Diana Laurence - Interview and Contest

The contest portion has closed. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Please welcome Diana Laurence, author of How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-By-Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful. Read this helpful interview. It will be your chance to find out everything you ever wanted to know about those dicey, tricky relationships with vampires. At the end of the interview look for contest information.

PVN: Although your book is aimed at women would men also find it useful?

Diana: Definitely, and for a couple of reasons at least.  First of all, there are plenty of men out there who like vampires (why else would Playboy have a vampire issue recently? LOL), and much of my advice applies likewise to them.  And secondly, there are quite a few men who’d like to better understand the appeal of vampires to females, and I explain that too.  (But to any guys hoping to use the book as a guide to pose as a vampire themselves, I highly discourage that.  The real vampires don’t take well to posers, believe me.)


PVN: When did you first find yourself attracted to vampires?

Diana: When I was really young I read Carmilla, which is actually about a female vampire, and was fascinated.  And then when I was 17 I saw the Dracula movie with Frank Langella in the title role and was absolutely hooked.  He was mysterious, dangerous, scary and compelling.  I’d always been drawn to hypnotists in movies (there were quite a few hypnotists in 50s and 60s movies, oddly), and Frank’s Dracula was like a more romantic, elegant form of hypnotist.  And dead sexy too.  Anyway, from that point on I was a die hard vampirophile:  Anne Rice, “The Lost Boys,” “Buffy,” and all that.


PVN: In your opinion is it all right to date more than one vampire at a time?

Diana: Absolutely.  As a society the undead are not especially into monogamy, Bill and Edward not withstanding.  It’s not actually bad at all, for I find vampires have the amazing knack to be really into you even though they are likewise really into others at the same time.  That’s a hard concept for mortals to get their mind around, so I discuss it at length in the book.  Anyway, I think it’s especially beneficial to balance dates with “bad” (not evil) vampires and good ones.  For example, I’ll go to a club with the dark and nasty Mordred one night, and then to a vampire ball with the sweet-spirited Aidan the next.


PVN: Who is your current vampire love interest? What is he like?

Diana: I spread the affection around with a whole crew of immortals, but I do have one special guy, as you learn in the book.  His name is Conner, and he was born in Britain at the time of Chaucer.  He tells the best stories of all my vampire friends, and being a writer, I love that.  Conner is reminiscent of Bill Compton in that he’s the protective, guardian angel sort.  (Towards me anyway—he can be vicious when he needs to be.)  Doesn’t hurt either that he has long, dark, wavy hair and bottomless brown eyes and a face that makes you want to stare at him till your heart falls out.

PVN: Are you at all interested in becoming a vampire?

Diana: Of course anyone who hangs around with the undead is going to occasionally want to join them.  Picturing yourself immortal, impervious to disease, able to stay up all night and never needing the benefit of makeup, you certainly are tempted.  And as a person whose best 5K time was 30 minutes, I envy that vampiric high-speed-darting a lot.  However, there are some serious cons to being a vampire, some of which are not what you might think.  This is another issue I address, with an entire chapter, in the book.


PVN: Why did you decide to write this book?

Diana: It’s an interesting story.  In fact, my editor at Sellers Publishing, Robin Haywood, had the idea to publish a vampire dating guide.  She starting searching the Web for someone to author it and came upon an essay of mine about vampires that I wrote four years ago.  She offered me the gig, and I immediately thought it was a fabulous idea.  With my background—associating with vampires and writing about them—I was totally thrilled to do the book.  I think if I had hesitated for a minute, Mordred would have insisted otherwise anyway, and by “insisted” I mean employing his hypnotic swirly-eyes and compelling me.  Wait a sec…is there any chance he might have done that?  No, no, I’m sure it was my idea, I was thinking quite clearly when I signed the contract.  :-)


PVN: Are there any vampire novels that come close to describing real vampires?

Diana: I just started reading Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse books, having become a huge fan of “True Blood” on HBO.  I think she does a terrific job in so many ways, as do Alan Ball and the writers of the TV show.  Eric Northman reminds me of my friend Gunnar, and is illustrative of what I term “bad” vampires:  immortals who employ a nasty persona mostly because we enjoy it so much.  Gunnar is demanding and pushy and often downright scary, but I’ll catch him smiling at my reaction because he knows that I like it when he scares me.  Isn’t that just like a vampire?  Anyway, although I hadn’t seen “True Blood” yet when I wrote the book, Charlaine and I definitely run with similar vampire crowds.


PVN: What are some of your other writing projects?

Diana: I have ten other titles in print, mostly imaginative and spicy romance.  Also in 2009 I released a short story collection called Soulful Sex: Erotic Tales of Fantasy and Romance Volumes I & II, and a psychological thriller on psychic vampirism called Looking on Darkness.  My most popular book is my 2007 vampire romance novel Bloodchained; I will be releasing the sequel Bloodchained 2: The Secret of Secrets in late November 2009.  Almost all my works seem to have a vampire or vampiric character appear in them somewhere.  I could blame the influence of my undead friends on that:  they are a persuasive bunch.


PVN: Where can readers find you?

Diana: My Web site is www.dianalaurence.com and is chock full of info, including a “vampire” page that will direct readers to relevant works (including my free vampire short story “Playacting”).  My blog is called “Erotica with Soul” and is at www.eroticawithsoul.blogspot.com.  I post about the romantic and erotic in pop culture and psychology, and needless to say, vampire topics arise a lot.  The official site for my Bloodchained series.  And I especially encourage your readers to visit www.howtocatchandkeepavampire.com, where they can interact with me and my vampire pals.  Facebook users can become a fan of the book at, and stay apprised of events, contests, site updates, and so on.  And lastly, to see my video interview, please visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOmNRiQ_gtY.  My immortal friends think it’s rather hilarious.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to visit with your readers, Patricia!  I’m always thrilled to meet more vampirophiles and spread the vampire love.

And thank you, Diana, for sharing your unique perspective on love and vampires!

Now for the contest. One lucky commenter will win a signed copy of How to Catch and Keep a Vampire: A Step-By-Step Guide to Loving the Bad and the Beautiful

To be eligible do one or more of the following:
* Leave a comment
* Ask Diana a question
* 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 October 1, 2009 at 11:59 PM Hawaii Time.

Mortal Touch - Vampire Book Review

Mortal Touch
by Inanna Arthen
By Light Unseen Media, 2007

It begins with a mystery. In recent months several people have been attacked in a similar manner. They are left with a large, swollen bruise on the neck and no memory of assault or the perpetrator. Hiram Clauson, psychologist acquaintance of Regan Calloway has been investigating these reports and believes that she can perhaps be of help.

What follows demonstrates how lives become intertwined in the most unexpected and sometimes tragic ways.

Regan is a psychic. Her gift allows her to hold an object or touch a person and see images associated with them. As she cautions, however, at times her psychic abilities don't work. She also reminds Hiram that after her last case she is reluctant to involve herself in anything that could bring media attention. Hiram persists and Regan reluctantly agrees to meet a recent victim on the chance the she might discover something other investigators have missed. And that is exactly what happens. In a strange twist Regan sees events through the attackers eyes which leaves her reeling, so much so that she cannot even speak about what she has witnessed.

To support herself Regan runs a junk/antique store. She knows many of the people in the small town of Sheridan, Massachusetts. Her closest friend is Veronica, an attractive, but unsettled young woman who desperately wants to connect with a man. Her current target is Jonathan, a writer, who recently moved to Sheridan. Veronica asks Regan to meet Jonathan, shake his hand, and get an impression of what he is really like - something Regan is loath to do. She begs off for the moment.

Jonathan is a bit of a mystery to people. He is affable and likable although he reveals little about himself. Like many writers he spends much time alone. At least that's the impression he wants people to have. In actuality he has a hidden life, and it's not giving anything away to say that he is the vampire behind the recent attacks - keep in mind none of the victims died or were severely injured.

Sean, a troubled teen from a dysfunctional family, finds a haven with Regan and Jonathan, and a new purpose for himself.

To tell anymore would give away the fascinating way the complex relationship of these individuals plays out.

Arthen gives each character a unique and compelling story. They become people you like and root for especially when circumstances contrive against them. This is an excellent, thoughtful, well written novel!

Author Paige Tyler - Guest Blogger

Welcome to author Paige Tyler who is guest blogging today to discuss her latest erotic romance Vampire 101 from Wiskey Creek Press, April 2009.

Thanks for being here, Paige!

Thanks so much for asking me to guest blog, Patricia!

I've had a thing for vampires ever since I first saw the tall, dark, and hunky Angel on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so when I decided to write a vamp paranormal romance, I thought why not write about a heroine who was as into him as I am? Of course, Savanna, the sexy heroine in my new book Vampire 101, ended up getting a little more caught up in the whole vampire thing than I think I would like. For one thing, she likes to hang out at Goth clubs on the weekend, figuring that's as close to the dark, brooding Angel as she's ever likely to get. Now I can honestly say I've never done that! It was fun to write about it, though.

Since she's read just about vamp book ever written, and watched every television show and movie ever made about them to boot, Savanna considers herself somewhat of an expert on the subject. Of course, she doesn't really believe in her heart that vampires exist. It's just fun to think they do. She'd be happy just to find someone with a few vamp-like qualities - hence the Goth clubs. But then her whole world is turned upside down when she's bitten by a real-life rogue vampire and left for dead outside a Goth club. That's when she discovers the hard way that they really do exist after all. And when the sinfully handsome vampire Kaige, the hero of Vampire 101, comes to her rescue and saves her life by turning her into one, she learns that everything she thought she knew about vampires is wrong.

But just because she was wrong about the details, it doesn't mean that she isn't in for the wildest, craziest, most sensual ride of her life! Time to hold on tight and find out how a modern vampire really lives!


VAMPIRE 101

Being a Vampire Isn't What It Used to Be!

Savanna Royce is a weekend Goth-girl who has always been fascinated with vampires. She doesn’t really believe in them, of course, but that changes when she is bitten by a rogue vamp and left for dead.

Fortunately, two-hundred-and-seventy-eight-year-old vampire Kaige Travers is there to rescue her. Unwilling to let her die, he turns Savanna into a vampire to save her life, not knowing if she’ll thank him or hate him for it.

While Kaige is teaching Savanna what she needs to know about being a vampire, neither of them can deny the chemistry that’s there. Somewhere between getting her registered at the local vampire admin office and teaching her how to order blood on the internet, they fall for each other, fast and hard.

Just as things are heating up between the sheets – and everywhere else – they encounter one minor problem. The rogue vampire who attacked her is back and this time, he wants to finish the job he started.



Excerpt:

Heart hammering in her chest, Savanna lifted her head to see a tall, dark-haired man coming into the room. Even as fuzzy as she was, there was no mistaking those rugged good looks. He was the guy she remembered leaning over her.

“You’re awake,” he said. “That’s good.”

His voice was deep and velvety, just like she remembered. Savanna jumped to her feet and she backed away from him on wobbly legs.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “Where am I?”

The man held up his hand in a placating gesture. “Just take it easy. I’m not going to hurt you,” he said. “My name is Kaige Travers, and you’re in my house.”

Savanna’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. What the heck kind of name was Kaige, anyway?Probably fake. “Why did you bring me here?” she asked, not bothering to return the introduction.

Kaige regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. “How much do you remember about what happened at the Goth club?” he asked.

Savanna’s pulse began to race. He couldn’t possibly be referring to that crazy stuff from her dream. “What are you talking about?”

He hesitated. “You were attacked. I had to bring you here to save your life.”

She frowned. “What do you mean, you brought me here to save my life? Why didn’t yo
just take me to a hospital? What kind of attack?”

“The hospital wouldn’t have been able to do any-thing for you,” Kaige said. “That guy who dragged you into the alley…he was a…you were…” He sighed. “You were bitten by a vampire.”

Savanna stared at him in disbelief. Okay, that did it. No more Goth clubs for her. She might like to dress all in black and pretend that vampires really did exist, but she knew enough to separate fantasy from reality. Unlike the handsome, but obviously insane, Kaige Travers.

“Look,” he said. “I know it sounds crazy, but –”

“It doesn’t just sound crazy, it is crazy!” she snapped. “Vampires aren’t real.”

Kaige folded his arms across his broad chest. “Actually, they are.”



She laughed. “Right. Next you’ll be telling me that I’m a vampire because I got bitten by one. Sorry, but I think you have your vampire and werewolf lore mixed up. In order to become a vampire, a person has to have their blood drained, and then they have to drink the blood of the vampire who bit them. Are you telling me that the guy who bit me gave me his blood?”

The muscle in Kaige’s jaw flexed. “The vampire who bit you left you to die. I was the one who turned you.”

Savanna blinked. “You?” she said incredulously.

He nodded. “After I chased the other vampire off, I gave you my blood.”

“Please tell me you’re joking,” she said.

“It was the only way to save your life,” he said.

Savanna’s stomach churned. It was one thing to think vampires were sexy, but the idea of drinking blood was too disgusting for words. She swallowed hard. “So, you’re telling me that you’re a vampire?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Riiiiiight,” she said, drawing the word out. “Look, no offense. I mean you’re hot and everything, but you’re definitely not vamp material. Take it from me, I know.” She picked up her evening purse from the bedside table. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go ahead and leave.”

Alarm flickered in Kaige’s golden brown eyes. “You can’t leave yet. You’re still weak. You need more blood.”

Savanna made a face at that, her stomach churning again. “What I need is a shower and a cup of coffee.”

Giving Kaige a wide berth, she headed for the door. As she did so, she glanced at her reflection in the mirror over the dresser and immediately stopped when she saw the puckered red scars on her neck. She reached up to lightly run her fingers over them.

“Now do you believe me?” Kaige asked.

He had moved across the room to stand behind her and she met his gaze in the mirror. She was tall, but even in the high-heeled boots she was wearing, the top of her head didn’t quite reach his chin.

She lifted her own a fraction of an inch. “No. If I were a vampire, I wouldn’t have a reflection. Neither would you.”

He muttered something she didn’t catch under his breath. “You’ve been watching too many movies. Of course we have a reflection. We’re vampires, not ghosts.”

Savanna spun around to face him. “You’ve got an answer for everything, don’t you?”

His mouth quirked. “But unfortunately none of them seem to be enough to make you believe me.”

“Because what you’re talking about is crazy,” she told him. “Vampires don’t exist.”

Kaige lifted a brow. “You certainly seem to know a lot about vampires considering you don’t believe in them,” he said, folding his arms over his chest again.

Savanna felt her face color. “Just because I’m into vampires, that doesn’t mean I think they’re real. Or that you’re one of them.”

His eyes narrowed. “What if I could give you proof?”

“What kind of proof?” she said.

Kaige didn’t answer, but simply opened his mouth. As she watched, his canines elongated before her very eyes, and then retracted.

Savanna backed up until she hit the dresser. Holy crap! “Where the heck did you find a dentist to do that?”

He clenched his jaw. “I didn’t have a dentist do it. I’m a vampire. They come with the title.”

She chewed on her lower lip. This guy really believed what he was saying, she realized. And while the fangs did look sexy as hell on him, the whole thing was still way too weird even for her.

“I’m out of here,” she said, heading for the door.

He followed her down the hall. “Look I won’t stop you from leaving, but if you start feeling weak, you need to come back here immediately.”

She glanced over her shoulder at him as she hurried down the stairs. “Oh, sure thing. I’ll do that.”

“And watch out for the sun,” he said when she yanked open the front door.

She turned to give him a superior look. “Let me guess. Because I’ll burst into flames, right?”

His mouth tightened. “No, but you will get one hell of a nasty sunburn faster than you ever thought possible.”

Savanna just shook her head. The guy might be gorgeous, she thought as she closed the door behind her, but he was also completely certifiable!



WHAT REVIEWERS ARE SAYING ABOUT VAMPIRE 101!

5 Cherries from Whipped Cream Reviews!
"Absolutely delightful and wickedly tempting, Ms Tyler has put a new spin on the vampire curse giving it a fresh look. Filled with deliciously sinful love scenes written to set the sheets on fire and characters that will make your mouth water and leave your eagerly flipping to the next page to see what happens next. Guaranteed to tease the senses, push you to the brink and leave you squirming in your seat!"


Night Owl Romance Says It Will Have You Panting!
"Vampire 101, Modern Day Vampires is a wonderfully witty tale that will have you laughing at the witty repartee as well as panting at the hot steamy sex. Ms. Tyler gives a whole new take on vampires and what makes them tick. Her characters are all well rounded, interesting and for the most part normal people. They have all the hallmarks of being someone you might know, which makes them immensely likeable. The plot is well thought out and has enough of a mystery element to keep you guessing and wondering what the heck is going to happen next to keep you reading all the way to the end. The sex is very well written and doesn’t overwhelm the rest of the story. And of course love wins out in the end. Pick this work up and you’ll definitely be adding Ms. Tyler to your paranormal favorite authors list."


Dark Angels Reviews Says Vampire 101 Is Another Mouthwatering Hit from Paige Tyler!

"MODERN DAY VAMPIRES: VAMPIRE 101 is another mouthwatering hit from Paige Tyler. I absolutely devoured this book. Savanna and Kaige are so mesmerizing that it felt like I actually knew them. They could have been my neighbors they were so realistic. The romance that blossoms between them is heartfelt and passionate. I was rooting for them from the very beginning. Kaige is such a protector of Savanna. He makes it his job to keep her safe at all costs. When it dawns on him that he's falling in love with her, I wanted to hug him, he was so dumbfounded about it. Savanna is a jewel. Sweet, innocent, charming and when it really counts, strong and passionate. At turns, MODERN DAY VAMPIRES: VAMPIRE 101 is hilarious, comical, suspenseful, erotic and downright captivating. Paige Tyler is wicked with a pen and knows how to yank her readers in and leave them breathless from beginning to end. If you're in the mood for a superb paranormal romance with some erotic scenes woven in with a splash of suspense for good measure, MODERN DAY VAMPIRES: VAMPIRE 101 is definitely the book for you. This one is going on my keeper shelves and I've already re-read it three times, so I guarantee you'll love it!"




Read Chapter One!





Watch the video


Buy it at Whiskey Creek Press Torrid!


For more of my sexy, erotic fiction, visit my website at http://www.paigetylertheauthor.com














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Theresa Meyers Contest - more winners

Here is a note from Theresa Meyers who was interviewed last month and offered all commenters entry into another contest:

"I promised that I wasn’t fooling around! Today I’d like to announce the two winners for my month long blog tour contest. If you commented on one of the blogs I was at, like Vampire Wire, Patricia’s Vampire Notes, the Harlequin Paranormal Romance Blog, or Make Believe Mondays, you were entered to win.

"The two winners are: Kim Giardna who’ll be getting both a $20 gift certificate to Wicked Wines Online (where she can indulge in either red Vampire Vodka or other Vampire Winery offerings) and a copy of Salvation of the Damned.

"MelJPrincess, you’ve won those snazzy customizable chrome fangs and a copy of Salvation of the Damned."

Congratulations to you both!


Theresa Meyers
[contact Theresa] Bluemooncomm@aol.com
President, Blue Moon Communications

Bad to the Bone - Vampire Book Review

Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready. Pocket (May 16, 2009).

Once a con artist Ciara Griffin now operates as station owner as well as overworked, underpaid marketing manager for WVMP a small radio station with DJs of the undead variety. In preparation for Halloween there will be a "live" nighttime broadcast from a local pub The Smoking Pig.

Problems begin almost immediately when the midnight broadcast of Goth queen Regina is preempted by the broadcast of a religious screed warning about the wages of sins. WVMP has been deliberately targeted by a group called Family Action Network (FAN). Later a fire-bomber targets The Smoking Pig and leaves a crudely written ungrammatical sign - YOUR GOING TO HELL. This nasty group goes so far as to leave the mostly sweet-tempered vampire doggy tied outdoors in hopes the sun will destroy him. Luckily Ciara and friends find him in time. She names him Dexter.

While trying to track down FAN Ciara must also deal with her ever more complicated personal life. She has fallen in love with tall and handsome vampire DJ, Shane. There are enough steamy love scenes to show that the feeling is mutual. Still, she cannot help but notice that mortal station manager, David, has been working out. He is now officially a hot hunk. Then there is her good for nothing father who, sad to say, finds time to interfere with Ciara's life. One possible positive comes in the form of Jeremy, a freelance reporter for Rolling Stone magazine. Perhaps his story will bring favorable attention to the station. Unfortunately, Ciara and the DJs aren't certain the reporter is completely trustworthy.

Not to be missed is the playlist of songs referenced throughout the story. Everything from Jerry Lee Lewis to Amy Winehouse.

This cleverly written sequel to Wicked Game is by turns funny, sexy, and gripping. If you enjoyed Wicked Game you will love Bad to the Bone

A Drop of Red - Book Review

A Drop of Red (Vampire Babylon Book 4) by Chris Marie Green. Ace, March 3, 2009

Dawn and Costin are in London searching for its Vampire Underground. Costin must erase every Underground in existence along with the Dragon before it rises. Only then will he be able to regain his soul. Dawn had helped him destroy the Underground in Hollywood. She suffered because of it. For a time she became a vampire, but when her creator died she once again regained her humanity. But before that happened she was forced to make a difficult decision. Costin resided in the dying body of Jonah Limpet. Dawn believed the only way to save him was to use the blood exchange and turn him into a vampire. Now he is the fledgeling vamp trapped in another's body relying on a woman, albeit one he is cares about deeply, for his training and sustenance. ( He's a macho kind of guy. )


The story opens with the horrifying death of Kate by a group of teenage school girls who have embraced the dark life of the undead. Kate's death is the first lead to London's Vampire Underground. Natalia, a psychic from Romania, joins Costin, Dawn, and Kiko ( also a psychic but a damaged one ) in the hunt. Frank, Dawn's father and now himself a vampire, works with the group to track down any information on the local master and his followers.

Green has created a dark, complex vampire world where many vampires have lost their conscience and think nothing of perpetuating evil. Not all are like this, of course. Costin and Frank have retained their humanity and will see to the destruction of those who slaughter innocents.

Book 4 in the Vampire Babylon series is probably not the best place to start for a new reader, but the author offers enough back story so it is possible to follow without too much difficulty. In an afterward Green tells her readers that ' by the time you get to Book Six, the mystery, character, and mythology arcs introduced in this installment will be resolved. ' The characters are vivid and the plot compelling. A Drop of Red makes an excellent addition to any vampire aficionado's TBR shelf.

Night Rising (Vampire Babylon, Book 1). Ace, 2007

Midnight Reign (Vampire Babylon, Book 2). Ace, 2008

Break of Dawn (Vampire Babylon Book 3). Ace, 2008









The Path of Razors: Vampire Babylon, Book Five.
Ace, August 4, 2009.

Books to be Reviewed

There are several books on my To-Be-Reviewed list. I will post them here for your perusal. Some of you may have already read one or more of the titles. Feel free to post your opinion, but, as always, be polite.


Kitty Raises Hell (Kitty Norville, Book 6) by Carrie Vaughn. Central Publishing (March 1, 2009)
From the publisher: Sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas.

Kitty and Ben flee The City That Never Sleeps, thinking they were finished with the dangers there, but the sadistic cult of lycanthropes and their vampire priestess have laid a curse on Kitty in revenge for her disrupting their rituals. Starting at the next full moon, danger and destruction the form of fire strikes Kitty and the pack of werewolves she's sworn to protect.

She enlists the help of a group of TV paranormal investigators - one of whom has real psychic abilities - to help her get to the bottom of the curse that's been laid on her. Rick, the Master vampire of Denver, believes a deeper plot lies behind the curse, and he and Kitty argue about whether or not to accept the help of a professional demon hunter - and vampire - named Roman, who arrives a little too conveniently in the nick of time.



A Drop of Red (Vampire Babylon)by Chris Marie Green. Ace Trade (March 3, 2009)

From the publisher: If you run out of vampires to destroy at home, there’s always work overseas…

Hollywood stuntwoman-turned-vampire-hunter Dawn Madison, along with her comrades, managed to wipe out the Los Angeles Vampire Underground—and uncovered not only her own dark family heritage but also a terrible truth about the man she loves. Now she’s determined to find the next vampire lair, hoping it will help her to make more sense out of her life.

When a new Underground is found in England, Dawn and a vampire-fighting team are dispatched to carry the fight to the enemy in London. Dawn knows by now how deceiving appearances can be—and she is about to find out that it’s not only the beautiful people of Hollywood who are willing to bargain with evil…



Oh Life, Lovely Life by Chris Marcil. Eloquent Books, 2009. (ebook)






Where The Rain Is Made by K Celeste Bryon. The Wild Rose Press (October 3, 2008)
From the publisher: A Dangerous Warrior Held captive by a decadent-looking savage, Francesca DuVall spends every waking moment planning an escape for her brother, Marsh. But she never counted on falling in love with the man whose smoldering sapphire eyes cause her to tremble with unbridled passion. Ethan Gray, the man, is a curator at a famous museum . . . most of the time, that is. At other times, he's Meko, a savage warrior hurtled into the past to help his beloved people, the Cheyenne. A Rebellious Beauty Though their worlds are decades apart, Meko, can't resist the dark-haired, green-eyed beauty he kidnaps during a raid. A brutal, savage leader of the Dog Soldiers, he has many battles to fight to save his people, but none he wants to win more than the one that will capture Cesca's heart forever. From the windswept plains of Colorado and the harsh life of a Dog Soldier to the placid life of a curator, their love was fueled passion and kindled by destiny.



A Kiss of Ashen Twilight by Rae Lori. Lyrical Press, Feb. 2009. (ebook format)

From the publisher: Will it be love or death when fairy and vampire come together?

An attack on her family drives Ariya to seek protection at the Ashen Twilight House. Once there, she encounters only more danger, along with the dark rescuer who haunts her dreams.

Jace Archane is a vampire on the hunt, and distractions like Ariya are the last thing he wants or needs.But their survival might just hinge on one another when a vicious elemental creature threatens the underground world of Nightwalkers, Lycans and Shifter Elves. Caught between a shared enemy and otherworldly love, Jace and Ariya must unite before fear can tear them apart.




Currently reading Private Midnight by Kris Saknussemm. Overlook Hardcover (March 5, 2009)

From the publisher: Detective Birch Ritter is a man on the edge-of himself. His past is filled with secrets, shadows, guilt, and ghosts. Then a dubious police buddy he hasn't seen in a year introduces him to a mysterious woman who says her business is shadows. What she knows about what lies between the darkness and the light inside men is more than Ritter may want to find out, and much more than he can resist learning. It's said that to try to forget is to try to conceal, and concealing evidence is a crime. But maybe revelation is another kind of crime-against nature.

I am now the proud owner of the Kindle 2 which makes reading ebooks so much easier than staring at files on the computer.

Print or Kindle I'm a slow reader. Please be patient with me!

Meyers - Interview

update: the contest portion is closed

Today please welcome Theresa Meyers author of Salvation of the Damned, part of the Silhouette Nocturne Bites line. Salvation is available at www.nocturnebites.com

At the end of the interview will be information about a very special contest.

Welcome Theresa, and thanks for taking the time for this interview.

PVN: What fascinates you about vampires? How did that fascination begin?

Theresa: I think everybody has a fascination with immortality. If people didn't, why would there be so many religions in the world? As characters, vampires interest me because you have someone who is the total embodiment of irony. The are afraid of death (hence why they want to be immortal), and yet they are in essence dead, and in most mythologies must cause death to "live". I also like the fact that they have perspective. Most vampire tales have vampire stories have characters that are hundreds of years old. You can't live that long without learning a thing or two! It makes them more interesting and galvanizes their character. My introduction to vampires began when I watched the movie Lost Boys as a tween in the early 80's. Loved it!

PVN: Tell us about the characteristics of your vampires?

Theresa: My vampires came about because I asked one simple question. Why is it you never hear of vampires that are thousands of years old? They are always hundreds of years old. If they are immortal, why is that?

The more I thought about it the more it became apparent to me that there had to be some biological reason. Bacteria and viruses can bring down even the most powerful predator. I've always had a bit of a fascination with Minoans, Crete, the Etruscans - basically the cultures in the Mediterranean that settled before the Greeks. Their worship of bulls, and the use of blood sacrifice to appease these gods, made me think of vampires.

My vampires are afflicted with a virus that only becomes activated and deadly to them once every thousand years. Without the sacrifice of the right mortal, they all risk turning their true chronological age in 48 hours. When somebody goes from looking 25 to looking 2,500 years old in 48 hours, it's not pretty! My vampires still need blood to survive (although a lot of them find alternative sources rather than fresh feed and they often do eat more than just the blood - see spider note below). All their senses are amped up beyond normal human capacity. Their senses, vision, hearing, taste and touch are far more sensitive than the average human, as is their strength, which has certain benefits as well as repercussions.

They can go into the sun, but choose not to, first because their pupils are so sensitive bright light gives them horrible headaches (ever had your eyes dilated at the eye doctor's?), and their skin is sensitive to light (can you say sunburn with spf 50)? Not fun. They also can crush things like cannon balls with their bare hands, so having a vampire handle a human in the midst of an intimate moment can get dicey, if you want the human to survive. My vamps also have venom (rather like snakes have in their hollow fangs), which has an almond flavor, and that's what's actually deadly to humans. It starts a kind of liquefaction process like spiders do to ingest insects. Again that biology thing.

PVN: What changes have you noticed about how vampires are portrayed over the last few years?

Theresa: There's been a trend recently to portray them as more humane, as real people vs. monsters within series like the Twilight books, the House of Night books, and the Sookie Stackhouse books that spawned the television series True Blood. They have wants and needs, thoughts and desires, loves and prejudices, and just happen to have a specific diet. I think it's interesting because as a society in the United States we are being forced to reevaluate our prejudices toward the "other" all the time and realize that there really isn't an us vs. them, but instead a we, as in We, the People. There's no doubt the mythos is changing and growing. Some work has even done away with the formal story constraints of sunlight, stakes, garlic, holy water, etc. as deadly or harmful weapons that used to be in the vampire mythos.

PVN: Do you like (or not) what is happening in the genre?

Theresa: I think it's a good change. It opens up more opportunities for the genre to explore the vampires as real characters with hard choices to make. They aren't just brainless predators in search of their next meal, they are beings that just have extraordinary abilities and needs to contend with. In the end it makes them more "undead" for me as a reader if that makes any sense. In the end while you'll always have the classic style vampire tales, I think the new trend in vampire stories is helping them stay fresh when they could be easily becoming old news in the paranormal genre.

PVN: In your Salvation of the Damned you touch upon the theme of reincarnation concerning the female character. Is this a theme you would like to pursue in other works?
Theresa: If given the chance I think it'll come up again. I've always been fascinated with the concept. I mean how can fifty people all have been Cleopatra? Somebody had to be the roman slave. How exactly does that work? What happens? Those are the kinds of questions that make for great story ideas.

PVN: What are you working on now?

Theresa: Currently I'm working on a new faerie series. There is a family that can see them in our world. Not your mother’s cute little Tinker Bell types, all sunlight and sparkles, but the deeper darker fae that are more akin to creatures of the night like vampires and demons, whose shapes vary from black slickness, to blue devil that morph and change—the ones that are dangerous to humans and will stop at nothing to reclaim the world they believe we’ve stolen from them.


PVN: Please describe your writing day and writing environment.

Theresa: Good question. My writing day is always different depending on what else is happening in life. Usually I'll get up and I'm at the keyboard from 6-7 am, sometimes earlier, then I have kids to get ready and off to school. Once they're on the bus, I take care of the day job, interspersing it with 15 to 30 min. writing stints as I'm able. Sometimes, if the schedule allows, I'll take a whole day off of the day job and write for 4 to 6 hours straight or until 3 PM hits and the kids get home and the mommy job takes over. I also substitute teach so when I have teaching days, writing gets put in at lunch break and after school. If I'm on deadline, I'll often go back into the office at 9 PM and write until I meet my page quota for the day, usually that's 10 to 15 pages and can go as late as midnight or 1 am.

I have an office at home that doubles as both my writing space and the place for my day job running Blue Moon Communications. I live in a Victorian style house and the office sits in the base of the turret so it's kind of an odd shaped room but has five windows with a view of the woods and the horse pasture. I'm a complete bibliophile, so I've got book cases crammed full on every spare inch of wall space, inspirational sayings tacked up where I can see them and some fabulous red paint on the walls around the windows to keep me fired up. My desk occupies almost the middle of the room (because of lack of wall space), and it's usually overflowing with stacks of paperwork, research books, spiral notebooks and printouts of various materials and always a cup of tea ( I don't do coffee).

PVN: Are there any paranormal favorites on TV or in the movies?

Theresa: I love Supernatural. Of course, that's partly because I was addicted to watching Jensen Ackles when he was on Dark Angel (which was a must watch for me). My all time favorite movie is currently Stardust, but I've got other movies that my husband and I'll will quote to each other at random, including all the Harry Potter and Star Wars films (my son is addicted to those), Matrix, Men in Black 1 & 2, Lord of the Rings, Total Recall, Independence Day, Ghostbusters, the Narnia movies, and I already mentioned Lost Boys. Basically I really can't do horror films. Action, adventure, romance, I'm there, but I don't want to really see the super scary stuff, it doesn't do it for me.

PVN: What books have influenced your writing?

Theresa: When I was little my mom read to me all the time. We read all the Narnia books, the Tower of Gebburah and all the Madeline L'Engle books. All of those were fascinating to me because it pushed you to look at the world and realize that just because it looks like it does, doesn't necessarily mean there isn't something else to it that you don't see. I've also been influenced a great deal by reading stories from writers like Victoria Holt, who did gothic romances. As a teenager, I loved them and they really got me hooked on the romance genre. They've influenced me to always seek out a happy ending for my characters. I know I don't want to spend several days on a book only to be miserable along with the characters at the end, so I don't do that to my readers either.

PVN: Do you have a favorite fictional vampire character?

Theresa: Right now my current favorite is Alice from the Twilight series. I like her snark and her way of looking at the world. She's happy to be who she is and takes care of those she loves, but isn't afraid to try knew things. She's "new" enough that she doesn't possess some of the biases of the older vampires you see in fiction who've become so jaded that they don't want to really live anymore, they merely exist.

PVN: Would you tell us a bit about your "day" job and Blue Moon Communications?

Theresa: In the beginning I wrote stories. But that wasn't a major in college. So I went to college and got a degree in Mass Communications and worked from there for newspapers, book publishers, corporate public relations departments and large public relations agencies.

I tried for a very long time to keep the writing and the PR job separate. But then I met Cherry Adair in 2003 and became a critique partner with her. She's a force of nature, truly. She asked me to help her with promotion on her next book, and I couldn't tell her no. Within the space of a week she'd told several other published authors I was running a pr agency that would work with fiction authors ( a lot of them won't because it's such a hard sell to the media), and I had the start of an agency.

I specialize in working with fiction authors and publishers doing things like pulling together book tours, pitching clients for interviews on radio, television and in print publications, working on getting them reviews, speaking engagements, giving them media training, writing up website copy, newsletters, and book discussion guides for them, sending out materials to fans, book clubs, libraries and the media, and much more.

The largest project I've had to pull together was a 50-city book tour for an author. The oddest thing I've done is pitch media for an Author's At Sea cruise. Blue Moon Communications is best known for getting two of our clients picked for the total seven selections that were made by the Kelly Ripa Bookclub on LIVE! With Regis and Kelly. If you're still curious, you can always check out the website, www.bluemooncommunications.com.

Once again, Theresa, thank you for this interview!


Now for the contest information:

*The contest will run from March 2 through 11:59 March 4.

*Comment on any subject from the interview. Each comment on a different subject counts as an entry.

*Ask Theresa a question. Each question counts as an entry.

*Link this interview to Patricia's Vampire Notes and send me the URL. Each link counts as an entry. (This includes a website or any social network you belong to - Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.)

*Be sure to include your email information so that I will be able to contact you.


*The contest will run from March 2 through 11:59 March 4.

*One lucky winner will receive an electronic copy of Salvation of the Damned and a $20.00 gift certificate to WickedWinesOnline.com, where you can find Vampyre Vodka and Dracula Syrah and Chateau Du Vampire Bordeaux.

*Everyone who comments will also be entered to win two more prizes to be selected at random from all comments: an additional $20.00 gift certificate to
WickedWinesOnline.com Vampyre Vodka and Dracula Syrah and Chateau Du Vampire Bordeaux, or a pair of customizable chrome fangs. These contest are sponsored by Theresa, and she will pick the winners. Winners of these additional prizes will be announced April 1, 2009.

Upcoming Event - Inteview and Contest with Theresa Meyers

Stop by on Monday March 2 to read an interview with Theresa Meyers author of the vampire romance Salvation of the Dead. Silhouette Nocturne Bites, 2009. There will be a contest with a prize package offered by Theresa.

Interview with Marta Acosta

Today meet Marta Acosta author of the hilarious Casa Dracula series. The books thus far: Happy Hour at Casa Dracula, Midnight Brunch (Casa Dracula Series, Book 2), and The Bride of Casa Dracula (Casa Dracula, Book 3). This is a terrific series. I highly recommend it.

At the end of this interview check for contest information. One lucky reader will win a copy of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula.

Welcome Marta!

PVN: Please discuss Milagro De Los Santos, the heroine of your Casa Dracula series. And how much of you is in Milagro?

Marta: I adore Milagro! I created her by thinking about all my favorite characters and the traits I loved. She’s bright, funny, intrepid, witty, wears her heart on her sleeve, and is impetuous. She’s gullible, not because she’s stupid, but because she’s young and optimistic about people.

I wish I had Milagro’s good-nature and optimism. I’m quite cynical. She’s isolated in the world, and I’m very much connected to my family. We do share our love of books, love of fun, sarcastic sense of humor, and culture. I was also rather aimless after college, more interested in going out with friends than a career, and wanting a real relationship. But I think this is common to many people, which is why they identify with Milagro.

She writes eccentric stories, and no one takes her seriously. So make of that what you will!

PVN: There are some wonderful, wacky characters in your books - Edna, who doesn't take kindly at first to Mil; the sexy brother/sister duo Cornelia and Ian; Mil's rich friend Nancy, and so many other. Discuss some of them, please. Do you have favorites? Are any based on real people? Did any of them "pop up" on their own while you were writing?

Marta: Thanks for the kind words about my secondary characters! Edna came to me whole. I could imagine how she looked and spoke, and I find it very easy to write her parts. I think she’s the result of all those fabulous older women I’ve known – smart, sharp, sexy and attractive. You want to be them.

I’ve always liked the sophisticated and troublesome brother and sister in The Europeans by Henry James and the mischievous, morally-compromised brother and sister in Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park. These siblings were my inspiration for Ian and Cornelia Ducharme. I wanted characters who would blow in, wreck havoc, and sail away. Of course, they get more than they bargained for with Milagro.

Nancy reminds me of one of my good friends in college. She was delightfully silly, blonde, and cute and she had lots of rules about the proper way to iron clothes, wear perfume, and eat soup.

One of my favorite characters is the tabloid writer and high school English teacher, Bernie Vines. He tells Milagro, “Everyone knows writing isn’t work,” and scams her, but also is there to help her out when she needs help.
Despite the titles of your books the vampires are certainly not the traditional Dracula type. In fact they don't even like the term. Tell us about your vampire creations.

Marta: I’ve never been fond of the vampire as romantic hero. Because they’re dead and cold and scary old. So I came up with vampires who have an attitude and a genetic “condition.” After all, there are people with strange food cravings, those who are allergic to sunlight, and those with heightened immune systems. Many vampires in fiction are also wealthy, stunning, and worldly; it follows naturally that they’d be terrible snobs and look down on an aimless, broke, snarky young woman.

PVN: Humor is an essential part of the Casa Dracula series. Why do you use humor to communicate?

Marta: I use humor to amuse myself. But it’s also a way to convey messages without boring or turning off your audience. There are real messages in my books – about exclusion, isolation, greed, bigotry – but I don’t want to preach to the choir. I want people who might not ordinarily consider my ideas to be so entertained by the humor that they see things from a different perspective. Humor is all about perspective.

PVN: Would you discuss your own background. Education? Writing struggles? Being bilingual? Or anything else you would like to mention.

Marta: I’m the second child of Mexican parents. I think my love of reading is partially because I was an only daughter and because I really didn’t fit in. Books not only entertained me, they taught me about the world I lived in. I always wrote, just because it seemed natural. I was a good student and studied literature, theater, and writing at Stanford. But I didn’t know how to go about getting a writing job after that, and I didn’t have the sort of connections that get young people in the door. I needed to pay rent, so I’d take whatever jobs came my way.

One of my biggest struggles is that I don’t write what people expect. If you write what’s expected, you’re rewarded. People expect Latinos to write magical realism, but I’m not interested in writing magical realism. My natural writing voice is dark and cynical, but editors ---and most readers – want sympathetic characters. I’ve always loved writing humor, too, but most people assume that humorous writing takes no real skill.

Right now I’m struggling with publicizing my books. Because I have a paranormal element, people assume my books are paranormal romance. Real fans of paranormal romance are disappointed if they buy my books wanting romance conventions. People who don’t like romance won’t pick up my books because of the covers. My books are shelved in general fiction, but even bookstore clerks don’t know they’re there. I wish there was a section of the bookstore for hilarious books by women.

I’m not bilingual, though I wish I were.

PVN: What response, if any, has there been from Latino readers?


Marta: The response from Latino readers has been really positive. Many of them write to tell me how much they identify with Milagro, who often feels like an outsider, but just as often wants people to know that she’s a regular human chica.

One of the most gratifying things to me has been the positive response from teenage readers of all types. I think they connect with Milagro’s sense of alienation, her snarky humor, and her hopefulness.

PVN: What writers have most influenced you? Why?

Marta: I’ve been influenced by Mark Twain in my use of a first-person, colloquial voice for humor. I’ve learned many lessons from Jane Austen, and like her heroines, Milagro deals with issues of social class, manipulative secondary characters, and misunderstandings. But I’ve been influenced by many writers, from Laura Ingalls Wilder and her Little House books to writers of absurdest humor.

I’ve always liked television shows and movies which combine humor with paranormal elements, too. “The X-Files,” “Buffy, the Vampire Slayer,” “Dead Like Me,” “The Frighteners,” and “Supernatural” all have characters who use humor to cope with the insanity of their lives.

PVN: Describe your writing environment.

Marta: I have a little alcove off my bedroom with a window out to my back garden. There are piles of paper all over the long table I use as a desk, and piles of paper and books on the floor. My dogs, Betty and Bosco, frequently keep me company while I work. I listen to music, look outside to see the hummingbirds, butterflies, and squirrels, and work away. I feel pretty damn lucky.

PVN: What are your current projects?

Marta: I’m working on a romantic comedy tentatively titled Nancy’s Theory of Style. It features Milagro’s wealthy, style-obsessed friend, Nancy, and her effort to start an event planning business. It goes without saying that mayhem ensues. My editor is not sold on the title, but I like it.

I’m also working on Casa Dracula Book Four. No title, yet, and I’m not going to give away the plot, but Milagro matures a little, faces danger, and finally comes to terms with her heart. Both Nancy and CD Book Four will come out next year.

Patricia, thanks so much for having me here! I subscribe to your newsletter and tell fans of vampire fiction that they should, too!

Thank you, Marta, I'm blushing! It was great having you here, and I'm really looking forward to reading Milagro's and Nancy's new adventures.

Visit Marta at her home page on her blog site or at Vampire Wire


Now for the contest information:

One lucky commenter will win a copy of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula

For a chance to win do one (or more) of the following:

*Comment on any subject from the interview. Each comment on a different subject counts as an entry.

*Ask Marta a question. Each question counts as an entry.

*Link to Patricia's Vampire Notes and send me the URL. Each link counts as an entry.

Be sure to include your email information so that I will be able to contact you.

This contest ends at 11:59 pm February 25, 2009.

Upcoming Event with Marta Acosta

On Monday February 23 there will be an interview and contest with Marta Acosta author of the acclaimed Casa Dracula series.

Stop by, read the interview, comment or ask Marta questions, have a chance to win a copy of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula!

Vampire Sites for Valentine's Day

Author Catherine Carp at Suburban Vampire has a list of Vampire Valentine's Gifts. My favorite is Th1rte3n's Closet- Home of Hand Made Deadly Bears.






At Sidhe Vicious Reviews there is a contest for an autographed copy of Amanda Ashley's latest book Night's Pleasure, Zebra, Feb 2009. Contest runs until Feb. 23.

From the publisher: Savanah Gentry's life was so much simpler when she was a reporter for the local newspaper. That was before her father's sudden death drew her into a mysterious new world she was just beginning to understand. A Vampire hunter by birth, Savanah has been entrusted with a legacy that puts everyone she cares for in danger - including the seductive, sensual Vampire who unleashes her most primal desires. Rane Cordova has always been alone, half hating himself for his dark gift even as he relishes its extraordinary power. But one look at Savanah fills him with the need to take everything she has to give and carry her to heights of unimagined ecstasy. And though he never intended their relationship to go this far, now Savanah is in more danger than she knows - and facing a relentless enemy determined to eliminate Rane and all his kind.



Watch Spook House Dave's Bleeding Heart puppet video.
"Once again, the seasons have turned to the time of year when love and all of its passionate longings fill the hearts of completely average young boys who just happen to live in haunted castles with adopted "families" of monsters and other creepy things. In this special "daytime drama" episode of Spook House Dave!, our romantic hero risks everything for the one true love that may be too scary even for him."
Kinda cute, I think.




Check out Midnight Moon Cafe for Hump Day Hunks. A great group photo of fire fighters at their hunkiest!
(OK, they aren't vampires, but so what!)




Sookie Stackhouse fans be sure to look at the True Blood Fan Art Valentine Gallery











Buffy and Spike

Internet Sites of Parannormal Interest

The Paranormal Romance Writers have recently released the list of finalists for the 2008 Pearl Award (Paranormal Excellence Award for Romantic Literature). There are eleven categories: Best ANTHOLOGY; Best FANTASY/MAGICAL; Best FUTURISTIC; Best NEW AUTHOR; Best OVERALL PARANORMAL; Best SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY; Best SHAPESHIFTER; Best SHORT STORY/NOVELLA; Best SHAPESHIFTER; Best TIME TRAVEL; And Best VAMPIRE!

This is a great place to add titles to your overflowing TBR list!

Winner of best Vampire for 2007 - Dark Possession (Carpathian Novels) by Christine Feehan with Honorable Mention going to Lover Revealed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 4) by J. R. Ward.






Congratulations to Neil Gaiman!
It was announced this morning that Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book has won the 2009 Newbery Medal. The Newbery, along with the Caldecott Medal for picture books, represent the pinnacle of achievement in children’s literature in the United States. It is awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children of the American Library Association, and is an astounding accomplishment for any writer. Read more on Tor.com





The Witchy Chicks
Some of my favorite authors write for this blog.

"We're nine wicked-good women who write about magic, fantasy, and the paranormal. We write across the board--all genres, really. From urban fantasy to mystery, from romance to erotica, from novels to novellas to screenplays to nonfiction, we cover most of the bases between us. From NY publishers to ebooks, we cross yet more boundaries."

Members: Yasmine Galenorn, Linda Wisdom, Lisa DiDio, Madelyn Alt, Terey Daly Ramin, Candace Havens, Kate Austin, Annette Blair, and Maura Anderson.






Devon Monk guest blogs at Voyager Online. Topic: Why I write Urban Fantasy.

Monk is the author of Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom) and the upcoming sequel Magic In the Blood (Allie Beckstrom) Roc, May 5, 2009.









Find a great gift idea for the vampire aficionado in your life. Excellent choice for Valentine's day or any romantic occasion.





Here's a recent headline CW Taking Bite Out of Vampire Fad With “Vampire Diaries“ Plot

The CW network has picked up the pilot based on L. J. Smith's Vampire Diaries. My fingers are crossed. I hope they do a good job with this one.

Most recent book in the series is The Vampire Diaries: The Return: Nightfall









The Urban Fantasy Award winners have been announced. Go
here to find out the winning titles.







Listen to an interview with Lynda Hilburn author of The Vampire Shrink (Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series) and Dark Harvest (Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series).






Dark Side of the Net has a list of Vampire Sites. My thanks to them for mentioning Patricia's Vampire Notes.





Sidhe Vicious Reviews Amanda Ashley's newest vampire romance Night's Pleasure, Zebra (February 1, 2009)







Jeanne C. Stein author of the Anna Strong Chronicles (latest is Legacy (Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles, Book 4))has taken the plunge and joined that crazy bunch at The League of Reluctant Adults. There is a contest for some Anna Strong books. The contest runs through Feb. 13.