Roxanne Rhoads's Blog, page 559

Halloween Special Pricing

September is right around the bend so it's time to start planning for the big month of October- which means for all you Halloween lovers and paranormal fans- HALLOWEEN!

I am the biggest fan of Halloween- that's why here at Fang-tastic Books I am offering a discount on advertising to any author who would like to advertise their Halloween or paranormal book.

I'll give you 2 months of ad space (September and October) for just $20

And if you would like to set up a book tour with Bewitching Book Tours- I'll toss in free ad space here at Fang-tastic Books for September and October and give you a free Twitter party with the purchase of Spellbinding Special Tour ($99) or a Make Magic Happen Tour ($150)

So you'll be getting $60 worth of promo for Free ($20 per month ad space at Fang-tastic and $20 for a Twitter Party)

If this sounds like a great deal- email me at RoxanneRhoads@aol.com to reserve your tour date

The Hunt for the Perfect Ball Gown for Halloween

I am on the quest still for the perfect gown for the Halloween balls I am going to this year I love this green one though I'm pretty sure I don't have that much boobage to be showing off :-) but it really embodies the sexy, Victorian, steampunk combo I'm looking for-plus I love the color Unfortunately I couldn't find any listing for this gown for sale- it came up in a photo search for sexy steampunk gowns Now this Mina gown I found on Etsy is WOW- it also has a wow price tag like $1200 This Marie Antoinette gown has a similar price tag So does this gorgeous red velvet gown though this one seems more medieval than Victorian, I'm still loving the look

These gowns I found on Etsy- all gorgeous all can be custom made to my measurements- and each would be a huge investment- like way more than I spent for my wedding gown even

of course I love each one of these more than my wedding gown- oh that probably sounds awful but if I could have done things my way for my wedding I never would have worn white because I am so not a white wearing kind of woman and I never have been- take that how you want to ;-)

Anyone have any suggestions, a website or somewhere to send me that has gorgeous gowns with a less than heart attack inducing price

Oh and yes I am looking into costume rentals but unfortunately there are not any in my local area I might have to drive an hour or so to check out a place in Lansing, MI we'll see how that goes

Review of Daughters of Darkness Edited by Pam Keesey

Daughters of DarknessEdited by Pam KeeseyPublisher: Cleis Press Inc.

Publication date: 2006 year

ISBN: 978-1-57344-233-6



A Collection Of Lesbian Vampire Tales

I received this book from EdenFantasys

Check out their selection of erotic books for sale

My Review:

This book was not what I was expecting at all.

Being sold at EdenFantasys I thought this book would be a collection of sexy erotic lesbian vampire stories.It was and wasn't.

Yes there were vampires. Yes it contained stories of lesbian vampires, but mostly veiled lesbianism hidden behind vampires- it was all very literary and Gothic. I mean- it contained the classic "Carmilla"- which I have read several times. It is very dark, and yes definitely has lesbian undertones but it was written in the 1800's so it couldn't be blatant- the vampirism was used to hide and veil the overt sexual nature of the story.

If I had to really describe this book I wouldn't label it as erotica at all- scholarly, feminist...those are labels I would attach.

Did I enjoy the book? Yes.

Was it an easy lighthearted, entertaining read? Not really.

If you are looking for hot, explicit erotic, tales of modern lesbian vampires having naughty girl on girl sex with a little blood sucking thrown in- this book is not for you.

If you are looking for tales of powerful women, tales of lesbian vampires that span decades, even centuries of vampire folklore then yes you will enjoy this book.

It is very empowering showcasing female vampires not as overtly evil as many modern movies and books do- think about in many romance novels where the hero is a vampire and the heroine human any female vampires are evil- this can be seen in Laurell K Hamilton's book and in many others who write vampire romance. The female vampire is often the bad guy and the human has to fight her or kill her to get to her man- which happens to be a male vampire.

This book takes a positive approach to strong female vampires, strong female role models in general.

But as wonderful as most literary books are that deliver a fantastic message- and this one is if you are looking at it from a literary standpoint- someone looking for a sexy or scary read- should look elsewhere.

I believe it is completely misleading labeling it as an erotica book.

Sexy Halloween Costumes

It's that time of year again- I'm gearing up for Halloween and I am on a search for the perfect costume.

I'm really trying to find something Victorian with a hint of steampunk- maybe Victorian vampire with steampunk elements.

Anyway I'm not having a whole lot of luck- at leat not in price range. The one gown I fell in love with $1200! Ouch.

Back to searching at costume stores.

I just discovered Pure Sexy Costumes which has some very sexy Halloween costumes- including sexy vampire costumes. This Vivacious Vampire Costume is kinda cute.

I love the awesomeness of this 2 in 1 costume- quickly go from witch to vampire or back to witch. It's 2 costume in 1.

This Mischievous Witch is ultra adorable. I wish I had the legs to pull off a costume like this.

Pure Sexy Costumes also has sexy plus size costumes. I'm kinda digging the Tavern maiden because it would be a great costume to wear to the Renaissance Fair. I love the color of this sexy Gothic Bride costume though.

What do you think?

If you'd like to know more about Pure Sexy Costumes and get access to instant deals and specials follow them on Twitter and Like them on Facebook

Just for liking them on Facebook you can get 5% off your entire order when shopping through their facebook store

So tell me, what do you think of the Halloween costumes above?

See anything you like?

What are you planning on being this Halloween?

Bertena Varney Guest Blog and Giveaway

The Misunderstanding of the Vampire



From the beginning the vampire has been a very misunderstood creature. In mythology, Lilith is portrayed as a vengeful demon who killed human children for no reason when in actuality her children were first destroyed by the angels of God. She is portrayed as an ugly demoness who would not be submissive to Adam during sex. She was cast out because she had a mind of her own. But, if you visit Lilith Fair you will see women today who embraced the sacrifice that Lilith suffered as a result of trying to be a free thinking female.



What about Vlad Tepes? History loves telling the story of how he impaled visitors to the castle. But, what they don't tell you is that he was a lover of his country. He wanted to quell crime so he was harsh on crime to the point that his country was safe from crime. He wanted to protect his country from invaders because they had been tore apart for centuries. He is described as monstrous and evil but if you visit his country and speak to his people, they will describe him as a hero during the time of war and a protector of his people.



Think about all the vampires in the movies and on television. They are monsters that just want to be able to be who they are while still either maintaining ties to their human world or embrace some of their human qualities. Dracula, Angel, Henry, Bill.. They all are so misunderstood.



History, mythology, television, movies, and books have always had people seeing them as monsters. Only until recently has the fans embraced them with an understanding.



But, this love for vampires only extends so far. People still look at vampire fans as unusual and dark. I sit at book signings and have had people ask me how I could like something so evil and so dark and that because I do I must be evil and dark. They don't even look at the book. I have even had hate email saying that I am playing with the devil and bringing evil into people's lives.



All of these misconceived ideas are why I decided to go ahead and write this book. People are either fussing about Meyer's vampires or lusting after True Blood vampires or hating the traditional vampires. I thought that if I could create a book that is a quick reference guide that showed all the "types" of vampires including lifestylers that I could offer a different vampire for everyone. But, alas there are still people who view anything about vampires as bad… many of them my family.



So, will the vampire continue to be a misunderstood monster? Or will we embrace the fact that the vampire only mirrors our desires and personalities at that time. The vampire allows us to live vicariously through them. They allow us to experience fear, loneliness, anger, love, lust, and even violence. They walk with us through our daily lives and empower us in ways that many wish could be experienced in real life.



But, for me, the vampire will always be that escape that allows me to experience a new world each time I open a book or watch a movie. I only wish I could help others understand the creature in a new and different way.



So, what does the vampire represent for you?









August 22 Guest Blog and GiveawayBack of the Book Reviewshttp://backofthebookreviews.com/

August 23 Interview SellingBooks.comwww.sellingbooks.com

August 23Night Owl Reviews Guest Blogger Spot www.nightowlreview.blogspot.com



August 23 Guest Blog and GiveawayFang-tastic Bookswww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

August 23 Guest Blog and Reviewwww.adventuresofthecautionarytale.com

August 23 Review Braintasia Bookshttp://www.braintasiabooks.com

August 24 Guest Blog Mad Moose Mamahttp://www.madmoosemama.blogspot.com/

August 25 Guest Bloghttp://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/

August 26 Guest Bloghttp://laurakayeauthor.blogspot.com/

August 27 The Write at Home Momwww.thewriteathomemom.blogspot.com

August 29 Guest Bloghttp://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com





Lure of the Vampire: A Pop Culture Reference Book of Lists, Websites and Very Personal Essays By Bertena Varney, M.A.Paperback: 176 pages

Also available as an ebook

Publisher: Search for the Lure

Published: June 22, 2011

ISBN-10: 0615501567

ISBN-13: 978-0615501567



Lure of the Vampire is a pop culture reference book that begins with history and mythology and ends with modern living vampires. The author has provided "fun" lists like the Powers of Dracula, Real Live Vampire Murders, Television Shows and African Americans who have Played Vampires. There are also websites in each section that show the most popular vampire books and even children's shows and books. But, there is a personal twist when it comes to Lure of the Vampire.

The author has provided personal essays from national and international vampire authors as well as her own. They range from a personal look at vampires in mythology to the romantic lust filled vampire. There are also interviews with various groups and individuals involved in the vampire community. Lure of the Vampire: A Pop Culture Refence Book of Lists, Websites, and "Very Telling" Personal Essays is a perfect quick to grab reference book for the vampire fan or author. It is concise enough to assist you in finding links to what you are looking for without our being too cumbersome and confusing.

Lure of the Vampire contains essays from authors: Denise Verrico - David MacDowell Blue - Charles E. Butler - C.J. Ellisson – BittenTwice – Elizabeth Loraine

Interviews with: Vampiric Council of New England, Vlad the Gothic Vampire Magician , Audrey Koogler, Vampire Priestess , and Hugo Pecos, creator of The Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency



Lure of the Vampire is great for any writer who would like to find fun facts to give their vampires in their story. For example, what powers have vampires in mythology possessed or the first literary vampires? There's a section for that.

What if you are a vampire fan who is looking for new YA or adult authors- there is a section with titles, authors and their websites.

What about vampire games? There's a section for that too.

Sections include: Mythology, History, Literature, Movies, Television, Recreation, Children's Vampires, On the Web, Education, and Real Life Vampires. There are lists, websites, essays, and interviews included in throughout the book.

Lure of the Vampire: A Pop Culture Reference Book of Lists, Websites, and "Very Telling" Personal Essays is a perfect quick to grab reference book for the vampire fan or author. It's concise enough to assist you in finding links to what you are looking for without our being too cumbersome and confusing.



You can buy Lure of the Vampire at Amazon.com in print here- http://amzn.to/nwifDw.

Ebooks will be coming to Kindle, Nook and Smashwords soon.







About the Author



Bertena Varney is from Winchester, KY and currently resides in Bowling Green, KY. She attended Morehead State University where she received the following degrees:

- B.A. in Social Science and Education - M.A. in Social Science and Education

- M.A. in Sociology and Criminology - Rank 2 Secondary Education Certification



While in college She used all of her extra essays, projects and independent study classes to study vampires in pop culture….thus the creation of Lure of the Vampire.

She has been employed as a middle and high school as well as college instructor. Here past employers include Morehead State University She has been employed Morehead State University, Eastern Kentucky University and National College and will be lecturing at Bowling Green Community College in the fall.

Currently she is planning her lecture tour schedule. In the past she has presented papers at conference such as Sirens in Vail, Colorado and The Harry Potter Witching Hour in Salem, Mass. Currently she is scheduled for ScareFest, Dance on the Dark Side and A Day of Mystical Blood Lust.

She is also planning to begin a vampirology course based upon her studies of vampires in pop culture.

Find Bertena on the web:

Facebook- http://on.fb.me/g8C0Zr

Her writing website is www.bertenavarney.com

Her vampire research website http://searchforthelure.webs.com

Twitter @tenavarney

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4837666.Bertena_Varney

To sign up for her newsletter go here. http://eepurl.com/exZYQ

Book Trailer- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPMyiYjS6Y0



Giveaway Time!

Would you like to win a pdf of Lure of the Vampire and 2 Tickets to

A Mystical Day of Bloodlust

Halloween Event in Lexington Kentucky?

If yes leave a comment on this post

Please include your email

Partying with The Cowboy and the Vampire

The fun really gets started when the sun goes down.

We love a party! Especially a party with readers and writers. We are excited to share a little bit about our book The Cowboy and the Vampire, our lives and our current projects during our blog tour with Bewitching Book Tours (Roxanne rocks!).

What's the book about? It's a boot-scooting, bloodcurdling romance, riding a fast horse to hell, or so we've been told.

The Cowboy and the Vampire brings together two enduring archetypes in a fast-paced, action adventure that's equal parts six-shooters and bloodcurdling Gothic horror. There's also true (and passionate) love, a double-helping of comedy, a smart new twist on the Vampire myth … and some doomed alpacas. Did we mention an overly sensitive cow dog named Rex? (a fan favorite for sure!)





Tucker, a laconic, down-on-his-luck cowboy with duct-taped boots, is the proud owner of a few acres of dusty Wyoming grassland, a trailer, four cows, two horses and $24 in his checking account. He falls for Lizzie, an ambitious New York City reporter with her eye on a Pulitzer … and a brownstone in Manhattan. Turns out, the cultural differences in their unlikely romance are the least of their worries. Unbeknownst to Lizzie, an ancient power runs through her veins and whomever controls it will win a centuries-old Vampire war. Only Tucker and Rex stand between Lizzie and the hordes of Vampires bent on her destruction and a world of perpetual darkness.

Who will be left when the sun rises?

We wrote this book together as a test for marriage. We fought over (and made up after) just about every word on every page, and then were ecstatic when it was picked up in 1999 (first edition, Llewellyn) and even happier when their publisher decided to bring out a second edition recently (Midnight Ink, a new imprint). Can't keep a good Vampire (or cowboy) down … yippi-ki-yay.





A little bit about us:

Kathleen was born and raised in Washington, DC, and her experiences there, from protests and riots to hanging out in the corridors of the Supreme Court and wandering around the Capitol, filled her sense of place with history and granite. A geologist by training, she excelled in scientific writing, translating complex scientific papers into engaging articles.

Those skills are now focused on paranormal fiction. An avid reader, she spends every spare moment working with Clark Hays on their next book … for which she casually kills off – mentally – the people around her, but not before letting them enjoy a little dark and mind-bending passion.

Clark was born in Texas and grew up mostly in Scotland and then Montana on a working ranch doing all the expected cowboy things — riding, roping, hunting, branding cattle and writing tortured poetry. The openness of the landscape and the solitude (the nearest neighbor was five miles away, the nearest town – 2,500 people – was 30 miles away) provided a constant source of inspiration, very little distractions and a chance to really be alone with his thoughts. In this solitude, he found his calling — writing — early. When he's not writing, he's reading or finding new victims for their next book.

We are still, believe or not, happily married and our very unusual romance takes center stage during this blog tour.



Giveaway Time

Giveaways include 1 signed first edition of the original publication from 1999

and 5 signed copies of the current paperback edition

Open to US Shipping



Winners will be chosen from all of those who enter via the form,

leave comments at each tour stop for bonus entries

you can also enter the giveaway by filling out the form at each tour stop

If the form does not load properly click this linkLoading...

Tour Schedule for the Cowboy and the Vampire

August 21 Guest Blog at Tanith Davenport's Author BlogConfessions of a Scarlet Woman - tanithdavenport.blogspot.com

August 22 Tour Partywww.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com

August 23 Interview at Book of Secrets http://bookofsecretsblog.com

August 24 Interview theawesomemagicattic.blogspot.com

August 25 Guest Bloghttp://Ravencraftrealm.blogspot.com

August 25 Guest Post on Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews: http://paranormalromanticsuspensereviews.blogspot.com

August 27 and August 30 Review and Interviewwww.booksandbarks.com

August 29 Interview and Reviewoodles of books.www.oodlesofbooks.blogspot.com

August 30 Interviewhttp://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com

August 30 guest post http://jacqpaige.blogspot.com/

August 31 Reviewhttp://beeskneesreviews.blogspot.com

Sept 1 Guest blog and reviewReading Between the Wines Book Clubhttp://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.blogspot.com/

Sept 1 Interview- Shera (Book Whispers)www.shera-bookwhispers.blogspot.com

September 6 interview

September 6 Review and Character Interview at Mission to Readhttp://www.missiontoread.com/

Review Sept 7 Frequent Reader, Infrequent Bloggerhttp://frequentreaderinfrequentblogger.blogspot.com/

September 8 Review and Guest BlogLaurie's Thoughts & Reviews http://lauriethoughts-reviews.blogspot.com

Guest Post for Sept 8th and Review for 9thBook Lover's Hideawayhttp://booklovershideaway.blogspot.com/

Sept 10 Guest Blog and ReviewBack Of The Book Reviews -www.backofthebookreviews.com

September 11 Interview and Reviewhttp://booksfromthepurplejellybeanchair.blogspot.com



September 13 Review and Guest Post at Romancing the Book http://www.romancing-the-book.com

September 14 Guest Post Getting Naughty Between the Stacks http://gnbstacks.blogspot.com

Sept 16 Guest Post and Reviewhttp://donnasbloghome.blogspot.com/

September 20 Guest Post and Reviewwww.zenes-escape.blogspot.com

September 21 Guest blog and Reviewhttp://vampchixreadbooks.blogspot.com

September 22 ReviewBraintasia Bookshttp://www.braintasiabooks.com

October 30 8pm ESTBK Walker blogtalk radio interview



You could win this signed first edition print from 1999 by following the tour

Tours Being Scheduling Through Bewitching Book Tours: Want To Host One?

There's a lot of tours coming up through Bewitching Book Tours- check them out.

There's many vampire and paranormal books, a couple YA, a steampunk romance, a couple erotica, even a sweet contemporary romance.

See any you would like to host?

If yes contact me at RoxanneRhoads@aol.com with the name(s) of the books you'd like to host Whispers of Evil (paranormal erotic Sept)

The Hunter by Theresa Meyers (Steampunk Oct and Nov)

Spirit Seeker by Jamie Haden (paranormal YA Sept and Oct)

Spectre of Intention by Tonya Macalino (paranormal Oct )

Vampire books by Rue Volley (Sept and Oct )

Nightingale by Ashley M Christman(paranormal Oct)

Mind Over Monsters by Jennifer Harlow (paranormal Oct )

Mine Until Dawn (romance Sept )

The Commander and the Den Asaan Rautu (Fantasy September 2011)

Erotic Me Series by Lauren Hawkeye (Erotica Sept, Oct, Nov and Dec)

Paranormal September 2011

In the Shadows (Vampire and Other Paranormal Sept 2011 )



Her Dear and Loving Husband (vampire Sept and Oct)



Gypsy Knights (paranormal YA Sept and Oct )

Hunters (vampire Sept and Oct )

An Unexpected Bride (Contemporary Romance Oct)

The Hunt and Vampire Vacation (vampire erotica Sept and Oct)

Ardeur (paranormal Sept 2011 )

The Vampire Way (paranormal vampire YA Sept and Oct )

Lockdown Giveaway

Beneath heaven is Hell… Beneath Hell is Furnace!

Furnace Penitentiary. The world's most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth's surface. One way in, no way out. Once you're here, you're here until you die, and for most of the inmates that doesn't take long - not with the sadistic guards and the bloodthirsty gangs. Convicted of a murder he didn't commit, sentenced to life without parole, 'new fish' Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world.

Only in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and as dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.

Together with a bunch of inmates - some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers - Alex plans the prison break to end all prison breaks. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace's deeper, darker purpose, Alex's actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that's hidden from the eyes of the world.

Read all five books in the series: Lockdown, Solitary, Death Sentence, Fugitives and Execution.

Trailer URL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PP3dZ10T9Q



Links:

Website: www.alexandergordonsmith.com



Become a Facebook fan: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lockdown/126095974414



Macmillan page for the book & author: http://us.macmillan.com/author/alexandergordonsmith





Furnace Book 1: Lockdown

Furnace Prison, where death is the least of your worries…

My name is Alex and I'm not a killer. They framed me for murder, condemned me to life in Furnace with its punishments and pain.

I've got to get out of here. If I don't, it could be me the Wheezers come for. Me who's dragged screaming from my cell. Me who's brought back scarred, twisted and hungry for blood.



I've got to break out. Before they turn me into a monster.

How do you break out of the world's worst prison?

Giveaway Time

Macmillan is offering you the chance to read the first book for free

One lucky winner will receive Lockdown

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with your email

Open to US and Canada

Guest Blog with Susan Blexrud

Thank you, Roxanne, for hosting me today at Fangtastic Books.

This is an exciting day for me because the fifth story in my fang series, Black Fang, just debuted.



Here's the blurb…



Someone is deliberately infecting bats with a deadly fungus. The flying mammals are dying by the thousands, and along with them, a significant number of vampires in bat form have also succumbed.

Enter John and Lauren Wright. The vampire couple has conquered evil enemies in the past, but the perpetrator behind the bat deaths is more cunning than any they've encountered. Though John initially suspects that werewolves are the culprits, he discovers he is up against a colony of Unseelie faeries. The intoxicating scent of the faeries has been known to deceive vampires, pitting friend against friend—and wife against husband.



I chose to write about bats after reading an article in The Orlando Sentinel in January 2010 about white-nose syndrome, a real fungus that is decimating bat populations in the U.S. As a vampire writer, I've always been fascinated by these little mammals (NO, they're NOT rodents), and the valuable environmental functions they provide. They gobble up mosquitoes like their guano depended on it, and they're master pollinators.

So, I got to thinking, if bats are in crisis, who besides humans would come to their aid? Vampires, of course. Okay, there's the story kernel. Now, where's the conflict? What if a werewolf was in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency and faeries were responsible for spreading the fungus? Ah, yes. And wouldn't you just know that those faeries would have some tricks up their tutus? Not the least of which is their intoxicating scent, which makes vampires go bat shit, pardon the pun.



When vampires, werewolves, and faeries collide, it's a wild romp through a paranormal underworld of mayhem, violence, and hanky panky.



www.susanblexrud.com

www.embracetheshadows.wordpress.com

www.thedarkcastlelords.com