Amanda Meuwissen's Blog, page 9

The Joy of Fanart

I’ve blogged a lot about fanfiction over the years since I think it is an invaluable tool for new writers, a fantastic outlet for all writers, and a huge part of my history and childhood.

I also adore fanart for many of those same reasons. I’m not particularly talented in art myself. I’ve dabbled and can sometimes draw something that turns out well enough without tracing, just eyeing and tweaking as I see fit, but I can’t draw wholly freeform or repeat an image/design the way many dedicated artists can.

Which is why it inspires and amazes me when someone draws fanart of one of my characters, because I admire the talent of artists so much, regardless of their experience, level, or style. It’s all amazing to me.

Recently, a fan, Sick Bastard, created these beautiful images of a yet to be released character of mine, Zen. He’s a darkling, my version of a half-Drow, for those familiar, so half dark elf, half human. The story is very Dungeons & Dragons inspired, particularly inspired by the adventure Curse of Strahd – aka D&D Dracula.

Courting Nightfall

Zen is a darkling – half human, half dark elf – in a world that hates him, protected only by having been raised by the Order of the Sun to become a priest. He continues to fail to rise above being an acolyte despite having come of age and longs for a different life, one he only glimpses in dreams when he is with a mysterious, beautiful man he wishes was real.

After encountering an adventuring party made up entirely of other half-races, Zen is drawn to accompany them on their quest to find and destroy a fabled vampire lord. However, the pull he feels toward those lands might be more fated than he realizes.

I’ve only just sent the story to my publisher, but even if it isn’t to their style, I’ll still publish it eventually. Since I first started sharing stories online and elsewhere, I’ve had fanart of my fanfiction and my original work, and I’ve often commissioned art as well. It’s long been a practice of mine to get at least one commission when going to conventions, since there are so many talented artists in attendance.

I don’t know if I could pick a favorite piece, but every new one is a joy. The story I have with the most fanart is probably my Incubus Saga, and I’ve collected many of them in my overall Incubus Pinterest board here.

Let me speak on behalf of ALL writers – there is no greater gift than someone wanting to depict our characters off the page into some form of physical medium. It is always appreciated, it always makes our day, and all you wonderful artists out there should absolutely tag us/mention us/let us know, so we can gush with everyone else.

Thank you.

Taking a Chance – On Short Stories

I’ve never historically been much of a short story writer – I say, forgetting that I’ve written one-shot fanfiction since I was fifteen. But seriously, I had never considered publishing short stories as part of my M/M romance catalog – until last year.

One thing I really like about short stories, besides giving me a way to share content with my readers that simply isn’t long enough to submit to my publishers usually, is that I can gain new readers more frequently since short stories are so much cheaper to produce and for readers to buy. I can also offer short stories for free to pull in new readers to my longer works

First last year was the release of The Immaculate Marlow King through JMS Books, followed by a winter wonderland giveaway that led to publishing Colder Than Fiction, which I will likely give away again when the holidays come around, and then my noir short story, The Case of the Boy in Blue, that I never imagined would see such success, and now I’m planning a full-length novel follow-up in the future.

Upcoming is also something new for me – an anthology. But not just any anthology, one where the proceeds will all be going to the Aids Healthcare Foundation – Taking A Chance: Charity Anthology. Organized by DG Carothers, this anthology combines the works of seventeen authors sharing sixteen LGBTQ+ stories.

Mine is Silhouette:

Mob boss Gael Pierce has recently taken over the territory of Xavier Trabeaux, better known as Mr. X. While cataloging his acquisitions, Gael stumbles upon a gem he didn’t expect—Silhouette, the headliner for a burlesque club who gives even better performances in the back rooms. There’s just one catch: he is completely untouchable, and Gael vows to get to the bottom of why and how he might change that.

You can pre-order the anthology now, which releases on April 23, 2021, and stay tuned for future short stories from yours truly (since there’s already another in the works for the summer that you’ll hear more about soon).

To stay the most up to date on my releases, remember to join my Facebook Group.

"...often seen in costume as one of her favorite fictional characters." Dawn & Black Canary

That line has been in my bio pretty much since I was first published: "Amanda regularly attends local comic conventions for fun and to meet with fans, where she will often be seen in costume as one of her favorite fictional characters."

Well, conventions didn't really happen last year and haven't kicked in for this year yet either, if they even will, but I managed to dress up anyway.

At Galaxy Con 2019, I met Charlie Nolan, a photographer who commented on my Ms. Marvel costume while I was manning my author booth. Charlie reached out to me earlier this year to schedule a photo shoot of any other characters I might be interested in, and I jumped at the chance, especially since I had been robbed of debuting my lifelong cosplay goal - Joseph Michael Linsner's Dawn.

Well, it may not have been at a convention, but goal achieved!

I couldn't pass up the chance to get an extra costume in, working with such a talented photographer, so we also shot my yet to be debuted Black Canary costume.

Be sure to check out Nolan Digital to see my individual shots, as well as all of Charlie's amazing (and growing) portfolio.

Now, if I could just have a con to wear these to. I miss meeting readers and signing books in person. Soon, folks! Hopefully soon.

New M/M Romance Giveaway & Fun at CONsole Room

Last weekend, I experienced my first virtual convention, CONsole Room, which is (usually) a local Dr. Who convention that has some truly amazing vendors – and hey, I got to be one of them in 2020, so this year I wanted to join in on the virtual version.

Everything was over Discord and various other online avenues. I had a personal channel to talk with people about my books, lead people to my buy links, and I also donated my YA novel, Life as a Teenage Vampire, to the charity auction.

Some of the things I shared were my recent contribution to a giveaway, M/M New Year’s Freebies through BookFunnel. If you sign up for my monthly newsletter through the giveaway, you can download an advance copy of a short story I have scheduled for release on Valentine’s Day – The Case of the Boy in Blue.

I shared my recent full-length novel release, Their Dark Reflections.

I invited people to my Facebook group.

I shared how you can find all my works on Amazon, along with some of my more popular older works, like The Incubus Saga.

I had the pleasure of catching up with my neighbor vendor from the previous year and helped promote her work, since I had purchased a gorgeous necklace from her. Check out more of her stuff here.

Overall, it was a great time discussing my books, with that convention spirit I missed, even if it wasn’t in person.

Here’s to more virtual events until it is the right time again for on location.

Five Facts to Prove Their Dark Reflections is a Different Dark M/M Romance

I must be careful so as not to spoil ,the book, but I promise to only whet your whistles.

1. Modern Hades & Persephone Myth

I’m not talking the classic Greek myth here. You know the story I mean. We’ve all seen the image or the quote or some scene or fanart created from one of the two as a prompt.

“Aren’t you afraid of my darkness, dear?”

“No. You haven’t seen mine yet.”

I like to think my MC Sam saw that floating around the Internet as well and took to the quote and idea behind the modern telling of the myth the same way I did – with unabashed adoration.

Sam is hiding a lot in Their Dark Reflections, but one thing he is honest about with his new employer, Ed, is that he loves mythology, and his favorite myth is the more modern take on Hades & Persephone. Throughout the novel, he tells Ed the myth in his own words, but that well-known exchange, which I’m sure many if not all of you are familiar with, is at the heart of it and also reflects what the characters are keeping from each other and what they encounter.

2. Spider-Man

I am a huge geek, and if you’ve read any of my other titles, you know that already, because of how I weave geeky things into my tales, whether more subtly like a guilty pleasure of one of my characters being Star Trek or Mystery Science Theater 3000, or blatantly writing superhero novels. My favorite hero is The Flash, but a very close second is Spider-Man.

The other MC in Their Dark Reflections, Ed, is old-fashioned and stuck in his ways, particularly with how he dresses, but there are a few modern things he loves, and one of them is comic books. He has an impressive collection and eventually gives one of his comics to his neighbors’ children: Amazing Spider-Man #42, with Mary Jane’s iconic first appearance and the quote: “Face it, Tiger, you just hit the jackpot.”

I’m also a diehard MJ fan. Gotta love a redhead. ^_^

3. Zodiac

Growing up, the zodiac and all the fun lore around what people born under each sign are supposed to be like was a huge hobby of mine. I never took it seriously or read my horoscope in the paper, but I loved the idea behind it all, having a constellation, an animal, and other elements, that are just… you. I’m a Leo, and I’ve always felt like a Leo.

I even used to choose signs for my characters based on their personality and then working backwards. I did that again for this book because Ed loves astrology too.

Ed is a Pisces. Compassionate and intuitive, but also overly trusting with a penchant for being alone and a desire to escape reality.

Sam is a Gemini.

“What’s that say about me?”

Ed felt his face flush as Sam drew closer. “Th-that you’re adaptable, curious, witty. You can be the exact person someone needs you to be.”

“Lucky you,” Sam said.

Be prepared for stargazing in this story too.

4. Photography

Ed is also a bit of an artist. He used to draw in his younger days but more recently does photography. One could argue that he likes it because a photograph is something that stays the same when everything else around him changes. He likes to capture images he can keep with him forever.

Ed revealed this to me as I was writing, first while giving the initial tour of his home to Sam. The decoration and things Ed focused on in his home told me more about who he was, even things I hadn’t first thought of myself. The photography was a surprise, but one that ended up being useful to the plot and comes with a few sweet moments for the budding couple too.

5. The Pool

I already mentioned stargazing, and one place that is done is while the MCs are swimming in Ed’s outdoor pool. Ed only swims at night, since he is sensitive to the sun. I actually chose his sign as a Pisces based solely on personality, but the fact that he loves swimming worked out perfectly. For him, it’s calming—and the drains help with cleanup if he gets a little messy on his property while feeding.

Oh, did I not mention this yet? No spoiler here, since it’s in the blurb for the book, but Ed is a vampire.

What I didn’t realize right away but love is that one of my favorite vampire scenes in recent film is from the remake of Fright Night and involves a swimming pool. The vampire in that movie, Jerry, played by Collin Farrell, has cornered the MC’s best friend, Ed (total coincidence), played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse, in a neighbor’s pool. Ed was trying to run but chooses in this scene to succumb, and the resulting vampire bite is surprisingly hot.

The movie also has one of my favorite lines about vampires.

“He's a real monster, and he's not brooding, or lovesick, or noble. He's the fucking shark from JAWS. He kills, he feeds, and he doesn't stop until everyone around him is dead.”

I strike a balance between that idea and my Ed being a little lovesick and noble, but he isn’t brooding. He loves what he is, and he is indeed a predator—which was a lot of fun to write.

Buy the book HERE.

Author Interview at Maggie Blackbird

It's hard to believe that my release is already a month past for Their Dark Reflections. One of my final interviews for the release blog tour can be found at Maggie Blackbird.

Here is an example question I answered:

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If Their Dark Reflections was an alcoholic beverage, what would it be and why?

A Mar-TEA-ni. This is a drink my husband and I first learned of through How to Drink, one of our favorite YouTube channels, about cocktails. This drink is a very strange people-pleaser. Even though it might have some things in it that you normally wouldn’t think you would like, how it all works together just makes it… delicious. ^_^

1.5 oz earl grey infused gin, recommended Ford’s Gin
¾ oz simple syrup
1 oz lemon juice
1 egg white

Dry shake first, then shake with ice
Strain into sugar-rimmed glass
Garnish with a lemon twist

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I answer many more questions in the rest of the interview, as well as provide an excerpt from my new novel. Check it out! And stay tuned for more.

Review & Author Interview

Reviews are pouring in, and I'm still touring with interviews to promote my newest release, vampire M/M romance novel Their Dark Reflections.

Another such interview AND review can be found at the MM Midnight Cafe.

Here is a snippet from the review:

"For me a good Vampire story must have an element of danger, that the vampire could lose control of the one he loves. He must fight his vampire nature or learn to control it. It also must show us the world from a vampire’s point of view and how they’re being a vampire is important to the story.

"Well let me tell you Amanda has done just that; she has woven an excellent paranormal suspense romance story."

And here is an example question I answered:

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Do you have a favourite character and/or book you’ve written? Who, what and why?

Sasha Kelly, the incubus character from my trilogy, The Incubus Saga, has to win best boy. He looks like a male Ariel from The Little Mermaid, he’s charming, tragic, lonely, and part of perhaps my favorite love story I’ve ever written. And yet, if I had to choose a favorite book, it’s always my other series, Lovesick, both Lovesick Gods and Lovesick Titans. They do the heavy-lifting for me for emotional turmoil and eventual payoff like nothing else I’ve written.

If you’re a gay-for-you fan, check out Incubus; if you’re an enemies-to-lovers fan, it’s all about Lovesick.

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I answer many more questions in the rest of the interview, as well as provide an excerpt from my new novel, and the opportunity for people to enter a raffle for one of three eBooks from my backlog. Check it out! And stay tuned for more.

Q & A with Author Amanda Meuwissen

As part of my new release, vampire M/M romance novel Their Dark Reflections, I am all over the internet with excerpts, a chance at prizes, and interviews.

One such interview can be found at Never Hollowed by the Stare.

Here is an example question I answered:

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Do you have a favorite quote (either from your own books or one’s you’ve read)?

I haven’t used this quote yet but plan to in the future. My husband and I were watching an anime, I forget the name, where someone was a villain in disguise, but you didn’t know who.

We thought: what if it’s the character who thinks he’s the hero, and he doesn’t even know he’s the bad guy?

Then my husband said: Who would ever suspect a hero with the best of intentions?

You will see a book from me eventually with that quote, since I am known for dabbling in superhero stories. Stay tuned.

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I answer many more questions in the interview, as well as provide an excerpt from my new novel, and the opportunity for people to enter a raffle for one of three eBooks from my backlog. Check it out!

The Next Generation of Superheroes Done Right

My husband and I recently finished playing Marvel’s Avengers (well, finished the STORY; there is much more to be played) and Kamala Khan was such a joy to experience. It reminded me of why I love her, and why I love Miles Morales.

Why mention both, even though Miles isn’t in the game (yet)? Because they share a common beginning. They are both characters who came onto the scene as the next generation of a pre-existing hero: Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man.

I’ll give you the short version of the backstories I first knew, since both have more than one canon backstory now between various comics, shows, and games.

Kamala was a huge Ms. Marvel fangirl who ended up coming into her powers as an inhuman (I thought she was originally a mutant, but things get hazy with rights and whatnot, so maybe I’m wrong), and even though her stretchy powers are more like Mr. Fantastic, she assumes the name of her favorite hero, Ms. Marvel, when Carol Danvers becomes Captain Marvel.

Miles is from the Ultimate universe where Peter Parker was a teenager (the recent animated movie played things a little differently), but events still unfolded where Spider-Man is killed, and Miles ends up getting bitten by his own radioactive spider, taking on the moniker in Peter’s honor. The people who knew the previous Spider-Man are at first furious, because how dare some stranger call themselves Spider-Man after he died in the line of duty, but they eventually learn how deserved of the mantle Miles is.

Besides both of these young heroes having rich character and fun personalities, what really stood out to me is how never is their namesake made to look lesser to elevate them. They earn their place on their own merits, while fully adoring and respecting their predecessors.

Too often I’ve seen the opposite, where instead of giving a good story or personality to a new character taking on an old name, writers tear down the original in some way or make the new character somehow ‘better’.

Now, there are exceptions – Miles has a few powers Peter doesn’t, for example – but both he and Kamala feel organic and real to me, and the characters I love who came before them are treated with the reverence they deserve.

Don’t get me wrong, there are A LOT of things about current comics I’m not a fan of, but at the time of Kamala and Miles’ introductions, how they were brought onto the scene felt right.

I’d love to see more of the same, new characters getting to shine because they are interesting and written well, without bringing down old characters who have a special place in our hearts. After all, my favorite comic book character is The Flash—but Wally West, not Barry Allen or Jay Garrick, who came before him, yet I love them too and never need Wally to be the ‘best’ Flash in order to love him.

Who’s your favorite classic comic book character? How about favorite newer character? (but please don’t make me choose between Kamala and Miles, because I don’t think I could). ^_^

The first book I ever lost myself in

Recently, I asked readers at another author’s release party: What was the first book you ever truly lost yourself in?

Mine was – don’t laugh – The Vampire Who Came for Christmas.

When Ben discovers a friendly vampire hiding in his attic, he and Zander must outwit the evil Vampire King and save Christmas.

It has an interesting backstory for me where I originally bought the book at a Scholastic book fair, and then lost the book when a friend I lent it to moved away. I often thought of it and mourned its loss, but then, a few years ago, a good friend found a copy of the version I remembered and gave it to me as a gift. I love it and immediately reread all the scenes I most remembered. Having a vampire brought to tears by someone singing "O Holy Night" is epic!

And now I know that this awesome children’s book is part of a monster series. I may have to look up the others.

What was the first book YOU ever truly lost yourself in?