Music Monday: Clara Engel's Turkish Love Song

Independent, Montreal-based artist Clara Engel wrote to tell me about one of her songs she felt would be of interest to vampire fans: "Turkish Love Song." I checked out her music and found it to be dark, poetic, and perfect for a gothic mood.

Sample lyrics:

the violin shrieks wild and burning
its death rattle runs on fire
down my spine...

You can listen to and buy "Turkish Love Song" at claraengel.bandcamp.com/track/turkish-love-song.

For more info about Clara Engel and her music, visit www.myspace.com/claraengel. Her upcoming Montreal and New York City shows are listed here.

MIDNIGHT SON, AFTERTIME, & VAMPIRE MOB News

Before I dive into my undead news items for the day, I want to give a big thanks to The Vampire Review for awarding Suburban Vampire the Lovely Little Blog Award.  As an added bonus, I found a lovely little award badge created especially for me.

The Vampire Review's tagline is "Reviewing whatever makes you want to shout: 'Vlah haha!'" You can find the site at vampirereview.blogspot.com.

New Midnight Son poster:

Midday Moon, LLC, the producer of indie vampire film Midnight Son, has just released sexy new key art for the movie. The plot already sounds intriguing, and the steamy poster only adds to the allure.

Midnight Son synopsis:

MIDNIGHT SON is the story of Jacob, a young man confined to a life of isolation due to a rare skin disorder that prevents him from being exposed to sunlight. His world opens up when he meets Mary, a local bartender, and falls in love. Tragically, Jacob’s actions become increasingly bizarre as he struggles to cope with the effects of his worsening condition. Forced by the disease to drink human blood for sustenance, he must control his increasingly violent tendencies as local law enforcement narrow their focus on him as a suspect in a series of grisly murders.

Learn more about Midnight Son and request to have the film shown in your area by visiting www.midnightsonmovie.com.

Sophie Littlefield's Aftertime:

Sophie Littlefield visited Suburban Vampire last October to discuss her young adult zombie novel Banished, and I'm happy to announce that she's just released Aftertime, an apocalyptic adult zombie tale that our shared literary agent, Barbara Poelle, calls "Kill Bill meets The Road."

Aftertime synopsis:

Awakening in a bleak landscape as scarred as her body, Cass Dollar vaguely recalls surviving something terrible. Wearing unfamiliar clothes and having no idea how many days—or weeks—have passed, she slowly realizes the horrifying truth: Ruthie has vanished.

And with her, nearly all of civilization. Where once-lush hills carried cars and commerce, the roads today see only cannibalistic Beaters—people turned hungry for human flesh by a government experiment gone wrong.

In a broken, barren California, Cass will undergo a harrowing quest to get her Ruthie back. Few people trust an outsider, let alone a woman who became a zombie and somehow turned back, but she finds help from an enigmatic outlaw, Smoke. Smoke is her savior, and her safety. For the Beaters are out there. And the humans grip at survival with their trigger fingers. Especially when they learn that she and Ruthie have become the most feared, and desired, of weapons in a brave new world....

For more info, head to SophieLittlefield.com.

Vampire Mob, Season Two, Update:

Here's the latest info I've received from the makers of the online series Vampire Mob . . .

We start shooting season two on March 6th.

Our cast, so far: John Colella, Reamy Hall, Marcia Wallace, Rae Allen, Kirsten Vangsness, Chris Mulkey, Andy Lauer, Retta Sirleaf, Peter Spruyt, Elizabeth Beckwith, Andrea Cansler, Chad Wood, Mark Rimer, Antonio Moon, Kenny Lombino, Joe Tabb, and we have more casting announcements on deck.

Season two is a ride! Over twice as long as season two with a cast that is also twice the size of season one. Can't wait to shoot this script!

Head to VampireMob.com to watch all six episodes of Season One and to learn up-to-date news about the series.

Last of all, make sure you get a chance to watch the Blood and Bone China trailer, which I shared yesterday (watch here).

BLOOD AND BONE CHINA Trailer

I've discussed numerous times that I'm a fan of the Victorian era. Combine a nineteenth-century setting with ghosts or vampires, and I'm completely sold on a book or a film. . . or, in the case of Chris Stone's upcoming Blood and Bone China, an online series.

From bloodandbonechina.com:

It is 1897 and a city is in turmoil. In the smoky, dirty depths of middle England, the people are terrified. The once-bustling streets of Stoke are empty, the silence is only broken by the whispers of devils, demons, and vampires. Poor souls are being taken, vanishing without a trace.

The atmospheric trailer:



Blood and Bone China is coming March 2011. You can check out more info at bloodandbonechina.com, Twitter, and Facebook.

Winner of Jacqueline Lepore's IMMORTAL WITH A KISS

Here are the winners of Jacqueline Lepore's newest Victorian vampire novel, Immortal with a Kiss:

debbie

Soni (VampirePhile)

Congratulations, winners! Please send your snail mail addresses here.

Thanks so much to Harper Collins for offering the giveaway.  And thanks to everyone who entered the contest by contributing casting suggestions for a corset-wearing, vampire-hunting heroine like Immortal with a Kiss's Emma Andrews. Kate Beckinsale was by far the most popular choice.

If you missed the original Immortal with a Kiss post, here's a synopsis of the novel from HarperCollins.com:

A masterful gothic chiller, Immortal with a Kiss is a paranormal historical adventure that fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Jane Austen alike are certain to cherish. In a starred review, Booklist called Descent into Dust, Jacqueline Lepore’s first novel to feature Victorian vampire slayer Emma Andrews, “Deliciously macabre”—and in Immortal with a Kiss Emma travels to a girls’ school plagued by the undead to fulfill her great and terrible destiny as an avenger…and, perhaps, confront her sworn nemesis: the elusive monster Dracula.

Guest Post & Giveaway with Linda Nightingale

The Suburban Vampire February tribute to the romantic allure of vampires ends today with a guest post and giveaway with novelist Linda Nightingale, author of Black Swan (a vampire novel, not to be confused with the ballet movie of the same name). Here's Linda. . .
__________________________________

The allure of the vampire has been proven by the plethora of books, movies, and TV series. I don’t know how many times I’ve read that the vampire market is flooded, but vampire books are still selling.

I think power and mystery make the vampire alluring. Living above morals and immortality is alluring. Sexually, vampires are supposed to be sensual lovers. The total liberation from inhibitions at the will of a powerful being is enticing.

The vampires of today have come a long way from Nosferatu and the early Dracula. The more horrible aspects of the legend are played down, but I read the other day that the old legendary creature is making a comeback.

In my mythos, people who become vampires never died and do not sleep in coffins. They are light sensitive, but garlic and the cross do not affect them. My vampires are mutations, their DNA having been altered by a blood-borne pathogen, passed from host to fledgling in a ritual blood exchange.

Sophistication, intelligence, and wealth are sexy. The vampires in my stories tend toward the svelte, beautiful, and worldly. In Black Swan, I introduce a group of people who willingly submit to the vampire in exchange for the ecstasy of the Kiss. These devotees are called Black Swans.

The hero, Tristan, is an artist, a classical cellist and a vampire at war with his nature. If he does not kill, he cannot maintain his powers. The heroine, Carol, is a Black Swan who has crossed the line and fallen in love—with Tristan.

And I’m sure we vampire fans will all agree that kisses on the neck are a sexy form of foreplay.

READ AN EXCERPT

SYNOPSIS:

Black Swans—mortals who barter blood for the sensual ecstasy of the vampire’s kiss. Carol Langston meets Tristan McLaghlan at a Black Swan party and thinks this is the real thing until her handsome vampire flees Carol, England, and his own nature. Can Tristan resist the blood lust, or will he kill again? Belonging to two different species and separated by an ocean, can their love survive?

REVIEWS FOR BLACK SWAN:

"The writing is excellent, it never bogged down and it kept my interest from beginning to end. The sex scenes were spicy and tasteful… Black Swan weaved together the right amount of romance and sensuality. Overall, this was a fun, quick read and I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up more books by Linda Nightingale."
—Gracen Miller

"Nightingale writes an interesting plot. Her vampires have consciences and remorse. The twists are logical and believable because the reader can identify with the trials of the characters. The hero Tristan captivated this reader."
—Long and Short of It Reviews

Black Swan was voted book of the week at Long and Short of It. Black Swan Review

Visit Linda’s web site www.lindanightingale.com for a free vampire read, Vampire Hunt.

Her alter-ego, Bianca Swan, writes erotic romance and can be found at: biancaswanblog.wordpress.com. Bianca is also offering a free erotic read. Check it out!

CONTEST RULES:

Linda Nightingale has generously offered a Black Swan coffee mug, a fridge magnet, and an autographed cover flat. To enter, head to the comments section and leave a note for the author. I'll draw a random winning name on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. U.S. ENTRIES ONLY, PLEASE.

Music Monday: Live Again by XNO

Sphynx, a member of the Southern California metal band XNO (pronounced zeno), contacted me about his group's song "Live Again." With lyrics like "You feel like you woke from a dream/But the strength within is something/That you've never seen," the song definitely works as a hard-rock vampire anthem.

I'm attaching a sample of "Live Again" below, and you can download it and preview all of XNO's music at www.reverbnation.com/xno.

IMMORTAL WITH A KISS Giveaway

Harper Collins is offering TWO giveaway copies of Jacqueline Lepore's Immortal with a Kiss, the second book in the Emma Andrews series that began with Descent into Dust.

THE SYNOPSIS:

Born by blood to be Dhampir—a vampire hunter—Emma Andrews nearly lost her life and everyone she loves at Dulwich Manor. Now something evil is preying on students at a northern Lake District girls' school—the same school Emma's mother attended years ago. Drawn as much by the desire to learn more about her family's secrets as the possibility of vampires, Emma finds the schoolgirls in the grip of a terrible legacy—the ageless evil of the Cyprian Queen, a dark goddess of ancient legend. Now Emma must tread a careful path—along with her old friends Sebastian, Father Luke, and the mysterious and dashing Valerian Fox—deeper into the darkness to face her most paralyzing fears . . . and perhaps come one step closer to the Dracula himself.

“Old-fashioned vampire fiction-with a little postmodern feminist updating-makes a comeback in this smoothly written debut… Lepore successfully captures the mood of traditional gothic fiction, complete with soggy moors, murky religious orders, ancient ruins, dark secrets…and complements it with a strong female protagonist for broad reader appeal.”
—Publishers Weekly on Descent into Dust

“… an atmospheric, gothic tale that immediately grabs readers with the startling sincerity of being trusted with a very, very dark secret. A strong heroine, a mysterious villain, compelling hero and chilling plot make Descent into Dust an unforgettable read.”
—Kathryn Smith, USA Today bestselling author

CONTEST RULES:
I love Victorian settings and the idea of a heroine hunting the undead in the restrictive attire of a nineteenth-century lady. To enter the Immortal with a Kiss giveaway, head to the comments section and let us know which actress you'd cast as a corset-wearing, vampire-hunting heroine like Emma Andrews.
U.S. AND CANADIAN ENTRIES ONLY, PLEASE.
I'll pick TWO random winners after 8:00 AM (PST) on Thursday, February 24, 2011.

For more information about the Emma Andrews series (and to watch the changing images in Jacqueline's wonderfully atmospheric website banner), visit jacquelinelepore.com.

Contest Winners

Here are the winners of the latest contests. . .

One paperback copy of Rhiannon Frater's The Tale of the Vampire Bride:
bookmomma

One ebook copy of Rhiannon Frater's The Tale of the Vampire Bride:

Marie Treanor

One ebook copy of Elizabeth Kolodziej's Vampyre Kisses:

donnas

Congratulations, winners! Please send your addresses (emails only for ebooks) here. A huge thanks goes out to Rhiannon and Elizabeth for offering the giveaways and for participating in my Vampire Valentine's Party.

If you've missed any of my February guests, be sure to check out the links at the top of the blog.

Tomorrow I'll launch a contest for Jacqueline Lepore's Immortal with a Kiss. Don't miss out!

Lorelei Bell Chats about VAMPIRE ASCENDING

Valentine's Day has passed, but we're still celebrating vampire love at Suburban Vampire. Today's guest is novelist Lorelei Bell, author of Vampire Ascending. Welcome, Lorelei.
__________________________________

I always enjoyed the vampire movies when I was young, and later books, but I hated that the vampire was the villain; something to hate, fear, and destroy.

In Vampire Ascending, I wanted the vampire to be more multi-dimensional, have more on his list of things to do than to drink blood, and I'll admit sex was part of this mix.

Furthermore, I wanted to create a heroine whom the reader can identify with and gave her plenty of problems right from the start.

SYNOPSIS:

After the death of her father, and accumulating bills, Sabrina Strong is hired to solve the mystery of who has murdered Bjorn Tremayne's life-time mate, Letitia, and is quickly immersed in romantic trysts and dangerous situations involving scheming, megalomaniac vampires who want to take over and rule the North American Vampire Association for their own greedy desires.

Sabrina is not thrilled about the aspect of working for vampires in Chicago, but she needs the money, and she wants to find the gorgeous and mysterious vampire who has been turning up in her dreams. Is he the one who bit her when she was ten, marked her for his own, and turned her mother so long ago?

EXCERPT:

My savior was a blood-drinking vampire, and that's what he'd probably been busy with when I'd called. I stifled my desire to bring this to his attention. Usually blood on the collar of a man might mean that he'd cut himself shaving. A vampire, on the other hand, blood on the collar would carry a whole different meaning all together.

“I'm sorry to be such a pest,” I apologized, sliding my chilled feet beneath the covers and pulling my knees up to my chest, hugging them to myself.

“You are not a pest,” he said around a small chuckle. He settled on the edge of the bed beside me. Grasping the covers, he pulled them up to my neck. I realized I was shivering as I gazed at him, letting out little nervous gasps. The erotic overtones of having him in my room were not lost on me. I wondered what might happen, since I had invited him in—and he wasn't leaving.

“You are cold,” he said, his face partially in shadow, the other half glowing in the light slanting in through my window. His pale skin was stark against his neatly cut black hair, eyes, and brows.

I reached to turn on the light. He stopped me with his voice. “No. Leave it off . . . for now.”

I retracted my hand and settled it on top of the covers as I stared up at him.

“You are a temptation to me, Sabrina.” His voice was low, vibrating in my ears in a way that perhaps a cello might. Calm, sedate, and yet with the promise of something wonderfully exciting, and something wicked hidden beneath the beauty of this otherworldly creature here in my room. I could hardly believe it was happening. But it was.

His chilly fingers feathered over my brow, moving strands of my hair away from my cheeks. Those same fingers slid down my cheek to the side of my neck, and paused at the pulse there at the jugular. My eyes slipped shut. Was he using his vampire charms on me to seduce me?

He released a breath.

Opening my eyes, I found he studied me in the dark, his hands slipping across the edge of my nightgown at the ties of the neck. I felt him loosen it, and spread the material open, availing my neck and the upper portion of my chest to him. My breath caught in me.

“Are you going to kiss me?”

“Yes.” He leaned in. “Do not move,” he whispered. His breath slipped over my skin as his head dipped down and I somehow not only held still but held my breath.

The face hovered over me . . . long, wavy black hair cascading down . . . I saw his face, stark against the black of his hair as he bit me on the arm . . . I thought he was the most elegant-looking man I had ever seen.

Publisher: www.copperhillmedia.com
Official Author's Blog: loreleismuse-lorelei.blogspot.com
Facebook
Amazon Kindle Edition

Music Monday: Interview with Crystal Collier, Creator of IMMORTAL THE MUSICAL

In celebration of Valentine's Day, Crystal Collier, creator of the romantic new vampire theater production Immortal the Musical, stopped by to talk about her campaign to take the musical to Broadway. For added atmosphere, click on this link, and the show's opening number will play in a new browser window.
________________________________________________________________

SUBURBAN VAMPIRE: Welcome to Suburban Vampire, Crystal. Please start by telling us a little about yourself.

CRYSTAL COLLIER: Well first, thank you so much for inviting me!

If someone told me ten years ago, “Hey, you’re going to write a musical,” I would have laughed in their face. I only ever took one music theory class in college, and it was enough to send me running. While dreaming of a writing career, we (my incredible husband and I) have been raising a family as I teach voice lessons, pen novels for “one day,” and sing in/direct/compose for choirs. Sure, choirs, but a musical? Even I’m not that insane. Or am I?

SV: How did Immortal the Musical first come about?

CRYSTAL: 2003: I sat in a theater, eagerly awaiting a show. Lights dimmed and velvet curtains parted to reveal a lone figure silhouetted against blue light. His voice echoed over us, the very essence of solitude, of longing.

And then I woke.

I scrambled to my piano (keyboard), fumbling in the early dawn with pen and paper to capture the moment.

It worked. In fact, the next week my life was a whirlwind of midnight wakings and crazy writing sessions. The story literally fell into our laps (my hubby's & mine) like pieces of a puzzle. What started as a dream bloomed into a three-hour (now two-and-a-half-hour) musical opus.

SV: Your main character is Count Lucas Delamark, a "recluse who occupies the town’s most prestigious estate." How does Lucas differ from another bloodthirsty count we all know and love: Dracula?

CRYSTAL: Lucas is a victim of circumstance. Imagine if you suddenly woke with an unexplainable hunger for blood. Would you be evil?

Lucas went to an apothecary seeking a remedy for the plague. Instead of a cure he received the Elixir of Life, aka vampire blood. For three-hundred years he’s fought this thirst, believing (like those who hunt him) he is damned. His only ambition is to stay on this side of the grave, until he meets Justine…

SV: You offer samples of several of the show's gorgeous songs at ImmortaltheMusical.com. Who are the singers behind those beautiful voices?

CRYSTAL: Jeff Ostler sang Phineas (the hunter). Jason Ostler sang Lucas and was in an accident that shattered every bone in his face shortly after recording. He has just recently begun to sing again. Unfortunately, after years of searching, we were unable to find the perfect Justine or Sophia (who knew a French accent was so hard?), so I ended up singing them both.

SV: Who is the rest of your creative team?

CRYSTAL: My husband (J. Matthew Collier) is the man standing behind me, tapping an impatient toe until I make those painful edits. He’s a computer guru who (1) fixes my composition programs when they hate me, (2) designed the website, (3) mixed our first CD, and (4) has produced a number of short videos to help promote the show (coming soon). Adam Jacox is a genius at unconventional marketing strategies and has helped put together our current “plan” of 365 Days to Broadway, launch date TBD. Brittney Jacox is a radio personality and brings a unique perspective to the group by way of radio/advertising expertise. Monique Ott is an incredible performer, but she’s also a goal setter. Most days she keeps us on track.

SV: Many of my readers have struggled with breaking into the grueling businesses of writing and filmmaking, but many of us are unfamiliar with the genesis of a theater production. What is the process of getting a show onto Broadway?

CRYSTAL: Typically a musical begins when one industry artist turns to his friend (I did specifically say “his”) and says, “You know what? We should make this story into a show!” They find a composer, a lyricist, and a scriptwriter (also known as a librettist,) and chart the high points of the plot (where it really sings.) Then the composer goes away, writes a song, brings it back, and everyone gives the thumbs up or thumbs down. Rinse and repeat.

Step two is to record a CD: the musical’s hook. After the CD is complete, a “reading” is in order. This is a dry run of the script with the music. Typically there are a few of these and many, many edits between. Finally, the show is work-shopped with actors one scene at a time, then test run in front of an audience.

Staging: Here’s where someone foots the bill for production and invitations go out to every major voice in the community. The goal is to get rave reviews so some NYC big wig will pick up your work. If that doesn’t happen, you move to New York City and pound the pavement until you run into the right producer. Hopefully, he even cracks your script open. That or you go to California and work to get in with a major film company, like Wicked did.

The expected journey from conception to production (if it ever gets produced) is 7 to 10 years, and the cost for a Broadway run is 10- to 20-million dollars.

SV: What is the best way for vampire fans to help get Immortal the Musical on the stage?

CRYSTAL: The best way to help the show is to TELL EVERYONE! Blogs, Twitter, texting, Facebook, goodreads, etc. We need “like”s on the Facebook fanpage to prove we have a fan base. Investors (for that $20 million) will want to know. If you want to do more, hit the show’s blog for regular updates on ways to assist. Here’s a great update from a few weeks ago: http://immortalthemusical.blogspot.com/2011/01/yell-for-help.html.

SV: One last question—I'm celebrating the romantic allure of vampires at Suburban Vampire this February. Why do you personally believe we often associate bloodsucking creatures of the night with love?

CRYSTAL: One word: eternity. Don’t we all crave the hope of a love that lasts Forever?

SV: Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit. Please keep us posted on the status of Immortal the Musical.

CRYSTAL: Will do, and thank you!

For more information and song samples, head to immortalthemusical.com.

Winner of Raven Corinn Carluk's ALL HALLOWS BLOOD

The winner of a copy of Raven Corinn Carluk's All Hallows Blood, in choice of format, is. . .
 
Lorelei.

Congratulations! Please send me a note, Lorelei, and let me know which format you'd prefer.

Be sure to check out Raven's Valentine's guest post from last week.

Here are my active giveaways you can still enter:

•Rhiannon Frater's The Tale of the Vampire Bride
•C.J. Ellisson's Vampire Vacation (THIS CONTEST NEEDS JUST ONE MORE WINNER!)
•Elizabeth Kolodziej's Vampyre Kisses

Contest Winners. . . and Active Giveaways

The winner of a signed trade edition of Chris Marie Green's Deep in the Woods, Vampire Babylon, Book Six, is Barb P.

The winner of an ebook copy of L. Rosario's Captive Valentine is She.

Congratulations, winners!  Barb P.: Please send your snail mail address to suburbanvamp AT gmail DOT com. She: Please send your email address to the same location. 

If you didn't get a chance to win either book, be sure to head to the authors' websites and buy yourself a copy:

www.chrismariegreen.com
www.lrosario.com

Here are my other active giveaways:

Raven Corinn Carluk's All Hallows Blood
Rhiannon Frater's The Tale of the Vampire Bride
C.J. Ellisson's Vampire Vacation
Elizabeth Kolodziej's Vampyre Kisses

Guest Post & Giveaway with Elizabeth Kolodziej, Author of VAMPYRE KISSES

Today's Vampire Valentine's Party guest is Elizabeth Kolodziej, author of Vampyre Kisses. Welcome, Elizabeth. 

__________________________________

THE VAMPIRE FANTASY

by Elizabeth Kolodziej

Due to my mother, my interest in vampires and all things supernatural began when I was just a little girl in California. I never really contemplated the reasons why I loved vampires and witches so much. I guess they are what superheroes are to most little kids. Supernatural creatures save the day, all while getting the girl (or guy).

As I got older, though, I started to find them alluring in so many different ways. In some instances I could say my dream man would be a vampire: someone strong, protective, loving, headstrong, and very, very handsome. What I think I love best about them is the fact that they belong to a whole other world full of secrets and fantasy, a world so different from our own in some cases. I would even say that this is why most people love vampires.

It was because of this and so much more that I decided writing about vampires and other supernatural creatures would be perfect for me. I loved the fantasy world I could create with them. It is a world like our own but with these “secret societies” (i.e., vampires, werewolves, and witches) walking around.

Also, because I grew up on them, these fantastic creatures are what I know best. I have read books about them and researched them. I have watched “documentaries” and even met those who claim to be vampires. They, of course, never were my definition of a vampire (dead and all), but they were still interesting to watch as they interacted with people and such.

It was during my late teens that I came up with the idea of Vampyre Kisses. I wanted to write something a little different from what I had read (remember, this was six years ago now). So I wrote about a vampire falling in love with a witch. I personally had never read a story with the main attraction being between a vampire and a witch, making the story that much more delicious. And not just any witch either—no, no, this has to be the last witch in the world.

The female lead, Faith, turned into a headstrong woman able to take care of herself (or so she thinks). But Trent is a very protective vampire, and putting these two together makes for a truly interesting adventure in love and action.

I almost think it is that protective nature that most women love seeing in a vampire, even though, because of feminism and such, most of us probably don’t want to admit to it. I can say though (after swallowing hard) I do want a strong male to be my partner so I feel protected. Someone who needs me—and don’t most vampires in books make the female lead feel needed? It is love that they crave, being so old and forever young. It is because of all this and more that I find the vampire an alluring creature of the night.

<3's and fangs,
Liz ^_^
www.vampyrekisses.com
www.twitter.com/ejkolodziej
www.facebook.com/kweenkitten

CONTEST RULES:

Elizabeth has graciously offered one ebook copy of Vampyre Kisses as a giveaway. To enter, head to the  comments section of this post and let us know your favorite fictional witch character (Elizabeth's character may become your new favorite, but I'm assuming you haven't yet read her novel if you want to win it). 

I'll draw a random name from the entries on Thursday, February 17.

Guest Post & Giveaway with C.J. Ellisson, Author of VAMPIRE VACATION

Today's Vampire Valentine's Party guest is novelist C.J. Ellisson, who offers a unique spin on vampire love stories in her novel Vampire Vacation. 

A brief synopsis: 

Meet Vivian. She’s a 580-year-old vampire who exudes sex, has a talent for drama, and is passionate about two things: her human husband, Rafe, and their resort for the undead. Her ability to project physical illusions has created the perfect vacation spot—a dark, isolated Alaskan hideaway where visitors can have their wildest fantasies come true.
__________________________________

Love. . . Can Keep a Vamp Sane

by C.J. Ellisson

I love the gritty urban fantasies with the tortured vampire falling for the kick-ass heroine. She’s smart, strong, usually witty and/or sassy… but she invariably falls for the charm of the super-sexy undead guy who hankers for her blood—or who needs her so he doesn’t succumb to his inner monster. And judging by the tremendous book sales for my favorite authors, I can tell I’m not alone!

But what happens after the Happily Ever After? Do they split up? Does he turn her? Do they stay together through thick and thin? While I love the books out on the market, I felt like something was missing.

J.D. Robb has proven her female cop and billionaire husband team can keep readers coming back for more, so why not mix it up with some vampires and see if other supernatural couples can stand the test of time? We love the dedicated duos like Mercy and Adam, Bones and Cat, and even the multi-partner ones in the Anita Blake series. Readers love ‘em, so why don’t we see more steady couples in books?

C.J. Ellisson

I didn’t set out to bust any genre walls when I wrote my debut novel, Vampire Vacation, with a powerful female vampire married to her human husband in a quasi-mystery, suspense, erotic novel… but, I guess I did. Not everyone likes reading a book done in first person present tense—for those who venture past the boundaries of the current trends in the genre, like fans of Jeri Smith-Ready’s series, they find they lose themselves in the story.

I invite you to slip into the skin of a deadly, ruthless woman who starts out caring about only two things—her husband and their home—and winds up in the end with so much more.

An Excerpt from Vampire Vacation:

I open the door to find a body at my feet. The rich smell of blood causes my canines to lengthen. Reaching out in the darkness, I flip on the switches. Light comes on across the room, illuminating the dead guy lying face down in front of me. The whole scene makes me wish I’d stayed in bed today, curled up next to my warm husband.

“Crap, look at the rug.”

Okay, out loud that sounds rather dispassionate. Whoever this poor stiff is, he’s dead. I’m the one left with a huge mess on my hands and guests arriving within the hour. Good thing I caught this before one of the maids did. Their screams from the last time were a devil to calm down.

Reaching out with my mind, I connect with my husband in a soft electrical tingle of sensation. Rafe? There’s a dead guy in suite six. We’ve got to move fast before the next group arrives.

Rafe’s rugged face appears in my head. My extended consciousness lets me see the room around him as well as hear his thoughts. He’s leaning against the sink in our private kitchen, wearing a robe, a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

Does it look like an accidental overfeeding? His mental voice sounds incredulous. We haven’t had one of those in years.

No, there’s way too much blood. Can you come up here and help me?

Sure, Dria. I’m fresh out of the shower—give me a couple minutes.

I step over the body and into the room, closing the door behind me with a soft snick of the catch. I’d rather not have the guests get a whiff of this mess. Some of them would probably think we did it on purpose for “ambience.” But others might not.
____________________________________________

Thanks for having me here today, Catherine. To help celebrate your week of bloodthirsty love, I’d like to give out five ebooks of Vampire Vacation to your choice of commenters on today’s blog. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

CONTEST RULES: 

Note: This book contains some explicit sex scenes and is intended for mature readers only.
Thanks to C.J. for offering FIVE ebook copies of Vampire Vacation. I'll make this giveaway easy: Be one of the first five people to respond in the comments section of this post, and you'll be a winner. Be sure to leave an email address. Due to the mature content of the novel, you must be 18 or over to enter. Good luck!

To learn more about C.J. Ellisson and Vampire Vacation, head to www.cjellisson.com.

Guest Post & Giveaway with Rhiannon Frater

Today's Vampire Valentine's Party guest is Rhiannon Frater, author of vampire novels such as The Tale of the Vampire Bride and the upcoming zombie release The First Days, available this summer from Tor. Welcome, Rhiannon.
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The Beautiful Monsters

by Rhiannon Frater

“The spider spinning his web for the unwary fly... The blood is the life, Mr. Renfield.”
—Bela Lugosi as Dracula

Though the vampire’s popularity is often declared by critics to be over, the recent resurgence has only proven that a vampire can never truly be destroyed. Over the last one hundred years, the children of the night have receded into the shadows, only to emerge later in new incarnations to mesmerize and lure humans into their web. How did the vampire evolve from the emaciated corpse that glutted itself on the blood of the living in the lore of many cultures to a tragic romantic figure of today’s paranormal romances and young adult books?

The answer is simple: Dracula.

Though Sheridan La Fanu’s Carmilla and John Polidori’s The Vampyre were both written before Bram Stoker’s Dracula, it was the tale of the Transylvanian count that gripped the imaginations of the public. The novel was so popular that it found a new incarnation as a play that was later translated to film. It starred the handsome Hungarian actor, Bela Lugosi. Lugosi created a suave, charming monster that hid its true horrific nature beneath a handsome face and elegant demeanor. He was captivating in the role, which was a far departure from Count Orlock in Nosferatu, an earlier silent film unofficially based on Dracula.

Count Orlock

Though Count Orlock’s appearance was closer to that of the traditional vampire, it was Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Dracula that left a lasting impression on the public mind. The vampire was forever transformed from a bloodsucking, fiendish corpse to a beautiful creature of the night. Yet, despite Dracula’s handsome appearance, he was still a vampire. Cruel, malicious, and bloodthirsty, he feasted on his swooning female victims and transformed them into his brides to join his reign of terror.

As a horror writer, it’s a challenge to meld the vampire lore with the romanticized version of vampires that now dominates our culture. I like my vampires to be dangerous, fearsome, and bloodthirsty. Yet, I am aware of the sexual power of the vampire as they lure the virginal innocents into wanton lust while they claim their victim’s blood.

In my novel The Tale of the Vampire Bride, Dracula has taken an English aristocrat as one of his brides against her will. Lady Glynis Wright is a feminist before her time and chafes at society’s edicts on how a young woman of her position should behave during the Regency era in Europe. Her rebelliousness does not fade once she becomes a vampire, and she is soon engaged in a battle of the wills with one of the most terrifying vampires of all time. As Lady Glynis struggles against her bloodlust and her desire to be free of Dracula’s power, she discovers her own hidden strength and even a forbidden love. Though The Tale of the Vampire Bride is a tale of gothic horror, I followed in Bela Lugosi’s footsteps and created vampires that are beautiful monsters of the eternal night.

Website: rhiannonfrater.com
Email: rhiannonfrater AT gmail.com
The Tale of the Vampire Bride is available in paperback and kindle on amazon.com and in ebook formats at smashwords.com.

CONTEST RULES:

Rhiannon has generously offered to give away ONE paperback and ONE ebook version of The Tale of the Vampire Bride. To enter, head to the comments section of this post and let us know which onscreen version of Dracula is your favorite.  If you don't have a favorite, instead leave a comment for the author. The paperback edition is limited to U.S. and Canadian shipping addresses.  If you live outside these two countries, please specify that you're entering to win the ebook version.

DEADLINE: I'll pull two random winners Thursday, February 17, after 8:00 AM PST.

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RHIANNON FRATER is the award-winning author of the zombie novel The First Days, which features two female protagonists fighting to survive during the zombie rising. The novel will be released on July 5, 2011, by Tor and is available for pre-order. Her other novels include the modern vampire tale Pretty When She Dies and the young adult zombie novel The Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunters. Rhiannon resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is a full-time writer.