Michele Hauf's Blog, page 10

Playlist for THIS WICKED MAGIC

When I start a new story I sometimes make up a playlist (if I have a good idea of the plot and the characters in mind). Came up with a great playlist for my next project:

According to You - Orianthi
American Witch - Rob Zombie
Awake and Alive - SKillet
Beautiful Dangerous - Slash (feat. Fergie)
Bodies  - Drowning Pool
Coming Undone -  Korn
Cream - Prince
Diabolos - Dir En Grey
Down In A Hole - Alice In Chains
Down With The Sickness - Disturbed
Eileen - Skid Row
Give Me Novacaine - Green Day
Hard To Handle - The Black Crowes
Heavy Metal Lover - Lady Gaga
Moonlight Equilibrium - The Black Dahlia Murders
Rocket Queen - Guns N' Roses
So Cold - Break Benjamin
Stolen Prayer  - Alice Cooper
This House Is Haunted - Alice Cooper
This Night - Black Lab
Twist - Korn
We R Who We R - Ke$ha
Welcome to My Nightmare - Alice Cooper
Welcome To Mystery - Plain White T's
You're My Temptation - Alice Cooper

Yep, this story is going to be dark.

I can sign your Kindle books!

This is the coolest thing!  I can now sign the Kindle version of my books for you.  You just have to go to my author page at KindleGraph.com and request an autograph.  I sign a form, then you are sent a page that features the book cover and  my autograph.  It's swell!

Winners!

Well, I had three entries (does no one like the 3 Musketeers?) so...all three are winners!  They are:
Ju Dimello
skyla11377
Melissa/welachild

Please send me your snail mail addresses: toastfaery@gmail.com

Thanks for playing!
M

Les Trois Mousquetaires - A contest

It's no secret my favorite story EVER is The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas.  Love most of the movies made about it, as well.  But I'm surprised a big budget flick hasn't been put out by the French.  Something with big stars and CGI and all the advertising fanfare that the upcoming American release is getting for the next version due out in October.  Oh sure, I found a little movie put out in '05 by the French, but not much else.  I have nothing wrong with Englishmen playing D'Artagnan (Michael York will always be my favorite) but would really love to see a version set in and played by actors from France.

So here is my dream casting for the movie.  Let me know if you agree, or who you would cast!  Details below about the contest if you send me your dream cast.

I'll start with Aramis, since the actor I want to play him immediately popped to mind.  Vincent Cassel would embody Aramis' duplicitous nature, switching from religious fanatic to charming ladies' man in the snap of a finger.  He's also sexy as hell.  The man is Aramis.

Porthos, the fun-loving powerhouse who likes to spend money as much as he likes women tends to be played by portly actors, when really, he towers over his fellow musketeers and has brute strength.  I'd love to see Cyril Raffaelli cast as Porthos.
D'Artagnan is difficult because he's quite young in the story, but I'm not familiar with a lot of young French actors, so my first choice is Romain Duris, who plays charming and romantic so well, and I can entirely see him swashbuckling across the screen as he defiantly challenges the musketeers into accepting him into their ranks.
Of the musketeers, I've saved Athos for last.  He is my favorite. Somber, wise and has a bitter past that won't let go of him. He is D'Artagnan's reluctant mentor and always a friend.  I think Jean Hugues-Anglade would play him well, though I don't see him as physically fitting the character.  Anglade is slight while Athos is well-built and probably taller.  
Fanny Ardant must play Milady.  (Even though Faye Dunaway owned that role.) Ardant can play wicked devious well, and yet embue it with a tragic, lingering innocence that will put Athos onto his knees.
Constance?  Perhaps Ludivine Sagnier.  Though I could entirely see her playing Milady as well.  
Cardinal Richelieu could be played by Lambert Wilson.  I'd really like to see what he can do with the role.

Now it's your turn!  Cast The Three Musketeers with your favorite actors.  I can't wait to see who you pick.  And to make it more interesting, I'll turn this into a contest.  I'll draw two winners in a week to win the set of: ANGEL SLAYER, FALLEN, and ASHES OF ANGELS.  But sure to include an email address in your post in the comments!

Keep cool!

It's a steamer out there today.  In the high 90s, with the heat index pushing past 110, or so the weather girl says.  I'm sitting in the AC working on a story, but go outside every hour or so, just to take in the warmth.  Gotta enjoy it now, because in just a few months winter will breeze in again.
When in NYC a few weeks ago I had the most incredible watermelon soup.  I emailed the restaurant and they sent the recipe, though it didn't have measurements, so with a little trial and error I've fashioned my own recipe (still kind of 'to taste') that I think you'll all like.
Start with a baby watermelon, or some stores called it 'personal-sized'.  Depending on size (you'll have to do trial and error on this) a small one will make two servings, and a little larger is up to four servings.Cut up watermelon and put in blender.Add two mints leaves A handful (up to a cup) of blueberries  (these are optional, but I like them for color they add)dash of salt and peppera shot (or two) of White Zinfandel (again, to taste!)Blend until liquified.  Add small chunks of fruit, such as cantaloupe and/or grapes, cherries, and give a quick blend so as to leave fruit a little chunky.Eat!  It's so refreshing, and very filling.  A perfect summertime lunch!Let me know if you try it (and how it goes with the wine measurement).  ;-)

Another '11 release

Just found out the last Bites I turned in a few months ago is going to be a December release.  Cool!  I have so many releases this year, it startles me.  When did I have time to write all that?  Do I have a life?  :-)

I'm not sure what the title for the story is because I handed it in as FIRE AND BLOOD, but they want a change so I sent in two additional choices: PLAYING WITH FIRE or ONCE AN ANGEL.  This is a short story in my Of Angels & Demons series and features Cinder, a fire demon and Parish, who is a vampiress (who was also once a muse, or maybe still is!).

Tumblr

All right, as if I don't have enough places online already, Dusted, FB, Twitter, VampChix, Riding With The Top Down, Bite Club, Club Scarlet, I've just opened a Tumblr account.  I'm toying with the idea of getting rid of Dusted and just using Tumblr because I seem to have less and less to say, yet like to post pics of pretty things.  We'll see if I get the hang of customizing Tumblr and how well it works.  So if you want to find me at yet another place, click here:  haufsbeautifulcreatures.tumblr.com

As a writer, I consider it a blessing when I get a new st...

As a writer, I consider it a blessing when I get a new story idea.  But when I'm working on another story that has a deadline, it can also be a curse.  I just want to play with the new idea, but I've other, more pressing work to do first.  Might not even get to this idea until next year.  Sad face.  But I will write it, because I MUST.
I dallied with the idea of doing a story to revisit Creed and Blu.  I hear a lot from readers wanting to read more about those two from HER VAMPIRE HUSBAND.  I know Blu wants kids.  Lots of them.  Her own pack, actually.  But werewolves can't get pregnant by vampires.  I had that all figured out and the story was in my head, but couldn't figure how to give it a happy ending.  Well, it came to me last night.  And I love it!  And, as a result, two new characters came to mind, Kam and Kai.  Can't say much about them, but found pics of them today and already have basic character sheets drawn up.  Those are the pics; Kam is the chick; Kai the guy.  Aren't they hot?
So eventually I'll get to the 'what happens next' story about Blu and Creed, probably in novella format, and maybe in a paranormal antho I put together myself.  And hopefully Kam and Kai's stories will follow!
Now, can I get a clone of myself?  Anyone?
M

.99 cents for a limited time!

All righty, here's the deal.  The next ten days I have to write 1000 words a day to finish a manuscript.  Sounds easy, but with the story done at its current word count, each word will be like squeezing blood from a stone.  But I don't want my readers to suffer while I am.  In fact, I want you to get a good deal while I'm chained to the computer.  :-)

So for the next ten days you can get a copy of FOLLOW THE NIGHT, my historical vampire romance, at Smashwords for only .99 cents.  That's 75% off!  Yep, less than a buck for a full-length story!  Can you dig it?  You can only get it for that price at Smashwords, but they offer all formats so you can download the file to read on whatever e-Reading device you have.

So go here: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/66975

And use this coupon code: SF75V

And spread the word to all your friends!

Now, back to the story.  More words!

Don't you wish a place like this existed?

Don't you wish a place like this existed?