A visit from The Vampire Queen!

Welcome Author

Jodie Pierce

to the Blog today! 

Tell us a bit about yourself: 

 I an 37, live with my wonderful hubby John in Cleveland, Ohio. I have had a fascination with vampires since I was a child but didn’t start writing about them until I was about 20 years old after I read an Anne Rice book. You will find researched facts and real life experiences (I was an exchange student in Brasil) in my stories. I absolutely LOVE vampires and no matter what genre I write, it always involves vampires. I currently have eight published books available on Amazon.com.

Do you work another job when you are not writing?   
Well…kinda. I’m a full time wife and daughter to ailing parents and a wonderful hubby. Writing then is my other job.

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing? 
Watching TV with hubby or reading!

What is your favorite color? Why?
Purple is my favorite color. It’s the color of Royalty, Psychics and Power. Plus it goes good on anything…LOL!

What is your favorite season? Why?
I love the spring. I love to be driving by and see the tops of flowers trying to peek out of the ground. However, my favorite holiday is Halloween so fall is awesome too where the leaves have changed colors, the temperature is perfect and soon kids will be trick or treating.

If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?  
Brasil! I was an exchange student there in 1991 for 6 months and loved it! The country and it’s people were beautifully amazing. Yes, it’s a third world country and poverty was very real but I lived 2 blocks from the beach and the water was so amazingly stunning. The people are non-judgemental and everyone to them is beautiful. Plus, I still think and dream in Portuguese.

If you could have any car, what would it be?
A 1939 Studebaker (my dad had one once), 1969 Nova, a Monte Carlo or a 1957 Chevy Bel-air.

Tell us about your writing: 

First and foremost, I write about vampires. I’ve written erotica, YA, horror, contemporary and an anthology but all have vampires in them. If it doesn’t have vampires, I get bored so I know the reader will be bored then too.

How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?
It has been a dream of mine to become a best-selling author since I was in middle school. In high school, my freshman English teacher took me under her wing and encouraged me to write. I have been writing ever since but it wasn’t until I read an Anne Rice book that I decided to write about something I really loved, vampires.

How many hours a day do you devote to writing? Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?  
My latest book was released on November 8^th so after the editing was done, I’ve mostly been working on promoting. Lately, I’ve been reading others’ books for reviews, promoting and blogging. I have a story I just started but I just can’t sit down and make myself write. I have to write when the mood strikes me. I wake up at 3am sometimes and just have to write. It’s a little haphazard.

Is there some place special you like to be when you write?
I like to sit in my recliner, laptop on my lap, hubby next to me watching tv, dog at my feet and cat on the top of my chair. It’s very family oriented.

Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?
I go through both. Usually, hubby is watching tv but sometimes, when I’m struggling, I need to have quiet so I put in ear plugs and write.

Tell us about your book:   

My book is about the Vampire Queen who has taken over a school for ‘different’ children in Scotland. She rules with an iron fist and finally oversteps her bounds. Others step in to intervene in an attempt to over throw her from the throne. Past lover from books 1 & 2 unite in the plan.

What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?  
The book is, Demise of the Vampire Queen and it is part 3 of my Vampire Queen trilogy.
 

Where did the idea come from?  
I had originally written book 1 and 2 as a single book but then broke it up into 2 books. I then decided I wanted to be able to say I wrote a trilogy so I started working on it. The book came fairly quickly and easily. The idea came to me in a dream and I worked feverishly on it.

How long did it take to write?  
It only took me about 3 months to write but a little longer to edit.

Your other work:  

Book 1 is The Vampire Queen. Book 2 is The Vampire Chronicles. My first erotica novella is Condemned by a Vampire. I wrote two anthologies, Tales of the Vampire: From A-Z and then a compilation with other-Midnight Thirsts 2. I wrote a YA story, The Reluctant Vampire and a Contemporary Bisexual vampire story, Once Sanguist, Twice Bi. All of which can be found on Amazon.com.

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?
I’ve pulled out a short story from the dust bunnies that is a vampire horror story that I plan on reworking and editing. Also, hubby gave me an idea of a vampire romance so I’ve started working on that.

Where can readers connect with you?  

You can find me on my blog at : www.thevampirequeen1.blogstpot.com  on twitter: vampiregds. My website: www.thevampirequeen1.weebly.com and at my email, thevampirequeen1@gmail.com

Where can we buy your books?  

The talented Meg Lacey Joins us today

Welcome Author

Meg Lacey

to the Blog today!

Tell us a bit about yourself:

Do you work another job when you are not writing?

I worked full time for more than fifteen years while I was writing.  I was a producer/writer working in all facets of the media and promotion/marketing industry.  I’d started two companies during that time.  The second one closed in 2009.  I worked as a freelance marketing and pr director for a few more years and now write full time. 

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing?

I don’t have one favorite thing.  I like to read, take hikes, exercise, watch films, reconnect with people, go places I haven’t been, or revisit a place that’s familiar. 

What is your favorite color? Why?

Red.  I love the energy of the color. 

What is your favorite season? Why?

Fall.  It’ the color of the leaves that thrill me.  I also love scuffling through the dry leaves.  I purposefully leave the leaves in my yard just so I can walk through them.  I also love the crisp smell of the air, like a fresh apple. 

If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?

I don’t have a city, state or country in mind, I’d like to live where the days are 60-75degrees and the nights are cool.  I love the changing seasons so not a full-time hot climate.  I also don’t want every day to be sunny, because then you don’t appreciate them as fully.  There are times when you need a rainy day and a great thunderstorm, and other times when you need the quiet of falling snow. 

If you could have any car, what would it be?

A bright red Cooper Mini convertible with racing stripes. 

Tell us about your writing:

How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?

 I’ve been writing since the fourth grade.  I started writing seriously in book length fiction in 1990.  I sent to Harlequin in London and they asked me to revise it.  I did and they rejected it, but I’d gotten the bug. I wrote four more books and published the fifth one with Silhouette, “Is There A Husband In The House?!” as Lynn Miller.  I was launched as a ‘Woman to Watch.’ I started writing as Meg Lacey when I moved to Harlequin with my third book. 

 Not everyone who writes wants to be or should be, a professional writer, many people just love to write.  I had a goal of being published, and I kept  working toward it.  That meant I had to believe in myself, even in the face of rejections.  I tried to learn from them, see if there was a common pattern to the comments and if there was…learn what to do to correct the problem.  It helped that I’ve never had a form rejection letter.  Even in the beginning, all of my rejections came personally from editors with comments about why the work was rejected.  I told myself they were ‘encouraging rejections.’  Most of all, I didn’t give up. I floundered, but I found supportive people who helped me keep my spirits up.  Most of all I just kept writing.  It’s been said that persistence is the key to success.

How many hours a day do you devote to writing? Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes? 

I try very hard to stick to a schedule and write everyday.  It doesn’t always work depending on what’s happening in my life.  However, when the book is running hot and the idea is really flowing I start writing and stop when I get done.  I believe in the 3D method.  Determination-want it badly.  Discipline-get it done in a timely fashion.  Dump-dump your butt in a chair and stay there until you’ve finished what you need to accomplish for the day.

Is there some place special you like to be when you write?

No, I work all over the place.  I work at my desk in my home office.  I work sitting on the sofa or in a chair, and often sitting up against pillows on my bed.  I also work at the library, in coffeeshops, while on vacation (even though I’m trying not to do that—LOL) .  When I’ve been too long in one position, I change.  I mentally write as I walk or hike.  I’ll often get an answer to a question, or a solution to a scene as I move.  I see my work as a filmstrip in my head.  That’s from my acting training and work as a producer/director, and that can happen anywhere.  As long as I have an idea, situations and characters that interest me, I can write. 

Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?

The only type of music I could ever listen to when I write is instrumental.  Otherwise I spend too much time listening to the lyrics or listening for the ‘story.’  I often write with noise around me, such as tv, or in public settings.   I can just as easily work in quiet.  In other words, I’m not picky.

Tell us about your book:

What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?

I have two new book series that I’d like to share.  “The Shadow and The Hawk” is a genre blurring  paranormal romance/fantasy/adventure/humorous book. It’s the first book in “The Tales of The Sparrow” series. 

The second book, is a romance/romantic comedy, “Million Dollar Mistake”, from Samhain Publishing.  It is the first book in the “Million Dollar Men” series.

Where did the idea come from?  

I started writing romance initially because I like happy endings and also because it was a field that welcomed a lot of new authors, with or without an agent.  I actually read a lot of thrillers, mystery and adventure, history and non-fiction, but not tons of romance.   However, I still find that I gravitate toward stories of relationships and that is generally in the romance realm.  I also love fantasy, the idea of what if something happening that I can’t really see or hear or feel in everyday life… this has led me to write my first paranormal romance and romance series.  I find I love rituals and imagination and the ability to write a story that has those elements, plus mystery and adventure elements along with a sassy woman and hot strong personality man…. Bingo, this got me to “The Sparrow and The Hawk.” 

I had a lot of fun writing it. My work is always filled with humor; a good sense of humor is a must for me to enjoy the work and life.  I also think I have a good sense of the ridiculous and enjoy exploiting it when it fits the plot.  I think the “Tales of the Sparrow” series will be a lot of fun for readers.

How long did it take to write?

I first wrote the proposal for “The Sparrow and The Hawk” about three years ago.  It got good response but no sale from a lot of large fantasy publishing houses.  In 2011 I decided to go back to work on it and send it to a smaller publisher, Imajinn Books.   The editor, Linda Kichline, loved the idea, helped me refine it and I started writing it seriously in  November, 2011 and finished it in March 2012.  I was also working on another project at the same time.

What is it about?

Jillie Harte, code name the Sparrow, a documentary film maker is an agent for the NAS (Normal, Abnormal, Strange) Agency. Her assignment—find The Carmaletta Choker before it falls into the wrong hands and destroys the world. Franklin Doherty, and associates are suspected of having the choker; and they are definitely the wrong hands! To get close to Franklin,  Jillie is producing a film on “Decoration, Fashion and Accessories Throughout History,” featuring his antique collection. Her assignment is complicated by Griff Ryland, her new, hot cameraman, who is also looking for the necklace. Griff is an enigma. Is he friend or foe? And why is she so distracted by his "pure sex on a stick" appeal?

Like the Sparrow, Griff, aka the Hawk, needs to retrieve the choker. It disappeared from his dimension years before, and his job is to bring it back.  Since he can shapeshift into a hawk or a mountain lion at a moment’s notice, Griff feels certain of success.  But he doesn’t bargain for a sassy, sexy redhead—and for his overwhelming urge to settle their differences in bed.

Now Griff and Jillie must not only overcome the deadly dark forces who want the choker, but they must also face their developing relationship.

And they thought saving the world from evil and chaos was hard!!!!

Your other work:

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?

I have recently released Million Dollar Mistake, Book One in the Million Dollar Men series from Samhain Books.  (Taking care of business may cost him his heart.)

In August I have a new book, Something’s Cooking, being released from Entangled Publishing.  And also in the summer or early fall, the next book in the Tales of The Sparrow, “The Sparrow and the Vixen’s Three” will release from Imajinn Books. 

Where can readers connect with you?

Website:   www.meglacey.com

Email: meg@meglacey.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/meglaceybooks

Where can we buy your books?

Amazon: 

Million Dollar Mistake

http://store.samhainpublishing.com/million-dollar-mistake-p-7043.html?osCsid=4cfc65224d45e0fd17d956f701988bdd

Meg Lacey Books on Amazon

Lynn Miller Books

All Books are directly available for purchase from “The Books” page of www.meglacey.com

Welcome Paranormal Author Dylan J. Morgan

Welcome Author

Dylan J. Morgan

to the Blog today! 

Tell us a bit about yourself:

Do you work another job when you are not writing?

Yes, I do. I am the manager of a warehouse not too far from where I live. We sell everything from plug sockets to garden furniture, kitchen appliances to Christmas decorations. It’s quite a varied range of stock.

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren’t writing?

Spending time with my family is very important to me. I have a beautiful girlfriend and two wonderful daughters, so spending time with them watching movies or comedy shows is always special. I read a lot, too. I have also been known to play the guitar occasionally, and kick ass on video games such as Skyrim and Rage.

What is your favorite color? Why?

Red is my favorite color, and I like black, too. Why? Being a horror writer I could say I like red because it’s the color of blood, and black because it’s dark and horrific, but to be honest I don’t know why I like those colors. I just do.

What is your favorite season? Why?

The summer is by far my most favorite season. I love the sunshine, warmth, the chance to go to the beach and relax, vacations in Spain where all you do for two weeks is lounge around in the sun, swim a bit, and eat unhealthy food and drink beer. Summer is a time of life and fun. Fall is second best, I’d say: the month of October and the build up to Halloween is an exciting time.

If you could live anyplace on earth, where would it be? Why?

I’m happy living where I am, but I have always wanted to travel to Canada. Coming from New Zealand I am very much into scenic views and the wilderness, and Canada (from what I’ve seen) is blessed with the great outdoors. I would like to move back to the UK and live there again, but just not yet.

If you could have any car, what would it be?

Ha, I’ve always wanted a Lamborghini. Some dreams, hey . . .

Tell us about your writing:

How long have your been writing? Was it a dream, a goal or is it just a hobby?

I have been writing seriously for about the last 10 years. I’ve always looked at it as a hobby, even now. I don’t earn enough from it to consider it being my job and maybe that’ll always be the case, but if I do start making some serious coin from this gig I hope it still feels like a hobby. 

How many hours a day do you devote to writing? Do you have a set routine or do you write when the mood strikes?

I don’t have a set time limit, or time period, for how long I write, I usually just write until the flow and emotion is exhausted. As for a routine: I usually get into the office at home between 8 and 9 pm and go through edits before starting to write on my fiction. I continue with that until the flow is gone, then it’ll be onto other things connected with writing, like further edits, or answering emails, scheduling tweets, etc.

Is there some place special you like to be when you write?

My office at home. I have a desk with a monitor, a laptop, drawer next to me with my Kingston memory sticks containing my stories, a space for my drinks, a heater in the winter, some training equipment, and my guitar. It has everything in there I need for developing the disturbing worlds I create. It’s a bit of a mess in there, but it’s my mess.

Do you listen to music or do you need a quiet place to write?

I used to prefer quiet when I wrote but not anymore. I can’t deal with the sounds of everyday life from within the household though (TV noise, kids talking, etc.) so I always listen to music on my iPod. I have an extensive collect of hard rock and heavy metal songs, so I just select shuffle and let the songs keep me company. They become background noise, drowning out the distractions in my house while I delve into my fictional world.

Tell us about your book:

What is the name of it and is it part of a series or a stand alone novel?

My latest novel is entitled Blood War. It’s a standalone novel, although I do have a tie-in chapbook available called Bloodlines, which introduces characters from the novel.

Where did the idea come from? 

The idea originally came from a vision I had of a young girl arriving home with her family during a violent thunderstorm. As they’re driving through town to their house, the girl is looking out of the car window at dark shadows loping through the streets, trailing the car towards its destination. This was going to be a short story and the dark, threatening creatures were to be some form of bogeymen. The bogeymen became vampires, and then morphed into something else entirely, and the short story became a chapter in the novel. The young girl, Deanna, became a grown woman and also one of the key characters in Blood War.

How long did it take to write?

From the introduction of that above vision in my mind to the completion of the book, probably a year and a half. But, the time it took to actually write the novel itself took about eight months to a year. The novel spans a long time period, beginning in the year 1287 AD until the present day, and is set in cities like London, Paris and Rome, so I needed to do a lot of research which protracted the time it took to complete the book.

What is it about?

Blood War tells the story of a six hundred year old war between vampires and werewolves. Four hundred years ago, the bloodlines were crossed in unholy unions between vampire and werewolf, and hybrids were created – a vicious mixture of the two supernatural species. A cull was carried out to try and eradicate these children, but most of the hybrid babies survived. This new species joins the fight two hundred years later, and the novel climaxes with the three immortal races battling each other for supremacy.

As stated above, the novel takes place on a global scale. The book begins in Romania, moves to Hungary, Austria, Germany, Italy, and New Zealand. It travels to England, Russia, Hong Kong, America and back to Italy. The characters are detailed and varied; there are werewolves, vampires, hybrids and even humans, all playing a part. There is violence, love, honor, betrayal, and some unexpected twists. Any fan of monster horror should get a kick out of this book.

Your other work:

Do you have any upcoming projects in the works or other books that have been published?

In 2013 I plan to release two books. I aim to give out a collection of my short stories, both published and unpublished. As most of my published work is no longer available (due to the venues now being defunct) this collection of published works will probably feel like all new stories for most people. I also plan to release a novel, FLESH, sometime in the second half of the year. This was actually the second full length novel I’ve ever written, so I’m excited to get it out to the public and see what their reaction will be.

 Currently, in addition to Blood War, I have another novel and a novella available. Both can be purchased through Amazon on Kindle (either a hand-held Kindle or the desktop application). Hosts is my debut novel, a gore-fest book about a mutated form of parasite that infects a ski community isolated by the worst snowstorm in living memory. Your typical horror scene, really! The novella is called October Rain, and is a dark Sci-Fi book focusing on Steele, a bounty hunter on Mars during the final era of mankind’s existence. It’s a brooding book, emotional, with a heavy twist in its tail.

Where can readers connect with you?

Website: www.dylanjmorgan.com
Blog:  http://dylanjmorgan.wordpress.com/category/crap-from-the-crypt/

Twitter: @dylanjmorgan
Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3156560.Dylan_J_Morgan

Where can we buy your books?

Website http://dylanjmorgan.wordpress.com/category/books/

Amazon All Books:  http://www.amazon.com/Dylan-J.-Morgan/e/B008B42H5S

Welcome Natasha Brown and her series today!

It is a pleasure to welcome author Natasha Brown and her books to my site today!

A Little about Natasha Brown:
Natasha was born in Nevada City, California. An only child, she used her imagination while exploring the forest surrounding her home. Her natural interest in fantasy ignited when her parents read 'The Hobbit' to her as a youth, and from then on anything seemed possible. Once awarded with a Hershey's bar 'the size of a Buick' in her High School English class for creative writing, her passion and interest in writing has never dimmed.
She now lives in Littleton, Colorado with her husband and two children.
I had spoken to Natasha about what it takes to write a sequel and she was sweet enough to do a guest post for us.

Guest Post by Natasha Brown:

The sequel of a story...
I have mixed feelings about writing a series. Don’t get me wrong, I truly love the magic of a story that twists, turns and grows with the characters. It is wonderful.
In my series, The Shapeshifter Chronicles, I always knew the story would span at least four books. The first novel I focused on character and relationship building. It’s more gentle and slow and I truly loved writing it. It helped me work through the stress of my daughter’s heart surgery that happened only a couple months prior. It wasn’t really written for other people, but for myself. I persevered and finished it 92k words later. Was it worthy of readers? Would people enjoy it? It seems the answer is yes.
That was only the first hurdle. As I neared completion of my second book in the series I worried that my readers wouldn’t be happy about the direction I was taking it. It’s faster paced and action packed, so in that regard it is different from the first novel. But the most important thing was – I liked it. I am excited about my own story. I’m writing what I enjoy. Do I still worry people won’t like it? Yes. First and foremost I need to be happy with it, but I do what I do to entertain people as well. The characters are like my own children. I care about them and I understand that my readers grow to care about them too. Because they bloom in the hearts of the readers there are certain expectations, which is similar to any story but when your readers follow characters from book to book, I think it’s more of a challenge to keep everyone happy. I have learned it is impossible to please everyone. But, that’s a good thing, right? If you’ve ever read the classic, A Wrinkle in Time, you’ve experienced a world where everyone’s the same and no one has freedom of will. I respect the fact some love romance, some love action or suspense. We are all different.
I love what I do. Creating worlds for people to live vicariously through is fun. Will I please everyone? No, but that’s okay. If I’ve made you feel something, be it happiness, frustration or excitement, then I’ve done my job. And I thank you for spending time with me and my imaginary worlds.

***

I have had the pleasure of reading the first two books in her Shapeshifter Chronicles and not only have I listed the books, but I have given you my review for those two books too!

Fledgling - Volume 1

Set apart from other eighteen year olds, Ana Hughes knows she is different. A life threatening heart condition smothers her future and she yearns to feel normal. Her hopes are pinned on a
fresh start in a remote town far from her native Colorado. Among the locker filled hallways in Clark Bend High, Ana keeps to the shadows, not wanting to draw attention to her violet tinged lips and wilted silhouette. And she almost succeeds, until she meets Chance Morgan.
Struggling to keep up appearances, she soon suspects Chance is hiding something as well. His animal-like senses, miraculous healing ability and peculiar reaction to her Thunderbird necklace compels Ana to question if there's more to the stories about his Navajo ancestry. Without any other explanation, she fears he is playing tricks on her. But the truth may prove too much for Ana's delicate heart...

My Review: 4 Stars

A lover of paranormal I am and while not normally a fan of Young Adult, I took a chance and read this book. I am happy to say, I am glad I took the chance.
A very solid written book with descriptions that allow you to perfectly see the scene in the writer's mind and feel the emotions of the characters as they move through their story. The characters were believable along with even the paranormal aspects. The plot was deep enough to very much satisfy my mind and kept me guessing as to exactly how it would end.
While this book runs the lines of young adult, it is more of a cross over as the characters are becoming adults and the story will continue into their future. I also enjoyed the Native American ties to this book, as I have been a lover of that history for many years.
I look forward to seeing what Ms. Brown brings to us in the next installment of the Chronicles.
To purchase Fledging: Amazon  Barnes & Noble

Prodigy - Volume 2 - Just Released November 2012

In Clark Bend, Idaho, Chance Morgan’s dreams are haunted by the last moments shared with his grandfather. Memories of the fateful day when he died plague his thoughts, and without his grandfather’s council, his shapeshifting powers mysteriously fail him. Desperate to seek out a new mentor and learn more about the mystical world he was sheltered from, Chance must travel far from home to hunt for answers.
Eighteen-year-old, Ana Hughes has only known Chance for a few months, but he quickly found his way into her heart. Since being rescued from Chance’s power-hungry cousin, and coming back from death, Ana is unwilling to leave his side, and joins him on his quest to the Yucatan in search of a new mentor.
When Chance’s memories fall into place and reveal a threat from their past, Chance and Ana must fight to survive – or die trying.

My Review: 5 Stars

This book is a follow up book to Fledgling: The Shapeshifter Chronicles which I read and reviewed in February 2012.
Like the first book, this was a very solid story. The flow of the writing was smooth and concise, the plot line engaging and descriptive. The characters that I had really enjoyed in the first book were brought to life even more within this sequel.
The speed of the storyline was quicker than the first one and that was good for me. I read very quickly and I like my books to move just as fast. While this book is once again directed to young adult audiences, I felt it had enough bite to it to entertain the older crowd too.
The story deals with some real life issues about adjusting in real life and the paranormal world, and while we all want happy thoughts in books, seeing real life problems just makes it all the more believable in my eyes. I am always thrilled when a book doesn't end the way I thought it would and this one for sure did.
I very much enjoyed the next step into the saga and found this storyline even more pronounced then the first. Ms. Brown did a great job of taking you on an adventure without revealing all the final details until the time was right.
Well done, and I will continue to follow the Chronicles.
To Purchase Prodigy: Amazon   Barnes and Noble