Dark Sins and Desert Sands - Book Announcement

Dark Sins and Desert Sands
by Stephanie Draven
Harlequin (October 18, 2011)

Wrongfully accused and broken by torture, an American soldier transforms into a mind-controlling minotaur bent on revenge…only to fall in love with his beautiful but cool-eyed interrogator.


Ray Stavrakis is out for revenge. As an Arab-American soldier accused of treason, Ray was interrogated and tortured so brutally, he's been transformed into a monster of ancient imagination. He can enter the maze of other people's minds and learn their secrets--even get them to do his bidding. This is a power he intends to use on Dr. Layla Bahset, the woman who broke him.



But Layla is now working as a Las Vegas psychologist and she has a secret. She can't remember her past and she can't remember Ray. When he enters her mind, there is nothing but a Sandy desert, and he realizes that she's no ordinary woman. Layla and Ray become the target of a chase that is altogether other-worldly. Pursued by an Egyptian war god, Layla and Ray find their fates, and passions, increasingly entwined. And they learn that in a modern world in which the gods of old civilizations use mortals like playthings, they need each other to survive.



Read an excerpt

Barbara Bretton's Paranormal series

Something you should know about Barbara Bretton (besides being an excellent writer) is that she is a an avid knitter who has also been known to pick up a crochet hook from time to time. In the Sugar Maple Chronicles, Chloe Hobbs, the heroine, owns a yarn shop, Stick & Strings,  gives knitting workshops, and gets to open sumptuous boxes of the loveliest yarns. This shop and its owner are rather extraordinary.

The setting is the charming Vermont town of Sugar Maple, a place surrounded by magic. All sorts of paranormals reside - ghosts, troll, vampires, werewolves, shapeshifters, fae, etc. To the many human tourists, however, it remains simply a lovely place populated by extraordinarily good-looking people. (Chloe bears a strong resemblance to Uma Thurman).

As the first novel begins Chloe, a half human, has yet to come into the powers left to her by her sorceress mother. Complicating everything is Chloe's love for the fully human police detective Luke MacKenzie.

Book one is Casting Spells (Berkley, 2008). This novel sets the stage for what comes in the following Laced with Magic (Berkley, 2009) and Spun By Sorcery (Berkley, 2010)

In Laced with Magic the evil Isadora returns threatening to seize Sugar Maple and move it to another realm. Chloe had banished her once before in Casting Spells but this powerful fae is not ready to give up. She has harnessed her powers and is ready to battle Chloe by using the spirit of Luke's dead daughter as bait. Spun By Sorcery continues where Magic leaves off. The town of Sugar Maple has disappeared. A forest remains in its place as if it had never existed. Chloe immediately suspects Isadora, but her friend Janice does not agree and neither does Luke. Only a trip to Salem, MA will sort out this problem.

Each book has knitting patterns and advice as an appendix from Barbara and her knitting fanatic pals. Lots of fun. I am such a beginner at this craft yet when reading Chloe's chapters her love for it comes through so strongly that I want to pick up my needles and make something - something simple of course. Usually I put that off because the story is so engrossing that I don't want to stop reading. I have yet to find a way to do both things as once.

Note: Book four Spells and Stiches will be out in December of this year.

Review of Casting Spells

Review of Laced with Magic

Lynda Hilburn - Guest Post and Contest

PVN is delighted to welcome Lynda Hilburn author of The Vampire Shrink featuring the the hunky vamp Devereux. Lynda is also a licensed psychotherapist and a researcher of the occult. She has brought her considerable knowledge to imbue her paranormal fiction with a special richness. I read, enjoyed and reviewed the original edition of Vampire Shrink. I anxiously await the new one.  
[see contest details at end of post]

A Note to Readers from Lynda Hilburn

I want to thank Patricia for having me back on her wonderful blog in honor of the release of the British version of The Vampire Shrink (expanded/revised) this month!

A writer friend asked me recently why Devereux, my main vampire in The Vampire Shrink, refuses to join the 21st (or the 20th) century. Why he resists becoming “Americanized.” Why he doesn’t use contractions when he speaks.

The questions took me by surprise, because although I realize he’s stubbornly European, I hadn’t given a lot of thought to why I created him that way. But it really isn’t a mystery. I’ve been a rabid vampire fan since I was a kid. I grew up with Bela Lugosi movies and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I think I was simply programmed to expect powerful, frightening vampires to come from the “old country.” After all, that’s where most of our commonly known vampire superstitions originate. When it comes to the undead, I need a little fear along with my romance, and the “traditional” ideas of vampires sometimes seem more intense and scary to me.

As much as I have enjoyed reading almost all the vampire books that have been written in the last 50 years, I’m much more drawn to the bloodsuckers with exotic backgrounds.

Of course, I write a lot of contemporary, American-speaking secondary-character vampires, too. In fact, in a scene I just wrote for the new book #2 in the series – Blood Therapy – my psychologist heroine, Kismet Knight, facilitates a group therapy session with several neurotic American vampires. It was so much fun to write.

But then, who am I kidding? I love all vampires. The dark, brooding ones. The snarky, clever ones. The monsters. How about you? Which ones are your favorites?

Excerpt: Vampire in the waiting room . . .

I met with a few more clients that afternoon and early evening and had just kicked off my shoes when I heard the door to the reception area open. I quickly scanned my appointment book to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anyone. Finding I hadn’t, I put my shoes back on and opened my office door.

Sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room was the very same gorgeous, blond-haired, leather-clad man I’d seen outside my building and in Midnight’s drawing.
My stomach lurched and I think I gasped out loud.

He stood when I opened the door and it was fluid motion, as if he had simply willed himself vertical. His body was all lean muscle radiating some kind of primal power. He moved elegantly over to me and gave a slight bow of his head. He offered the kind of smile that made my Inner Nerd want to fan herself and hide in the closet.
Dressed in black, his snug leather pants, form-fitting silk T-shirt, and long leather duster gave the impression of high fashion rather than Harley-Davidsons.

I froze in the doorway with my mouth hanging open, speechless, staring into the most amazing pair of turquoise eyes I’d ever seen.

He picked up my hand gently and kissed the back, his lips soft and silky. “I am Devereux. Is this a good time for an appointment?”

So many emotions slammed against each other inside me that I didn’t know which one to act on first. Fear decided to step to the front of the line and my mind began to weigh options in case the man physically attacked me. He didn’t seem menacing at the moment, but he was much bigger and stronger than me, and I hadn’t spent nearly enough time in the gym. Hell, I hadn’t spent any. Obviously, he had.

My heart raced and I still hadn’t formed a coherent sentence or done anything beyond stare at him like a zombie. What was happening to me? My eyelids felt as though they were coated with cement, my jaw sagged open, the air suddenly became thick, and a sumo wrestler was pounding on my chest. The normal background white noise acquired a sharp edge and turned into a persistent buzz, vibrating in my ears. I felt as if I was in some kind of trance.

“I am very sorry.” He took a step back from me and released my hand. “I have frightened you. That was never my intention – sometimes I forget how intense we can be. You must be a keenly sensitive individual. I will endeavor to control myself. Please accept my sincere apologies.”

You will endeavor to control yourself? I’m the one having the meltdown here.
He lowered his gaze for a moment, and when he met my eyes again, the tension drained from my muscles and I could breathe. It felt as though a switch had been thrown and I was once again in charge of my bodily functions. I could still hear the hum in my ears, but it had diminished in volume. I ran my tongue over my very dry lips.

“You did startle me. I wasn’t expecting anyone this evening.”

“Again, my sincere apologies.”

Both times I’d seen this man, he’d caused my anxiety levels to blast through the roof. I wanted to scream at him that it was absolutely not acceptable he’d come unannounced to my office, and that his habit of lurking around me was going to earn him a trip to the police station. He was altogether too sure of himself. I wanted him to know he couldn’t just stroll in and expect me to drop everything and attend to him. No matter how gorgeous he was.

Instead, I swallowed the irritation, opted for whatever remnants of professional demeanor I could summon, and said, “Well, Mr. Devereux, why are you here?”
“Just Devereux.” He cocked his head and flashed that godlike smile again. “As I mentioned a moment ago, I had hoped this would be a good time for our appointment. I trust Midnight told you I wished to meet with you?”

His voice was unusually pleasant. The timbre of it flowed through me like a favorite song, as if I were listening to him with my entire body. He had a lilting European accent, sounding almost old-fashioned, like he’d stepped out of another century. Strange how a voice could be so enticing.

I closed my eyes and sniffed the air. What was that wonderful aroma? It seemed to hover around him like an olfactory aura. Maybe he used a special kind of soap or shampoo, something spicy and masculine and unusual.

He brushed a finger lightly along my arm. “Dr. Knight?”

My eyes flew open and I realized I’d been standing there, blatantly reveling in his scent, making sniffing noises. How embarrassing. What the hell is wrong with me? Come on, Kismet. Talking has always been your strong suit. Just one word at a time. Concentrate.


Bio:

Lynda Hilburn writes paranormal fiction. More specifically, she writes vampire books. After a childhood filled with invisible friends, sightings of dead relatives and a fascination with the occult, turning to the paranormal was a no-brainer. In her other reality, she makes her living as a licensed psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, professional psychic/tarot reader, university instructor and workshop presenter.

Her first novel, “The Vampire Shrink”  -- which introduced us to Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight and a hidden vampire underworld -- was first released in 2007 and is being re-released (the rewritten, expanded version) by Quercus Books in 2011 and Sterling Publishing/Silver Oak in 2012. Several more books are planned.

“Undead in the City,” an erotic paranormal novella, and “Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker,” a satire/parody, are now available in e-form from Amazon.com. Her short story, “Blood Song,” is part of the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance anthology, April, 2009. For more information, visit Lynda’s website:  www.lyndahilburnauthor.com

The kindle version of The Vampire Shrink (British version) is available on both sides of the pond. Here’s the Amazon.com link: http://amzn.to/oFWvV3

        CONTEST

* Lynda is offering a copy of  the British version of  The Vampire Shrink, to one commenter.

* Leave a comment for Lynda about this post for a chance to win.
 
* Be sure contact information is included with your comment.

* Contest ends Sept. 27, 2011 at 11:59pm EST

* Contest is open to residents of the USA, Canada and UK.

Hot Hellhound Alert!

On Wed. June 15 Lore, the fabulous Hellhound featured in Sharon Ashwood's Frostbound, will be visiting PVN for a fun filled interview.

In addition Sharon will offer a book from her Dark Forgotten series to one lucky reader!

Read a review of Frostbound

Save the Date - June 15, 2011

Faith V Smith - Guest Blog and Contest

A visit from author Faith V Smith is always a treat. She has a tremendous amount of energy and a great sense of fun. I also like the fact that she says such nice things about me and PVN. ;)

Please welcome Faith who shares info on her latest works plus a PDF copy of Gideon's Heart to one lucky reader. [see contest details at end of post]

It's all yours, Faith!

Bloodied Swords, Highlands, and Archangels!

Hi Patricia, it is so good to be back here!  I love the blog and you!  I have been so busy since last time I was here. Two books have been released, both in the month of February, and I have two more coming out this year.  I’d like to take a moment to talk about the first book in my new series “Immortal Executioners.” As you can see from the heading, the plot deals with a lot of paranormal elements. Any time you have an immortal highlander acting under the orders of an archangel, things can and do get dicey when he fights demons.

“Immortal Justice” is very close to my heart. It deals with God, Heaven, Hell, and demons. Please don’t think it’s all fighting, it’s not, there is romance galore, and the main characters are some of the strongest I’ve ever been blessed to write.

Over a millennium ago, Highlander Darach MacRath was murdered. Resurrected by the Archangel Michael to fight demons as an Immortal Executioner, Darach now opposes all evil in the mortal world. His life is solitary—but when he rescues a young woman who not only sees demons but battles them herself, he is captivated by her courage and beauty. Abigail Dupree is not looking for love. But when a tall, dark demon fighter with a sexy brogue intervenes in her hunt, she’s fascinated. She should run away—but then his gentle yet sizzling touch ensnares her heart. When a demon from Darach’s past sets his sights on Abby, Darach will do anything to protect her—but for Abby, losing him would be worse than death. Together they must fight the demons of past and present, and the possibility that evil could destroy them both, before they find the gift of love.

You can see neither Darach or Abby are faint of heart.  The story of Darach’s death is very violent, and I have been told by a few in the industry it probably would be best to change the dream sequence. I didn’t do it and sold the book anyway. Glad my editor, Sarah Hansen, at The Wild Rose Press is not squeamish!  I like to write true to life, and when you deal with evil it is never pretty.

This book will be out the end of June!

I also have another paranormal due out in May from Siren BookStrand but I don’t have a cover yet or an approved blurb. I’m hoping my fans will welcome it into their hearts as they have my other books.

In February “Semper Fi Magick” as well as “Gideon's Heart” were released from The Wild Rose Press. “Semper Fi Magick” has a bit of everything in it. Time-travel, terrorist threats, and a faery princess, Catriona from “Viking, Go Home” as well as a hot and sexy Marine.

After a failed mission, Special Ops Marine Derek Harrison wants peace and quiet as he recuperates at his cousin’s home. What he gets is a sex-on-heels woman with a snooty attitude. Not only does she remind him of his ex-fiancée, but she claims she’s a faery princess of the Seelie Court. Now she’s not only getting under his skin, she’s getting into his head and delving into his nightmares. Maybe there is more to Catriona than he first realized.

Catriona is restricted to her palace for interfering in human affairs, but that doesn’t stop her from sneaking away to visit her mortal friends. Her fun ends—and passion ignites--when she finds herself involved with a sexy mortal male who treats her like a woman instead of a pampered faery princess.

But when magick and terrorism collide, Derek is injured. Catriona spirits the man she loves to her Faery home, but can her magick save him?

“Gideon's Heart” is the third in my “Bound By Blood, The Legends” series.  This book is the story of the mortal detective who is a Savannah PD detective. He founds out love can come in all shapes and sizes, not to mention fangs.

Every night detective Gideon Hawks walks a dangerous beat through the streets of Savannah, but when he meets Katheryne Alastair, he discovers a new threat...this one to his heart. Her delicate, sensual features and old-fashioned clothing lead him to believe she is homeless. Against his better judgment, he takes her home.
Katheryne, a vampire ready to end her existence, lies in wait for the approaching sunrise. But when the handsome detective attempts to help her, she finally finds peace within her heart. The heat of his touch triggers a blood lust she’s kept dormant for centuries. Is it possible Gideon is her soul mate? When Gideon is mortally wounded, Katheryne cannot let him die. If she turns him, will he forgive her, or worse, walk away? Or will the eternal love she holds for him end the suffering of her centuries-old vampiric curse?

You can find all my books at The Wild Rose Press website as well as Amazon.com!

I am presently at the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention, and wish that all my readers as well as you, Patricia, could be here with me.

I am looking forward to getting back in my writer’s chair and penning the sequel to Immoral Justice, as well as the fourth vampire book, “Hawk’s Salvation” and another time-travel.

I’m always happy to hear from readers, so don’t be shy.  Visit my website www.faithvsmith.com and my blog www.faithvsmith.blogspot.com.

Live the romance and cherish the love of all you care about.

Faith

 Contest

* Faith is offering a PDF copy of  Gideon's Heart to one reader.

* Leave a comment for Faith about this post for a chance to win.
 
* Be sure contact information is included with your comment.

* Contest ends April 21, 2011 at 11:59pm EST

* Contest is international

Marie Treanor - Guest blog and Contest

PVN is delighted to welcome back Marie Treanor author of the sensuous Awakened by Blood trilogy including Blood on Silk and the soon to be released sequel Blood Sin (April 5, 2011). Blood Eternal will be published in October or this year. Today Marie discusses the vampire as created in her imaginative world. She is also offering one of her current titles to a lucky reader. [See end of post for details]

[Read an interview with Marie.]
 

Vampires Behaving Badly – or are they?

by Marie Treanor

Like everyone else around here, I love vampires. I love reading about them, and I love writing about them. To my way of thinking, there’s room in the literary world for all varieties and characters of the undead, and I can enjoy all of them. But… I confess to a sneaking preference for vampires who  behave rather more dangerously than humans with a dietary requirement. In my own writing, I have great fun with this.

When I began Blood on Silk, the first of my Awakened by Blood trilogy, I knew my vampires would behave badly. Even my hero, Saloman, behaves badly – in fact he’s better at it than his fellows – but what makes him stand above the others is that he has a mission beyond his next meal and the kudos of bossing around a few weaker vampires. It’s not exactly a selfless mission, since he wants to rule the human and vampire worlds, and in Blood on Silk we’re never very sure whether it’s even a benevolent mission. Elizabeth Silk, my heroine, doesn’t think it matters, since she’s against tyranny of any description.
 
Now that Blood Sin, the first sequel, is about to hit the bookshelves on 5th April, I’ve been thinking again about what’s changed for my characters and their world; are my vampires still behaving as badly? Blood on Silk was all about discovering the vampire world and my characters’ places in it. Blood Sin is about developing these things.  And to be honest, this development was the hardest as well as one of the most exciting parts of writing Blood Sin.

Elizabeth, the academic, who has discovered she can fight as well as think, wasn’t so difficult: she’s faced up to her responsibilities as an unofficial vampire hunter while still pursuing her academic career. And of course, she’s been learning to live without Saloman, whom she loves and can never be with. Or so she believes until she unexpectedly walks into his arms at a party of celebrities, and all her old conflicts of love and loyalty are given increased edge when she agrees to work with him to find Saloman’s missing sword - which could be a devastating weapon in the wrong hands.

Saloman and the vampires required a bit more thought to develop. I had fun getting to know some of Saloman’s friends and enemies. But most of all in Blood Sin, I had to get deeper into Saloman’s head, and show him in a more revealing light to both Elizabeth and the reader. Working together could teach him and Elizabeth the value of each other’s views… or it could lead to greater tragedy and death.

Saloman is re-organizing the chaotic vampires of the world, forcing them to live by his rules, ruthlessly squashing opposition and extracting allegiance from their petty leaders. It was tempting, since he is such a strong and irresistible character, to let him overcome the vampires with ease, but somehow this didn’t ring true. My vampires are independent, hedonistic and selfish; they just wouldn’t submit without very good reason. And so, while I made it easier for him in Europe, where he is based and where his past and present reputation is strongest, I’ve given him a harder job globally.

Take America - divided between two powerful vampire factions - which still refuses to bow to Saloman. Although this gives the vampire hunters hope of a halt to Saloman’s inexorable power grab, there is also new danger in the inevitable vampire clashes – people get caught in the cross-fire of New York street battles. A politically powerful human wants to become a vampire. The vampires all still want to kill Elizabeth, the Awakener, and will do anything to gain the power of Saloman’s sword.

So, yes: my vampires are still behaving badly!
When, in the midst of this mayhem of battle and blood-drinking, Elizabeth allies with Saloman, the hunters’ relationship with Elizabeth must also surely change. Can she keep her love for Saloman a secret from her friends, who would consider it betrayal? And walking this tightrope of divided loyalties and conflicting aims, can she maintain her own principles in the face of Saloman’s powerful and seductive persuasion?

Well…
I’m not going to tell you here. Blood Sin is out on 5th April. I hope you’ll read it and find out for yourself!

Marie: I’ll leave you with a question: how flawed do you like your heroes? How badly can they behave before they lose you? 

Contest

* Marie is offering a copy of Blood on Silk or Blood Sin - winner's choice

 

* Leave a comment on Marie's question for a chance to win. 

* Be sure contact information is included with your comment. 

 

* Contest ends April 11, 2011 at 11:59pm EST

 

* Contest is international.



Blood on Silk, Awakened by Blood 1, is available now.
Blood Sin, Awakened by Blood 2, will be released on 5th April. It is available now for Pre-order.
Blood Eternal, Awakened by Blood 3, will be published in October 2011.

Theresa Meyers - Guest Blog and Contest

Today PVN is delighted to welcome back author Theresa Meyers who writes about vampires in a "fresh", appealing way.  Her latest book The Truth about Vampires proves that point. A year ago she visited PVN for an interview. Check it out here
[See contest details at the end of the post] 

Making the Undead Fresh Again

I know, it sounds like I’m touting some kind of super-power deodorant, but really I’m hear to talk about vampires, and how while everyone says they are so popular that the genre should be dead, it’s really anything but. I mean we are talking the undead here.

Yes, I’ll admit, for those of us with Buffy-love in our heart, Twilight brought vampires to a whole new audience and between that and HBO’s TrueBlood, vampires do seem to be everywhere supersaturing the market. But that doesn’t mean everything that can be done with these fascinating denizens of the dark, has been done. Case in point, my new mini-series for Harlequin Nocturne, the Sons of Midnight. The first book in the series, The Truth about Vampires, just hit store shelves this week and already reviewers like Harriet Klausner, Seriously Reviewed and RT Bookreviews Magazine are commenting about how it’s something fresh and different than they’ve seen in vampires before, but appealing to those of us who dig fangs.

Our ability to create something fresh is only limited by imagination. When I was creating “Theresa’s version of vampires” I tried to keep the myths that made biological sense to me and discard the others, making up some that were knew along the way. For instance, my vampires can certainly withstand sunlight, but it gives them one heck of a migraine, similar to what you might get if you left the eye doctor’s office after having your eyes dilated. This made biological sense to me. My vampires’ vision is sharper, so like other predators in nature, wouldn’t their eyes be more sensitive to light?

I also looked at garlic and stakes and thought, hey, really, I’m half Italian (and my hero in The Truth about Vampires, Dmitri is full Italian), is it fair to have to cut out garlic? No. So my vampires can eat it if they choose to, but they do have preternaturally sharp sense of smell, like other predators in nature, so it could be obnoxious to get close to a clove. As for stakes, they are going to sting, but if you’re talking about a creature with a fast healing ability and superior strength a little stick is going to be annoying but not take them down.

Sure there are a few things, however, that do impact my vampires. Silver acts as a disruptor to their nervous system’s electrical impulses. Dead man’s blood is a swift acting poison if it gets beneath their skin or is ingested (which makes sense if you consider there’s no life force left in it, so it’d be like snacking on out of date cheese which could make you sick.) My vampires are also impacted by a precious metal called orichalcum. We’ve forgotten how this alloy is produced, but it was originally mentioned by Plato in his writings about Atlantis.

My vampires also possess a venom that can liquefy flesh like some species of spiders. And perhaps the biggest nod to biology of all was the fact that my vampires are created by means of a virus. In nature viruses can take down even a top predator. It made sense to me that they could change humans. I also gave my vampires the ability to change themselves to suit the most intimate fantasies of their prey. And why not? If you’ve got a superior predator, shouldn’t they have superior skills?

I also happen to be a bit of a history nut, so I took bits and pieces of mythology, Minoan, Etruscan, Greek and blended them together to form a history for my vampire culture, explaining how it all started and the involvement of the gods in the creation of vampires in the first place by means of the virus. And my vampire society has different facets that are somewhat medieval in nature. Most of the civilized vampires live in clans with a laird and a council that lead them. The laird and council answer to a knight which in turn answers to vampire royalty. But there are those outside these structured societies – reviers, who like the Scottish border reviers merely subsist on the fringes of good society by taking what they need and moving often.

Mix in the whole revelation to humanity that vampire do exist by an investigative reporter determined to win a Pulitzer, and you can see that The Truth About Vampires is only the beginning of how these two societies will learn to live with one another out in the open and that my take on vampires is a little bit different.

As I said, a fresh take on a genre of characters we already love is only limited to imagination. Writers can make the undead fresh again. We just have to love them and embrace the unknown.

 CONTEST

*Theresa is offering a copy of  The Truth about Vampires to one lucky reader. [US/Canadian winner has a choice of paperback or ebook edition. An international winner will receive an ebook.]

*Leave a comment about this post for a chance to win. 

*Contest ends March 15 at 11:59pm EST

*Be sure contact information is included with your comment. 

Nocturne - A Vampire Book Review

Nocturne
by Syrie James
Vanguard Press (January 4, 2011)

The complete story takes place over four days with only two characters.

Nicole Whitcomb is racing against a snow storm on her way to the Denver airport. The storm comes quickly. While driving through treacherous mountain roads Nicole skids into a ravine. Desperately hurt she loses consciousness. Fortunately there is a witness, albeit an unwilling one.

    Michael Tyler lives in splendid isolation at his beautiful home in the Rockies. While plowing snow on his private road he watches as Nicole's car spins out of control. With the brutal storm no 911 help will be available for several days. Reluctantly he checks things out only to discover that the attractive female driver is still alive. Michael has had no face to face contact with anyone for an extraordinarily long time and wants to keep it that way. Now, however, he has no choice. This beautiful  lady will be his guest until the snowplows make it to this area.

I loved this story. This charming, beautiful romance convinced me that love will always find a way.  Both Nicole and Michael are very accomplished, especially Michael whose vampiric life has given him many centuries to develop his various artistic talents. Both individuals are wounded souls and each can understand the other's pain in a way someone else might not.

What struck me was the spiritual - and I don't mean religious - aspect of the story. Michael shows through his character and actions the power of redemption. How that comes about is told to Nicole one night when his affection for her, which is deeply reciprocated, becomes almost overwhelming.

Nicole has her own demons to deal with. Michael gently prods her to unburden herself, which she does. These two remarkable people help each other to heal and feel hope.

Understand that this theme of healing and redemption while strong does not make for a sappy, sentimental story. Two vibrant, believable characters who have suffered severely find refuge from a storm literally and figuratively.

For those who want a bit of zest the author includes a couple a deliciously steamy love scenes.

James is the gifted author who also wrote Dracula, My Love: The Secret Journals of Mina Harker      Read a review

[A copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher. Thank you!]

Jill Myles - Guest Blog and Contest

Today PVN welcomes Jill Myles author of the bestselling Succubi series. Jill has some interesting info on the succubi myth that will be of interest to readers and writers. She is also offering a fabulous contest for 5 lucky winners.

[See contest details at end of post]
[This contest is closed. Thanks to everyone who participated.]

Changing Mythology to Make Your Book Work

Way back in the day, I decided to write a book about a succubus.  In a genre full of soulmates and men driven to possess their woman, I liked the idea of turning the tables and making the woman the one with the need. However, the more I read about succubi, the more I was a little…concerned.

Let me share some of my findings with you. Succubi? Female demons. That’s easy enough to handle, right? Further reading tells me that succubi are:

In folklore traced back to medieval legend, a succubus (plural succubi) is a female demon who takes the form of a human woman in order to seduce men, usually through sexual intercourse.^[1] In modern times, a succubus may or may not appear in dreams and is often depicted as a highly attractive seductress or enchantress, while in the past succubi were generally depicted as frightening and demonic. (Wikipedia)

Well! *Nervous laugh* One always loves a challenge, right?

Then I read this:

[A] succubus collects semen from the men she seduces. The incubi or male demons then use the semen to impregnate human females,^[9] thus explaining how demons could apparently sire children despite the traditional belief that they were incapable of reproduction. Children so begotten – cambions – were supposed to be those that were born deformed, or more susceptible to supernatural influences. (Heinrich Kramer, Malleus Maleificarum)

After reading that, I was certainly rethinking my plans of “SEXY TIMES AHOY”. I mean…how can you possibly make a character like that sexy? A sperm stealer? Who gives the sperm to incubi so they can make deformed babies?

In a word, gross.

So I had a decision to make. Was I going to stick with traditional lore for my story? Or was I going to go out on my own? In the end, I decided to go out on my own. And since I was changing the very nature of succubi, I decided to change…everything.

For example!

The traditional idea of an angel:

My idea of an angel:

The traditional idea of a vampire:

My idea of a vampire:

Needless to say, I think you should do what you have to do to bring the sexy to your story. And I like my idea better than the traditional ones, don’t you? ;)

CONTEST

For 5 winners, Jill will give away a copy of each of the book in the series:

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi, Succubi like it Hot and My Fair Succubi.

*To enter the contest all you have to do is make a comment on Jill's post.

*The contest is open to US residents only. No P.O. Box please. 

*Contest ends 12-23-2010 midnight PST.

*Be sure your email address is associated with your comment.

Marie Treanor - Interview and Contest

Please welcome Marie Treanor author of the sensuous, vampire romance Blood on Silk (NAL September 7, 2010). She has graciously given time to PVN to answer a few questions. She is also offering one lucky reader an e-copy of one of her previous works. [See contest details at the end of the post.]

PVN: In your recently published novel Blood on Silk the hero is Saloman and the heroine is Elizabeth Silk. Would you give PVN readers a brief sketch about both?

Marie: Happy to! Elizabeth is a quiet but promising academic, researching her PhD in vampire superstitions in Eastern Europe. She’s wary of men and doesn’t make friends easily, but she is loyal and determined in character and has no problem sticking up for herself – a trait that comes in very useful when she finds herself catapulted into a scary new world of vampires and hunters where she is the most important piece on the chess board. She has to learn to fight physically and to deal with an unwanted and overwhelming sexual attraction to a being she knows is a monster.

Saloman begins the story as a legend, the most powerful vampire who ever existed until he was betrayed and staked in the seventeenth century. Awakened by Elizabeth’s blood, he sets out to take his revenge on those who betrayed him and to grow strong on the blood of their descendants. His ultimate goal is to rule over both vampires and humans - which he sets about with ruthless efficiency.

I confess I like Saloman: he’s frightening, inhuman, unreachable, overwhelmingly powerful, merciless and determined, but he also has humour and understanding, and soaks up knowledge like a sponge. You begin to suspect that he does have a moral code – just not one comprehensible to humans. And although he never lets it halt him, as the last of the Ancient vampire race he’s lonely and has rare moments of vulnerability which Elizabeth manages to touch, even if she isn’t always aware of it.

PVN: How did you research material for Blood on Silk ?

Marie: I visited Transylvania and Budapest, several years ago, so I wrote about the locations from a mixture of memory and internet research. I’ve also studied the history of the region for a long time, including the life of Vlad Dracula (the Impaler) who, in Blood on Silk, was a friend of Saloman’s. J It was fun bringing this all together in Blood on Silk.

PVN: Why do you think of vampires as romantic heroes?

Marie: Weird, isn’t it? On the face of it, vampires are terrifying blood-sucking killers, determined to prolong their existence by ending the lives of others – not many redeeming qualities there! And yet there is something very attractive about all that power, and the bad-boy image, especially when it’s concentrated on the heroine.  And then, there’s the immortality factor – who wouldn’t want the love of their life to live forever? Obviously, to be a hero, he can’t be all bad, and there has to be genuine feeling for the heroine, but I still like my vampire heroes to have a bit of bite (if you’ll pardon the pun) and be a little on the scary side. To me, the romance is more poignant if it’s contrasted with a bit of inhuman behaviour.

PVN: What are some of your favorite vampire stories or authors?

Marie: Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” without a doubt, and also Anne Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire” and “The Vampire Lestat.” As well as being wonderful books in their own rights, they’ve had huge influence on the current vampire genres – both horror and romance – whether directly or indirectly. I’ve enjoyed lots of more modern vampire romances too – Michele Hauf, JR Ward, Charlaine Harris, Lynsay Sands’s, and lots more

PVN: What attracts you to the paranormal?

Marie: I think it’s the fact that my imagination can go absolutely anywhere. And paranormal mixes wonderfully with other genres that I enjoy, such as suspense and romance, fantasy, humour, gothic horror and so on. I love mixing them up!

PVN: Please describe your writing environment and your writing day.

Marie: I write using a laptop, and it goes wherever I go, which was very important before my daughter went to school! Now, I write mostly in a quiet room at the back of the house, where we keep most of our books and favourite things acquired on European travels. And there’s an antique bureau just big enough for my laptop.

I do most of my writing after taking my daughter to school. I only pause to make coffee and the odd snack which I consume at my desk while I’m working. I stop about 3pm to fetch my daughter from school again. Occasionally I can get in an extra half hour or so after that, but it’s more difficult, especially after my sons get home from high school, and the house is full of noise and phone calls and people. When I’m on a roll, or if we have people staying and it’s difficult to find writing time, I get up early and write for a few hours before everyone wakes up.

PVN: What are you working on currently?

Marie: A new vampire story, plus a couple of new ideas… Also, in the next week or two, I’m expecting edits of Blood Eternal, the third Awakened by Blood book following Elizabeth and Saloman.



PVN: Would you mind telling us about your home in Scotland?

Marie: Not at all! I live in a seaside village on the east coast of Scotland, just five minutes walk from the beach. It’s a quiet place with a long history, and parts of it are very pretty – including the beach. Occasionally, from the village, you can see seals and dolphins. Our house is Victorian and chaotic, full of toys, books, papers, musical instruments and electronic gadgets, all of which seem to migrate to the wrong place and stay there for months before we notice. At weekends and evenings, very often, it’s also full of teenagers playing computer games and/or loud music – one of my sons plays drums in a band and he likes to share the joy. Fortunately, we have understanding neighbours!

PVN: How can readers contact you?

Marie: They can email me any time at Marie@MarieTreanor.com – I’m always happy to hear from readers! I’m also on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marie-Treanor-Paranormal-Romance/105866982782360, where I post writing and book news and am always glad to chat.

PVN: Many thanks, Marie! Now for the contest.

Contest

*One lucky winner will win a copy of an ebook from Marie's backlist. Go to http://www.marietreanor.com/books.html to see the selection.
[note: Blood on Silk is not yet available as an ebook]

*To enter the contest do one of two things:
    
      Ask Marie a question.
                   or
      Make a comment on Marie's post.

*The contest is open internationally



*Be sure your email address is associated with your comment.

*Contest ends at midnight PST on 12-20-2010