, if ever, is torture acceptable? Getting people thinking and talking about the "what if/what would I do" in these extreme situations on Earth and the Ark has been one of our goals for the show from the start.
• Post-apocalyptic chic - Call me girly, but I just love Diana's outfit. Thumbholes are cool! Katia Stano's costuming on the show is so impressive. The Grounders, the repurposed clothing on the Ark and Earth... Can't wait to see the Comic-Con cosplay. ;) 
• Music to torture by - Composer Evan Frankfort's score on the show artfully underscores the emotion of the scenes without dominating them. Those skittering strings when Raven yanks out the wires... Chills.
• Keep those hankies handy - How amazing are Isaiah Washington (Jaha), Paige Turco (Abby), and Henry Ian Cusick (Kane) in this episode? The incredible good news that the Hundred are alive and that Earth is survivable also crushes all three of them with terrible, shattering truths. I still choke up during their scenes.
• So much unsaid - Some of the best moments in this episode, IMO, don't have any lines! All those powerful looks between Eliza Taylor (Clarke), Thomas, and Lindsey Morgan (Raven)... between Bob Morley (Bellamy), Marie Avgeropolous (Octavia), and the Grounder (Ricky Whittle)... A+ performances all around.
• We're out! - On a bottle episode you don't always get to shoot outside the standing sets, but we're really glad we were able to here for this one scene. Getting Clarke and Bellamy out of the claustrophobic dropship, once the "pressure" is off and left to face their various messes, really opens up the end of the show.

And, as many of you noticed, no one died! It's one of our "lighter" eps-- heh.

Massive thanks and congrats to our cast, crew, post team, and director John Showalter for their hard and excellent work on "Contents Under Pressure."

EMPOWER: Fight Like a Girl

Cool stories, great cause! EMPOWER: FIGHT LIKE A GIRL, a short story anthology celebrating female badassery, is now available on Amazon for just $4.99 -- all proceeds will go to the Lupus Foundation of America.

Read stories from women TV writers including: Amy Berg, Cherry Chevapravatdumrong, Akela Cooper, Liz Edwards, Jane Espenson, Shalisha Francis & Nadine Knight, Lisa Klink, Pang-Ni Landrum, Lauren LeFranc, Kam Miller, Jess Pineda, Jennifer Quintenz, Lisa Randolph, Kay Reindl, Jeane Wong... and me!

I'm honored to be included in such illustrious company. Please help us support this important research to end an awful disease.

Season's Greetings Is Here!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays…
Parish Mail: Season's Greetings is now available! 

Click here to pick up your own copy of the newest Parish Mail interactive YA supernatural adventure, available on digital platforms including Kindle, Nook, and iBooks.

It's Christmas in New Orleans! Magic, romance, and holiday spirit -- of the ghostly variety -- are in the air as you help Celia race to solve a paranormal mystery before Christmas Day.

Starting this week, Season's Greetings will be making a grand tour of the blogosphere courtesy of some of the best book bloggers on the internet:

• 11/20 - Coliloquy
• 11/20 - Purpkinroses Book Corner
• 11/21 - Contagious Reads
• 11/22 - I'm a Reader not a Writer
• 11/23 - Silver Petticoat Review
• 11/24 - Nicky Peacock
• 11/25 - YA Magazine
• 11/26 - My Bookish Fairytale
• 11/27 - Burning Impossibly Bright
• 11/28 - Verb Vixen
• 11/29 - Vailia's Page Turner

There's more... to celebrate the book's launch, we're holding another fantastic giveaway. Enter below for your chance to win your very own copy of Season's Greetings as well as the one-of-a-kind Grand Prize: this gorgeous handmade necklace inspired by Parish Mail's bonewood tree! This is the mailbox tree where Celia finds the antique letters, re-imagined here in silver-filled wire and Swarovski crystal garnet beads.

Click to see a larger version of this photo.

(The necklace was made by my good friend Amanda. She has a cameo in Season's Greetings but is a real person -- you can see more of her beautiful jewelry at her Etsy store.)

Enter the giveaway via the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!
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Deck the halls and ring those jingle bells, Christmas is here! I hope you enjoy reading this festive holiday story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Tip: Season's Greetings goes great with a cup of cocoa and a cozy fire…

Season's Greetings: The Cover Revealed! And a Giveaway, Too!

I'm thrilled to finally share the cover for Season's Greetings, the newest Parish Mail interactive YA mystery:

Click image to see a larger version!

I LOVE the vintage Christmas card that the folks at Coliloquy found. It's warm and festive but also a little creepy. Why are there no people in the room? Where did they go? Hmm...  

And I think it's so cool how the red ribbon ties in with the bloody covers of Dead Letter Office and Post Mortem while being more fitted to the murder-free story. Don't worry, though: while the mayhem may be taking a vacation in Season's Greetings, Celia finds plenty of supernatural chills and magical thrills in holiday-time New Orleans. Not to mention romance...

To celebrate the cover reveal, Coliloquy is getting into the holiday spirit early, giving away Amazon gift cards and Parish Mail book bundles! Enter below for your chance to win.

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Christmas Is Coming... In November

The Parish Mail Christmas mystery Season's Greetings, that is. I'm thrilled to announce the release date for Celia Macarty's newest interactive adventure in supernatural New Orleans:

Tuesday, November 19

And what would the holidays be without presents? Here are some of the goodies in store for you:

• Cover reveal - Next week we'll unveil the cool cover image for Season's Greetings.
• Pre-launch giveaway - At the same time as the cover reveal, you'll have the chance to win Amazon gift cards and Parish Mail book bundles courtesy of my publisher Coliloquy! Check back here on my blog on Tuesday, 11/5 to enter.
• Blog tour - The end of November will be chock full of reviews and interviews all over the Web. I'll post the schedule here.
• Post-launch giveaway - Stay tuned for details about your chance to win an incredible one-of-a-kind prize after Season's Greetings comes out. I'm REALLY excited about this giveaway, and you will be too. Promise.

Plus, here's a stocking stuffer to tide you over, the OFFICIAL synopsis of Season's Greetings, hot off the press (well, the Coliloquy website):  

Celia Macarty is eager to enjoy her first New Orleans Christmas, but school has barely let out for the holidays when she learns that mystery never takes a vacation. Using the clues on a Christmas card from 1933, Celia must unravel a supernatural riddle that takes her all over festive New Orleans—and deeper into her family’s past. As Christmas Eve draws closer, shameful community secrets come to light, and Celia enlists an unlikely ally to set things right.

With the help of her witchy best friend Tilly and a trio of to-die-for suitors, Celia navigates a mystery and, in the process, her heart. Because in the Crescent City, Christmas is a time of enchantment and surprises, and a little romance might be Celia’s best present of all.

Celia’s latest Parish Mail adventure is an active fiction title from Coliloquy. Your reading choices will help Celia solve the crime!

Don't forget, you can dive into the Parish Mail series with Season's Greetings, or catch up with Books 1 and 2,  Dead Letter Office and Post Mortem (you have time!)

Join the Parish Mail Street Team!

Image from www.dragoart.com

We're looking for a few good elves to help get the word out about PMX, aka Parish Mail: Season's Greetings, teen detective Celia Macarty's latest adventure in supernatural New Orleans.  This special new Christmas mystery in the Parish Mail universe is coming out soon, and you can help spread the news as a member of the Parish Mail Street Team!

Parish Mail Street Team members will get some nifty perks from my publisher, Coliloquy:

• Access to exclusive content like ARCs and cover art before anyone else.
• Chance to interact with the author. (that's me!)
• Participate in the book's blog tour with other amazing bloggers.
• Win great prizes!

To join, just email parishmail@coliloquy.com or tweet to @ColiloquyAimee for an invitation.