Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 518

The World of Wild Point Island Guest Blog and Giveaway with Kate Lutter

I’m not ashamed to admit that the hot drama on HBO—True Blood—changed me forever.  It impacted my vision of the kind of paranormal world I wanted to create when I started writing Wild Point Island.   I became instantly addicted to this love story of a vampire and small town waitress, and then I let my imagination fly as I began to write my own drama—a romance set on a mythical island off the coast of North Carolina, connected to the mainland by a bridge that only the residents of the island could see.  I loved that concept.  And it’s amazing how photos helped me conceptualize my story.  
For example, my book cover reflected the idea of the bridge so beautifully.  The artist put little stars around the bridge. 
Wild Point Island was cut off from the rest of civilization.  Victorian in architecture, it was fun to imagine the quaint details of the houses. 
The building pictured on my cover is the Blue Dolphin Restaurant.  The restaurant is owned by the residents of the island and used as a kind of safe house to get on and off the island without the humans who live on the mainland ever suspecting. 
The Blue Dolphin Restaurant sits near a dock. 
Here is an interior shot:
And here is the house that my heroine Ella Pattenson and her sister Lily returned to when they came back to Wild Point Island.  I love the look of this house.  In the story, Ella and Lily were banished from the island twenty years ago and now they’re returning to their childhood home, a very dangerous place, to rescue their father.  You can’t see the old stables in the back of the house, but they’re there.   
Creating the Victorian look of the island was easy.  What was more difficult was coming up with a plausible reason why my characters were on an island and why they were confined to an island for over 400 years.  I hooked the backstory for Wild Point Island on a real historical event—The Lost Colony of Roanoke—and I used the disappearance of these 95 American colonists as the springboard for my story.  What if the colonists didn’t die, as most historians thought, but instead relocated to another island?  What if, in their struggle to survive, they ate a local plant, which transformed them physiologically into another life form—a revenant—granting them immortality, but at a price?  They must remain on the island forever.

            I liked using a real life event as backstory.  I even took the names of my characters from the original manifest of the boat that sailed from England in the 1590’s and settled on Roanoke Island.  I liked also that my hero, Simon Viccars, would be confined to the island, because he wouldn’t be apart of the modern world.  He’d be a bit old-fashioned and more courtly in his manners. 
            Because my hero, Simon Viccars, is a revenant he can assume human form for only part of the time.  Like a vampire, he is sensitive to the sun, but it’s the heat more than the light.  During the day he is in a spirit form and confined to the walls of his house, recharging.  After 4:00, he can assume human form, and he is all man. Simon’s been married, but the death of his wife is what drives him to get off the island.  When he meets the heroine, he hasn’t had real feelings for a woman in close to 100 years. 
         I love this photo of Simon.  It shows his raw energy and courage as he faces the rough current surrounding Wild Point Island.  He is wearing a long coat, typical of the time period. 


Wild Point Island is not a graphic novel, but in some ways I wish it could have been. The photo to the right shows the gravesite of Simon’s wife.  He visits it one day to tell her that he’s finally found someone new.  
When I wrote Wild Point Island, I had this secret wish to include a cadre of photos.  Whenever I read a novel, I like to pretend that the story is real.   It would have been nice to show Ella and Simon together.  To show Ella and Lily strolling along the beach.  To show Uncle Teddy in his stately mansion. 
Someday I predict a writer will do that and that novel will be a sensation. 
I’m still toying with the idea of coming up with a kind of companion picture book for Wild Point Island.   What do you think??


            Wild Point Island Contest                                          Sponsored by Kate Lutter

As a newly published author, I’m looking to expand my Email list.  (This list is never given or sold to anyone else. I use it only to announce release information of my books.)  So, if you’re willing to share your name and email address and answer the contest question, you could win a free copyof  Wild Point Island !

First /Last Name _____________________________________
Email Address _______________________________________

Contest Question:  What’s the name of your favorite novel?   Explain why in 25 words or less.  
________________________________________________________________________





________________________________________________________________________

(For me,  Wuthering Heights .  I love the hauntingly intense aspect of the relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine.)     


Wild Point Island  By Kate Lutter
Banished from Wild Point Island as a child, Ella Pattenson, a half human-half revenant, has managed to hide her true identity as a descendent of the Lost Colony of Roanoke.  Thought to have perished, the settlers survived but were transformed into revenants--immortal beings who live forever as long as they remain on the island.
Now, Ella must return to the place of her birth to rescue her father from imprisonment and a soon to be unspeakable death.  Her only hope is to trust a seductive revenant who seems to have ties to the corrupt High Council.  Simon Viccars is sexy and like no man she’s ever met. But he’s been trapped on the island for 400 years and is willing to do almost anything for his freedom.
With the forces of the island conspiring against her, Ella  must risk her father, her heart, and her life on love.  


Amazon paperback    Amazon Kindle         Barnes and Noble  Paperback

 About the Author
Kate Lutter believes she was born to write. She wrote her first novel when she was in eighth grade, but then almost burned her house down when she tried to incinerate her story in the garbage can because she couldn’t get the plot to turn out right. Now, many years later, she lives in NJ with her husband and five cats (no matches in sight) and spends her days writing contemporary paranormal romances, traveling the world, and hanging out with her four wild sisters. She is happy to report that her debut novel , Wild  Point Island, the first in a series, has just been published by Crescent Moon Press. She is busy writing the sequel and her weekly travel blog entitled Hot Blogging with Chuck, which features her very snarky and rascally almost famous cat.Website: www.katelutter.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/katelutternovelistBlog: www.katelutter.blogspot.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/katelutter

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Fried Zombie Delight by Susan Abel Sullivan

Zombies scare the hell out of me. 
You can’t reason with them.  If you try, they’ll just eat you alive.  They stink.  They drop body parts all over the place.  I seriously doubt they’re house broken.  And if they bite you, they infect you and you become a ravening dead person.  Oh, sure, werewolves infect with their bite, too, but at least you remain human 25 days out of the month and you get to shape shift during the full moon—or at will, depending on whose mythos we’re talking about.   
So, if I find zombies so horrifying, why in the world did I build a short story collection around them?
The answer is simple: in order to enjoy zombies, I have to find the absurd humor in them. Because otherwise, they’re too much like rabid serial killers, another horror trope that scares the pants off of me.  I like the thrill of being scared, but I also find comfort in the safety of being able to tell myself: It’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real.  Zombies are too much like crazed maniacs to me. 
But darkly funny or silly zombies—those I can handle.  That’s why I love the movie ZOMBIELAND, but have to watch NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD with my hands over my face.  The first time I saw the latter, it was showing on the big screen and had to make fun of it out loud as if I were at THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW because it was just too terrifying to deal with. 
In my newest short story collection, FRIED ZOMBIE DEE-LIGHT! Ghoulish, Ghostly Tales, I explore the humor in zombies & ghouls (and ghosts—oh, my!), ranging from wickedly sly to outright silly and everywhere in between with stories such as:
“Wanted: Certified Zombie Instructor”“Zombie Hunting with my Mother” “The Girl Next Door” “Giving up the Ghost with Gabrielle Ghostly” or “Dear Gabby” – a mock advice column
And even a song, “Fried Zombie Dee-light!” 
I’ve also included a slyly humorous poem originally published in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine titled “Crushed” and one serious piece of magical realism, “Finding the Way Home.”
So, when you ask yourself what you want for dinner, try a little Fried Zombie Dee-light.  And be prepared to laugh yourself silly (or at least smirk a little).  You know you want to.   

Bio: Susan Abel Sullivan is the author of CURSED: WICKEDLY FUN STORIES and the forthcoming THE (REAL) HAUNTED HOUSEWIVES OF ALLISTER, AL from World Weaver Press.  She lives in a Victorian house in northeastern Alabama with two dogs, way too many cats, and a ball python named Pi. When not writing she likes to get her groove on by teaching Zumba classes. She is a graduate of the Odyssey Writing Workshop for speculative fiction. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in numerous online and print publications, including Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, ASIM Best of Horror: Vol II, Beyond Centauri, New Myths, AlienSkin, and Writers’ Journal.  She is currently working on a YA novel about the supernaturally challenged and a sequel to Haunted Housewives, THE WEREDOG WHISPERER.  Visit her website at: http://susanabelsullivan.weebly.com/


FRIED ZOMBIE DEE-LIGHT! Ghoulish, Ghostly Tales:
A fun collection about ghouls, ghosts, zombies, and an advice column featuring dead letters from the lovelorn! You'll want to steer clear of Bubba's Cafe after you find out what they serve, and if you teach Group X, you'll be leery of job postings for Certified Zombie Instructors. Quiver, quake and chuckle at these quirky tales of the paranormal.

Delightfully fraught with humor and the macabre, Sullivan's FRIED ZOMBIE DEE-LIGHT masterfully mixes the mundane with the fantastic in her tales of the strange and ghoulish.—Heidi Ruby Miller, author of AMBASADORA and GREENSHIFT; co-editor of MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT

"Susan Abel Sullivan's talent shines in FRIED ZOMBIE DEE-LIGHT!—a collection full of wicked humor and quirky charm."—Sherry Peters, author of SILENCING YOUR INNER SABOTEUR

“Eerie, delectable, and filled with Southern charm, Fried Zombie Dee-Light will leave you wanting more.”—Rebecca Roland, author of the forthcoming SHARDS OF HISTORY from World Weaver Press

A new kind of WITCH: The Women’s international movement from hell

“We were the movement secretaries and the shit-workersWe were the earth mothers and the sex-objects for the movements men”
Witchcraft and feminism. What is the connection?
Now I am an essentialist feminist at heart and have undertones of feminism throughout my new adult fantasy romance, Superheroes Wear Faded Denim.  My female characters are all strong. Though they may not always know what they want out of life they know definitely what they want when it comes to their sexuality. Sometimes I have many of these powerful characters wielding magic. Even though I know historical events have shaped much of our views on magic, leaving many writers to associate magic with witches and warlocks, I redefine the definition for my novel. Why?
Because witches seem so dark and anti-feminist to me. At least that is what I thought until I discovered The Witches International Terrorist Conspiracy From Hell. 
Before I stumbled on the organization, I had been researching the connection between the concept of the witch and feminism. What better place than to discuss such a topic than on Roxanne’s Realm.
At first I was led to an article on Digital History describing the roles many women were forced to take while in organizations for social change during the Civil Rights movement and the Second World War. Oftentimes they were "responsible for kitchen work, typing, and serving "as a sexual supply for their male comrades after hours."”  One woman summed up female roles as “the movement secretaries and the shit-workers . . . the earth mothers and the sex-objects for the movement's men." (http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=382)
Such feelings of frustration caused women to band together. Some of these women came to be known as WITCH.
At first I thought this was the sobriquet a women’s terrorist organization in the Middle East received from a group of frustrated, overworked soldiers. How wrong I was.
WITCH was one of the radical organizations marking second-wave feminism, sprouting up along with hundreds of feminist organizations in the late 1960s. Unlike first-wave feminism, a term coined in the 70s, second-wave was focused on issues pertaining to “sexuality, family, the workplace, and reproductive rights.”Taking to the streets to join fellow sisters in the movement, they were innovative in their approach, attracting attention to their cause by using mostly theatrics and guerrilla tactics. (http://occultchicago.blogspot.com/2012/06/womens-international-terrorist.html)
One of the most interesting pieces of information I found was the WITCH Manifesto.  It reads like a poem, and should be quite a bit of entertainment.
“WITCH is an all-woman Everything.  It’s theater, revolution, magic, terror, joy, garlic flowers, spells.  It’s an awareness that witches and gypsies were the original guerrillas and resistance fighters against oppression…Witches were the first Friendly Heads and Dealers, the first birth-control practitioners and abortionists, the first alchemists…WITCH lives and laughs in every woman.  She is the free part of each of us, beneath the shy smiles, the acquiescence to absurd male domination…if you are a woman and dare to look within yourself, you are a witch…you are free and beautiful…Whatever is repressive, solely male-oriented, greedy, puritanical, authoritarian-those are your targets…you are pledged to free our brothers from oppression and stereotyped sexual roles as well as ourselves.  You are a witch by saying aloud, “I am a Witch,” three times, and thinking about that.  You are a witch by being female, untamed, angry, joyous, and immortal.”  (http://jhstrega7.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/the-witch-manifesto-of-1968/)
It could be argued the whole idea of the witch is just a way of holding women down. Just think of the Salem Witch Trials. The majority of its victims being women, it was one more way for men to punish women for being who they are.  Another argument that makes the witch anti-feminism is provided by  this blogger, “the goddess fulfills nearly every feminine stereotype, with a great deal of focus on fertility”  (http://www.redpolka.org/blog/archives/000310.html)
Another could say the witch itself is feministic. Going against mainstream roles, she is powerful, dominant, and in tune with herself.
I could present arguments all day, but what do you think? Is the concept of the witch anti-feminist or not? Let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear your thoughts.





Blissany Cherry is tired of sleeping around. Her neurologists’ sleep solutions have failed her. Now that her bizarre sleeping habits have begun to include week long dreams she has resorted to her own methods for a cure.METHOD ONE: CONTROL DREAMS. All attempts to morph dreams about a gorgeous warrior into romantic fantasies are thwarted. He keeps on insisting she is destined to marry a great king and lead their armies into war. At the end of every dream he asks her: will you fight the war and save mankind?  
She laughs in his face.
METHOD TWO: RESIST! Blissany has plans for her life. None include fighting an intergalactic war.  When her dreams begin spilling over into reality, she is forced to make a decision that will forever redefine her life. Standing between destiny and desire, she is left with only one option.
METHOD THREE: SURVIVE.

About the Author:

Law Reigns has an odd obsession with romance. At the advice of her friends, she gave up the plight of playing cupid in their lives. Developing her own characters to manipulate proved to be more rewarding. After having studied creative writing at the University of Florida, she decided to write Superheroes Wear Faded Denim. A proud Gator alumni, she based  her novel where blood runs orange and blue. She personally invites all adventure druggies and love fanatics to dive into the pages of Faded Denim, a story that transforms a swampy, southern town into a battlefield for life and love. Connect with Law Reigns

Website: www.lawreigns.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lawreignsupreme
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/lawreignsupreme
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/lawreignsupreme
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/lawreignsupreme/
Why this story:
I wrote this story for three reasons:
1.      As a narcoleptic, I wanted to inspire others by writing a story about a character who struggles to overcome sleep. Harriet Tubman’s story inspired me. For those who do not know, she was also a narcoleptic. She most certainly did not let it bother her. Anyone who faces obstacles in life will be inspired by this story of triumph.  
2.      Telling the story of a young woman who had to undergo a transformation to achieve greatness was important to me. Life will always ask more of us, more than we sometimes even think we can give. 
3.      I wanted to capture the beauty and culture of my college experience. There are so many different types of people we meet in college. Many stories do not even try to convey this. 


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Shadow of Night Giveaway

On July 10th SHADOW OF NIGHT by Deborah Harkness, the sequel to the bestselling A Discovery of Witches,  is being released. To celebrate today I have a giveaway.


But first let me tell you about the books.


I am so excited about Shadow of Night. After reading the first book I didn't want it to end and I have been waiting for this one for months.


The first, A Discovery of Witches, was an engrossing blend of magic, history, and science with a dash of mystery and a lot of romance. Wow, what a combo- and it works. I have Shadow of Night on the top of my review stack, it's the next book on my list and I'm trying so hard to get done with the book I'm on so I can get to it :-)
Synopsis:

SHADOW OF NIGHT picks up right where A Discovery of Witches left off. Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont, a witch historian and vampire geneticist respectively, have timewalked to Elizabethan England on their hunt for a magical alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782—its sudden appearance and sudden disappearance have upended the delicately ordered world of magical creatures (witches, vampires, and daemons), threatening to unleash unprecedented metaphysical chaos.

Though Diana and Matthew have escaped the threats of the present, they soon find the past holds its own challenges—Diana must find a witch to continue her magical education, a task made difficult by a rash of witch hunts across the British Isles. And Matthew finds himself back in a life he thought he left behind, reuniting with friends and family that had long been reduced to memory, opening wounds he thought had healed. Some of those friends comprise the infamous School of Night, a coterie of visionaries that includes Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh. Together, Matthew and Diana must navigate the new dangers of an old century—bringing them closer and closer to solving the mystery of Ashmole 782.

About the Author:

Deborah Harkness is a professor of history at the University of Southern California. Her publications include works on the history of science, magic, and alchemy. Her most recent scholarly book is The Jewel House: Elizabethan London and the Scientific Revolution. She has received fellowships from the Fulbright Association, the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Humanities Center, and the American Council of Learned Societies, among others. She is also a noted wine critic and blogger. A Discovery of Witches was her fiction debut. Learn more at Deborah's author website.

For chances to win goodies be sure to check out Deborah’s Facebook page, Viking is hosting a contest open through July 6th, four winners will be selected to receive an advance copy of SHADOW OF NIGHT signed by Deborah and sample bottles of two perfumes specially selected to represent the scents of Matthew and Diana. To enter, click on this link to the contest page! 


Here at Fang-tastic Books we're giving away a copy of Shadow of Night along with an "Ashmole 782" temporary tattoo and a set of buttons, to enter fill out the form below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Reasons We Love Vampires by Kym Grosso

Hi Everyone!  I would like to thank Roxanne & Fang-tastic Books for hosting me today on my virtual book tour forKade's Dark Embrace.  I really appreciate the opportunity to stop by and share a guest post with readers.  Hope you enjoy my take on vampires and why we love them. 


Top 10 Reasons Why We Love Vampires
By Kym Grosso
As early as I can remember, vampires were my favorite type of supernatural.  I guess it all started when I was a kid watching Dr. Shock.  For those of you who don’t recognize the name, Dr. Shock was the host of a 1970s TV show that played old horror movies. Dr. Shock was actually a magician in real life, but as a kid, he looked scary and the movies he played were even scarier. Every week his show promised favorites like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Mummy and The Creature from the Black Lagoon.  Many a Saturday afternoon, I watched the monsters in black and white TV and loved being scared.
And up until recently, there was no denying who won the “sexiest monster contest”; after all, vampires rule.  Let’s face it; Frankenstein isn’t exactly dream guy material.  And the Creature from the Black Lagoon?  Unless you like algae- filled lakes on a dark night, he’s not the man for most girls.  And while werewolves like Alcide from True Blood and Jacob from Twilight could give any vamp a run for his money, the Wolf Man was sonot a sexy beast.
So for many years in horror history, and what still holds true for many of us today is that Dracula was and is the one monster many women would actually agree to date. If we had to pick a monster dream guy, he is lookin’ pretty good.  He’s aristocratic, well-dressed, lives in a castle and absolutely focused on pleasuring women.  Okay, maybe he’s more focused on their blood than their emotional needs, but still, he’s hot.
In modern times, vampires continue to hold their appeal from movies to TV to books.  While some people ask “When will the vampire craze end?” I often see the craze as an ongoing wave that ebbs and flows but never goes away. Throughout history, vampires have been studied, portrayed on stage, TV and movies, written about, emulated and imitated.  So what makes us so attracted to these sharp dressed and sharp toothed males? 
Here are my Top 10 Reasons Why We Love Vampires:
10. Low Maintenance. They don’t usually require a woman to cook or clean very much.  Okay, I know that some women like to prepare meals.  And the saying, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” still applies with vampires.  But the average vampire male is usually looking for meals that are a little simpler to prepare and require no cleanup. Also, very little housekeeping is required with your vamp; no need to make the bed if your vampire sleeps in a coffin!
9. Telekinesis.  Lighting candles with a flick of the wrist.  This is a little known trick a lot of movie vampires have.  How convenient is that?  Lights on. Lights off.  No need for “the clapper” if you have your vampire with you.
8. Look deep into my eyes….Vampires can mesmerize people with a gaze and a few simple words.  I could really use Dracula to help me lose weight.  “You will not eat those potato chips!”
7. Fly Me to the Moon.   Vampires can fly through the air and sometimes even take you for a ride with them. Rush hour traffic, no problem, baby.  I’ll fly you there.
6. Bring on the Bling. Vampires, both male and female, are usually well off financially. The “wealthy vampire” is not a hard and fast rule but more of guideline. It usually is because they have been accumulating wealth over the centuries.  Even Bram Stoker’s Dracula lived in a castle, albeit a crumbling one; still, he had a castle and a second home in London.  Who wouldn’t want to visit a hot vamp in his castle?
5. Fashionistas…As Tim Gunn would say, “Make it work!” Vampires know how to dress well. There aren’t too many sloppy vamps in movies, TV or books.  And because vampires are often fond of dancing and operas, many times they don a tux and look sexier than James Bond at a casino.  Even when on TV, they know how to make casual look cool. Damon from Vampire Diaries always looks mighty fine. Need I say more? “Every Girl’s Crazy ‘Bout A Sharp Dressed Man”~ ZZ Top
4. Super strength, agility and speed.   In movies, books and TV, our lovable vampires use these skills to rescue the girl and/or win a battle.  But in reality, I could think of many reasons why this is great.  Need help rearranging furniture or moving?  As long as it’s done at night, a vamp is a good bet.
3. Immortality.   Ah yes, immortality is the one thing mere mortals will never have.  Yet, our vampires are blessed or cursed, depending on how you look at it, with living forever.  And the most appealing factor involved is that they never age.  Sure they stay out of the sun, but they never wrinkle a bit.  I, for one, would love to drink from that fountain of youth.
2. Sex Appeal Combined with Alpha Persona.  Most vamps ooze the kind sexuality that makes you want to drop to your knees.  And on top of that, they exude confidence that lets you know that if you ever got lucky with them, you would be begging for more.  Ever since Bela Lugosi’s portrayal of Dracula, women across the world have been swooning over vampires. Yes, I am talking about hot, sexy vamps like Eric Northman and Bill Compton from True Blood.  They are the kind of vampires that make you need a cold shower after watching them on TV.  “I am sexy and I know it” ~LMFAO
1. The big O!   The orgasmic bite is the number one reason why I love vampires. In romance novels, the heroines are often the lucky recipients of multiple Os simply by being bitten once by a vampire.  Not only do vampires have an increased sexual appetite and stamina, they are highly skilled in knowing exactly how to please a woman.  So while so much research over the years has focused on finding the elusive g-spot, perhaps Kinsey should have as asked a vampire what his secret is...fangs!  Who knew?
And that, my friends, is my Top 10 List for Why We Love Vampires!  I hope you enjoyed my take on it and feel free to add the reasons why you love vampires. 

Kade's Dark Embrace
BY Kym Grosso
Blurb:
After a series of girls are ritualistically murdered on the cold streets of Philadelphia, seasoned detective, Sydney Willows, is forced to work with sexy, alpha vampire, Kade Issacson. While working the case, Sydney finds herself inexplicably drawn to Kade, fighting the passion she feels towards him. Kade, determined to solve the case and mete out justice, is captivated by the independent, fiery detective. As he attempts to protect her from a very real murderer, Kade grows concerned that the beautiful, but very human detective, could easily end up dead should she tangle with supernatural forces that are beyond her control.

The investigation leads them into a dark and dangerous world, deep in the heart of New Orleans, where together, they search for the perpetrators of the Voodoo killings. Sydney soon becomes the target of the killer and ends up fighting for her life and love in the Big Easy. If she makes it out alive, will she give into the intoxicating desire she feels for Kade?

74,000 Words, Novel Length, Spicy Romance
book trailer for Kade's Dark Embrace  http://youtu.be/_GsJRUi1fww 

About the Author
Kade's Dark Embrace is my debut paranormal romance novel. I have also written and published several articles about autism. I developed a late interest in writing after my son was diagnosed with autism and started advocating on his behalf. Three years ago, I started my own website, www.AutismInRealLife.com and now blog and write articles for PsychologyToday.com.

I live in Pennsylvania with my husband, two children and our dog, Ace. My hobbies include autism advocacy, reading, tennis, zumba and traveling. New Orleans is one of our favorite places to visit with its rich culture and unique cuisine. But we also love traveling just about anywhere that has a beach or snow covered mountains.

I love reading mysteries, romances and about all things vampires, werewolves and other supernaturals. I hope readers enjoy Kade's Dark Embrace. I have already started writing the next book in the series, about Luca, due out Fall 2012.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KymGrossoBooks
Twitter: @KymGrosso
Website: www.AutismInRealLife.com
Psychology Today Blog: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/autism-in-real-life

Bringing the Funny-How to Add Humor in Novels Guest blog and Giveaway

Bringing the Funny-How to Add Humor in Novels
If you read my blurb for First Visions, you probably wouldn’t think there’s much room for humor in the novel. The basic plot is a psychic is enlisted to help on a case to find an abducted child. Not exactly knee slapping material. However, I think adding some levity to a novel can really diffuse the tension and prevent a book from becoming overly melodramatic.
Here are a few tips:
1) Create a character that says basically everything you wish you could. The character of Kate in First Visions is an uncensored version of me. My sense of humor leans towards the snarky and sarcastic side, but since I actually want to keep my friends, I never say half the things I’m thinking.
2) Find inspiration in the people around you. Although I try not to base too many of my characters off of people I know (you know how many friends swear they are the bitchy girlfriend in First Visions?), I do add their quirks for some laughs in my stories.
3) Decide on the type of humor you want to add into your novel. Some people may find toilet humor the highest level of hilarity while others find comedy in parody and satire. Kate is sarcastic which may not endear her to all readers, but I found it worked best for the story and the character. Kate’s best friend has a boyfriend Gage who is more a fan of low brow humor since it worked with his characterization.
4) Make the situations you place the characters in funny. I think my strength lies in funny dialogue, but situational humor can also be great for a story. One instance in my book occurs when the detective tries to have a moment with Kate and takes her to feed the ducks. The geese end up charging her for the bag of bread and she has to run for cover. Other examples of situational humor in stories I’ve scene is mistaken identity (art professor thinks the handsome cop is at her studio for the nude model audition) or physical comedy (the princess makes her grand entrance into the ball by falling flat on her face).
Thanks for letting me stop by your blog!    




First Visions 
by Heather Topham Wood
Second Sight Book One


Two years ago, 21-year-old Kate Edwards became deathly ill and slipped into a coma. While unconscious, she crept into the mind of a missing boy and awoke with the knowledge of his location. Friends and family were skeptical and wary of her new ability to see into the minds of others. Their fears prompted Kate to keep her psychic powers a secret. Feeling alienated, she dropped out of college and spent most of her days holed up at her mother's home.
Now another child has been abducted. Police detective Jared Corbett seeks out Kate for her help in solving the case. Reluctantly, Kate agrees and they must work together to bring 8-year-old Cori Preston home to her family. Although attracted to one another, Jared has a girlfriend with ties to the abduction case and Kate is sarcastic and guarded since her coma. With visions she can't control and an uncontrollable attraction to the detective, she wonders if she can leave the past behind and finally stop hiding from the world. Otherwise, Cori may be lost forever.  
Author bio

Heather Topham Wood graduated from the College of New Jersey in 2005 and holds a bachelor's degree in English. Working full-time as a freelance writer for publications such as USA Today, Livestrong.com, Outlook by the Bay and Step in Style magazine, she writes fiction novels in her spare time. She resides in Trenton, New Jersey with her husband and two sons. Besides writing, Heather is a pop culture fanatic and has an obsession with supernatural novels and TV shows.
First Visions is the first book in the Second Sight series.

http://authorheather.wordpress.com
Http://twitter.com/woodtop255
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Interview with Joseph Mazzenga

Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
I confess. I grew up on comics so it was a natural progression to Urban Fantasy. I don’t fly solo in just one genre but rather go where the writing takes me. I stay with UF because it is my sweet spot. I also dable with Gothic Romance and SciFi Horror. They all seem to collide every now and then.
What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires that fascinates you so much?
I’ve been terrified of the classic monsters since childhood and it’s turned into pure fun for me. I think the raw attraction for all fans comes from the fact that these creatures are the top of the food chain – they are Homo Superous. Okay, give me that one please. Strength, stamina, in many cases superior intelligence, seem to hit that area deep in us where we are both terrified and in awe at the same time.
What inspired you to write this book?
I am a short story nut by trade. I chalk it up to ADD but I love a hard hitting story that doesn’t take 500 pages to get out. Tell me the truth – what roller coaster ride lasts 2 hours? I always wondered what happens when the human race checks out. Who or what is left over? And what did Aliens teach us? There is always something bigger and badder out there.
Please tell us about your latest release.
I actually have 2 novellas out right now.
First, there is Invasion of Blood, which is a nasty little tale about the human race coming to an end at the hands of a superior alien race. Only a scrap of survivors were left and Earth’s usurpers would eliminate these paltry humans once and for all. The only trouble is…the survivors weren’t human.
The second novella is a paranormal romance called Gillian’s Angel. This finding-solace novella focuses on a connection between Gillian and her lover…from the other side.
Both are out now for your perusal. And Thank You for reading….
Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
I do all of the above depending on what the story demands. I have an Urban Fantasy full length novel in the works that involves a lot of medieval flashback and I will research those names of the period to give the scenes and characters authenticity.
Often a name will just pop and I will build a character’s personality around that name as I see fit.
Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
I think there is always a challenge when you are trying to flesh out a story that readers can sink their teeth into (pun intended). I ask the same question of all of my characters – Will the reader identify with this person or creature?
Do any of your characters have similar characteristics of yourself in them and what are they?
As an author, I believe every character on every page that I write has a bit of me in them. I think sardonic humor seems to be a staple for my characters and yours truly has that within him…buried deep of course.
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
I don’t believe I have suffered writer’s block as defined in the classic way. I will go ADD and forget where I am in the story. It sometimes is a struggle to keep it all in focus. Oh look…..a bat….oh, there, I did it again.
Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
I need silence. I know many writers who can be in a hurricane and they plug away. I can use music as a white noise but I can’t be dealing with lyrics while I write. A good dose of Blackmore’s Night or Kamelot will set the mood then it is balls to the wall to get it down.
Do you write in different genres?
I do. I have dabbled in Romance, Horror, and with the advent of my son, even children’s books. I always come back to the scope of Urban Fantasy however. It is sort of the genre mafia for me – you try to leave but it just drags you back in.
Do you find it difficult to write in multiple genres?
I think most authors don’t like to admit they can write in other genres. I find it a useful tool to work on your craft if you can write in other genres. It gives my main writing the depth I need to be successful.
When did you consider yourself a writer?
Third grade. The irony is that it took me years to accept that this is who I am. But that’s another story.
What are your guilty pleasures in life?
I am a workout nut, runner, weightlifter and hockey player. Guilty pleasures? I confess. I love appliance shopping. There. I said. Don’t judge me. Those useful little tools in the kitchen that help me make great meals. Love ‘em.
Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
I strive to be eclectic as I can. Some don’t know that I am a cancer survivor, however. I believe that survivorship is a right and I work hard blogging about my survival, sometimes day to day.
What was the last amazing book you read?
I am guilty – I just finished reading The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
I read in bed. Period. During the day, night, rain, snow, sun….in bed.
What can readers expect next from you?
My characters are steeped in reality. They are more than human even if they are not human to begin with. They can be superhuman but, like the rest of us, they are also flawed. I think readers will identify and say “I know that person.”
Where can readers find you on the web?
I am all over. Please tweet, friend, or drop me a line at:
http://jmazzenga.wix.com/joemazzenga
http://cancerhatesoxygen.blogspot.com
http://jmazzenga.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/joseph.mazzenga
www.twitter.com/jmazzenga
http://nighteternal.weebly.com/

Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
I will leave you with Invasion of Blood…
The human race had come to an end. That much was certain. The days of Homo sapiens rule were over. Centuries of culture, ingenuity, and bloodshed were all gone. Erased. A mere fabrication of universal imagination. This was the final campaign for V’ry Captain M’Tal and his crew. A definitive conquering point to his celebrated career. What he didn’t count on was the last stand from a band of beings left on a sloppy little planet called Earth.M’Tal hated humans. They should have been eradicated by the V’ry onslaught. He would make these humans pay for surviving the V’ry genocide. There was just one troubling aspect…the survivors weren’t human.

Interview with C.S. Revlis and Rise of the Vampire Giveaway

1.      Can you tell readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired to write in this particular genre?
h  From a very young age I have always been imaginative, open to new ideas.  I was inspired to write my first story when I was six years old, “The Little White Bunny.” At that time though, my family was not supportive of my writing.  The focus there was work and money.  So, I was forced to stop writing at home.  Fifteen years later, I got married and through the support of my wife and her family I began writing again.  On November 28th, 2005 I started “Rise of the Vampire.” (RotV)
2.     What is it about the paranormal, in particular vampires, that fascinates you so much?
h  The paranormal has always been a part of my life.  I have experienced it first hand, often being surrounded by ghost activity.  Hawaii is a very haunted place.  The thing that made vampires stand out to me was their inhuman abilities, lust for power and their immortality.  They are fascinating because they can be ruthless and at the same time be quite charming and alluring.
3.      What inspired you to write this book?
h  The games I used to play really piqued my interest in vampires.  Paired with various vampire movies and cartoons, I was inspired to create my own vampire story.
4.     Please tell us about your latest release.
h  “Rise of the Vampire” is an epic vampire adventure that follows the main characters’ journey into a world of chaos, war and survival.
5.      Do you have a special formula for creating characters' names? Do you try to match a name with a certain meaning to attributes of the character or do you search for names popular in certain time periods or regions?
h  No, not really.  As I am writing a character will pop into my head.  I see their face and get a feeling for their personality, and then I develop their name.  Sometimes the name pops into my head at the same time as they do.
6.     Was one of your characters more challenging to write than another?
h  I think Winston was the most difficult.  I wanted to create a character similar to the main character, but not exactly the same.  Finding a balance between Winston’s sincerity and his boldness was the hardest part.
7.      Is there a character that you enjoyed writing more than any of the others?
h  Yes, Teo Rusae (pronounced Tee-Oh  Roo-say . . . everyone gets that wrong). He is kind of based off of me; you have to read the book to get to know me better.
8.     What is your favorite scene from the book? Could you share a little bit of it, without spoilers of course?
h  I really like the fight scenes, but I don’t really have one that is my favorite, I actually have three.  My wife has a favorite part though, a favorite line from the story, she cracks up at it every time:
“You dirty, stinking, nasty little vampire! How dare you.” 
9.     What is the most interesting thing you have physically done for book related research purposes?
h  The swordplay for the fight scenes.  My wife, her sister and I got together with kendo bokken wooden katana’s and had sword fights in the front yard.  It was a lot of fun, but we got a few bumps and bruises bringing it to life.
10.   Can you tell readers a little bit about the world building in the book/series? How does this world differ from our normal world?
h  It is not too different; it could very well be our past.
11.    Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? How do you deal with it?
h  I get writers block sometimes.  Usually I take a few days off from the novel and work on writing some short stories instead.  I like to take my book and make notes in various locations like on nature hikes, the beach, Mauna Kea, really anywhere that is quiet and peaceful.
12.   Do you have any weird writing quirks or rituals?
h  I sometimes act out my story during writing.  Sometimes I see the scenes in my head, like a movie, other times I get out of my chair and physically move around acting out the scene.
13.   When did you consider yourself a writer?
h  I always thought of myself as a writer, but when the first copy of my book sold, and then I felt like an author.
14.   What are your guilty pleasures in life?
h  I like food, especially Chinese food and candy.  Also, vacations, especially when we go to theme parks, my imagination really runs wild there.
15.   Other than writing, what are some of your interests, hobbies or passions in life?
h  My greatest passions are for my family and for animals.  I have been playing with some children’s stories about some of my critters, we have lots of pets.
16.   Where is your favorite place to read? Do you have a cozy corner or special reading spot?
h  I like to read in my room, where it is sometimes quiet.  Sometimes I will have a critter with me when I read, it is relaxing.
17.   What can readers expect next from you?
h  The next book in the RotV series.  I am hoping for a January 2013 release of that one.18.   Where can readers find you on the web?
h  I am all over the internet.  I have a website: http://risofthevampire.weebly.com/index.html
There is a forum, blog and links to my Facebook and Twitter.  They are on the Voice of the Vampire page.
19.   Would you like to leave readers with a little teaser or excerpt from the book?
h  Sure.
They waited, for what seemed like hours, then all of a sudden in the far distance they heard loud banging and shouting on the waters.  The enemy was approaching Johnston and they were banging their shields creating a ruckus for all to hear.  As the enemy got closer a small breeze came and lifted the fog so Beau and his army could see.  When Beau looked his eyes widened.  There was a large fleet of enemy ships coming their way.

I have enjoyed this interview; it was a lot of fun.  Mahalo Roxanne, and everyone here at Fang-tastic books.  It has been a great experience, I look forward to talking to you again sometime, happy reading!



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Guest Blog and What Kills Me Giveaway with Wynne Channing

Some readers will ask: Is Zee you?
Good question. Is Zee, the heroine in my YA paranormal novel What Kills Me, a version of me?
While I’ve never been hunted to the death by every vampire in the world, I guess the short answer is: yes and no. All authors mine their own lives and personalities for inspiration.
Zee and I have several things in common: 
- We both have scars on our chins. I rode my bicycle into a parked car as a girl, stabbing my chin on a hood ornament. Zee’s scar disappears the moment she becomes a vampire. I’m not so lucky.
- We’ve both gotten totally lost while traveling. Once in Kyoto, Japan, half a dozen police officers had to escort me to my hostel. Zee is not so lucky. A psychotic killer finds her while she is lost in Rome, changing her fate forever.
- We’ve both had cockroaches crawl into our pants. (The bug was trying to get lucky?)We share a self-deprecating sense of humour and an openness with strangers (which is Zee’s gift as well as her undoing). Our fathers address themselves in the third person and our best friends rescued us from bullies. We both talk when we're nervous (my grade school teacher told my mother that I suffered from "verbal diarrhea").
But in a lot of ways, we are very different. I’m a lot more sarcastic and pessimistic. The coins in my swear jar could buy a car. And I’m definitely not as brave.
Zee has boundless spirit and desperately wants to lead a courageous and adventurous life. Falling into a well of blood and becoming vampire public enemy number one wasn't what she had in mind; but she faces every challenge, every tragedy, every twist and turn with verve. 
And she's constantly thinking of others, wishing she could protect them — even if it's from herself.
If vampires were trying to kill me, I'd lock myself in my room and hide under the covers. (Why do people do that — that’s the worst hiding place ever!)
Luckily, Zee isn’t me. She runs and then she fights.
Book jacket blurb, What Kills Me:
An ancient prophecy warns of a girl destined to cause the extinction of the vampire race. So when 17-year-old Axelia falls into a sacred well filled with blood and emerges a vampire, the immortal empire believes she is this legendary destroyer. Hunted by soldiers and mercenaries, Axelia and her reluctant ally, the vampire bladesmith Lucas, must battle to survive. 
How will she convince the empire that she is just an innocent teenager-turned bloodsucker and not a creature of destruction? And if she cannot, can a vampire who is afraid of bugs summon the courage to fight a nation of immortals?
About Wynne: 
Wynne Channing is a national newspaper reporter and young adult novelist. Wynne loves telling stories and as a journalist, she has interviewed everyone from Daniel Radcliffe and Hugh Jackman to the president of the Maldives and Duchess Sarah Ferguson. The closest she has come to interviewing a vampire is sitting down with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgard (he didn’t bite).
She briefly considered calling her debut novel “Well” so then everyone would say: “Well written by Wynne Channing.”
What Kills Me (ASIN: B0089H01VO) is available on Amazon.http://www.amazon.com/What-Kills-Me-ebook/dp/B0089H01VO/
It is also available at Smashwords (ISBN: 978-0-9881054-0-9) for Kobo and Nook.https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/169786
Ways to find Wynne: 
http://wynnechanning.com
http://twitter.com/wynnechanning
http://facebook.com/wynnechanning
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15305194-what-kills-me

GIVE-AWAY
Wynne Channing is giving away 10 copies of her ebook, What Kills Me, today. For your chance to win one, follow her on Twitter (http://twitter.com/wynnechanning) or like her at Facebook (facebook.com/wynnechanning), and send her this message: “Fangtastic Books says @wynnechanning has a page-turner for me!”