Jamie Wasserman Interview and Contest

I recently read Blood and Sunlight by a fabulous new writer of vampire fiction, Jamie Wasserman. He also happens to live nearby in the historic town of Ellicott City, Md (not far from Baltimore), one of my favorite places to roam. I'm so happy to have Jamie here to tell you about himself and his new book.

[2 lucky readers will win a copy of Blood and Sunlight. See details at end of post]


PVN: Would you describe the characters of Melanie and Keenan the main characters of Blood and Sunlight?

Jamie:  Melanie is a troubled 23-year old who feels trapped in her hometown of Ellicott City. At heart, she's a romantic but does nothing to try to achieve her dreams. Instead, she latches onto whatever comforts are available-- whether it be sex, drinking, or drugs.

Keenan is a two-hundred year old vampire who first came to Ellicott City to work on the railroad. He's making his best effort at being human. He's desperately lonely but ever optimistic. He's found a comfortable existence but rarely takes chances.



PVN: In Blood and Sunlight: A Maryland Vampire Story  mention is made of The Vampire His Kith and Kin by Montague Summers? How does this book figure into your story and/or your research?


Jamie: Montague Summers is probably the only modern writer to make a serious study of vampires as a real creature. Before that you'd have to go back to the 1600's to find anything credible. He not only describes the vampire in detail but presents historical accounts of encounters with vamps and methods to dispatch them. My would-be slayer in the book takes this book as his 'bible', adding his own mythology along the way. As a writer, I drew heavily on Summers' work as well.



PVN:  The novel's setting is historic Ellicott City, MD which is also your home town. Would you describe the town to PVN readers? and explain why you used it as the background for the novel.

Jamie: Ellicott City is a former mill town surrounded by woods and rock and rivers and streams. The buildings and churches still look period though regular fires and flooding continue to take their toll on the area. Beyond that, the town is filled with wonderful ruins, strange legends and hauntings. For a writer, it's a place rife with possibilities.

Ellicott City was also my old stomping grounds as a teenager. I spent a lot of time sneaking around the grounds of the old monastery (Hell House in the book), drinking on the dillpapadated steps of the burned out girl's school, or hanging out smoking cigarettes on Main Street. The place has a secluded other-worldly feel that lends itself perfectly to a gothic re-telling of the vampire myth.


PVN: What are the characteristics of the vampires in your universe?

Jamie: I included the staple-- the need for blood. Animal blood will do but it's not as potent as human and requires that my vamps drink more often. Though not contained in traditional folklore, sunlight (and fire) is extremly harmful to them. I love the old Hammer films of the 60's with Christopher Lee and sunlight figured often in dispatching the vamp.

A simple taste of blood is enough to turn a person but not everyone comes over the same way-- each person is affected differently. Some are driven mad with it, their body quickly exhausts itself, while others seem to adapt perfectly. I went into the book thinking of vampirism as almost a blood disease and wanted to treat it as such.

My vampires are maddeningly fast and strong but also very human-- they make mistakes. They are not cold and calculating killers...but they can be. They can't read minds but they do have some power over the brain and a unique way of 'sharing' memories.



PVN: What attracts you to the paranormal?

Jamie: You know, I've never really thought about that. Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed monster movies and ghost stories. If I'm being honest with myself, I guess my interest in the paranormal is an escape, wanting to believe that there is more here than just what's on the surface.



PVN: Describe your writing day and your writing environment.

Jamie: I work a full-time day job and have two kids and another one on the way. Time is not my friend. I've learned to fit in writing whenever I can--on my lunch, in the morning when I first wake up, just before bed. When I take trips for work, the laptop goes with me. I'm always making notes or thinking of new scenes or ways to fix old ones.

I'm positively green with envy over writers who have the luxury of doing nothing but writing.



PVN: Which books or authors have inspired you?

Jamie: Way too many- Poppy Z. Brite, Neil Gaiman, Charlaine Harris, Bram Stoker, Caitlin Kiernan, Let the Right One In, Stephen King, Light at the End by John Spektor, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Anais Nin, Lola Haskins, and so many more. I devour books.



PVN: Please tell us about your current projects.

Jamie: I just finished a serialized novella on the Kindle Boards about a vampire guppy. Penumbra Publishing, the wonderful small press that did Blood and Sunlight, is going to make it available for free for Kindle Readers and on Smashwords in various formats. It's obviously a light-hearted story.

I'm also about 2/3 of the way through another novel. Vampires, of course, because I haven't gotten them out of my system but this one is more of a romance. A sequel to Blood and Sunlight is next on my list and I've already mapped out a basic story line.



PVN: How can readers contact you?

Jamie: They may visit my website: www.jamiewasserman.com, join my Facebook group, or email directly: wassermj@gmail.com. I love hearing from readers!



PVN: Anything else you would like to add?

Jamie: Just thank you. Small press and Indie writers survive largely on word of mouth and blogs like this and readers like you play a big part in that.

Also, if anyone is in the area and would like a tour of Ellicott City, drop me a line!

CONTEST

Two lucky readers will win a copy of Blood and Sunlight

To enter the contest email Jamie at wassermj@gmail.com

   put PATRICIA'S VAMPIRE NOTES CONTEST  in the subject heading 


The contest is open to US and Canadian residents.

Contest ends December 21 at midnight PST.

Dracula In Love - Christmas Giveaway

Karen Essex author of Dracula In Love is hosting a special Christmas giveaway of her novel.

To enter go to Facebook's Dracula in Love page and "Like" it. Then post a comment here on Patricia's Vampire Notest simply stating "I want to win Dracula in Love". The contest ends December 25, 2010 at midnight PST.

Read a REVIEW of Dracula In Love.

Greyfriar: Vampire Empire - Book Review

The Greyfriar (Vampire Empire, Book 1)
by Clay & Susan Griffith
Pyr (November 18, 2010)

What a fantastic adventure! Princess Adele, heiress to the throne of Equatoria, whose capital sits in Alexandria, has been sent northward on a mission to visit areas close to the European mainland now ruled by the vampire clans since the Great Killing of 1870.

The year is now 2020. Those humans who survived the vampire uprising and subsequent massacre fled to the warmer regions near the equator bringing with them whatever technology was available, steam being the main source of power. Her Highness Princess Adele travels with her retinue in airships. There is danger in getting too far from the warm areas of Earth where vampires feel great discomfort, but the Emperor believes it necessary for all human inhabitants to sense the might and power of the Equatorian Empire.

Not much is known about vampires except that they are vicious, merciless killers, and that they are nor resurrected humans but are a separate species categorized as Homo nosferati. Those humans left behind in Europe serve their masters as Bloodmen/slaves or exist like cattle as food.

One man works to save humans trapped in the north. He is called Greyfriar and many believe he is only a myth. Princess Adele finds out the truth about this man who  attempts her rescues when her ship is attacked by vampires. It is obvious that she is the prize target. The vampire fighters are strong and swift and Adele becomes the captive of Prince Cesare - known even among vampires for his cruelty. Against terrible odds Greyfriar frees her from her prison.

A war between the two species is imminent, and Adele has unrevealed powers which hold the key in this struggle. Throughout her horrific journey in the North, Greyfriar and his doppelganger find ways to keep her safe even in the most wretched situations.

This is Book 1 of 3 so it is not surprising that many issues remain unresolved. Readers hooked on this tremendous story of adventure must wait with baited breath for the next installment.

I thoroughly enjoyed this gripping tale with its well wrought characters and exciting, believable plot.

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