Laura Kaye's Blog, page 86

Happy Birthday to Me!

Things I'd like for my birthday:5. Not to spend it in a hurricane [Oops, no control over that one!]
4. No bickering from my children [Fat chance! O.o]
3. To eat that whole chocolate cake and lose two pounds [bwahahahaha!]
2. To quit my job and write full-time [Hmm...maybe...someday...many years from now...]
1. To see Hearts in Darkness surpass the 1K amazon sales rank again! [Now, wait just a minute! This one's maybe doable. Right? Right? Especially since it dropped to #976 on Thursday! So, if you've been waiting to purchase Hearts, would you please consider doing so today, from amazon? Even #999 would make my birthday great!] *grins*
Thanks for reading,Laura

LATE-BREAKING NEWS!!! [lol] Hearts in Darkness just this morning hit a second bestseller list on Amazon! At 11:30 am EST:
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,008 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store) #95 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > Contemporary
#100 in Books > Romance > Contemporary
 
WOOOOOHOOOOO! :D 

The Vampire as a Soul Mate by Bertena Varney

SEE GIVEAWAY DETAILS BELOW!
In Lure of the Vampire, I discuss the concept of the vampire as a soul mate. A lover who we know at the moment that we see him that he is the one. He is the one that knows you- knows all about you and your desires. He is the one that makes your heart skip a beat when you see him. He is your soul mate.
This vampire encourages you to be who you really are; they accept you for you and empower you to find that strength. The women who fall in love with this soul mate loves him for the fact that he knows them and they are destined to be together.
Here is an excerpt from the essay in the Literature section titled, "Lure of the Dead Boyfriend":

Many times in vampire literature, females are very accepting and non judgmental of who they love. They may be scared at certain times in the relationship, but are always looking for that equal in any relationship, no matter if he is a vampire. As a result, these female characters tend to be strong characters that are alive in the stories today.
These characters and their readers fall in love with these charismatic and seductive monsters. The vampire characters in the books display superhuman abilities. Vampires by nature can seduce the lead female character, defeat death, and physically destroy their enemies to protect.  This is very seductive to the reader.
The vampire's super human abilities are coupled only with their struggle to hate the monster within. They hate who they are and what they have to do in order to survive. Many are doomed to walk the earth and to repent of their sins from their previous life. During this internal struggle, these vampires tend to find their soul mate, that one woman who can deliver them from hell and love them all at the same time.
Examples of these books include The Templar Vampire Series by Rene Lyons. In this story there are five Templar Knights who fell from the grace of God by straying from his plan during the Crusades. Each of the five Templar Knights suffered a harsh childhood and an even more devastating adult life as a solider for God. They murdered, raped, pillaged, and stole all in the name of religion but, as time went on, their mission strayed, as did their focus and commitment to God.
As it was in history, Rene wrote that King Philip IV of France charged the Templar Knights with heresy and had them executed. But, this is where the author's story changes history in this series of books. 
Five of the knights, Constantine, Lucian, Tristan, Sebastian and Raphael, were brought back from the dead by the archangel, Michael. Michael thrusts his spear and pulls their hearts from their chests. He declares that now they can only enter heaven once they find redemption in God's eyes for all of their sins. He declares them "undead" "vampire" "soulless" and tells them that in order to earn this redemption they must find the Day Star and protect it till the time for their redemption arrives.
In Midnight Sun, Day Star, and Tempting Darkness, the first three of the four that have been published, the Templar vampires struggle with the fact that they must find redemption and that if one of them fail then they all fail. Each book is the romantic adventure and story of each vampire and his chance at love and redemption. Each vampire struggles with who they were, who they have become, and the fear of damnation as each find that "light in the darkness" that makes them stronger and allows them to find redemption.
Allison, Lexine, and Jessica are quite, girl-next-door types who may appear fragile but have the strength and courage to help and to handle the love of the vampires, Sebastian, Constantine, and Lucian respectively. They follow the basic pattern of most vampire romance novels. They are a little fearful and cautious at first; they struggle together through the adventure, while denying their love; then an explosive erotic love scene brings the meant-to-be soul mates together. The romance is the novel. The love is forever and the monster and female character are soul mates forever.

This section also provides the reader with a list of vampire books that the reader may be interested in. They are divided among the classics, young adult, and adult. Each section provides the reader with links to website to where they may either download these books for free- if they are in public domain- or to purchase these books via the author's websites.
So, do you think of the vampire as a soul mate? If so which vampire from literature is your soul mate? Which seduces not just your body but your mind and your soul? [GIVEAWAY: 1 commenter will win an ebook copy of Bertena's book! e-mail address required!]
[image error] I can't wait to hear your comments below.
Thank you for having me today,Bertena
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.
Buy Lure of the Vampire at Amazon.com in print!
Ebooks will be coming to Kindle, Nook and Smashwords soon.

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 | Twitter | Writing Website | Vampire Research Website | Goodreads | Newsletter Sign-up

Hearts in Darkness a Bestseller!

Good morning, good morning! I'm doing a jig today because HEARTS IN DARKNESS earned a new accolade: AMAZON BESTSELLER!  So, if it wasn't exciting enough that HEARTS has been on three Kindle Top-Rated lists for 2+ months, that it was on Fictionwise's Top 10 Bestselling ebooks list for 2+ months and remains in the Top 25, TODAY it hit an amazon bestseller list with its best ever sales rank! And it's all thanks to you!
So, thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thanks for reading,Laura

Six Sentence Sunday #24

In celebration of receiving notification of my September 30 release date for my debut contemporary erotic romance - a menage a quatres no less! - I'm sharing six from JUST GOTTA SAY. Heroine Callie Davis has a fantasy, and this is the only way she imagines she can fulfill it:

Callie closed the door and settled her toys on the table. She loaded the DVD, hoping the movie lived up to its ridiculous but promising name: 3-Way-Stravaganza. On the way to the leather couch she shrugged out of her robe, the blue flickering of the huge television providing the only light. She felt a little foolish until the screen started playing snippets from each of the six scenes against the background of a hot, rhythmic base beat. Her own pulse matched the music.Oh, yeah. This would do just fine.

Hehe! Be sure to visit the Other Sixers' posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter! Thanks as always to those of you who read and comment each week - I always look forward to Sundays!
Thanks for reading,Laura

Happy Book Birthday!

Happy Saturday to everyone, and Happy Book Birthday to my debut contemporary and paranormal romances!
[image error] HEARTS IN DARKNESS is officially four months old today, while FOREVER FREED is three months old.
In celebration, I'm sharing this 25% off code with you, good on both the ebook and print books of both books, but only at The Wild Rose Press's site. Enter code: 3b9ceb5854
Thanks for reading!Laura

Help Me Pick Me!

I need your help! I got headshots done last week, photographed by the wonderful Renee Hollingshead of Columbia, MD, and I'm not sure which one I like best. So, I'm asking for your input. Which image should I use for all my publicity materials????
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Okay, vote early, vote often! LOL And thanks for helping me pick, well, me!Laura

New Cover Love!

I'm so excited to share with you my latest cover! North of Need is Book 1 in the Heart of the Anemoi series and will release November 1 from Entangled Publishing. Look at this abslicious gorgeousness!
Heather Howland is clearly the goddess of cover design. I'm totally in love! And it's such a great representation of my hero, Owen Winters, and the magic and fantasy of the story!
Here's the blurb:

While attempting to escape the agonizing memories she associates with Christmas, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband—and collapses in tears against the snowman at the sight of what she'll never have.
Called to life by the power of Megan's tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.
Megan is drawn to Owen's mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things, and her heart opens enough to believe he's a Christmas miracle. But this miracle comes with an expiration—before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow's grief and learn to trust love again, or she'll lose Owen forever.

North of Need has already earned advanced praise from paranormal romance author of the Harlequin Nocturne Mythica series, Stephanie Draven:

Using ancient winter mythology as an allegory for grief, Kaye has written a sexy story that packs a powerful emotional punch. With a heroine you can root for and a hero who is a dream come true, NORTH OF NEED is pure winter magic and Kaye's sparkling talent warms the heart.

Stay tuned here for the North of Need blog tour, October 25 - November 18, with a book giveaway at every stop!
So, whatd'ya think??? Thanks for reading,Laura

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

And...I've got winners! Two to be precise! Of the NEW print edition of HEARTS IN DARKNESS!
And, they are:
@Lolarific322@Book Savvy Babe
CONGRATULATIONS, LADIES!
And thanks to everyone who entered! If you'd like to give HEARTS IN DARKNESS a try in print, here's a 25% off coupon good only at my publisher's buy page (actually, it would be good on anything you might like over there, print or ebook!): Use code 3b9ceb5854
Thanks for all your support and, as always, thanks for reading,Laura

Interview & Giveaway!

Hey guys! I've been interviewed over at EJ Stevens' super cool paranormal blog, From the Shadows! I'm talking about my family's haunted houses, Alex O'Loughlin, what happened after I hit my head, Alex O'Loughlin, writing, Forever Freed, and ALEX FREAKING O'LOUGHLIN! What more do I need you to say to go over there?
How 'bout this: I'm giving stuff away, too!
Thanks for reading,Laura

Six Sentence Sunday #23

In celebration of the fact that HEARTS IN DARKNESS is newly and somewhat unexpectedly available in print, I'm going with six from this book again. Here's Caden Grayson, taking action before his inaction becomes regret:

Stalking around the back of the Jeep, he glared up at Makenna—glaring not so much at her as at his own idiocy for not making things right before the eleventh goddamned hour.Her eyes widened. Her lips froze somewhere between a smile and an O. She pushed and held the door open for him.And he hoped for all he was worth he was correctly reading the desire on her face.He crowded right up into her space, pressed his body against hers—trapping her against the glass of the door behind her, plunged his hands into her hair until he was cupping the nape of her neck, and devoured her lips with his.

In further celebration of this totally awesome development, feel free to also see the previous post here, wherein I'm giving away two print books! Giveaway ends tonight at midnight EST!
Be sure to read the Other Sixers' posts and follow the #sixsunday hashtag on twitter!
Thanks for reading and commenting--I appreciate it each and every week!Laura