Sera Trevor's Blog, page 3
November 9, 2017
Don't Buy My Love ARCs available!
Would you like to grab an advance copy of Curses, Foiled Again? You're in luck! My book is being featured in the Don't Buy My Love program in the M/M Romance Group. Just click here to request a copy!
November 6, 2017
An Erotic Field Guide to Vampires
Vampires: of all the reanimated corpses who prey on the living, they are undoubtedly the sexiest. But not all vampires are created equal. Before you attempt to initiate any sexy times with a vampire, you first need to determine what kind of vampire you’re dealing with. This field guide will help you do just that.
1.) BLOOD ZOMBIES
The only difference between these vampires and zombies is that they thirst for blood rather than brains. They’re also not quite as gross-looking, but that’s not saying much. Their sole drive is to drink the blood of the living, so don’t expect any interesting conversation.
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
European villages
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
I can’t imagine why you would want to, but far be it for me to kink shame anyone. Just remember to use protection (i.e., garlic, crosses, etc.)
2.) DRACULAS
Named for the Count who is the most prominent example, Draculas are sophisticated, sensual, and alluringly dangerous. They tend to be very wealthy, so you can expect to enjoy some luxury if you manage fall into their clutches. Be forewarned that they’re just as blood-thirsty as blood zombies, but if you play your cards right, they might take you into their Dark Embrace so that you can join them in eternal life. (WARNING: Side effects of eternal life may include existential angst and intense broodiness.)
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
Opulent castles and antebellum chateaux
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
There’s a 90% chance you’ll end up dead, but what a way to go! Bear in mind that some of them are canonically impotent, so you might have to get creative.
3.) YAMPIRES
These Young Adult vampires are very good-looking and darkly brooding. They mostly have that bloodlust thing under control, so you aren’t quite as likely to be eaten. They do occasionally go on killing sprees, but they feel super bad about it afterward, and really, aren’t they the true victims when that happens?
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
Your local high school
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
You can try, but it’s tricky. Some of them are under gypsy curses. Others have taken chastity pledges, so you’ll have to put a ring on it first. They’re also likely to spend a lot of time explaining to you how they are too dangerous for your love. Also, if you’re over the age of 21, they’re probably not going to be that into you.
4.) VILFs
Now we’re talking! VILFs have a lot in common with Yampires, except they are totally DTF. While you battle monsters and solve mysteries together, the sexual tension between the two of you will become so intense that sex will be inevitable.
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
In your pants
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
Hobviously.
5.) “REAL” VAMPIRES
Unlike some of the “fake” vampires on this list, “real” vampires are MONSTERS, like vampires are supposed to be. They’re dangerous predators who are definitely NOT sexy! They’ll rip your throat out and bathe in your blood!
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
The same place you can find serial killers, scary clowns, zombies, etc.
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
No, sorry—wrong genre.
So there you have it! If you have encountered a different species of vampire, please feel free to leave it in the comments, but I think that this field guide should give you a good head start on finding a vampire to bone. Happy hunting!*
*DISCLAIMER: The author is not responsible for any injury sustained by users of this guide, including blood loss, dismemberment, or death. Use at your own risk.
Btw, Curses, Foiled Again is now available for preorder at Amazon and NineStar Press!
1.) BLOOD ZOMBIES
The only difference between these vampires and zombies is that they thirst for blood rather than brains. They’re also not quite as gross-looking, but that’s not saying much. Their sole drive is to drink the blood of the living, so don’t expect any interesting conversation.
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
European villages
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
I can’t imagine why you would want to, but far be it for me to kink shame anyone. Just remember to use protection (i.e., garlic, crosses, etc.)
2.) DRACULAS
Named for the Count who is the most prominent example, Draculas are sophisticated, sensual, and alluringly dangerous. They tend to be very wealthy, so you can expect to enjoy some luxury if you manage fall into their clutches. Be forewarned that they’re just as blood-thirsty as blood zombies, but if you play your cards right, they might take you into their Dark Embrace so that you can join them in eternal life. (WARNING: Side effects of eternal life may include existential angst and intense broodiness.)
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
Opulent castles and antebellum chateaux
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
There’s a 90% chance you’ll end up dead, but what a way to go! Bear in mind that some of them are canonically impotent, so you might have to get creative.
3.) YAMPIRES
These Young Adult vampires are very good-looking and darkly brooding. They mostly have that bloodlust thing under control, so you aren’t quite as likely to be eaten. They do occasionally go on killing sprees, but they feel super bad about it afterward, and really, aren’t they the true victims when that happens?
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
Your local high school
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
You can try, but it’s tricky. Some of them are under gypsy curses. Others have taken chastity pledges, so you’ll have to put a ring on it first. They’re also likely to spend a lot of time explaining to you how they are too dangerous for your love. Also, if you’re over the age of 21, they’re probably not going to be that into you.
4.) VILFs
Now we’re talking! VILFs have a lot in common with Yampires, except they are totally DTF. While you battle monsters and solve mysteries together, the sexual tension between the two of you will become so intense that sex will be inevitable.
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
In your pants
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
Hobviously.
5.) “REAL” VAMPIRES
Unlike some of the “fake” vampires on this list, “real” vampires are MONSTERS, like vampires are supposed to be. They’re dangerous predators who are definitely NOT sexy! They’ll rip your throat out and bathe in your blood!
WHERE THEY CAN BE FOUND:
The same place you can find serial killers, scary clowns, zombies, etc.
CAN I HAVE SEX WITH THEM?
No, sorry—wrong genre.
So there you have it! If you have encountered a different species of vampire, please feel free to leave it in the comments, but I think that this field guide should give you a good head start on finding a vampire to bone. Happy hunting!*
*DISCLAIMER: The author is not responsible for any injury sustained by users of this guide, including blood loss, dismemberment, or death. Use at your own risk.
Btw, Curses, Foiled Again is now available for preorder at Amazon and NineStar Press!
October 31, 2017
A True Love Story About Vampires
Okay, so there are no real vampires in this story, but the love is true!
For my fourteenth birthday, what I wanted more than anything else was to go to Barnes and Noble on my own. (This should give you a good idea of what kind of kid I was.) So my mom dropped me off, leaving me to explore the store and pick out a few books with my birthday money.
This was in December of 1994, right after the movie adaptation of Interview with the Vampire had debuted, so all of the books in the Vampire Chronicles were prominently displayed. There is no other way I would found them—I certainly wouldn’t have gone looking for them. I was very sheltered as a child, with my parents enforcing strict rules against violent books and R-rated movies. It wasn’t that my parents were conservative—quite the opposite. The rules were in place mostly to preserve their sanity, because I am and have always been a complete nervous wreck. A single glimpse at anything vaguely scary would give me nightmares for weeks, which meant my parents didn’t get to sleep for weeks, either. I was happily complicit in my own sheltering.
But now I was fourteen—practically a woman. I picked up a paperback copy of Interview with the Vampire and read the back cover. Yes, it was a book about vampires, and vampires are pretty scary! But the blurbs made the book sound intriguing. “A chilling, thought-provoking tale, beautifully frightening, sensuous, and utterly unnerving,” said the Hartford Courant. “A magnificent, compulsively readable thriller,” said the Chicago Tribune. “Unrelentingly erotic,” said the Washington Post.
Hmm.
I looked at the promotional display, which featured a vampire with blue eyes, which seemed to pierce my very soul. I looked back to the book, and made my decision.
“What did you get?” my mom asked when she picked me up.
I hesitated but didn’t see any real way around concealing the truth. Besides, my mom was one of my best friends! You don’t lie to your best friend, right? I showed her the book.
My mom didn’t say anything for a moment. Perhaps she was reflecting on how her little girl was now a woman. Or maybe she was thinking how her frizzy-haired, bespectacled daughter had just spent her fourteenth birthday by herself at a Barnes and Noble, which was already pretty sad and would only be made sadder by getting a lecture from her mom.
“Well, I hope you enjoy it!” she said with a smile.
And I did enjoy it—very much. I shut the book after reading the last page, completely astonished by what I’d read. It was all so…adult. Characters wrestled with good and evil, the meaning of life, the nature of love…and despite there being no actual sex, I totally understood where the Washington Post was coming from.
Emboldened by my success at getting the book, I mentioned to my mom that I would like to see the movie. That was a hard no. I found it very unjust, but what was I going to do—break the rules? My parents were capable of terrifying things, like shaking their heads at me and sighing. They might even actually say “I’m disappointed in you,” which was too horrible to contemplate.
But I was able to read the sequels, which I did in quick succession. I needed someone to share my obsession, so I gave the books to my best friend to read (not my mom—my other best friend). She, too, was amazed. We were both hooked. Later on, she and I went on to discover slash fan fiction on the newly available Internet. We would each print out our favorite stories and put them in a big, black binder, which we would pass off to each other during homeroom. It was a good thing that we were both so frizzy-haired and bespectacled or else we might have gotten into serious trouble, although I never had any serious anxiety about being caught. I mean, my parents hadn’t made a rule about printing out hardcore erotica to share with friends, so it was probably fine.
Months passed. Interview with the Vampire was released on VHS. Seeing it was easier than before, but I was still too nervous to attempt it. Then one night, I was invited to a group sleepover with a friend whose parents my mom did not know very well. Her mom was a lot more relaxed about movies—she was fine with us watching whatever we wanted. I spied a copy of Interview with the Vampire.
“How about this one?” I said casually.
The other girls weren’t very interested, but I manage to persuade them. And so I finally got to watch it, and it was glorious. Even better than I had imagined.
I felt bad that my best friend didn’t get to see it, since her parents also had strict rules about movies, and there never seemed to be a good time at school to convey to her the full experience. I didn’t want my parents to hear me over the phone, though, so I wrote her a letter and sent it to her in the mail (this was before the binder). She was pretty impressed at how I’d pulled it off.
My love for vampires has never really faded. Part of me is surprised that it took me this long to write my own vampire story. There are a lot more goofy moments than you’d get in an Anne Rice book, but I still included all of the elements of the vampire genre that I find compelling—the nature of good and evil, the struggle with mortality—and, of course, unrelenting eroticism. (Okay, maybe not unrelenting—more like intermittent eroticism.) I think you guys are going to like it!
And Goodreads is being a butt about posting images, so head on over to my facebook page to see a goofy picture of me, and over to my blog to see some more goofy pictures of me as a kid.
What was your first exposure to vampires? Are you a Louis person or a Lestat person?
For my fourteenth birthday, what I wanted more than anything else was to go to Barnes and Noble on my own. (This should give you a good idea of what kind of kid I was.) So my mom dropped me off, leaving me to explore the store and pick out a few books with my birthday money.
This was in December of 1994, right after the movie adaptation of Interview with the Vampire had debuted, so all of the books in the Vampire Chronicles were prominently displayed. There is no other way I would found them—I certainly wouldn’t have gone looking for them. I was very sheltered as a child, with my parents enforcing strict rules against violent books and R-rated movies. It wasn’t that my parents were conservative—quite the opposite. The rules were in place mostly to preserve their sanity, because I am and have always been a complete nervous wreck. A single glimpse at anything vaguely scary would give me nightmares for weeks, which meant my parents didn’t get to sleep for weeks, either. I was happily complicit in my own sheltering.
But now I was fourteen—practically a woman. I picked up a paperback copy of Interview with the Vampire and read the back cover. Yes, it was a book about vampires, and vampires are pretty scary! But the blurbs made the book sound intriguing. “A chilling, thought-provoking tale, beautifully frightening, sensuous, and utterly unnerving,” said the Hartford Courant. “A magnificent, compulsively readable thriller,” said the Chicago Tribune. “Unrelentingly erotic,” said the Washington Post.
Hmm.
I looked at the promotional display, which featured a vampire with blue eyes, which seemed to pierce my very soul. I looked back to the book, and made my decision.
“What did you get?” my mom asked when she picked me up.
I hesitated but didn’t see any real way around concealing the truth. Besides, my mom was one of my best friends! You don’t lie to your best friend, right? I showed her the book.
My mom didn’t say anything for a moment. Perhaps she was reflecting on how her little girl was now a woman. Or maybe she was thinking how her frizzy-haired, bespectacled daughter had just spent her fourteenth birthday by herself at a Barnes and Noble, which was already pretty sad and would only be made sadder by getting a lecture from her mom.
“Well, I hope you enjoy it!” she said with a smile.
And I did enjoy it—very much. I shut the book after reading the last page, completely astonished by what I’d read. It was all so…adult. Characters wrestled with good and evil, the meaning of life, the nature of love…and despite there being no actual sex, I totally understood where the Washington Post was coming from.
Emboldened by my success at getting the book, I mentioned to my mom that I would like to see the movie. That was a hard no. I found it very unjust, but what was I going to do—break the rules? My parents were capable of terrifying things, like shaking their heads at me and sighing. They might even actually say “I’m disappointed in you,” which was too horrible to contemplate.
But I was able to read the sequels, which I did in quick succession. I needed someone to share my obsession, so I gave the books to my best friend to read (not my mom—my other best friend). She, too, was amazed. We were both hooked. Later on, she and I went on to discover slash fan fiction on the newly available Internet. We would each print out our favorite stories and put them in a big, black binder, which we would pass off to each other during homeroom. It was a good thing that we were both so frizzy-haired and bespectacled or else we might have gotten into serious trouble, although I never had any serious anxiety about being caught. I mean, my parents hadn’t made a rule about printing out hardcore erotica to share with friends, so it was probably fine.
Months passed. Interview with the Vampire was released on VHS. Seeing it was easier than before, but I was still too nervous to attempt it. Then one night, I was invited to a group sleepover with a friend whose parents my mom did not know very well. Her mom was a lot more relaxed about movies—she was fine with us watching whatever we wanted. I spied a copy of Interview with the Vampire.
“How about this one?” I said casually.
The other girls weren’t very interested, but I manage to persuade them. And so I finally got to watch it, and it was glorious. Even better than I had imagined.
I felt bad that my best friend didn’t get to see it, since her parents also had strict rules about movies, and there never seemed to be a good time at school to convey to her the full experience. I didn’t want my parents to hear me over the phone, though, so I wrote her a letter and sent it to her in the mail (this was before the binder). She was pretty impressed at how I’d pulled it off.
My love for vampires has never really faded. Part of me is surprised that it took me this long to write my own vampire story. There are a lot more goofy moments than you’d get in an Anne Rice book, but I still included all of the elements of the vampire genre that I find compelling—the nature of good and evil, the struggle with mortality—and, of course, unrelenting eroticism. (Okay, maybe not unrelenting—more like intermittent eroticism.) I think you guys are going to like it!
And Goodreads is being a butt about posting images, so head on over to my facebook page to see a goofy picture of me, and over to my blog to see some more goofy pictures of me as a kid.
What was your first exposure to vampires? Are you a Louis person or a Lestat person?
October 30, 2017
Curses, Foiled Again on 11/27!
Aaah, you guys! Less than a month to go! Curses, Foiled Again will go live on November 27. I have always loved vampires, so it was a lot of fun putting my own spin on the lore. My original idea was to write a book with a satirical twist on the typical vampire romance, with a mortal character who the dark and brooding one. Along the way, the story morphed into something a lot more than a satire. John and Felix's story is equal parts comedy and tragedy as they stumble their way towards love. I can't wait for you to read it!
You can keep up with news and stuff about the book over on my facebook page here. And of course, if you aren't already signed up for my newsletter, you can do that here! I put together an ARC team for Curses that I recruited from my newsletter subscribers. That team is full, but if you want first dibs to get an ARC for my next book (which is going to be the expanded version of Consorting with Dragons, FOR REAL THIS TIME), you should sign up now!
You can keep up with news and stuff about the book over on my facebook page here. And of course, if you aren't already signed up for my newsletter, you can do that here! I put together an ARC team for Curses that I recruited from my newsletter subscribers. That team is full, but if you want first dibs to get an ARC for my next book (which is going to be the expanded version of Consorting with Dragons, FOR REAL THIS TIME), you should sign up now!
September 29, 2017
A bonus story
Psst, subscribers to my newsletter -- check your email. There's a present waiting for you. :)
(If you don't see it, check your spam/promo folder.)
Also, Curses, Foiled Again will be out on November 27th. Stay tuned for more details.
I also now have a Facebook page, if you want to check it out. :)
(If you don't see it, check your spam/promo folder.)
Also, Curses, Foiled Again will be out on November 27th. Stay tuned for more details.
I also now have a Facebook page, if you want to check it out. :)
December 10, 2016
Free/$.99 LGBT Fantasy Book Promo!
Greetings, readers!
This weekend, a friend of mine is running a special promotion of LGBT fantasy novels, all available either free or for $.99! Many of these deals are good for this weekend only, so click here to hop over and download a book or five. (And if you haven't grabbed a copy of my high fantasy novel, A Shadow on the Sun, now would be a great opportunity to do so!) Happy reading!
This weekend, a friend of mine is running a special promotion of LGBT fantasy novels, all available either free or for $.99! Many of these deals are good for this weekend only, so click here to hop over and download a book or five. (And if you haven't grabbed a copy of my high fantasy novel, A Shadow on the Sun, now would be a great opportunity to do so!) Happy reading!
November 27, 2016
Curses, Foiled Again is complete!
Wow, it's been quite a long time since I've had anything to report. I've encountered a few bumps on the road to my next book, but I'm happy to say that it's finally done!
Curses, Foiled Again is a paranormal romance set in Los Angeles, the "City of Broken Dreams." John Richmond has long since given up on dreams, so the city suits him just fine. He's a witch under a terrible curse, and it's only a matter of time before it claims his life. As a fan of Old Hollywood, he likes the idea of his final resting place being beside the great actors and actresses of the silver screen. For now, he's working as a waiter in a sleazy diner, although he's hoping it won't be for long. He's ready to meet his fate. Instead, he meets a scatterbrained vampire who develops an annoyingly persistent fascination with him.
The vampire is named Felix, and he's going through his own existential crisis (although he isn't quite self-aware enough to realize it). His sister, Cat, was a famous actress in Hollywood's Golden Age, but her own golden days are over. She's under the control of her cruel husband, a witch named Richard. He used her in the past to make a name for himself as a famous producer, and he is still using her: through dark magic, he is able to harness her vampire powers to extend his own life. But while he was able to prolong his life, he couldn't prolong his relevance, and so he and Cat have faded into obscurity. Now they languish in an old estate, isolated from the modern world. Felix won't abandon his sister, so he, too, is stuck in limbo. However, when he meets John, he is startled out of the stupor of his existence. He isn't sure what he wants from John, but the witch boy has stirred something inside him that he can't quite name. He isn't giving up until he figures out exactly what it is.
Curses, Foiled Again has been provisionally accepted for publication by NineStar Press, so I can't give an exact date when it will be available. However, I'm so excited for you all to read it that I've decided to put up the first chapter. You can read it on my website here. Let me know what you think!
Curses, Foiled Again is a paranormal romance set in Los Angeles, the "City of Broken Dreams." John Richmond has long since given up on dreams, so the city suits him just fine. He's a witch under a terrible curse, and it's only a matter of time before it claims his life. As a fan of Old Hollywood, he likes the idea of his final resting place being beside the great actors and actresses of the silver screen. For now, he's working as a waiter in a sleazy diner, although he's hoping it won't be for long. He's ready to meet his fate. Instead, he meets a scatterbrained vampire who develops an annoyingly persistent fascination with him.
The vampire is named Felix, and he's going through his own existential crisis (although he isn't quite self-aware enough to realize it). His sister, Cat, was a famous actress in Hollywood's Golden Age, but her own golden days are over. She's under the control of her cruel husband, a witch named Richard. He used her in the past to make a name for himself as a famous producer, and he is still using her: through dark magic, he is able to harness her vampire powers to extend his own life. But while he was able to prolong his life, he couldn't prolong his relevance, and so he and Cat have faded into obscurity. Now they languish in an old estate, isolated from the modern world. Felix won't abandon his sister, so he, too, is stuck in limbo. However, when he meets John, he is startled out of the stupor of his existence. He isn't sure what he wants from John, but the witch boy has stirred something inside him that he can't quite name. He isn't giving up until he figures out exactly what it is.
Curses, Foiled Again has been provisionally accepted for publication by NineStar Press, so I can't give an exact date when it will be available. However, I'm so excited for you all to read it that I've decided to put up the first chapter. You can read it on my website here. Let me know what you think!
January 8, 2016
The M/M Romance Member's Choice Awards!
Hello everyone! I hope that the new year is treating you all well so far. I wanted to write a post to thank those of you who nominated my books for the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Reader’s Choice awards! The Troll Whisperer has been nominated for Best Contemporary, Best Love is an Open Road Story, and Best Cover Art (although the honor for that one goes to the amazing Bree Archer). A Shadow on the Sun was nominated as well for Best Fantasy and Best Friends-to-Lovers. (Links will take you to the polls.) There were some truly awesome m/m romance books published in 2015, so I feel incredibly honored to have a place along side such amazing books and authors. Polls close January 15.
November 15, 2015
An interview at Gillian St. Kevern's blog
Hi everyone! I wanted to point you in the direction of an interview I did at Gillian St. Kevern's blog, which you can find right over here. While you're there, you should check out her books; Gillian is like my writing brain twin. If you like my stuff, you'll love hers!
October 13, 2015
The Troll Whisper is now available!
Hi everyone!
I have great news - my novella for the Don't Read in the Closet event has finally posted!
The Troll Whisperer
It's a contemporary story about an Internet troll in serious need of rescue from the miserable life he's made for himself (and also a nice, hot shower). Fortunately, the ultimate sweetheart, Noah, is ready to be his white knight - that is, it Oscar will let him.
And much to my delight, it's available for download early! You can find the download links free right over here. You can also read it on the Love's Landscapes thread here.
And I have an exciting announcement: for subscribers of my newsletter, I'm offering the 10K word follow-up story, The Pink Wedding, for FREE. If you're already a subscriber, you should find the link in your inbox already. (Remember to check the spam folder - newsletters have a tendency to accidentally migrate there.) Not to fret if you haven't signed up yet - you can do so here (Note: it might take a couple days to reach you.)
BUT the free download will only be available until November 1. After that, you'll be able to pick it up for $.99 on Amazon and other fine retailers.
And in case you missed it, my previous novel, A Shadow on the Sun, is available for download here.
Happy reading, everyone!
I have great news - my novella for the Don't Read in the Closet event has finally posted!
The Troll Whisperer
It's a contemporary story about an Internet troll in serious need of rescue from the miserable life he's made for himself (and also a nice, hot shower). Fortunately, the ultimate sweetheart, Noah, is ready to be his white knight - that is, it Oscar will let him.
And much to my delight, it's available for download early! You can find the download links free right over here. You can also read it on the Love's Landscapes thread here.
And I have an exciting announcement: for subscribers of my newsletter, I'm offering the 10K word follow-up story, The Pink Wedding, for FREE. If you're already a subscriber, you should find the link in your inbox already. (Remember to check the spam folder - newsletters have a tendency to accidentally migrate there.) Not to fret if you haven't signed up yet - you can do so here (Note: it might take a couple days to reach you.)
BUT the free download will only be available until November 1. After that, you'll be able to pick it up for $.99 on Amazon and other fine retailers.
And in case you missed it, my previous novel, A Shadow on the Sun, is available for download here.
Happy reading, everyone!
