S.B. Knight's Blog, page 3
January 15, 2013
Born of Blood - Top 5 Novel
UPDATE!! The final tally for the 2012 Preditors and Editors Readers' Poll was just released and I am very happy to announce that Born of Blood did not finish 7th....no, it finished 5th! Yes, a top 5 finish in the Best Horror Novel category.
Born of Blood finished 5th in the Best Horror Novel category of the 2012 Preditors and Editors Readers' Poll. To finish in the top 5 of this readers' poll when 57 novels were nominated is both an honor and a privilege. I thank all of you for voting. This is very exciting.
Born of Blood was released in March of 2012 through MuseItUp Publishing and is available for purchase at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, Amazon.uk, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and many other online retailers. Born of Blood will also be released in the coming months (approximately February) in paperback.
All the links to find Born of Blood are listed to the left of this post.
Born of Blood finished 5th in the Best Horror Novel category of the 2012 Preditors and Editors Readers' Poll. To finish in the top 5 of this readers' poll when 57 novels were nominated is both an honor and a privilege. I thank all of you for voting. This is very exciting.
Born of Blood was released in March of 2012 through MuseItUp Publishing and is available for purchase at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, Amazon.uk, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and many other online retailers. Born of Blood will also be released in the coming months (approximately February) in paperback.
All the links to find Born of Blood are listed to the left of this post.
Born of Blood - Top 10 Novel
Born of Blood finished 7th in the Best Horror Novel category of the 2012 Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll. To finish in the top 10 of this readers' poll when 57 novels were nominated is both an honor and a privilege. I thank all of you for voting. This is very exciting.
Born of Blood was released in March of 2012 through MuseItUp Publishing and is available for purchase at the MuseItUp bookstore, Amazon, Amazon.uk, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and many other online retailers. Born of Blood will also be released in the coming months (approximately February) in paperback.
All the links to find Born of Blood are listed to the left of this post.
Miami Spy Games - Terrorist Fears - Armand Rosamilia
We live in a violent world. Watch the news for a few minutes and you'll get depressed. And just think: that's the stuff they let you know! Conspiracy theories aside, there are things going on in the world that will make the normal Joe out there crying in his cereal. Tragedies close to home and done by other Americans is always shocking. Why turn on your fellow countrymen? Why kill those in your community?
But what about foreign hatred toward us? Does it make more sense, or is it just as tragic? And is the fear out there real or imagined, built up to keep the population in check or scare us into submission?
Who knows. I'm not much for waxing poetic when it comes to the state of the world around us, but as a writer I like to play into the fear and terror. In Miami Spy Games I took it up several notches.
A concentrated attack on U.S. soil is a real fear. One of my favorite movies is still Red Dawn (not the weak remake, though) because, when I was a kid and it came out, it put a real fear into me. There weren't aliens and monsters, they were foreigners landing in our towns and taking over. Scary stuff.
In Miami Spy Games the Russians are trying to get their claws into us, and will stop at nothing to do it. Simple enough. And not everything I wrote in the stories are made up. In fact, you'd be amazed with how much of this is based on some kernel of truth. The Russian zombie gun? Not from my imagination, but from an actual weapon in the news that Putin spoke highly about. How scary is that?
The ACES team I write about is real. There are things going on in the shadows, all around us, that hinder our national security. Foreign agents are here, maybe living next door to you, and gathering intel about everyone and everything.
A random person in Miami bit another random person in the face. They blamed it on bath salts. Then nothing. Then marijuana. What was the real cause?
If you have any questions about the Miami Spy Games series, I'd love to hear them: armandrosamilia@gmail.comArmand Rosamilia
Miami Spy Games on Amazon Kindle only $3.99!
http://www.amazon.com/Miami-Spy-Games-Russian-ebook/dp/B00ATCH11U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358000900&sr=8-1&keywords=Miami+Armand
January 14, 2013
Feel Like a Vampire?
Ever wonder what it's like to feel what a vampire feels for the first time? Enjoy a small excerpt from Drago's Revenge.
The form of a human developed out of the thick, dark mist and stepped from the shadows of
the forest that surrounded a building and parking lot. The cloak rested on top of cold, wet feet as
hidden eyes stared at the building on the opposite side of the parking lot. Visions invaded reality
until a car pulled into the parking lot. The cloaked figure watched as a well dressed man stepped
out and walked inside. She approached the building with measured steps. On the side of the
building, she peeked over the ledge of the window and watched two men embrace. The stooped
frame of the gray-haired man disappeared into the fold of the younger blond man. They
separated.
I should know the older one. She watched their mouths move and deciphered a few words. Hazel eyes and slim build
filled her vision as the young man turned and looked out the window. She inhaled and dropped
out of sight.
That guy reminds me of…somebody. Who?
She snapped her head around as a scent rode on the breeze. It tickled her nose and stirred a
hunger that rumbled deep inside. She doubled over against the wall. Green eyes turned red.
Animalistic need propelled the shrouded specter away from the building and deep into the forest
surrounding her. She listened to the prey while it grazed under an oak tree. In the distance, a deer
continued to eat clumps of weeds.
Its ears stood straight at the moment a cloak wrapped around it. It kicked and screamed once
as she bit deep and ripped a hole in its throat. She choked while thick, congealing blood rushed
to a stomach on the verge of revolt.
Standing, she let the limp head of the animal flop onto the
ground and wiped her blood-covered mouth.
How can something so disgusting be so refreshing?
A warm sensation surged through her cold body to the tips of her toes and fingers. Her feet
stumbled.
I feel…drunk. I can’t remember the last time I felt this good.
She lifted a hand in front of her eyes.
“This is incredible,” she whispered.
The form of a human developed out of the thick, dark mist and stepped from the shadows of
the forest that surrounded a building and parking lot. The cloak rested on top of cold, wet feet as
hidden eyes stared at the building on the opposite side of the parking lot. Visions invaded reality
until a car pulled into the parking lot. The cloaked figure watched as a well dressed man stepped
out and walked inside. She approached the building with measured steps. On the side of the
building, she peeked over the ledge of the window and watched two men embrace. The stooped
frame of the gray-haired man disappeared into the fold of the younger blond man. They
separated.
I should know the older one. She watched their mouths move and deciphered a few words. Hazel eyes and slim build
filled her vision as the young man turned and looked out the window. She inhaled and dropped
out of sight.
That guy reminds me of…somebody. Who?
She snapped her head around as a scent rode on the breeze. It tickled her nose and stirred a
hunger that rumbled deep inside. She doubled over against the wall. Green eyes turned red.
Animalistic need propelled the shrouded specter away from the building and deep into the forest
surrounding her. She listened to the prey while it grazed under an oak tree. In the distance, a deer
continued to eat clumps of weeds.
Its ears stood straight at the moment a cloak wrapped around it. It kicked and screamed once
as she bit deep and ripped a hole in its throat. She choked while thick, congealing blood rushed
to a stomach on the verge of revolt.
Standing, she let the limp head of the animal flop onto the
ground and wiped her blood-covered mouth.
How can something so disgusting be so refreshing?
A warm sensation surged through her cold body to the tips of her toes and fingers. Her feet
stumbled.
I feel…drunk. I can’t remember the last time I felt this good.
She lifted a hand in front of her eyes.
“This is incredible,” she whispered.
January 10, 2013
Fear is...
Fear is every where. It's all around us. Look over your shoulder, there it is. What am I talking about? I'm talking about finding fear. Monsters can be scary but rarely drive fear through us and, let's face it, we like to be scared to the core at times. This is where the real scare masters separate themselves from the scare mongers and those that favor gore.
Real life is where fear thrives and few capture that fear...which is sad and unfortunate. Stephen King captures it better than perhaps any author of the modern era. Recently I was chatting with a few readers that stated how creepy a book was. I asked them what made the book so creepy, here is the response:
"Because it makes you look at things in your life differently. For example, I'll never see my houseplant the same again. I sing to it so it doesn't kill me." One stated that it freaked her out to the point where she did not want to walk outside in the grass barefooted for fear green tendrils would grab her.
That's right, the author took a normal, everyday thing such as plants and grass and turned them into something to fear. This is something to remember when writing and developing stories. Although I did not do this for Born of Blood but I believe the element of fear is there I made an effort to build on this idea in Drago's Revenge and continue it in the third novel. I think there is one more area fear is hiding and that is within, internal, in the mind of the character. Many have wrote about psychosis and mental illness but I'm thinking more in the way of self doubt, lack of confidence and how it impacts decisions and the physical ability to do what needs to be done.
Take a moment and look around, think about your life and what surrounds you. Perhaps you will be inspired by an object or a routine to incorporate into your story or make the focal point to increase that fear factor and add that new level of creepiness. Don't underestimate the normal, everyday things...when added to the imagination of an author, they can easily take on a whole new meaning.
Real life is where fear thrives and few capture that fear...which is sad and unfortunate. Stephen King captures it better than perhaps any author of the modern era. Recently I was chatting with a few readers that stated how creepy a book was. I asked them what made the book so creepy, here is the response:
"Because it makes you look at things in your life differently. For example, I'll never see my houseplant the same again. I sing to it so it doesn't kill me." One stated that it freaked her out to the point where she did not want to walk outside in the grass barefooted for fear green tendrils would grab her.
That's right, the author took a normal, everyday thing such as plants and grass and turned them into something to fear. This is something to remember when writing and developing stories. Although I did not do this for Born of Blood but I believe the element of fear is there I made an effort to build on this idea in Drago's Revenge and continue it in the third novel. I think there is one more area fear is hiding and that is within, internal, in the mind of the character. Many have wrote about psychosis and mental illness but I'm thinking more in the way of self doubt, lack of confidence and how it impacts decisions and the physical ability to do what needs to be done.
Take a moment and look around, think about your life and what surrounds you. Perhaps you will be inspired by an object or a routine to incorporate into your story or make the focal point to increase that fear factor and add that new level of creepiness. Don't underestimate the normal, everyday things...when added to the imagination of an author, they can easily take on a whole new meaning.
January 2, 2013
Getting to Know Chrysopteron by Michael K. Rose
Author Michael K. Rose stopped by today to chat with us about his current novel Chrysopteron.
Captain John Hayden, haunted by memories of war and still grieving the death of his wife, is about to embark on the most important mission of his career: to discover the fate of the Chrysopteron, one of five generation ships which left the Earth centuries earlier. The descendants of the Chrysopteron’s original crew had successfully colonized their planet, but less than a hundred years later, all contact was lost. Hayden knows that a mysterious new religion which was formed aboard the ship may have played a role in determining the fate of the colonists, but there is no way to know what he and his crew will find when they finally arrive.
In a story that touches on issues of faith and self-determination, Chrysopteron explores the fundamental elements that define our species. Even though we may leave the Earth, we cannot leave behind that which makes us human.
What is your working title of your book?
Chrysopteron never had a different working title. It was always Chrysopteron. The word means “golden winged” and refers to the Greek goddess Iris. In the book, it is the name of a generation ship sent to colonize a distant planet and the name of the ship ends up influencing the way in which the culture of the ship—and later, that of their descendants—develops.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
Very few of my books have a “Eureka!” moment at which I suddenly get an idea for the story. Generally they will ferment for a while and when I do finally decide to pull out an idea and work on it, it begins taking shape as I work on my outline.
What genre does your book fall under?
Chrysopteron is science fiction. It is not “hard” sci-fi, but unlike my novel Sullivan’s War, I have not included any fanciful technology: anti-gravity generators, hyper drive, etc. I wanted Chrysopteron to be a realistic depiction of how a mission to colonize another planet might actually occur.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
There’s only one character I’ve thought about in those terms. Everett Thompson is a friendly but sarcastic friend of the main character, John Hayden. From very near the beginning I imagined him being played by Paul Giamatti as I wrote his dialogue and worked out his mannerisms.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Wow, that’s difficult. I suppose the last sentence of my full description sums it up fairly well: “Even though we may leave the Earth, we cannot leave behind that which makes us human.”
Will your book be self-published or published by an agency?
Chrysopteron is self-published.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
About two years. On and off, of course. This is a story I’ve been thinking about and working on for quite a long time. It’s a story that means a great deal to me, and I felt I owed it to Chrysopteron to make sure I got it right, so I spent more time on it that I do on my other novels.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Hmm… I don’t know that I can think of any off the top of my head, although I’m sure they are out there. Actually, one of my biggest fears as a writer is to write a novel and to later find out someone else has already written something very similar.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
As I mentioned, there was no “Eureka!” moment. And inspiration, as with all my writing, comes from life in general. A lot of my personal philosophy has made it into this book, though.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
I have tentative plans to write more works that, if not direct sequels, take place in the universe of Chrysopteron. So readers who do enjoy it will be pleased to know that this isn’t quite the end of the story. I also think Chrysopteron provides a good balance to the more action-oriented Sullivan’s War. The two give readers a glimpse of the different literary styles I feel drawn to write in.
Biography:
Michael K. Rose is primarily an author of science fiction who also dabbles in horror, fantasy and paranormal fiction.
His novel Sullivan’s War has been called "...a sci-fi thriller that definitely delivers!" and his collection Short Stories has been praised as "...the purest form of literature, as rich as a bottle of Montrachet 1978 and as tasty as a generous cut of Wagyu beef."
His newest novel, Chrysopteron, is already being hailed as a "...gem of a novel..." and "a masterpiece."
Sullivan’s Wrath, the sequel to Sullivan’s War, will be released in early 2013.
For more information, please visit http://www.michaelkrose.com
Links:
Chrysopteron is available at:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Chrysopteron-ebook/dp/B00APQI9MA/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chrysopteron-ebook/dp/B00APQI9MA/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chrysopteron-michael-k-rose/1113993020?ean=2940016096322
Connect with the Author:
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-K.-Rose/e/B0062EIPN2/
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-K-Rose-Author/291149020948554
Twitter Account: http://twitter.com/MichaelKRose
Blog: http://myriadspheres.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.michaelkrose.com/
Captain John Hayden, haunted by memories of war and still grieving the death of his wife, is about to embark on the most important mission of his career: to discover the fate of the Chrysopteron, one of five generation ships which left the Earth centuries earlier. The descendants of the Chrysopteron’s original crew had successfully colonized their planet, but less than a hundred years later, all contact was lost. Hayden knows that a mysterious new religion which was formed aboard the ship may have played a role in determining the fate of the colonists, but there is no way to know what he and his crew will find when they finally arrive.
In a story that touches on issues of faith and self-determination, Chrysopteron explores the fundamental elements that define our species. Even though we may leave the Earth, we cannot leave behind that which makes us human.
What is your working title of your book?
Chrysopteron never had a different working title. It was always Chrysopteron. The word means “golden winged” and refers to the Greek goddess Iris. In the book, it is the name of a generation ship sent to colonize a distant planet and the name of the ship ends up influencing the way in which the culture of the ship—and later, that of their descendants—develops.
Where did the idea come from for the book?
Very few of my books have a “Eureka!” moment at which I suddenly get an idea for the story. Generally they will ferment for a while and when I do finally decide to pull out an idea and work on it, it begins taking shape as I work on my outline.
What genre does your book fall under?
Chrysopteron is science fiction. It is not “hard” sci-fi, but unlike my novel Sullivan’s War, I have not included any fanciful technology: anti-gravity generators, hyper drive, etc. I wanted Chrysopteron to be a realistic depiction of how a mission to colonize another planet might actually occur.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
There’s only one character I’ve thought about in those terms. Everett Thompson is a friendly but sarcastic friend of the main character, John Hayden. From very near the beginning I imagined him being played by Paul Giamatti as I wrote his dialogue and worked out his mannerisms.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Wow, that’s difficult. I suppose the last sentence of my full description sums it up fairly well: “Even though we may leave the Earth, we cannot leave behind that which makes us human.”
Will your book be self-published or published by an agency?
Chrysopteron is self-published.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
About two years. On and off, of course. This is a story I’ve been thinking about and working on for quite a long time. It’s a story that means a great deal to me, and I felt I owed it to Chrysopteron to make sure I got it right, so I spent more time on it that I do on my other novels.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Hmm… I don’t know that I can think of any off the top of my head, although I’m sure they are out there. Actually, one of my biggest fears as a writer is to write a novel and to later find out someone else has already written something very similar.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
As I mentioned, there was no “Eureka!” moment. And inspiration, as with all my writing, comes from life in general. A lot of my personal philosophy has made it into this book, though.
What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
I have tentative plans to write more works that, if not direct sequels, take place in the universe of Chrysopteron. So readers who do enjoy it will be pleased to know that this isn’t quite the end of the story. I also think Chrysopteron provides a good balance to the more action-oriented Sullivan’s War. The two give readers a glimpse of the different literary styles I feel drawn to write in.
Biography:
Michael K. Rose is primarily an author of science fiction who also dabbles in horror, fantasy and paranormal fiction.
His novel Sullivan’s War has been called "...a sci-fi thriller that definitely delivers!" and his collection Short Stories has been praised as "...the purest form of literature, as rich as a bottle of Montrachet 1978 and as tasty as a generous cut of Wagyu beef."
His newest novel, Chrysopteron, is already being hailed as a "...gem of a novel..." and "a masterpiece."
Sullivan’s Wrath, the sequel to Sullivan’s War, will be released in early 2013.
For more information, please visit http://www.michaelkrose.com
Links:
Chrysopteron is available at:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Chrysopteron-ebook/dp/B00APQI9MA/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chrysopteron-ebook/dp/B00APQI9MA/
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chrysopteron-michael-k-rose/1113993020?ean=2940016096322
Connect with the Author:
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Michael-K.-Rose/e/B0062EIPN2/
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michael-K-Rose-Author/291149020948554
Twitter Account: http://twitter.com/MichaelKRose
Blog: http://myriadspheres.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.michaelkrose.com/
December 28, 2012
Nominated for Predators and Editors Best Horror Novel
I found out earlier this week that Born of Blood has been nominated for the annual Predators and Editors Best Horror Novel award. Even better than that, it is in the top 10 (currently number 5). Would you take a moment a vote for Born of Blood? A top 3 finish would be great!
Click on the link and scroll down.
http://critters.org/predpoll/novelh.shtml
Click on the link and scroll down.
http://critters.org/predpoll/novelh.shtml
December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas
To everyone who has visited this blog, my website, or joined me on one of my many social networks I thank you.
It is during this time of year that we count our joys and blessings. It is my hope that you spent time with friends and family while being showered with the joyous Christmas spirit.
It is during this time of year that we count our joys and blessings. It is my hope that you spent time with friends and family while being showered with the joyous Christmas spirit.
December 20, 2012
Expanding the Horizon!
This is my first post from my new Blogger app on my iPhone. Now I can quickly update my blog so, it is my hope, I can be more active. I miss posting on my blog regularly and I see this as a neat tool to help solve that problem. Should be fun as now I have the whole world to blog about at a moments notice.
December 3, 2012
A Look at Dark God Descending by Tony-Paul de Vissage
“Dark God Descending reads like a classic Indiana Jones adventure with a dark and bloody spin,…”—Review from House of Toad.
When I decided to concentrate on the vampire genre, I wished to write something different. With that in mind, I turned my attention from les vampires of the Old World and concentrated on those in the New. It appears almost all cultures have stories of bloodsucking creatures of the night, beings who for one reason or another have offended their various deities and are therefore accursed. So what were the Native Americans' spin on this legend? I decided to concentrate on the natives of Central America, specifically the Maya—and what I found was something of a surprise.
To the Maya, the vampire, wasn't a cursed creature but simply another of their gods, several gods in fact. First and foremost was the God of Death, called by various names of Yum Cimil, Cizin, and Au Puch. He is depicted in the colours of death, his face the pale gray of a corpse, large black and yellow spots representing decomposition on chin, cheeks, and forehead. His jewelry is the haute couture of the supernatural world; around his neck, he wears a collar made of human bones. Yum Cimil's companion in the Underworld is Cama-Zotz, the demon bat, also known as Ikal Ahau, a gigantic bat who eats raw human flesh. There is also a god called Zotzilaha, depicted as a tall man with the wings, head, and fangs of a vampire bat. Zotzilaha supposedly has power over the living and was offered the sacrifice of human life.
Okay, fairly interesting, but also pretty gruesome (tres horrible, if the truth be known!) and I had already decided my story wasn't going to be a horror story per se but also an adventure, with as little bloodshed as possible. Well, a minimum, anyway, after all this is a tale about a vampire, so there’s got to be a little bloodletting. No human sacrifices allowed! Anyway, Yum Cimil was more or less out as the hero of my story, but he could still play a major part. I decided he would be the father of my protagonist, Semris, and his twin brother Ne’all. These two have a rather unique creation, coming into being after Yum Cimil practices a little self-relief in a lake of molten lava, and his demonic seed combines with the essence left behind by a female demon recently swimming there. Several hours later, the twin demons emerge from the lake, and the God of Death has two little dividends.
So now, we have our hero. Semris is the latest in a long line of demons ruling a long-lost tribe of Maya. The demons' ascent into the human world was brought about by the eruption of a volcano, also causing a drastic reduction in the Mayan population. The centuries come and go. The supernaturals reign over their mortal subjects, finding themselves losing their immortality and gradually taking on human characteristics. They don’t realize they’re now the last extant vestige of that marvelous civilization, because the other Maya have packed up and disappeared, thus becoming one of History's enigmas. Semris, however, is different from the other demons in that he’s bored…and he’s curious. He wants to know what’s going on in the Outside World, and he thinks the law laid down by Cama-Zotz, namely that no one must ever leave Nikhte-Uaxac and venture Outside is just waiting to be broken.
My story was taking shape rather nicely, I thought. I had a curious demon, son of the Mayan God of Death, trapped in this world, and wanting to know more about it. He’s also slightly rebellious, as any youngster—after all, he’s only a few millennia old—would be, and he’s just waiting for an excuse to bust loose.
Enter the villain. The Outside World intrudes into their peaceful kingdom when a greedy paleontologist invades the city and steals its most prized possession--the Emperor himself.
I was really getting into this now. So far, so good. The Emperor, this demon on his way to becoming human, is kidnapped and taken far away from his home. He's befriended by one of the expedition's members, a sympathetic Grad student. It's the relationship between these two men--separated by millennia in age, but joined by their unexpected friendship--that makes up the majority of the story. Oh, there's a love story, don't doubt it, as well as a love triangle--but it's the interaction between Tucker and Semris, and their attempts to learn about and accept each other which eventually changes both their lives, gaining one immortality and the other humanity, as well as affecting their loved ones and their people forever.
I think it worked out rather well.
I hope my readers will agree.
Excerpt:
Tuck walked over to the cage.
Oh, God, did that last shot kill him? As far as he could tell, Semris hadn’t moved.
When he saw the slow rise and fall of the bare chest, he felt abrupt relief. He also saw the golden amulet, recognizing it as the twin of the one that had started all this unpleasantness in the first place.
The fruit hadn’t been touched, was rapidly darkening, the sweet, overripe smell permeating the cellar, attracting flies. How the Hell did they get in here, anyway? Several big bluebottles were buzzing around inside the cell, hovering over the peaches, a couple crawling along the edges of the plate. One was floating in the water glass, wings fluttering and making little splashes.
Tuck knelt and opened the little flap, reaching inside to remove the glass. As he reached back in for the plate, it happened so fast he didn’t even realize Semris had moved until he felt the iron grip upon his wrist, saw the fangs drop and the dark head covering his hand.
He screamed as twin razor slashes struck through his wrist...knowing no one could hear, struggled desperately to get away. Frantic, disbelieving thoughts whirling through his mind. Oh, God, this is why he didn’t eat the fruit. He’s a vampire! Sweet Jesus, he’s going to kill me! Help someone, help me! Why should they? I didn’t help him.
The pain went away, his arm numb from wrist to fingertips.
He knelt there on the floor, watching the pale body crouched so near he could have reached out and touched his shoulder...his bare, wingless shoulder. Where did his wings go? What happened to them? All he could do was watch those shoulders heave with the strength of each deep swallow, feeling his life ebb away, and a vague surprise that it didn’t hurt at all.
Eyes rolling up, Tuck gave a little sigh and collapsed against the bars. He was barely conscious as he saw Semris raise his head and release his arm. In spite of being only slightly aware, he felt a stab of surprise as the quiet voice whispered, “Gracias. Gracias por su sangre.”
He’s thanking me? Thanking me for letting him kill me? With an effort, he made himself withdraw his wounded arm, cradling it against his chest with his other hand. Forcing his eyes open, he stared at his wrist, fighting the wave of blackness floating before his eyes.
There was no bloody ripped-away flesh as he’d imagined, only four deep punctures. Two of the five little veins had been pierced, but the wounds were clean and already clotting. Tuck forced himself to take a deep breath, then let it out, and repeated the procedure. Keep breathing! Don’t pass out. He might decide to have a second helping.
“I took too much. I am sorry. I was too hungry.”
There was such concern in Semris’ voice that Tuck found himself replying, “That’s all right. I-if I’d known, I… Oh, God, what am I saying?” He fell silent, feeling a bout of hysteria galloping toward him.
Something was thrust into his hand. One of the peaches. Semris’ hand, between the bars, holding it out to him. “Aqui. Come. Pronto.”
So he took the peach and bit into it, choking slightly as the rich, sweet juice slid down his throat, but forced himself to keep chewing and swallowing. As the fruit sugar hit his stomach, he began to feel better.
“That was good.” With a sigh, he tossed the peach pit aside.
Through the bars, hands helped him to his feet. He leaned against the door, hanging onto it to keep his balance as dizziness flooded back.
“Again, I am sorry. He looked up, meeting Semris’ eyes, startled at the concern in them. “It has been so long since I have had the living wine.”
Living wine…what a beautiful way to describe it. Tuck still felt a little groggy, wondered if he was now under the vampire thrall. He decided to find out. “Am I your minion now?”
“Why would you think that?” Semris sounded genuinely puzzled.
“Well, you’ve taken my blood. Generally, when a vampire--”
“Vampiro! Donde?” Semris looked around quickly, arms crossing over his throat in a protective gesture.
“You.” Tuck answered, feeling he’d made a mistake. “Aren’t you a vampire?”
“Of course not!” The answer was disdainful that Tuck might mistake him for such a vile creature. “I am a Dark Lord. Un demonio.” The pale chin lifted proudly. “Los vampiros are creatures accursed.”
Tuck thought that over. “And you’re not.”
“No.” Semris shook his head, the dark hair swinging. “I am not.”
Tuck realized he must be feeling better, to be able to marvel at the absurdity of this conversation.
Dark God Descending will be available from Class Act Books on November 15, 2012.
About Tony-Paul de Vissage - One of Tony-Paul de Vissage's first movie memory is of being six years old, viewing the old Universal horror flick, Dracula’s Daughter, on television, and being scared sleepless--and that may explain a lifelong interest in vampires.
This was further inspired when the author ran across a band of transplanted Transylvanian vampires who were sightseeing in the South. Thinking nosferatu were getting a bad press and in need of some favorable publicity, he decided to do what he could to change that attitude through his writing. Though it may be argued his efforts have probably done the opposite, no vamp has complained…yet
Author website: http://www.tony-paul.com
Twitter: @tpvissage
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tonypaul.devissage
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/505918625
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5117438.Tony_Paul_de_Vissage
When I decided to concentrate on the vampire genre, I wished to write something different. With that in mind, I turned my attention from les vampires of the Old World and concentrated on those in the New. It appears almost all cultures have stories of bloodsucking creatures of the night, beings who for one reason or another have offended their various deities and are therefore accursed. So what were the Native Americans' spin on this legend? I decided to concentrate on the natives of Central America, specifically the Maya—and what I found was something of a surprise.
To the Maya, the vampire, wasn't a cursed creature but simply another of their gods, several gods in fact. First and foremost was the God of Death, called by various names of Yum Cimil, Cizin, and Au Puch. He is depicted in the colours of death, his face the pale gray of a corpse, large black and yellow spots representing decomposition on chin, cheeks, and forehead. His jewelry is the haute couture of the supernatural world; around his neck, he wears a collar made of human bones. Yum Cimil's companion in the Underworld is Cama-Zotz, the demon bat, also known as Ikal Ahau, a gigantic bat who eats raw human flesh. There is also a god called Zotzilaha, depicted as a tall man with the wings, head, and fangs of a vampire bat. Zotzilaha supposedly has power over the living and was offered the sacrifice of human life.Okay, fairly interesting, but also pretty gruesome (tres horrible, if the truth be known!) and I had already decided my story wasn't going to be a horror story per se but also an adventure, with as little bloodshed as possible. Well, a minimum, anyway, after all this is a tale about a vampire, so there’s got to be a little bloodletting. No human sacrifices allowed! Anyway, Yum Cimil was more or less out as the hero of my story, but he could still play a major part. I decided he would be the father of my protagonist, Semris, and his twin brother Ne’all. These two have a rather unique creation, coming into being after Yum Cimil practices a little self-relief in a lake of molten lava, and his demonic seed combines with the essence left behind by a female demon recently swimming there. Several hours later, the twin demons emerge from the lake, and the God of Death has two little dividends.
So now, we have our hero. Semris is the latest in a long line of demons ruling a long-lost tribe of Maya. The demons' ascent into the human world was brought about by the eruption of a volcano, also causing a drastic reduction in the Mayan population. The centuries come and go. The supernaturals reign over their mortal subjects, finding themselves losing their immortality and gradually taking on human characteristics. They don’t realize they’re now the last extant vestige of that marvelous civilization, because the other Maya have packed up and disappeared, thus becoming one of History's enigmas. Semris, however, is different from the other demons in that he’s bored…and he’s curious. He wants to know what’s going on in the Outside World, and he thinks the law laid down by Cama-Zotz, namely that no one must ever leave Nikhte-Uaxac and venture Outside is just waiting to be broken.
My story was taking shape rather nicely, I thought. I had a curious demon, son of the Mayan God of Death, trapped in this world, and wanting to know more about it. He’s also slightly rebellious, as any youngster—after all, he’s only a few millennia old—would be, and he’s just waiting for an excuse to bust loose.
Enter the villain. The Outside World intrudes into their peaceful kingdom when a greedy paleontologist invades the city and steals its most prized possession--the Emperor himself.
I was really getting into this now. So far, so good. The Emperor, this demon on his way to becoming human, is kidnapped and taken far away from his home. He's befriended by one of the expedition's members, a sympathetic Grad student. It's the relationship between these two men--separated by millennia in age, but joined by their unexpected friendship--that makes up the majority of the story. Oh, there's a love story, don't doubt it, as well as a love triangle--but it's the interaction between Tucker and Semris, and their attempts to learn about and accept each other which eventually changes both their lives, gaining one immortality and the other humanity, as well as affecting their loved ones and their people forever.
I think it worked out rather well.
I hope my readers will agree.
Excerpt:
Tuck walked over to the cage.
Oh, God, did that last shot kill him? As far as he could tell, Semris hadn’t moved.
When he saw the slow rise and fall of the bare chest, he felt abrupt relief. He also saw the golden amulet, recognizing it as the twin of the one that had started all this unpleasantness in the first place.
The fruit hadn’t been touched, was rapidly darkening, the sweet, overripe smell permeating the cellar, attracting flies. How the Hell did they get in here, anyway? Several big bluebottles were buzzing around inside the cell, hovering over the peaches, a couple crawling along the edges of the plate. One was floating in the water glass, wings fluttering and making little splashes.
Tuck knelt and opened the little flap, reaching inside to remove the glass. As he reached back in for the plate, it happened so fast he didn’t even realize Semris had moved until he felt the iron grip upon his wrist, saw the fangs drop and the dark head covering his hand.
He screamed as twin razor slashes struck through his wrist...knowing no one could hear, struggled desperately to get away. Frantic, disbelieving thoughts whirling through his mind. Oh, God, this is why he didn’t eat the fruit. He’s a vampire! Sweet Jesus, he’s going to kill me! Help someone, help me! Why should they? I didn’t help him.
The pain went away, his arm numb from wrist to fingertips.
He knelt there on the floor, watching the pale body crouched so near he could have reached out and touched his shoulder...his bare, wingless shoulder. Where did his wings go? What happened to them? All he could do was watch those shoulders heave with the strength of each deep swallow, feeling his life ebb away, and a vague surprise that it didn’t hurt at all.
Eyes rolling up, Tuck gave a little sigh and collapsed against the bars. He was barely conscious as he saw Semris raise his head and release his arm. In spite of being only slightly aware, he felt a stab of surprise as the quiet voice whispered, “Gracias. Gracias por su sangre.”
He’s thanking me? Thanking me for letting him kill me? With an effort, he made himself withdraw his wounded arm, cradling it against his chest with his other hand. Forcing his eyes open, he stared at his wrist, fighting the wave of blackness floating before his eyes.
There was no bloody ripped-away flesh as he’d imagined, only four deep punctures. Two of the five little veins had been pierced, but the wounds were clean and already clotting. Tuck forced himself to take a deep breath, then let it out, and repeated the procedure. Keep breathing! Don’t pass out. He might decide to have a second helping.
“I took too much. I am sorry. I was too hungry.”
There was such concern in Semris’ voice that Tuck found himself replying, “That’s all right. I-if I’d known, I… Oh, God, what am I saying?” He fell silent, feeling a bout of hysteria galloping toward him.
Something was thrust into his hand. One of the peaches. Semris’ hand, between the bars, holding it out to him. “Aqui. Come. Pronto.”
So he took the peach and bit into it, choking slightly as the rich, sweet juice slid down his throat, but forced himself to keep chewing and swallowing. As the fruit sugar hit his stomach, he began to feel better.
“That was good.” With a sigh, he tossed the peach pit aside.
Through the bars, hands helped him to his feet. He leaned against the door, hanging onto it to keep his balance as dizziness flooded back.
“Again, I am sorry. He looked up, meeting Semris’ eyes, startled at the concern in them. “It has been so long since I have had the living wine.”
Living wine…what a beautiful way to describe it. Tuck still felt a little groggy, wondered if he was now under the vampire thrall. He decided to find out. “Am I your minion now?”
“Why would you think that?” Semris sounded genuinely puzzled.
“Well, you’ve taken my blood. Generally, when a vampire--”
“Vampiro! Donde?” Semris looked around quickly, arms crossing over his throat in a protective gesture.
“You.” Tuck answered, feeling he’d made a mistake. “Aren’t you a vampire?”
“Of course not!” The answer was disdainful that Tuck might mistake him for such a vile creature. “I am a Dark Lord. Un demonio.” The pale chin lifted proudly. “Los vampiros are creatures accursed.”
Tuck thought that over. “And you’re not.”
“No.” Semris shook his head, the dark hair swinging. “I am not.”
Tuck realized he must be feeling better, to be able to marvel at the absurdity of this conversation.
Dark God Descending will be available from Class Act Books on November 15, 2012.
About Tony-Paul de Vissage - One of Tony-Paul de Vissage's first movie memory is of being six years old, viewing the old Universal horror flick, Dracula’s Daughter, on television, and being scared sleepless--and that may explain a lifelong interest in vampires.
This was further inspired when the author ran across a band of transplanted Transylvanian vampires who were sightseeing in the South. Thinking nosferatu were getting a bad press and in need of some favorable publicity, he decided to do what he could to change that attitude through his writing. Though it may be argued his efforts have probably done the opposite, no vamp has complained…yet
Author website: http://www.tony-paul.com
Twitter: @tpvissage
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tonypaul.devissage
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/505918625
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5117438.Tony_Paul_de_Vissage
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