Jens Kuhn - Guest Blog and Contest

Please welcome Jens Kuhn author of the vampire novel The Gripsholm Mystery. One lucky reader will win a copy.

This is a brief description of the story: "Antonia Correlli has lived for 600 years. She's a vampire with special abilities which let her live amongst humans undetected. For the most part. In 1915 the First World War is raging through Europe and new, frightful weapons bring suffering and pain to the men who fight it. While using her cunning and her magic on a hospital ship in the Mediterranean Antonia discovers mysterious things aboard. And she develops dangerous feelings for her captain. Solving the mystery, she discovers once again that humans can't be trusted and that immortality has its price"

 Jens explains why he used an unusual setting for his book.

How does one get the idea to put a vampire on a hospital ship in the middle of the First World War? I might be tempted to explain it away by the fact that it's the ideal place to be if you are a vampire: lots of blood and no way for your prey to get away. But the fact is, I have a faint past as a writer of nautical fiction, so I couldn't do without boats whatever I'd write.

Having been quite intrigued by the paranormal romance genre for a while, I decided to add some preternatural magic to the mix of boats and steamy encounters between sailors and intriguing female spies, thus taking the story beyond the factual limits of historical fiction, while keeping up quite high standards of accuracy for historical and technical facts at the same time.

But of course I could not make it too easy for myself. So my heroine, Antonia Correlli, isn't just a vampire. She also is a succubus. That means she is endowed with some special magic, for example the ability to sustain sunlight and heal humans. But in order to keep this ability she needs to feed on human emotions. On their passion, their sexual arousal as well as on blood.

Here, the confined space of the hospital ship becomes a double-edged sword. Because as well as her human prey being unable to escape her, there is only a limited number of them and sooner or later Antonia won't be able to protect her secret. When certain mysterious things happen aboard the vessel, her curiosity makes her less cautious. And there is the captain, who seems to have some magic of his own.

This is the setting for "The Gripsholm Mystery", the first book in a planned series about succubus-vampire Antonia Correlli. 600 years old, Antonia has not always been a succubus. Starting out as a classic vampire of the more primitive kind, she has lived through ages of misery, bloodlust, filth and carnage. When she eventually discovers her other side, her succubus magic, she becomes what she is now, a unique being that is capable of love and caring, but also of deadly dispassionate actions if her survival requires them.

 CONTEST

*Jens is offering a paperback copy of The Gripsholm Mystery to one lucky reader.

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

*Contest is open tor residents of the US, Canada, and Europe.

*Contest ends March 10 at 11:59pm EST

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.

Cecilia Tan - Guest Blog and Contest

PVN welcomes back acclaimed author Cecilia Tan who is here to discuss the role of dreams in The Incubus and the Angel the latest installment in her engaging, erotic, paranormal Magic University series! 

[see contest information at the end of the interview]

In the Land of Dreams: Incubi in Magic University

by Cecilia Tan

I was always told in fiction-writing classes that a dream sequence was somehow "cheating." Then again these are the same writing classes that told me not to write fantasy or science fiction at all. I have always loved dream sequences and have always wanted to put my characters into lucid dreams. I started playing with this a little in MIND GAMES, my
paranormal erotic thriller (just out in trade paperback from Red Silk Editions) in which our telepathic heroine finds herself visited (sometimes stalked) in erotic dreams by someone from real life.



Imagine my thrill then, on seeing the movie INCEPTION, in which the
main action of the movie takes place inside dreams! When I saw the
film, I had already turned in the manuscript of my latest paranormal
romance (now in ebook from Ravenous with a Red Silk paperback due next
year), The Incubus and the Angel, and I thought, "surely if this film
can succeed so brilliantly with so much taking place in dreams, then
surely my novel will be OK!"

I had been worried that maybe too many scenes took place in the dream
world, but now I think readers will indulge in it just fine.

The Magic University books (The Incubus and the Angel is the third in
the series) take place at the hidden arcane arts college on the
Harvard campus. In my world, magical creatures being spoken of in
myths and legends are usually real, but not always in the way that
mundane folk think. For example, there are no vampires in my world,
but there are magicians who can train themselves to live very long
lives on a single drop of blood per month if they forego having sex.

The same is true of incubi and succubi. Myth has it that these demonic
beings visit in the night, having sex with humans, sometimes giving
them erotic dreams. In the world of Magic University, dreams are very
powerful. People have prophetic visions in dreams sometimes, and
overall in the world of the subconscious, a magic user is closer to
his or her inner power.

An incubus or succubus is created when a person desires another so
much that they pursue their desire through dreams. It's as if each
time they are thwarted in reaching their desire, they leave behind a
horny "ghost" in the dreamworld. The incubus or succubus continues
seeking satisfaction until it finds a dream it can enter where it has
sex with the dreamer. Sometimes the dream visit of an incubus is very
pleasurable, other times frightening, as the spirit cannot be denied.

And although the sex is purely mental, not physical, it can have
magical consequences. As Kyle learns in his studies, in the world of
sex magic, virginity holds great power. But a friend of his who is
visited by the incubus finds that a pendant she wears that was white
when she was a virgin has turned black. Of course, how do you catch
something that only exists in dreams? Sleep and dream yourself. Our
hero pursues the incubus across the erotic dreamscape himself.

I hope everyone who reads the book has sweet dreams afterward.

About the Author: Cecilia Tan is a writer, editor, and the founder of
Circlet Press.. She is the author of many books, including Mind Games,
The Hot Streak, White Flames, Edge Plays, Black Feathers, The
Velderet, and Telepaths Don’t Need Safewords, as well as the Magic
University series of paranormal erotic romances, and the currently
ongoing web serials The Prince's Boy and Daron's Guitar Chronicles.

She has the distinction of being perhaps the only writer to have
erotic fiction published in both Penthouse and Ms. magazines, as well
as in scores of other magazines and anthologies including Asimov’s,
Best American Erotica, and Nerve. Learn more at http://blog.ceciliatan.com.


Related Links
The Magic University Series: Info page

Print Book buy links:
Mind Games
The Siren and the Sword
The Tower and the Tears


Ebook buy links:
Mind Games
The Siren and the Sword
The Tower and the Tears
The Incubus and the Angel

CONTEST

One lucky winner will receive an ebook copy of one book (winner's choice) from Cecilia's Magic Universe series.

To enter the contest answer this question: Do you believe in lucid dreaming?

Be sure I have access to your email.

Contest is international and ends Sept. 24, 2010.

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi - Blog tour and Contest

Gentlemen Prefer Succubi
by Jill Myles
Pocket Star (December 29, 2009)

     [This contest has ended]
                    
Who Knew An Angel Could Get A Girl In So Much Devilish Trouble?

Jackie Brighton woke up in a Dumpster this morning, and
her day has only gotten weirder. Her familiar B-cups have somehow become double Ds, her sex drive is insatiable, and apparently she had her first one-night stand ever...with a fallen angel. All she remembers is gorgeous Noah's oddly hypnotic blue eyes...and then a dark stranger whose bite transformed her into an immortal siren with a sexy Itch. With help from Noah, Jackie begins to adapt to her new lifestyle -- until she accidentally sends Noah into the deadly clutches of the vampire queen and lands herself in a fierce battle for an ancient halo with the queen's wickedly hot righthand man. Who just happens to be the vampire who originally bit her. How's a girl supposed to save the world when the enemy's so hard to resist?

Wait there's more. On January 19 the sequel Succubi Like It Hot was published.




CONTEST

Pocket Books is offering a copy of Gentlemen Prefer Succubi to 2 US readers (no P. O. Boxes).

*Answer the following question: Does the guy on the cover look like a gentleman to you, why or why not?  One point

*Link to this contest on any of the social network sites or your own page. Let me know the url. One point for each link.

*If your email is not associated with your ID, please put the address in your response.

The contest ends Feb. 15 at 11:59 PM PST. Good luck to all!

Succubus Blues - Book Review

Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid, Book 1)
by Richelle Mead
Kensington (March 1, 2007)


From the publisher: "Succubus (n.) An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. Pathetic (adj.) A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid.
When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?


But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess getup complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny.."

PVN: Georgina, a reluctant succubus, is a demon with a conscience.  Like others in the lower demon community she was once mortal, but now lives forever and never ages. Humans, male or female, feel drawn to her succubus charms, a trait which comes in handy as she works her day job as an assistant manager at the Emerald City Book Store and Cafe.

As a rule Georgina loathes vampires (although it turns out two of her best friends, Peter and Cody, are undead),  "Most vampires were arrogant, devoid of social skills, and obsessed with territoriality."  The sleezy Duane was an exceptional example. One night when she's had enough of him. She forms her hand into a claw and manages to scratch his face before his lightening reflex kick in. Her boss, the archdemon Jerome confronts her the next day.

Very bad manner on her part, striking another immortal, she's told. But things get really sticky when Duane turns up truly dead.  Someone has killed an immortal. Something not possible, or so it was thought. Now it's feared all are in peril.

The myriad creatures of earth, heaven and hell make their appearance. Each character, even the minor ones are so well drawn that Mead seems to have achieved the literary equivalent of 3D. The angel Carter, who, like Jerome, has been around from the beginning of time, is a brilliant addition by Mead. Why does an angel hang around with demons? The jaded Georgina doesn't trust him at first, but he has a moral strength she slowly comes to appreciate. And then there is Seth Mortensen, the shy, brilliant author whom she adores. They meet one day when he comes to the bookstore for a signing.

Some seriously bad things happen. We catch glimpses of a Biblical horror involving angels and human women. But Mead knows how to lighten the mood  with humorous scenes and plenty of witty repartee.

I found this book to be in the "I don't want this to end" category. Mead creates such an imaginative, captivating world. I had no desire to leave it.

Succubus Blues was recommended to me by a bookseller at Barnes and Noble. Bless her! After reading it I went out and bought the other three books in the series. A fifth will be published in 2010.
                                

The Succubus Books by Richelle Mead

     

Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid, Book 1)

Succubus on Top (Georgina Kincaid, Book 2)

Succubus Dreams (Georgina Kincaid, Book 3)

Succubus Heat (Georgina Kincaid, Book 4)

Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid, Book 5) 

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Demon in Blue Jeans - Review

Demon in Blue Jeans
by Tony V. Sweeney
Wild Rose Press

I recently read this delightful novella by Toni V. Sweeney. On a night out with her girlfriends Kate mockingly makes a wish by asking Satan to send her his baddest bad boy. This was a case of be careful what you wish for. One evening someone knocks at her apartment door. It's a cute guy dressed like Robin Hood. He asks her to sign for the delivery which turns out to be him. Kate, who had spent the evening drinking too much wine and whose love life had been nonexistent, decides to humor the guy.

His name is Zel and he is a 3rd class succubus who is up for evaluation. If he does not get a good evaluation this time there will literally be hell to pay. Kate wants to help this very sweet, rather inept, and definitely naive fellow. Their clumsy romps in the bedroom will bring tears of laughter to the reader. Kate and Zel are very appealing and their story is joyful. This is a funny, feel good story.