Jan 14, 2011

Marissa Farrar - Guest Blog and Contest

Today PVN welcomes Marissa Farrar author of several books of the paranormal including the recent vampire novel The Dark Road. Marissa is graciously offering a copy of this ebook to one lucky reader. Please see the end of the post for more information.

[Correction: Although Marissa has written about vampires in other novels none appear in The Dark Road. Still it's a darn scary, paranormal book - PVN]

Dark Genres

As an author, I've struggled to place my work into one category. I've always classed myself as a horror author, but recently things people have been saying about my work are making me think differently.

First of all, I don't write gross-out, slasher horror, or anything like that. Though I write about the paranormal, often the horror element is as much the storyline running alongside the paranormal one. Though I love the paranormal, really itís the real life things that scare us the most.


In my vampire novel, Alone, although the vampires themselves are dangerous and should be feared, the real horror comes in the form of the main character's abusive husband and the torment he puts her through.

In my third novel, The Followers, due for release mid 2011, (though you can get a sneak preview at www.freefantasticalfiction.blogspot.com, where I am posting chapters each week as an on-going serial) again the true horror is in the reality part of the story. There is a supernatural element to the novel, in the form of a hideous old lady who is apparently killing men in their sleep, but the true horror nature of the novel is in the fundamentalist actions of the town's prophet, Eli.

The Dark Road is slightly different. The horror element is certainly there, and the driving force of the novel, but it's the characters and their own personal struggles which make the novel. Its theme is sacrifice - what would you sacrifice to redeem yourself amongst your peers, to have the life you want, to save the ones you love?

Here is the blurb: 

When a group of backpackers are thrown together on a bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia, they have no idea of the journey ahead of them.

Shortly after crossing the Cambodian border, one of the group disappears off the side of the road, and they quickly discover they have more than the threat of land mines to worry about. They are plunged into a terrifying world of ancient temples, curses and long-dead kings and, one by one, they start to lose both their minds and their lives, as what was supposed to be an adventure turns into a fight for survival.

I'm often asked if I've ever been to Cambodia, and the answer is yes. I was lucky enough to spend three months backpacking around South East Asia and the idea for the novel came to me while I was on the same bus journey my characters take. Luckily my journey wasn't quite as horrific as theirs turns out to be, but it was pretty nerve wracking just the same!

For all you vampire fans out there, Alone is now free to download, for a limited time only. So head over to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/9972 and download your copy!

Also, for anyone who comes and likes my Facebook page, www.facebook.com/marissa.farrar.author they can also get a voucher code to get my short story collection for free as well!

Thanks for having me, Patricia!


CONTEST

I'd like to give away one copy of The Dark Road to one lucky commenter, and you can buy the novel at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/30776.



*Readers, leave a comment on this post for a chance to win. 

*Contest is international. 
*Contest ends Jan. 28, 2011 at 11:59pm EST

18 comments:

Meredith said...

Thank you for offering Alone for free! And thanks for the giveaway!

meredithfl at gmail dot com

SandyG265 said...

The Dark Road sounds like a very different story.

sgiden at verizon.net

Marissafarrar said...

You're welcome, Meredith. Thanks for stoppng by, and thanks to Patricia for having me!

Marissafarrar said...

I hope it is something different, Sandy! Thanks for commenting.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the giveaway. I would love to read the book. It sounds really good. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

Julie S said...

Thank you for offering freebies to facebook fans and Alone to everyone. I've heard about you from my friend Nicole, she always mentions you in her blog. Looking forward to getting to read your work.

juliecookies(at)gmail.com

Tanya1224 said...

Nice =) Thanks bunches for the free read and sharing about your new book. Sounds great! It's cool that you actually did vacation there and got to check out the area. I have not read any vampire books set in Cambodia before. I look forward to the new read. Thanks again.
Tanyaw1224(at)yahoo(dot)com

Elena Gray said...

The Dark Road has received great reviews! I've added this to my wish list! Thanks for sharing!

cbandy10(at)hotmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing Marissa! (and for the freebies and giveaway!)

Dottie :)

Vickie said...

Holey mackanoley!! This looks scarey good!!! I'm not sure I've read a vampire story set in South East Asia. What an intriguing premise.
What that must have been like, backpacking for three months. Excellent adventure I bet.

VWinship at aol dot com

Marissafarrar said...

First of all, I just need to clarify that there aren't any actual vamps in The Dark Road(Sorry Patricia, I should have made that a bit more clearer). Some scary, paranormal stuff, but no vamps!
Second, thanks to everyone who has stopped by!
Vickie--I was actually away for a whole year, going to Oz, NZ, and eventually the States. It was easily the best year of my life!
Dottie--love your avatar! My 3yo is obsessed with tinkerbell at the moment!
Cindy--yes, I'm thrilled with the response the novel has revieved so far. In the first forty-eight hours of it going live, it received almost 300 downloads. I was stunned to say the least!
Tanya--you have no idea how inspirational my travelling has been to my writing.
Julie--Hi! I recognise you from Nicole site as well (and Something Wicked, I think!). Welcome and thanks for the comment.
Torre--Consider yourself entered, and thanks for reading!

Jess (The Cozy Reader) said...

Thanks for the giveaway! :)

Aleetha said...

Kya~
The setting is in South east Asia.
there are not a lot of books which took place there. Excluded the asian author.

I am curious which "part" of Bangkok that she tooks

aleetha.ally at gmail dot com

Marissafarrar said...

Hi Aleetha,

Bangkok only takes a very small portion of the start of this book, only really spanning two chapters. The backpackers start off their journey in the backpacker mecca of The Khoa San Road and then travel up the country towards the Cambodian border.

I love Thailand and could easily set another novel there.

Hope this answers your question!

booklover0226 said...

Hi, Marissa.

Your works sound great; I look forward in reading them.

Thanks,
Tracey D
booklover0226 at gmail dot com

Carol M said...

This sounds good! Please enter me.
Thank you!
mittens0831 at aol dot com

Cambodian Daughter said...

Hi, I'm from Cambodia. I'm dying to read the Dark Road, I hope I can win a copy of your book too. I also write a vampire-based story of my own, just for fun.

But it surprises me to realize that you have taken a special interest to write a paranormal book based on my country's myths. Who knows? I might see my long-dead king, Jayavarman VII rise out of his grave in your book. :)

PS: Please, tell me if I win, aron_mixsell@yahoo.com

Lorelei Bell said...

Well, shoot! I hope I'm not too late to get in on this!
loreleibell4@gmail.com