Sharon Ashwood - Interview and Contest

What a wonderful treat for today. Sharon Ashwood author of Scorched: The Dark Forgotten, (Signet, Dec. 1, 2009), has returned to PVN for an interview. She has graciously offered a copy of her new book to one lucky commenter. See contest details at the end of the interview. [This contest has ended]

Hi Sharon, and welcome to PVN!

PVN: Where does Scorched fit in the grand scheme of the Dark Forgotten series?

Sharon: Scorched is the second book.  At the end of Ravenous, the heroine, Holly, discovers the Castle. In SCORCHED, we get to find out a lot about the history of the non-humans on earth, what happened to many of them, and the challenges they face. This book probably spends more time in the Castle than any of the others will, but I wanted to really explore this cornerstone of my world.

PVN: As you say, much of the action in Scorched takes place in the weird environs of The Castle. What is it like for the residents?

Sharon: The Castle is like a great big medieval dungeon that goes on forever, and most of the inmates roam around inside, forming alliances and battling over choice territory. The magic inside the Castle removes certain appetites and emotions—hunger, thirst, joy and lust—but it doesn’t remove aggression.  Essentially the place is a war zone.  There are guards, but their number is dwindling and they’ve gone a bit crazy over time because they’ve all been stuck there against their will for centuries.  One of the big questions my characters face is what to do about the Castle.  Do they try and help the people inside? How? Who is safe to let out into the human world?

PVN: I have fallen in love with Mac, that devil. Not only is he a hunk who becomes hunkier, he has the funniest lines in the story. How would you describe him?

Sharon: Mac is an ex-police detective who likes the ladies. Unfortunately, one turned him into a demon and he lost his job and pretty much his whole life. When Scorched opens, he’s come back to town and he’s trying to pull his life together.

In some ways, he’s an average guy. He likes a beer and the hockey game, loved his job as a police officer, tinkers with his Mustang and tries to pay his bills on time. He’s one of the good guys, and hates the fact the whole demon issue puts him on the bad guy list.  When he finds out Constance needs help, he has to step up because he has the skills and willingness to do it. He knows it’s going to cost him a lot, but he does it anyway because there’s no one else who will.

What makes Mac an interesting hero to me is that, no matter how bad things get, he believes that he can make things better. He has serious doubts about how things are going—he’s not an idiot—but he tries to do something about the situation. Psychologically, he’s very tough, and his sense of humour is part of that.

PVN: Describe the two vampire characters - Alessandro and Constance.

Sharon: Alessandro Caravelli is the hero of Ravenous and the vampire queen’s enforcer in Fairview. If one of the non-humans step out of line, he’s on their case. The supernatural community is, on the whole, happy he’s around to keep the peace both among the non-humans and between the supernatural and human authorities. He’s been around for centuries and is an interesting mix of chivalry and modern ideas. He still has a strong sense of duty to his queen. Of course, that causes problems when he falls for a young witch and then the queen wants him to betray his love.

Constance is the heroine of Scorched.  She was a farm girl Turned into a vampire in the mid-eighteenth century. The guards who run the Castle put her in prison before she could actually bite anyone, so she’s still without a lot of her powers. In order to survive, she sought the protection of Atreus, a sorcerer who lives in the Castle. Unfortunately, by the time the story opens he’s gone mad. He’s as much a danger to Constance as a protector.

My vampires are venomous. Their bite gives a very addictive sexual high, which means they make slaves out of non-vampires very easily. Interspecies romance is a definite challenge, because vampires don’t reach maximum happy potential unless they’re biting.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

PVN: Book 3 Unchained comes out July of next year. Can you give a sneak peak? Will there be more to come?

Sharon: Unchained deals with Holly’s sister, Ashe, and Captain Reynard, the head of the Castle guards. It’s a very active book—lots of fights, lots of danger, lots of plot threads. It gives the reader an insight into who the guards are and why they’re there. We also get to know some of the minor characters from the first books much better.

Right now I’m working on a proposal for a fourth book.  We’ll see what happens! Here’s a question for those who’ve read Ravenous.  Which of my characters would you like to see as the next hero:  Perry or Lore?


PVN: All of your characters are complex and unique. What stories, authors, or anything else pique your imagination?

Sharon: I read a lot of paranormal romance and urban fantasy, of course. I also read a lot of classic literature.  For characterization, I love nineteenth-century authors like Balzac, Theodore Fontaine, Flaubert, Tolstoy, and Trollope. Cousin Bette was completely amazing. Those authors nailed the interrelationship between economic circumstances, ethics, and family affection. People are complete and very complicated packages. It’s impossible to capture everything about a person on paper, but I believe the author has to understand as much as possible in order to build an effective personality.

PVN: It isn't unusual to find a mixture of horror and romance in today's paranormals, but you also inject a sense of humor.  Is it possible for you to write and not be funny?

Sharon: Of course I can write and not be funny—I have many documents in my workplace that prove I can be deadly dull.

It’s important to use humour when it’s appropriate. It’s also important to back off and have a serious moment when the reader needs to feel the sadness or dread of a character. I do like to keep things witty most of the time because it keeps the prose moving. You can also get a lot of serious ideas across in a joke without sounding preachy.

Plus, it would be dreadful to have my characters taking themselves too seriously. I always preferred the unapologetic Spike model to the Angel broody model. If a guy hasn’t got over the fangs in the first hundred years, dump his black leather backside.

PVN: As a writer what method do you use to keep track of the various plot lines?

Sharon: I pin a great big piece of newsprint to the wall, divide it into squares, and write in the action with coloured markers. That way I can see at a glance what’s going on.  I’ve started to use a writing program called yWriter (it’s free software and very nifty), but I still need to do the brainstorming manually.

PVN: What did you have to do to get your first novel published? Any horror stories?

Sharon: I got noticed by my wonderful editor through a contest. I think the biggest “horror” for me was how unprepared I was for the business side of being an author. I had this huge moment of DUH! Then I scrambled around figuring out what I was supposed to do besides write the book. I didn’t actually expect to get published, so I hadn’t planned ahead.

PVN: Any advice for beginning writers?

Sharon: Learn all of the rules about archetypes, scene and sequel, point of view, scene goals, and so on. Practice them until they’re automatic. Then realize they’re tools, not laws. When you read a book you love, study what that author is doing that works for you.

Also, read outside your genre. I think this is critical. Otherwise, the gene pool of ideas gets a bit thin. Familiarity is good, but readers do like the pleasant surprise of something unexpected. I know I do!

PVN: Where can readers find you? How can they contact you?

Sharon: At www.SharonAshwood.com. My links to Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook are there, as well as my personal blog. I also have a yahoo group where we chat about books. My newsletter link is here.

I also belong to www.SilkandShadows.com, a group blog of four terrific paranormal authors.

PVN: Thanks, Sharon. It's always a pleasure to have you visit PVN!

[This contest has ended]
Now for the contest. One commenter will win a  copy of Scorched

To be eligible do one or more of the following:

1. Ask Sharon a question.

2. Make up the name of a supernatural pop band, eg the Fangtastics, the Zydeco Zombies, Hairy and the Blue Moon, etc.

3. Link this interview to your own site or a social network site, and be sure to let me know the URL. If your email is not associated with your ID, please put the address in your response.

*Contest ends Dec. 7, 2009 at 11:59 PM (wherever you live).

This contest is INTERNATIONAL. 

Scorched - Video Trailer

Watch a video trailer for Sharon Ashwood's Scorched: The Dark Forgotten.

Upcoming Event - Interview and Contest with Author Sharon Ashwood

On Monday November 30, to celebrate the publication of Scorched (December 1, 2009) her latest entry in the Dark Forgotten series, Sharon Ashwood will visit PVN for an interview. Anyone who comments will have a chance to win a copy of her latest novel.

I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Scorched and can honestly say I loved it and look forward to book 3, Unchained, which comes out July, 2010. Sharon is a born storyteller!

Read the March 2009 interview with Sharon and a review of Ravenous (Signet, February 2009).

Midnight Guardian - Vampire Book Review

The Midnight Guardian: A Millennial Novel
by Sarah Jane Stratford
St. Martin's Press (October 13, 2009)

[Read an interview with the author]

The story is told from the viewpoint of the vampires who live in their own complex society. They recognize what they are - predators with humans as their source of food. History has shown that human warfare brings harm to vampires as well. Too much mortal carnage can cause famine amongst the undead, even leading to vampire killing vampire.

In Germany Hitler has seized power and another European war is brewing. Besides dreading the devastation human conflict can bring,  Vampires have a deep hatred for Hitler and his minions.  They are viewed as monsters whose main agenda is to rid the world of undesirables - Jews, communists, homosexuals, Roma, the mentally handicapped, and vampires. Nazis know the undead exist and have trained a group called Nachtspeere - Night Speers -  who know the techniques needed to destroy the them.

The Millennial vampires (those who have survived at least 1,000 years)  of England launch a plan to stop the Nazis before they can overpower the Continent. The blond, beautiful Brigit and three other millennials arrive in Germany in 1938 ready to stop the Nazis from their evil quest to conquer Europe and impose their warped beliefs on a vulnerable world. They are to infiltrate the government, become close to those in high places, learn their plans and sabotage them.

In another time line it is 1940 Brigit is on the Berlin-Basel train. Although a powerful vampire she is vulnerable and must move carefully and never let down her guard in front of those who might sense what she is. Her only mental safe harbor comes with thoughts of her lover Eamon who waits for her in London.

When the story focuses on Brigit and the others in Germany the pace never slackens. You feel their fear when being stalked, the nervousness when infiltrating the enemy ranks, and the exhilaration when destroying the enemy in the horrible way only an infuriated vampire can do. An important subplot is the romance between Brigit and  Eamon. Brigit and her lover have a deep connection that goes beyond what most couples - mortal or immortal -  could ever imagine. Although their history is engrossing it does not have the same riveting intensity of the main story.

Midnight Guardian with its mixture of intrigue, romance, and well wrought characters kept my attention from beginning to end, and I look forward to the sequel.

[Dear FTC, The publisher was kind enough to send me an ARC of this novel. I'm really glad they did.]

September Vampire Book Releases

Below are listed the titles of vampire books published in Sept, 2009 as well as a few I missed in August. Also be sure to check out the SciFiGuy.ca posting of Urban Fantasy, Paranormal and SF/F titles.

A version of this listed was posted on Vampchix


Must Love Hellhounds
by Ilona Andrews, Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook
Berkley Trade (September 1, 2009)

In these hound-eat-hound worlds, anything goes... and everything bites.
Follow paranormal bodyguards Clovache and Batanya into Lucifer's realm, where they encounter his fearsome four-legged pets, in Charlaine Harris's The Britlingens Go to Hell. Seek out a traitor in the midst of a guild of non-lethal vampire trackers, one that intends to eradicate the entire species of bloodsuckers, in Nalini Singh's Angels' Judgment. Find out why the giant three-headed dog that guards the gates of Hades has left the underworld for the real world-and whose scent he's following in Ilona Andrews's Magic Mourns. Embark on a perilous search for the kidnapped niece of a powerful vampire alongside her blind- and damn sexy-companion and a hellhound in Meljean Brook's Blind Spot.



Hot for the Holidays
by Lora Leigh, Angela Knight, Anya Bast
Allyson James
Jove (September 29, 2009)

Featuring four all-new novellas of sensual surprises and seasonal spirits, this collection includes a new tale of the Breeds from Lora Leigh and a return to the world of the Mageverse from Angela Knight.




The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2
by Trisha Telep (Editor)
Running Press (September 22, 2009)

This exciting follow-up to the wildly successful Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance contains 30 short stories of hot blood, midnight pleasures, and inhuman passions. Containing the best names in the field, such as Eileen Wilks, Caitlin Kittredge, Jennifer Ashley, Dawn Cook, and Diane Whiteside, this compilation is sure to arouse attention.




Vampires: Dracula And The Undead Legions
by L. A. Banks, Elaine Bergstrom, P.N. Elrod, C. J. Henderson, Nancy Kilpatrick, Paul Kupperberg, Bill Messner-Loebs, Martin Powell, J. C. Vaughn, Dan Wickline, Ken Wolak
Moonstone (September 30, 2009)

Dracula! Vampires! The blood runs red under the moon! In late summer of 2009, Moonstone follows up its fang-favorite monster anthology, Werewolves: Dead Moon Rising, with this second installment in the Moonstone Monsters series, this time focusing on those enigmatic creatures of the night, Vampires! Two extra-sized special Dracula stories serve to open and close this collection of ten all-new vampire tales by some of the industry's favorite horror writers. Vampire stories are timeless and continue to dominate horror-fiction in books, as well as the big screen and television. L.A. Banks, P.N. Elrod, and Elaine Bergstrom are all celebrated for the runs of popular Vampire novels, Martin Powell demonstrates his intimate familiarity with the mythos of Count Dracula... these and other stories contained in this gruesome horror anthology are sure to appeal to an audience that can't get enough of these ages-old bloodsuckers!




Immortal Sins by
Amanda Ashley
Zebra (September 29, 2009)

Three centuries ago, vampire Jason Rourke succumbed to temptation with a wizard's lovely daughter - and that brief taste of pleasure earned him a powerful curse. Trapped within a painting, unable to quench the hellish thirst that torments him, Jason has given up hope of escape until Karinna Adams purchases the painting and unwittingly frees him. At first, Jason plans only to enlist Kari's help in navigating this strange new world so he can find and punish the wizard who entrapped him. But Kari's enticing sensuality and innocence incite a growing need in Jason to touch and taste her, to possess her utterly. For the gulf between them - and the danger that awaits - is nothing compared to a potent, primal hunger that will last for all eternity... 



My Wicked Vampire
by Nina Bangs
Leisure Books (September 29, 2009)

The Castle of Dark Dreams is just part of an adult theme park, right? The most decadent attraction in a place where people go to play out their wildest erotic fantasies. Holgarth isn’t really a wacky wizard, and Sparkle Stardust doesn’t actually create cosmic chaos by hooking up completely mismatched couples. And that naked guy chained up in the dungeon? No way he’s a vampire.

Wrong...dead wrong, as botanist Cinn Airmid is about to find out. It’s up to her to save the night feeder’s sanity, but to do that she’ll have to get close to the most dangerously sexy male she’s ever encountered. And one look in Dacian’s haunted black eyes tells her close will take on a whole new meaning with someone who’s had 600 years to practice his technique. Even a girl with a name that conjures up images of forbidden pleasure has a few tricks to learn from…

Cursed to Death (Crimson Moon, Book 4)
by L. A. Banks
St. Martin's Paperbacks (September 29, 2009)

Secret government operative Sasha Trudeau arrives at the scene of a murder, only to discover that a Fae creature has been killed—in a whole new kind of way. What is the meaning behind this mysterious ritualistic killing? What did the victim do to deserve it? Sasha fears that the Vampires and Unseelies have formed an unholy alliance…and they’re ready to unleash their darkest arsenal of magick yet.
Teaming up with her mate and fellow Shadow Wolf, Max Hunter, Sasha tries to penetrate the  paranormal community for clues. Meanwhile, members of the Wolf Clan are turning against one another as they race to uncover the meaning behind an ancient Unseelie curse. Even Sasha is not immune to this powerful magick, and soon finds herself drawn to a sensual, dangerous dance—one that could cost her own life…

Damned by Blood
by Evie Byrne (Author)             
Book Three of the Faustin Brothers Trilogy
Samhain Publishing (September 22, 2009)

Power play-or duel to the death.


Mikhail Faustin is the prince of New York. His authority is absolute, his power unquestioned-and his heart is empty. The pain he carries inside leaves him with nothing to offer a mate. When he discovers that Alya Adad is not only his destined bride but also the source of his misery, his fate is sealed. He must claim the woman he despises most. Or die trying.

Alya Adad is the most powerful of her kind born in generations and a prince in her own right. She-s accountable to no man, certainly not to her first lover, Mikhail. Now he has the gall to not only invade her territory, but threaten to take her by force-for a prophecy she doesn-t believe in? She-ll kill him first.

Their battle for the upper hand is no-holds-barred-until she discovers the one thing his pride didn-t want her to know. That she still holds the key to his heart-and his innermost desires. And when a rival vampire clan strikes, letting her guard down is the only way to save him.
Warning: Contains explicit sex and violence, including violence between the hero and heroine. The sexual content includes but is not limited to bondage, blood play, and some rather creative uses for cling wrap. The author and her attorneys caution readers that the use of a taser to resolve relationship issues is a strategy best left in the realm of fiction.



Soulless (The Parasol Protectorate)
by Gail Carriger
Orbit (September 29, 2009)

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

SOULLESS is a comedy of manners set in Victorian London: full of werewolves, vampires, dirigibles, and tea-drinking




The Vampire Book (Dk)
DK Publishing (September 21, 2009)
Ages 9-12

This book helps you get your teeth into all things vampire. Does your child love vampires? Then bring them face to fang with these evil beings. From how to kill a vampire, to famous profiles including Vlad the Impaler, they'll find out everything they ever wanted to know about the world's most evil bloodsuckers. This book is packed with tons of creepy vampire facts and chilling illustrations - no vampire-lover should be without one.

Dawnbreaker (Dark Days, Book 3)
by Jocelynn Drake
Eos (September 29, 2009)

Those of her race fear Mira for the lethal fire she bends to her will -- a power unique among nightwalkers, both a gift ... and a curse.
The naturi despise Mira for what she is -- as they prepare the final sacrifice that will destroy the barriers between the worlds. And once the naturi are unchained, blood, chaos, and horror will reign supreme on Earth.

Mira can trust only Danaus, the more-than-mortal vampire slayer, though he is sworn to destroy her kind. And now, as the day approaches when titanic forces will duel under cover of darkness, destiny draws them toward an apocalyptic confrontation at Machu Picchu. But all is not lost, for a wild card has been dealt to them: a rogue enemy princess who can change the balance of power and turn the dread tide.

Dark Road Rising (Vampire Files)
by P. N. Elrod
Ace (Sep 1, 2009)

Vampire P.I. Jack Fleming is playing babysitter to Gabriel "Whitey" Kroun, a dangerously unstable mobster-and newly-created vampire-with deadly secrets to hide.

As Jack tries to unravel the mystery surrounding Kroun's undead state, he gets caught between his charge's violent outbursts and some syndicate torpedoes looking to rub them both out, leaving him vulnerable to an even deadlier threat- the return of an old enemy desperate to unlock the secrets of Jack's vampire immortality.





Vampire a Go-Go: A Novel
by Victor Gischle
Touchstone (September 1, 2009)

Victor Gischler is a master of the class-act literary spoof, and his work has drawn comparison to that of Douglas Adams, Kurt Vonnegut, and Thomas Pynchon. Now, Gischler turns his attention to werewolves, alchemists, ghosts, witches, and gun-toting Jesuit priests in Vampire a Go-Go, a hilarious romp of spooky, Gothic entertainment. Narrated by a ghost whose spirit is chained to a mysterious castle in Prague, Gischler's latest is full of twists and surprises that will have readers screaming -- and laughing -- for more.

V is for . . . Vampire: A Vampire Island Story
by Adele Griffin
Putnam Juvenile (September 3, 2009)

Lexie might be the first vampire ever to run for ninth-grade class president, but she’s determined to make dreamy Dylan notice her, even if it means running against perfect, popular Mina. And things would be going pretty well, if it weren’t for those annoying pixie houseguests! Blix and Mitzi are wreaking backwards-speaking, house-pinkifying havoc, and now they want Lexie to run a smear campaign against Mina. But how will all this dirty campaigning affect Lexie, when she’s trying to shed her evil vampire nature and become human?


Release
by Nicole Hadaway
Vamplit Publishing (Sept. 1, 2009)
available only from ebookundead.com

“Forever.”
That’s the response Ben Gongliewski receives, when he asks Miranda Dandridge how long she’s been a vampire. He doesn’t expect the word “forever” in her reply, but then again, Ben never imagined meeting vampires, let alone demons and werewolves, during his time in the Polish Resistance during World War II. Far from being horrified, Ben discovers that Miranda and her friends have very useful … talents … especially when it comes to saving children from concentration camps. After all, in these desperate times, while the line between good and evil is clear, the one between heroes and monsters is very, very blurred.

The last thing Miranda wants at this point in her immortal life is a human lover, but as she and Ben perform rescue after daring rescue, she can’t help but be drawn to his passion to save his fellow Jews. As the War draws to a close Miranda must choose her love for Ben or her duty to her race. Ben is blindsided by a betrayal that no one sees coming, which leads to a danger where all hell is about to break loose … literally.


Moon Kissed (Silhouette Nocturne)
by Michele Hauf
Silhouette (September 1, 2009)

Escaping from bloodthirsty vampires, Belladonna Reynolds ran straight into the arms of a werewolf. As a man Severo drew her in with his dark good looks; as a beast he astounded her with his insatiable sensual appetite. Whether afraid or aroused, Bella fled to his lair when threatened by an evil monster of the night… Severo tried to keep Bella—his mate—safe from the vampiress who held a malicious desire for revenge against him, but he alone wasn't enough. Now Bella had taken the form of his most cursed enemy. How could he desire the very thing he'd spent his life destroying? And even if he did, what would the werewolf do to Bella on the next full moon?

Also check out Michele's "After The Kiss", available from Nocturne Bites for a followup on Moon Kissed.

To Meet With Darkness
by Boyd Hurtado
Publisher: LuluPublish Date: September 4, 2009

This is the first in a series.



Kell's Legend (Clockwork Vampire)
by Andy Remic
Angry Robot (September 3, 2009)

They came from the north, and the city fell. It is a time for warriors, a time for heroes. Kell's axe howls out for blood. The land of Falanor has been invaded by an albino army, the Army of Iron. A small group set off to warn the king: Kell, a magnificent and brutal hero; his granddaughter, Nienna and her friend, Katrina; and Saark, the ex-Sword Champion of King Leanoric, disgraced after his affair with the Queen. Fighting their way south, betrayal follows battle, battle follows deviation, and they are attacked from all quarters by deadly warriors, monstrous harvesters who drain blood from their victims to feed their masters. As Falanor comes under heavy attack and invasion, only then does Nienna begin to learn the truth about grandfather Kell -- that he is anything but a hero. Ferocious fantasy from a real-life hardman come to claim the post-Gemmell world



Count Dracula: Welcome to Transylvania, Home of Vampires
by Eddie Robson and Nicola L. Robinson
Carlton Books
Ages 9-12

Vampires never die—and Dracula is back in an exciting new format that allows children to experience this spine-tingling tale as never before!

This illustrated retelling includes all the highlights of Stoker’s chilling novel: Jonathan Harker’s first, near-deadly meeting with the count; poor Lucy’s death at Dracula’s hands; and the thrilling, nail-biting chase across Romania as Harker and Dr. Van Helsing attempt to destroy the vampire…once and for all.

As they read, children will enjoy an interactive experience, including an exploding pop-up, a pull-out guide to Transylvania, and a removable map of Dracula’s castle; pull tabs; a board game, and sidebars on how to spot, capture, and kill a vampire. 

Nicola L. Robinson’s evocative art fully captures the story’s dark and gothic atmosphere

The Renegade Hunter: A Rogue Hunter Novel
by Lynsay Sands
Avon (September 29, 2009)

The Argeneau family has a secret . . . one of their own is a rogue vampire! Nicholas Argeneau was once a successful hunter who went after rogue vampires who broke the immortal law. Except no one has mentioned his name in the last fifty years, not since he turned into a rogue himself. But once a hunter, always a hunter. When Nicholas sees a bloodthirsty sucker terrifying a woman, it's second nature for him to come to her rescue. He had no idea he would also want to kiss her senseless . . .
One minute Josephine Willan is taking in a breath of fresh air, and the next sharp fangs are heading straight for her neck! Luckily, a gorgeous stranger saves her life . . . and gets locked up for his troubles. Can a man who kisses so lovingly and passionately really have committed the crime he's accused of? Jo isn't so sure . . . and she's determined to prove that this renegade hunter is worth fighting for.

Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives, Volume III
by Ellen Schreiber, Elisa Kwon, and Rem
Katherine Tegen Books (September 29, 2009)
Young Adult

About the author: Ellen Schreiber was an actress and a stand-up comedienne before becoming a writer and moving to her own Dullsville. She is the author of Teenage Mermaid, Comedy Girl, and all of the books in the Vampire Kisses series. Vampire Kisses is an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and an IRA/CBC Young Adults' Choice.



Intertwined (Harlequin Teen)
by Gena Showalter
Harlequin (September 1, 2009)

Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:

One can time-travel. One can raise the dead. One can tell the future. And one can possess another human.

With no other family and a life spent in and out of institutions, Aden and the souls have become friends. But now they're causing him all kinds of trouble. Like, he'll blink and suddenly he's a younger Aden, reliving the past. One wrong move, and he'll change the future. Or he'll walk past a total stranger and know how and when she's going to die.

He's so over it. All he wants is peace.

And then he meets a girl who quiets the voices. Well, as long as he's near her. Why? Mary Ann Gray is his total opposite. He's a loner; she has friends. He doesn't care what anyone thinks; she tries to make everyone happy. And while he attracts the paranormal, she repels it. For her sake, he should stay away. But it's too late....

Somehow, they share an inexplicable bond of friendship. A bond about to be tested by a werewolf shape-shifter who wants Mary Ann for his own, and a vampire princess Aden can't resist.

Two romances, both forbidden. Still, the four will enter a dark underworld of intrigue and danger but not everyone will come out alive....

Squires, Susan
Time For Eternity
St. Martin's Paperbacks (September 1, 2009)

Once, Frankie Suchet loved Henri Foucault—and it cost her everything. For two centuries, she has cursed the French duke who gave her his blood and then disappeared forever. Today, this sexy vampire is a bartender living in San Francisco. Now Frankie has been granted a chance to go back in time…and kill the man who made her what she is. But becoming “Francoise” again means losing all memory of the risk Henri poses to her future…and her heart.
France, 1794. The Reign of Terror is in full swing. From the first, Henri is an enigma, saving Francoise from an angry Parisian mob. Drawn to his seductive vitality, Francoise discovers there is much more to him than she once knew. Henri’s devotion to rescuing innocents from the guillotine is his sole passion—until he encounters Francoise’s intoxicating blend of innocence and warmth. And as their attraction explodes to dangerous desire, the only way to save each other may be to sacrifice their timeless love…

Retribution (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles, Book 5)
by Jeanne C. Stein
Ace, September, 2009

With her partner out of town, her family abroad, and her mentor estranged, newly-turned vampire Anna Strong is keeping a low profile.

But now young vampires are turning up dead, completely drained of their life force. And though Anna wants to say no when Williams, her former teacher and now leader of a supernatural enforcement squad, asks for her help, she can't. But soon, she'll wish she did.




Bite Marks: A Vampire Testament
by Terence Taylor
St. Martin's Griffin (September 15, 2009)

A teenage runaway is killed by a sadistic vampire with the pathology of a serial killer, who has stalked her family for over a decade.  Brought back to life to feed on her child, she’s killed again -- but not before reviving her first victim, her firstborn.  The undead infant escapes, triggering a citywide search for a vampire baby whose existence threatens to expose the entire vampire society.
 And they will stop at nothing to make sure that doesn’t happen.
In the downtown art world/club scene of New York City, Steven and Lori, an artist and a writer, are in the middle of a bad break up.  Instead of being able to simply move on, they are stuck with each other, bound by a contract to do a book on vampires.  When they stumble across the real thing, will their feelings for each other intensify as they're reunited to battle monsters they scarcely believe exist?


Night Runner: A Novel
by Max Turner
St. Martin's Griffin (September 1, 2009)
Young Adult

For Zack Thomson, living in the Nicholls Ward isn't so bad. After his parents died, he developed strange and severe allergies, and the mental institution was the only place where he could be properly looked after. As strange as it was, it was home. He could watch as much television as he wanted; his best friend Charlie visited him often enough; and Nurse Ophelia--the prettiest no-nonsense nurse ever--sometimes took him bowling. Of course, that didn't mean he had it easy. His allergies restricted his diet to strawberry smoothies, and being the only kid at the hospital could get lonely. But it never once crossed Zack's mind to leave...until the night someone crashed through the front doors and told him to run. Now he's on a race for answers--about his past, his parents, and his strange sickness--even as every step takes him closer to the darkest of truths.

The Space Vampires
by Colin Wilson
Monkfish Book Publishing (September 1, 2009)

Far out in the asteroid belt, an alien spaceship of colossal dimensions is discovered. Initial investigations of its vast, gothic interior reveal a number of humanoids preserved in a state of suspended animation. At last, there is real proof that intelligent life does exist in other galaxies. But when three of the beings are brought back to Earth, disaster strikes. The humanoids are discovered to be vampires, preying on people's life-fields and sucking the body's energy with a kiss of death. Suddenly one of the vampires-a female of extraordinary beauty and sexual allure-escapes. The desperate hunt to track it down soon develops into a psychic struggle for the survival of the human race.

Reprint of a classic. It was even made into a movie. Originally published in 1976.


 Werewolf, Ghost, and Vampire Jokes You Can Sink Your Teeth Into
by Diane Woo
Tor Books (September 30, 2009)

A zany compendium of ghoulish Halloween humor presents jokes, puns, and riddles about ghosts, mummies, vampires, werewolves, skeletons, and other spooky denizens of the dark. Original.





Below are titles that were not listed with August releases.



Gideon Redoak
by Ann Fraser
By Light Unseen Media, August 15, 2009

England during the reign of Charles I was an unfortunate time to be different.
In 1641, Baron Gideon Redoak takes on adult responsibilities at the age of nineteen, following his father's murder. As he struggles with his duties as a peer and the new head of his family, the countryside around his estate is terrorized by mysterious deaths. Gideon welcomes an offer of assistance from a charismatic stranger, Etienne Corbeau. Corbeau has more than one hidden agenda. He recognizes Gideon's confused feelings toward other young men for what they are. But Corbeau also has far more sinister objectives when he seduces young Gideon and then kills him. Gideon is not destined to rest in peace. He awakens as a vampire, and the agony of his death is merely the beginning of the hell on earth that Corbeau plans for him.
Gideon eventually escapes Corbeau, and only then does he learn the breadth and variety of the shadowy supernatural underworld to which he now belongs.

How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-By-Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful by Diana Laurence
Sellers Publishing Inc. (August, 2009)

 From the publisher: Who needs a book on dating a vampire? Well, Bella Swan and Sookie Stackhouse to name just two. They are fortunate to have vampire boyfriends. But what the heroines of Twilight and True Blood don't have and could use is some advice on getting along with them. Everything they and every other red-blooded American girl (and guy) wants to know about finding a dreamy blood-drinker and keeping him is within How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-by-Step Guide to Loving The Bad and the Beautiful.

And who better to introduce mortal readers to the world of dating a 21st century vampire than a few mouth-watering immortals? The cast includes: Ethan, with his aquamarine eyes and supernaturally seductive piano playing. Mordred, classically cruel, dark, and handsome, with a thing for black leather gloves. His entrancingly cute carrot-topped friend Adam, as sweet as Mordred is scary. Gunnar, with his rich, golden hair, and dastardly but delightful knack for getting his way. The experienced and fascinating Colin, with his exquisite latte-colored skin and exotic beauty. The eccentric but gorgeous Aidan, purveyor of ancient magic. And enigmatic Conner, with his deep, dark eyes and protective soul.

These undead charmers will win the hearts and minds of readers everywhere, and author Diana Laurence will be their expert guide.

Boys of the Bite
by Cecilia Tan
Ravenous Romance (August 4, 2009)

 
Vampires are ever young, ever beautiful, and ruled by the cravings of the flesh. In Boys of the Bite, the gay male side of the vampire's legend is explored in every erotic possibility. From historical settings where vampires move through high society to modern vamps you find at the all-night laundromat, these lusty men know how to hunt, whether for love or just a midnight snack.

Mixing stories by gay male authors like R. R. Angell and Bob Panadero with some of Ravenous Romance's stars of m/m romance like Keta Diablo and Ryan Field, Boys of the Bite gives every reader plenty to get his or her blood pumping.

“Mortal Compass”
by Ann Cory
Samhain Publishing August 4, 2009

There’s always a choice…even if the options are deadly.

Rook Vasser hunts with the fate of his vampire clan riding on his shoulders. Without the clan’s stolen moonstone, an all-out war and his leader’s death are inevitable. Acting on a tip, he heads deep into the Blood Mountains, confident the stone is within his grasp. He doesn’t expect to find it hanging around the neck of a beautiful mortal—or that it will be nearly impossible to get it away from her.

Love’s Eternal Bite
by Dahlia Rose
Sugar and Spice Press (August 22, 2009)

More information can be found at Fang-tastic Books.  Thanks, Roxanne