Contest: A Searing Wind

Thanks to the generous folks over at Gallery books one winner will receive this entire series (books 1 and 2 in paperback, and book 3 in hardback)! Just leave a comment with your thoughts on history mixing in with fiction. I am a huge fan of these sorts of books because I think its an interesting way to learn while having fun, and in this case, not many books on Native Americans have been done. These aren't paranormal or anything, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share. Definitely check out their website for more information. Good Luck! This is open to U.S. residents only.

About the book:

Recovering from their wounds, Black Shell and Pearl Hand race the invader Hernando de Soto westward.  The fires of Mabila have destroyed most of de Soto’s supplies, and cost him dearly in horses and irreplaceable men.  But just ahead lie the greatest warriors in Black Shell’s world, and the people who exiled him in disgrace—the Chicaza.  Desperate to earn redemption, Black Shell is thrust face-to-face with the cunning de Soto and locked in a deadly game of wits that will determine the fate of their world.  But who’s the bigger threat—de Soto or Black Shell’s poisonous and unforgiving kin?  If Black Shell, Pearl Hand, and their loyal dogs can win the battle of Chicaza, the Spanish invader will be broken forever.  As Horned Serpent and the terrible Piasa gambled so long ago, in the end, everything hinges on Black Shell—but at what staggering cost?

About the authors:

W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O’Neal Gear are the authors of Fire the Sky and Coming of the Storm, the second and first book in the Contact series, as well as more than twenty international bestsellers that have been translated into twenty-three languages.  Their novel People of the Raven won the Golden Spur Award in 2005.  In addition to writing both fiction and nonfiction together and separately, the Gears operate an anthropological research company called Wind River Archeological Consultants and raise buffalo on their ranch in northern Wyoming. They welcome readers to their website at www.gear-gear.com.

Contest and Promo for Into the Darkness

Anna here~ I remember being a young girl, no older than 12 or 13, reading the V.C. Andrews classic, Flowers in the Attic, that horrific tale of small children locked in a room by their own mother, and what strikes me even now is the stark, raw emotions conveyed on each page. I cried for these characters, and I loved with them too. My mother bought me a complete set and I devoured them all, loving each one more then the last. Then I moved on to the Casteel series, and My Sweet Audrina. You could almost say that I grew up with these books. Admittedly, I didn't keep up with all the titles released, and I think my next big book crushes came with Kathleen Woodwiss and Lavyrle Spencer, deeper romances that were more complex, and adult. Then of course, my beloved, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and the sweeping adventures of Saint-Germain, which remains my favorite vampire romance of all time. 

But, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for V.C. Andrews and I'm thrilled to offer my blogging friends a chance to read Into the Darkness. Just leave a comment with your first romance title, your favorite V.C. Andrews book, or you could even let me know what you think of posthumously published books.

Bestselling author V.C. Andrews portrays her most romantic couple since Troy and Heaven in the Casteel series…in this twisting tale of desire and obsession, reality and dreams.

As lovely as one of the precious gems at her parents’ jewelry store, Amber Taylor is shy and introspective—qualities misread by others as being stuck-up and superior. Facing a long, lonely summer working at the family shop, Amber’s world lights up when the Matthews family suddenly moves into the house next door, a property that has stood neglected for the longest time. And when she meets Brayden Matthews, an only child just like her, Amber soon becomes infatuated with this handsome, quirky young man who seems to know her innermost feelings almost before she does, who takes her places she never knew existed in her small town. Their connection is electrifying, unlike anything Amber’s felt before. But as quickly as he appears, Brayden vanishes into the darkness. And finding out the truth about him will push Amber Taylor to the edge of madness….

An atmospheric journey of passion and suspense that builds to a jolting, unforgettable finale, Into the Darkness showcases V.C. Andrews at her best.

Become a Fan http://www.facebook.com/OfficialVCAndrews

Leave a comment for your chance to win! Open to US only. Good luck!

Sugar free? Is it even possible? And some contest news!

I'm trying to make some serious lifestyle changes, primarily giving up refined sugar and switching to a diet that focuses on natural, whole foods. The difficulty on this is fairly high because you all know that I am hopelessly addicted to Pepsi, mainly fountain Pepsi. So I have given up on my beloved fountain drinks and have been successful for about 3 weeks now, but it's a struggle every time I am out and about, because I want to swing in to my favorite QT and grab a cold drink. I literally have to talk myself down each and every time, but it is getting easier. At home, I just try to stick with my unsweetened iced tea (the only right way to drink it, despite what you crazy southerners might think) and lots of boring water.


The next phase means that I need to eliminate refined sugar in the food I eat, and at the moment I am confounded by veggies. I love to snack on raw veggies but I certainly can't serve my kids like that all the time. I'd be facing full scale rebellion! My monsters aren't picky eaters by any stretch, but we are all getting bored with steamed vegetables. Any ideas? Know of any good cookbooks that focus on healthy and tasty cooking? Hook me up!
 
How is this paranormal, you ask? Remember Bunnicula? The cute little rabbit that sucked her veggies dry? Not good enough for you? How about I sweeten the pot with a couple of books to giveaway?

Leave me a comment giving me a recipe idea or tell me about a cookbook you love, and I will pick one lucky reader to get a grab bag of books, including but not necessarily limited to, Angel of Darkness by Cynthia Eden, and The Hunter by Theresa Meyers. Due to postage concerns this has to be limited to my U.S. readers only.

You can also post recipe ideas on the FB wall...I've been trying to check at least once a week:)

His Dark Bond contest!!!!

Today I am thrilled to be hosting a contest for His Dark Bond, the latest super sexy paranormal romance by Anne Marsh. I'm new to this Fallen angel series, but after looking at this cover, and poking around Anne's website, I think I need to fix that real soon. After all, who doesn't wish they could drink in the pleasures of humanity? Zer is my kind of angel *wink*

Want to win a copy of this gorgeous book? Just leave me a comment about Fallen Angels, Sexy Angels, or both. I'll draw announce a winner on Monday!!! Thanks to Anne Marsh, and the generous folks at Kensington, this contest is open to all my blog readers, so that means all my international followers have a chance to win!! Good Luck.

Cover blurb:

HE HUNGERS FOR HER BODY . . .

Zer is no angel—well, not anymore. He’s explored every flavor of sin imaginable, drinking in the pleasures of humanity. But now he must find the woman who carries his salvation in her very blood…a woman like Nessa St. James.

AND HER SOUL

Nessa has considered the bargain the Fallen offer. Anything she wants in exchange for accepting Zer’s bond? No way. Not her. Not when she finds out about the mind-blowing ritual involved, and the marks of surrender that will ink her skin. But with a serial killer to stop and centuries of experience on his side, this is one job Zer’s going to nail.

HIS DARK BOND, Kensington Brava, February 2012

BURNING UP Kensington Brava, November 2012

THE HUNT, Dorchester Love Spell

BOND WITH ME, Dorchester Leisure

http://www.herfallenangel.com

Required reading?

I stole a few moments on the computer to browse through my Google reader to see what's happening around the book world and came across a post at The Book Lady's Blog about the fantastical idea of required reading on a global scale. Interesting premise and worthy of discussion, at least I think so, because the goal would be to change the world, and not in a Mojojojo evil mastermind kind of way.

So it made me think, so scary when I am sleep deprived, about what single paranormal title would I deem required reading. Not to change the world or anything, but maybe to entice a reader to the genre. Would I choose Urban Fantasy? Horror? Or Romance? How would I ever be able to choose just one? I was going to narrow my initial search just to books I read in the last year, since it's well after midnight and I really do need to sleep someday, but I can't. Maybe because the books are too fresh in my mind or because last year really had some amazing titles (The President's Vampire, Kill the Dead, Hard Spell, Den of Thieves, Dead Mann Walking, Snuff~just to name a few). 

So I changed my tactics to a book that has sentimental value for me and immediately came up with an answer...

Hotel Transylvania by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro!! This was the book that started it all for me. My mother gave me a copy almost 25 years ago and I can still read it on that same emotional level to this day, and I do quite often. Yarbro's novels offer so much more than a romance because each book provides a detailed history of times gone past, so vivid that you become part of it. Saint Germain struggles to find his place in the world, much like we do in our own time. The books touch you on an intellectual level as well as on the romantic level, and I will always have a special place in my heart for the relationship between Madelaine and Le Comte Saint Germain. I love the entire series!

So tell me, what would your one paranormal book be? Leave a comment and you might just win a new book for your trouble. I've been cleaning the office area and the book box is plenty full.

Important contest update!! Den of Thieves contest

[UPDATED WITH CHANGES] In my flu induced haze I muddled the contest details and posted the wrong book for giveaway. My humble apologies for the mix up. The correct information is posted below, but essentially I am giving away 3 copies of the first book so that you can start the series off proper. If you already commented then your name is already entered into the drawing.

This week I am celebrating all the books that I've read and loved in 2011. One of my favorites for the year was Den of Thieves by David Chandler, which I reviewed in early November. You can read my review here. I was blown away by the characters and worldbuilding of this fantasy, and thrilled that The Ancient Blades was a planned trilogy. 

Today, thanks to the generous folks over at Harper Collins (Harper Voyager) I have 3 copies of Den of Thieves, the first installment, to give away to Bite Club readers. Just leave a comment with one of your favorite books from this year for your chance to win. Open to US only. I will draw the winners on January 2nd.

Born and raised in the squalid depths of the Free City of Ness, Malden became a thief by necessity. Now he must pay a fortune to join the criminal operation of Cutbill, lord of the underworld—and one does not refuse the master . . . and live.

The coronet of the Burgrave would fulfill Malden’s obligations, though it is guarded by hungry demons that would tear the soul from any interloper. But the desperate endeavor leads to a more terrible destiny, as Malden, an outlaw knight, and an ensorcelled lady must face the most terrifying evil in the land.

Circumstance made him a criminal. Destiny may make him a hero.

As a thief, Malden is unparalleled in the Free City of Ness, and happy there. But by saving the life of the knight Croy, Malden has bound himself to an ancient, noble brotherhood . . . and he now possesses one of only seven Ancient Blades capable of destroying demons.

Malden fears accompanying Croy and the barbarian Mörget on their quest to dispatch a foul creature of nightmare . . . nor does he want to disturb the vengeful dead. But with an assassin on his heels, the young cutpurse is left with no choice. And there is the comely sorceress, Cythera, to consider— promised to Croy but in love with Malden—not to mention the fabulous treasure rumored to be hidden in the depths of the demon’s lair . . .

When allies become enemies, to whom can a clever thief turn?

Armed with one of seven Ancient Blades, Malden was chosen by Fate to act as savior . . . and failed dismally. And now there is no stopping the barbarian hordes from invading and pillaging the kingdom of Skrae. Suddenly friends and former supporters alike covet the young hero’s magic while seeking his destruction—from the treacherous King and leaders of the City of Ness to the rogue knight Croy, who owes Malden his life.

It will take more than Malden’s makeshift army of harlots and cutpurses to preserve a realm. Luckily the sorceress Cythera fights at his side, along with the ingenious, irascible dwarf Slag. And the wily thief still has a desperate and daring plan or two up his larcenous sleeve . . .


Author website:
http://www.ancientblades.com/

These books can be found in all the usual places:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Book Depository
and any other awesome place that books are sold!

Leave a comment for your chance to win!

Boone Brux blog tour stop and contest

Today we are part of the Boone Brux blog tour to celebrate the release of Shield of Fire from Entangled Publishing. I also have one ecopy of Shield of Fire to send out to one lucky reader. In part of today's interview Icarus plays a little word association game so I thought it might be fun to play a version of that in the comments. Tell me the first word that pops into your head when you see the cover of this book and I will toss your name into that hat for your chance to win. It's that easy. What word do I think of? Rough. Think what you will *wink*


Now, let's welcome Boone and Icarus...


Demon Bane army, Icarus. Welcome.

Icarus: I’d say it’s a pleasure, Boone…but it’s not.

Boone: Well, I appreciate you taking time out of your busy soul-sucking schedule to be
here. So let’s jump right in. Is it safe to say you have the hots for Ravyn?

Icarus: Safe? Nothing with me is ever safe. I don’t have the hots, as you say, for Ravyn.
I need her. (Interviewer wiggles eyebrows.) Her powers, not her affection.

Boone: Riiiight, her powers. Your dad, the Demon King, seems very determined to have
Ravyn as well. Isn’t he irritated by your insubordination? I mean, he doesn’t come across
as the forgiving type.

Icarus: Actually, I hadn’t informed him of my plans to usurp the throne. You must admit
that I’d be a much better king than he is.

Boone: If by better you mean more ruthless, then yeah, you da man. Particularly loved
the way you drained that poor girl of her soul in chapter one.

Icarus: I thought I was rather gentle.

Boone: Uhh, no.

Icarus: It’s your fault I am the way I am. You created me.

Boone: Did not. You walked fully formed onto the page. I tried to make you ugly and
deformed, but you refused, insisting on gold rings in your hair and a chiseled bone
structure. Right away I knew you were a prima donna.

Icarus: I’m unfamiliar with this term. No matter. Next question.

Boone: What’s up with you and that she-demon, Sha-hera? She’s a nasty piece of work.

Icarus: Finally, something we agree on. If it takes the rest of my life, I will find a way to
kill that bitch.

Boone: I think she has the hots for you. (Silence and icy stare ensues) Are you snarling at
me?

Icarus: Be thankful that’s all I’m doing. Next subject.

Boone: Fine, let’s do a brief word association game. I’ll say a word and you say the first
thing that pops into your head, okay? (crickets chirping) I’m going to take your silence as

a yes. First word—puppies.

Icarus: Snack

Boone: Father

Icarus: Imbecile

Boone: Mother

Icarus: (Bares fangs in place of answer)

Boone: Rhys

Icarus: Bothersome

Boone: Ravyn

Icarus: Mine

Boone: Souls

Icarus: Mine

Boone: Throne

Icarus: Mine

Boone: I see a pattern emerging here. Well, thank you for being with us today, Icarus. I
know it’s difficult to get away when you’re in the thick of battling for world domination.

Icarus: Yes it is. You should be very grateful.

Boone: Until next time, this is Boone Brux and Icarus, wishing you a happy holiday.

Icarus: I wish no such thing.

Boone: Shut-up, demon spawn.

Book description:

Protecting humans is the Bringers’ duty. Sending demons to the Shadow World is their pleasure.

In one night, Ravyn’s life plunges from barely tolerable to deadly. Forced to flee the only home she’s known, she stumbles headlong into the clutches of Icarus, a powerful demon intent on stealing her powers. Unfortunately for him, she has no intention of cooperating.

When Rhys realizes the woman he’s rescued from the Bane Demon is no mere human, his obligation as a Bringer dictates he protect and train her in the ways of his people. But he’s unprepared for the intense desire he feels for the fiery Ravyn. To surrender to his need may mean her death.

As the Demon King’s desire for ultimate power escalates, fathers are slated against sons, and foes are made allies. The Bane threat upon them, Rhys and Ravyn must quest to unite the last of the Bringers—and explore a passion too powerful to ignore.

Purchase link:
http://www.entangledpublishing.com/shield-of-fire/

Guest post and contest with Felicity Heaton

Today we are all being treated to an inside look at how indie author Felicity Heaton has created her own unique vampires. She's also giving away some really cool signed book swag including: cover postcards, bookmarks and trading cards for Heart of Darkness and other books.This contest is open internationally!!! I will draw a winner next week. Please include an email if one isn't in your profile. So leave a comment for your chance to win!

Firstly, I would like to say a huge thanks for having me here as part of the Heart of Darkness leg of my
Paranormal Pandemonium 2011 Blog Tour.

Before I start talking more about the vampire species in the book, I’ll introduce myself. I’m a paranormal
romance author and I’ve been writing since 2005, and turned indie in 2006. In that time I have written
over forty stories under the names Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. Most of my stories are released
under my full name, but I write the Vampires Realm series as F E Heaton. My paranormal romances
are usually focused on vampires and werewolves, but I do also write other shape-shifters like black
panthers, and also demons and witches, and a whole bunch of sexy angels.

Whenever I write vampires, I like to change a few things about them to make them unique. I prefer to
write vampires that stand apart from other vampires and are a little different. All of my vampires are
very dark and deadly, drinking blood fresh from the vein and generally treating humans as an inferior
species that they care little about except for when they’re hungry. Of course, there’s always room for
those vampires to have a change of opinion by falling for a human, but that’s a different story.

When I was creating the world of Heart of Darkness, I spent a lot of time thinking about the vampires.
The vampires in the world continue their species through procreation, live in smaller family units with
their bloodlines, are unknown to us, and breathe and have heartbeats. Although, their hearts do beat
at a much slower pace than ours, which is why they age more slowly than we do. During their first two
decades they age at a rate the same as a human. Once mature, they age far slower, so by the time they
look thirty-five to our eyes, they are really around eight hundred years old. They live exclusively on
blood and can’t go out into direct sunlight, can be killed by all the usual methods and can be poisoned
by certain toxins and also silver. They can touch silver but when it comes into contact with a cut it harms
them. They can’t turn humans. Their bite only brings death. They are also a completely separate species
to us.

Millennia ago, the vampires were little more than demons, beasts who were slaves to their bloodlust
and driven by instinct, mindless and violent. Animals. Over the passing centuries, they found a way to
evolve into something more human by limiting their kills. The vampire bloodline that discovered this
method of achieving humanity and raising themselves up from beasts to powerful creatures became the
royal family. The Nemov bloodline.

Vampires in the world of Heart of Darkness now live in a modern age where each individual in a
bloodline need only kill once or twice a year to provide blood for the entire family, thus not endangering
their precarious humanity. The Nemov line preaches pacifism, leading by example, warning not to fall
prey to their baser instincts that crave killing and feasting on the blood of their victims.

What would happen to a vampire if they ignored the rules? That’s the question posed in Heart of
Darkness.

Aleksandr Nemov, the hero and former heir prince of vampire society, has been tracking and killing
vampire hunters for four centuries. He’s on a mission to avenge his murdered younger sister by wiping
out her killer’s progeny and hunting his line to extinction. Four hundred years of killing has taken its
toll on him. Little by little his humanity has faded and his soul has become corrupted, weak against the
black abyss that lives in the hearts of all vampires—the beast within. That darkness has grown stronger

with each kill, destroying him from the inside out, extinguishing his emotions and allowing his darker
instincts to seize control at times. The extent of the damage is evident in his eyes when he reveals his
true appearance. Normally vampires have red eyes, clear of imperfections. Aleksandr’s are speared with
black, leaving only a small amount of crimson behind. In short, he is devolving, becoming the beast that
vampires once were.

If Aleksandr turns into a beast, what would vampire society do to protect itself?

They would hunt him down and slaughter him, as they do all vampires who devolve. Aleksandr knows
that but he also knows that his battle against the darkness within him is one he is slowly losing.

Is there a way to come back from the darkness?

Some vampires believe that a feral demonic vampire can come back given time away from killing, just as
their ancestors did. Others believe there is no return if a vampire succumbs completely to the darkness.
The easiest method of saving yourself is to recognise the corruption in your soul and find a way to tame
the dark need to hunt and kill, slowly regaining your humanity.

That isn’t a choice that Aleksandr has. He’s so close to the edge that the next kill could push him over
it and there is one final vampire hunter he must face before his vendetta is over. Torn between fear of
becoming a beast and his deep need to avenge his sister at any cost, it is obvious which he will choose.
The only thing that stops him from racing to his death is a female vampire guard that he meets. Elise has
a mesmerising effect on Aleksandr, one that lures him into switching his hunt to one for her while he
awaits the vampire hunter in Prague. When he’s struggling against the darkness, just a glance into her
eyes can chase the shadows back and bring light into his heart. Through Elise, Aleksandr discovers a new
method of restoring some of his humanity—love.

But the final question is whether that love will be powerful enough to stop his descent into the madness
of bloodlust when his faces the final hunter and the end of his mission?

Well, you’ll have to venture into the world of Heart of Darkness to seek the answer to that question.

I hope you all enjoyed this introduction to the breed of vampires in Heart of Darkness. If you would like
to find out more about the book, please read on for the blurb and where the book is available.

Heart of Darkness is currently available in e-book from my website, Amazon Kindle Stores, Apple
iBookstores, Barnes and Noble Nook Store, Sony Reader Store, All Romance eBooks, and Smashwords. It
will soon be available from Kobo Books. It is also available in paperback at amazon.com and will soon be
available at other Amazon stores worldwide and Barnes & Noble.

I have a limited time fantastic offer on Heart of Darkness. If you purchase the book before December
10th and contact me, I’ll send you free Heart of Darkness romance trading cards. You can find out all
about it at my blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com/2011/11/get-your-hands-on- heart-of-darkness.html

Heart of Darkness
A vampire prince on a four hundred year old mission to avenge his murdered sister...

Aleksandr Nemov won’t stop until the last of the vampire hunter’s progeny is wiped from the Earth.
Each kill has stolen a piece of his humanity, pushing him towards the black abyss all vampires hold
within their hearts. Now he is teetering on the edge, close to devolving into a beast, and time is running
out as he tracks the last hunter to Prague. There he finds a beautiful woman who could be his one
chance for salvation, but is it already too late for him?

A vampire guard who will do whatever it takes to protect those she loves...

Elise is dedicated to her duty. It’s the only thing she has left. All that changes when she meets Aleksandr
in Prague and her master grants him permission to stay at her bloodline’s mansion. She knows all about
Aleksandr but none of it prepares her for how she feels when the legendary prince’s hunt becomes
one for her heart. Elise battles him with all of her strength but can she stop herself from falling for the
handsome hunter? When he reveals the depth of the corruption in his soul, will she have the strength to
face the pain in her past and do whatever it takes to save him?

Read an excerpt at my website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk/ebooks.php? title=Heart%20of%20Darkness

Available in paperback from:
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1466452897/

Biography:
Felicity Heaton is a romance author writing as both Felicity Heaton and F E Heaton. She is passionate
about penning paranormal tales full of vampires, witches, werewolves, angels and shape-shifters,
and has been interested in all things preternatural and fantastical since she was just a child. Her other
passion is science-fiction and she likes nothing more than to immerse herself in a whole new universe
and the amazing species therein. She used to while away days at school and college dreaming of
vampires, werewolves and witches, or being lost in space, and used to while away evenings watching
movies about them or reading gothic horror stories, science-fiction and romances.

Having tried her hand at various romance genres, it was only natural for her to turn her focus back to
the paranormal, fantasy and science-fiction worlds she enjoys so much. She loves to write seductive,
sexy and strong vampires, werewolves, witches, angels and alien species. The worlds she often dreams
up for them are vicious, dark and dangerous, reflecting aspects of the heroines and heroes, but her characters also love deeply, laugh, cry and feel every emotion as keenly as anyone does. She makes no excuses for the darkness surrounding them, especially the paranormal creatures, and says that this is their world. She’s just honoured to write down their adventures.

If you want to know more about me, or want to get in touch, you can find me at the following places:
My website: http://www.felicityheaton.co.uk
My blog: http://www.indieparanormalromancebooks.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/feheaton
Twitter: http://twitter.com/felicityheaton
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/felicityheaton

Contest time!!

Wanna win some books?

In celebration of the upcoming release for Killing Rites, book 4 in The Black Sun's Daughter series, and thanks to the generous folks over at Pocket Books, I have a full set, 4 books total, for giveaway!! You heard that right, one lucky winner will get the complete set. I just started this series, about halfway done, and I'm seriously wondering how this fantastic urban fantasy series was overlooked for so long.

Want a chance to win this series? Leave me a comment about the series (or single title) that you've been wishing to read but haven't had time for. Me, I have the entire Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews on my shelf and it drives me bonkers that I don't have time to curl up and read until my eyes bleed. I know they'll be great too!

Pesky rules:

*Contest will run for one week and I will draw a winner from the magic hat on Black Friday.

*U.S. only

*Must leave an email if one isn't easily located in your profile.

 Good Luck!!!!

Guest post and Contest with Traci L. Slatton

Let's all show some love for author Traci L. Slatton, who is here today to talk about her favorite paranormal shows. I love her choices and have very fond memories of watching X files each week, starved for the truth that I was so sure would be revealed and never really was. I didn't care much for the movies but I attribute that to my overly high expectations at the time. The show was the first television show that I remember talking about with friends, testing theories and plotting possibilities. And Mulder was so hot!

My current favs are Bedlam, Supernatural and Dr. Who. What about you? Leave a comment and you could win a copy of Fallen! This contest is open to US/Canada only. The winner will be chosen at random next week. Good Luck!






My Favorite Paranormal TV Show
By Traci L. Slatton,
Author of Fallen

This question posed a dilemma: do I choose The venerable X Files, because of Fox Mulder's dry, noble passion for the truth, so beautifully counterbalanced by Dr. Scully's crystalline, analytical braininess? Or do I vote for Torchwood, charmed as I was by Captain Jack's lusciousness, and the wacky humor that often made me giggle through my shivers of fear?

Unforgettable images abound in The X Files: remember the slimy fluke man, with his gaping, fanged mouth? Those remorseless, unslaked, sucking prongs still show up in my nightmares. And Eugene Tooms, slithering through the narrowest openings to feast on human livers. But then there's the pterodactyl flying around the Torchwood hub, and the malignant weevils slipping through the rift to torment the citizens of Earth. The episode "Immortal Sins" featured a brain parasite that caused insanity and intended to make Nazi Germany victorious.

In terms of setting, there's the question of Cardiff vs. Vancouver, which I personally think is six of one and half-dozen of another. Neither of those shows depended on place so much as they did on inventiveness, originality, spookiness--and well-drawn characters. In The X Files, Mulder had his heart-rending back story: the abducted sister, his guilt, his anguish over his parents' possible complicity, and his determination and frustration. Scully wrestled with the evidence her own eyes kept showing her, evidence that repeatedly contradicted the scientific paradigm that stood at the heart of her life mission. And how was she to integrate her own abduction by extraterrestrials? In Torchwood, Captain Jack was immortal, warm-hearted, dutiful, and pan-sexual. He fell in love easily but lost his paramours. Police constable Gwen Cooper agonized over what and how much to tell her fiance. She is humane and grounded, leading the life of an ordinary house-holder while fiercely battling the supernatural elements that attack our very existence. She leads a double life, and it takes its toll.

Alas, I shall have to ramble along both roads at once, and name two favorite paranormal shows.

Author Bio

Traci L. Slatton, author of Fallen, is a graduate of Yale and Columbia, and she also attended the Barbara Brennan School of Healing. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, sculptor Sabin Howard, whose classical figures and love for Renaissance Italy inspired her historical novel Immortal and her contemporary vampire art history mystery The Botticelli Affair. Fallen is the first in a romantic trilogy set during the end times.

For more information please visit http://www.tracilslatton.com and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter

Bloodstone Blog Tour, Contest and Guest post

Looking for a job? Have you ever thought about becoming a demon fighter? Well, you've come to the right place! Today we have a guest post by non other than Mab Vaughn from the Deadtown series by Nancy Holzner. 

 

Nancy is also offering a tour-wide giveaway- readers can enter at each stop for a chance to win 1 of 5 books being offered. That's right, folks. 5 book giveaways and 5 lucky winners! Each of the five winners gets his/her choice of a signed copy of Deadtown, Hellforged, or Bloodstone. This giveaway is open to US only. Good luck!

Fill out the form for your chance to win!

 

 

 

Programme for Apprentice Demon Fighters

Hello. My name is Mab Vaughn, and I'm a retired demon-fighter. Well, perhaps semi-retired would be
more accurate. One never knows when one's services may be required.

I come from a long line of demon slayers, stretching back to Ceridwen, a Welsh goddess well known
for her shapeshifting ability. My race, the Cerddorion, have opposed demons since our mutual origins.
I have trained many a Cerddorion demon fighter, including my niece, Victory. Recently Vicky has
undertaken to train an apprentice of her own, a young, so-called “zombie” named Tina. So I thought
it would be helpful to put together a training programme for Vicky to use. Other experienced demon
slayers thinking of taking on an apprentice may find it helpful, as well.

Years 1-3: Know Your Enemy

Before an aspiring demon fighter can even begin to think of actual combat, it is essential to understand
the nature, habits, strengths, and weaknesses of the demons eventually to be encountered in the
field. There's simply no point in charging in unprepared, trying to fight (for example) a Glitch, using
techniques best suited for opposing Drudes. To do so is, quite frankly, to court disaster. A Glitch is
an anti-technology demon; a Drude is a nightmare-causing demon. Combat in the technological realm
requires a completely different strategy from fighting in the realm of dreams. Anyone who fails to
understand this has no business fighting demons.

So a firm grounding in the fundamentals of demonology is the necessary first step in any training
programme. The apprentice must gain an encyclopedic knowledge of demons before proceeding. For
this phase of training, the indispensable text is Russom's Demoniacal Taxonomy. Yes, it's dry. Yes,
it's lengthy. And yes, it's a couple of centuries old. But there's no better resource on demons. If an
apprentice cannot get through the book due to tone or length, that apprentice should not—indeed, must
not—continue training. As for age, some argue that Russom's has become dated, yet how much have
demons changed over the centuries? Very little. I can vouch for that from personal experience.

For the first three years of training, the apprentice must become thoroughly familiar with the contents
of Russom's, to be supplemented by other texts as required. Written reports, oral reports, and frequent
pop quizzes are the best means for demonstrating knowledge. In the third year, the apprentice may
move on to analysis of complex scenarios, such as “Is it likely that Imps and Hellions would form an
alliance? Why or why not? In the event of such an alliance (whether likely or unlikely), describe the
best strategy for defeating the enemy.”

Year 4: Introduction to Weaponry

After the apprentice has demonstrated a thorough understanding of the demon world and its
inhabitants, it's time to introduce weaponry. This year is reserved for gaining familiarity with the
different types of weapons. I recommend the following units, in order: the properties of bronze, bladed
weapons, projectiles, and techniques to enhance weapons' effectiveness (holy water, sacramental wine,
basic spellcraft, etc.).

Although the apprentice may view and handle individual weapons during this phase, the apprentice
should not use them, even in mock combat. The goal of this year is to know the different weapons
available and understand, in theory, which weapons are most effective against a particular type of
demon.

Years 5-6: Combat Fundamentals

This phase marks the beginning of the apprentice's physical training. It begins with a fitness regimen
designed to prepare the apprentice for combat training. Assign weight training to bolster strength and
long-distance running to increase endurance.

When the apprentice meets a high standard of physical fitness, weapons training—using wooden or
blunted weapons—may begin. The course of instruction should include swordplay, axes, throwing
(knives and spears), archery, marksmanship, and hand-to-hand combat. In Year 6, the apprentice may
accompany the instructor on demon-fighting excursions, but only as an observer.

Year 7: Advanced Combat

If the apprentice has progressed satisfactorily through the previous phases of training, advanced combat
may begin at this time. A word of caution, however: Do not embark upon this final phase of training
unless the apprentice has thoroughly mastered all previous phases. It is useful to test the apprentice's
knowledge and skills before proceeding. Better to spend another year or two on an earlier phase as
needed than send an unprepared demon fighter into the field. Too many have perished from going into
the field too early.

Advanced combat begins with a review of combat skills already learned—this time with sharpened
blades. The instructor must not pamper the apprentice during drills; demons most certainly will not
do so in an actual combat situation. Next, the instructor conjures small demons for the apprentice
to fight under controlled circumstances. The apprentice continues to accompany the instructor to
demon exterminations, moving from observer to back-up as individual progress warrants. Finally, the
apprentice takes the primary role in an extermination, with the instructor providing back-up. When
the apprentice has successfully exterminated at least one of each of the main types of demons without
excessive assistance from the instructor, the program is complete.

___________________________________
Bloodstone, the third novel in Nancy Holzner's Deadtown series, is now available. For information
on Nancy and her books, visit her website. You can also find Nancy on Facebook and Twitter, and
blogging with other fantasy authors at Dark Central Station.

*Don't forget to check out the other stops on the book tour (only a few dates remaining) for more chances to win great books!

*And fill out the form for your chance to win Bloodstone! You can't win if you don't play.

Bound By Blood promo/contest with P.A. Lupton

First, my sincerest apologies to P.A. Lupton for what appears to be my ineptitude at scheduling because this post was originally supposed to be up and running last Tuesday, and I was just now made aware that nothing was posted. The only excuse I have is that this has been a difficult week for a variety of reasons and just leave it at that. I am usually more organized and have never had this happen, and I'm embarrassed that it happened at all. Very sorry.

Now, let's switch gears and discuss something good, like book details for Bound By Blood, which can be yours for only $0.99!!! And if that's not enough, you can win an ebook copy simply by leaving a comment! This is open internationally (no pesky shipping fees to contend with), just be sure to include an email if one isn't in your profile. Winner will be drawn next weekend (October 9th). Good luck and happy reading.

Bound by Blood

FBI agent and psychic, Brianna Reece, descends from an ancient and powerful bloodline of witches, only she doesn’t know it. But now that legacy has come back to bite her—literally.

In the shadows of night in Denver Colorado, a serial killer is hunting women, and FBI agent Brianna Reece is hunting the killer. Unlike any case she’s worked before, Brianna can’t ignore the prickling at the back of her neck when she glimpses the resemblance she shares with the victims. The investigation begins to touch even closer to home when it is revealed that all of the victims were also psychic.

Complicating matters further, Brianna is captivated by the FBI’s prime suspect Nathan Donovan. Though she senses he is hiding something from her, the attraction she feels for him is compelling, and unlike anything she’s ever experienced. Through a chance twist of fate, Nathan learns of Brianna’s ancestry and is forced to divulge secrets to Brianna that will change her life forever.
When she learns that the killer is an evil vampire, and he’s now set his sights on her, Nathan alone holds the key to awakening her dormant powers. Now he must race to teach her how to control her emergent gifts before she becomes the next victim.


If you stop by the author's website you can also get complete details for the Kindle/Nook contest.

Blog tour and contest with author CJ Ellisson

Today we have another fabulous vampire guest here at Bite Club, although I hesitate to say whether or not she's as easily riled as yesterday's visitor. I'm simply not sure, so tread carefully or you might find a nice pair of ass kicking boots shoved...I kid, sorta. Our guest does not come empty handed and is kindly offering up 2 ebook sets of Vampire Vacation and The Hunt. Since this is an ebook contest I can open things up to our international crowd, no shipping fees to worry about, and will offer them up to all that leave a meaningful comment and a valid email, either with said comment or in the profile. So tell me how you'd envision the V V Inn. I'm always curious to see how others might view an undead only resort. How do vampires get pampered~ an endless blood supply? Seminars on evading Hunters? What would the rooms be like? The possibilities are endless! Don't forget to say Hi to Vivian.

And Now, a Word From Vivian

Allow me to introduce myself – my name is Dria McAndrews and I’m a vampire. I go by the moniker of “Vivian” to newer acquaintances, such as yourselves. The nickname began as a play on words from the employees working at my establishment, the V V Inn.

I’m not thrilled with the designation, but it’s grown on me.

I run an exclusive resort for the undead with my human husband, Rafe. You’ll see no commercials for our remote hideaway in Alaska, no tacky Priceline dot com deals, and certainly no website. Our clientele prize their secrecy and anonymity above all else.

Did you know the staid accountant who does your taxes and never seems to age, truly doesn’t? Yup, he’s one of ours. Or how about the pale nightclub owner of the swanky downtown joint that always has a line around the block? You guessed it – she’s a Vampire, too. There are a lot more members on our secret team than even you would have believed.

Our establishment caters to this unique group of individuals who hide their existence from the human race. Halloween and Anne Rice have made it easy for us to live openly for at least one month of the year, and even a bit longer in New Orleans—where the crowd is ever hopeful one of us will jump out from the shadows to seduce them. But day-to-day, across the globe, we must do our best to blend in and adapt to remain undetected.

What would you do if the governing body of vampires wanted you dead? Would you stand and face your stronger and more numerous counterparts or fake your death and hide? I may have the deadly power to manipulate and mind control my fellow vampires, but sheer numbers will beat me every time. I did the wise thing and hid.

Scoff all you will, but I’m happy. I live in a dark cold corner of the world with my loving husband, a tasty werewolf servant, and a successful business. Our clientele has no idea of my age or my unique power, and I plan to keep it that way.

Things went according to my carefully laid plans for years, until that damn dead body turned up last fall. Now my life has changed more in one year than it has in the past fifty! More vampires live permanently at our establishment and call me vile things like “boss” and “master” than I care to tolerate.

I’d much rather strip Rafe naked and pretend we didn’t have a care in the world. With this latest adventure, a planned hunt of a fellow vampire on the resort’s fifteen square miles of frozen wilderness, long past enemies have come to haunt me and threaten what is mine and all I hold dear.

Maybe the time to run and hide has stopped.

Allow me a moment to pull on my ass-kicking boots.

~~*~~

Come, join Vivian’s Seethe at the V V Inn and find out what happens…

~~ C.J. Ellisson ~~

Guest Speaker at Vamps at Sea – a Vampire Themed Cruise to Alaska

6.23.2012

Facebook * Website * Everything Erotic * Digital Digest

Blog tour and contest for The Cowboy and the Vampire

We have a special guest here at Bite Club, one you might need to be a bit careful with, otherwise she might just decide that she's hungry. My review for The Cowboy and the Vampire will be posted later this week, probably over the weekend, so check back. 

As a bonus we are part of a tour wide giveaway for 1 signed first edition of the original publication from 1999 and 5 signed copies of the current paperback edition, so be sure to fill out the form, and don't forget to leave a comment here for an extra entry! The contest is open to U.S. shipping only (darn shipping fees). 

Now, joining us today from the pages of The Cowboy and the Vampire is Elita, an extremely influential and powerful Vampire — and drop dead (sometimes literally) gorgeous, she’s been around for thousands of years, but doesn’t look a day over 300.

Hi Elita, welcome. Can you tell our readers a little bit about yourself?

Yes. I’m a Vampire. And I don’t like interviews.

Any chance you could a few more details?

(Sighing). Fine. I was born, hatched actually, so long ago that I can barely remember the early centuries. Mostly it’s just a delicious blur of feasting on humans and avoiding the sun. Some of my first concrete — or rather, sandstone — memories are of life in Egypt as the pyramids were built. It is worth pointing out to your readers that I am of the Reptilian line, not to be confused with the half-human mongrels of Royal line, or the Messianic line as they like to boast. Little more than a genetic quirk that arose some 2,000 years ago. I should have strangled them all when I had the chance.

How is it you have stayed alive all these many years when Vampires are so vulnerable during the day
when you are dead?

Vampires are cunning, capable of planning for the future in ways your abbreviated minds — a function
of your abbreviated lives — cannot comprehend. And we are adept at exploiting your many weaknesses.
Centuries ago we very purposefully helped instill a fear of the dead — necrophobia — in your human
ancestors so that you would be reluctant to disturb dead bodies, a fear that was carried forward
generation by generation. It was laughably easy to terrorize a few cultures and to establish death cults in a few others.

Also, humans are greedy and short-sighted, willing to trade almost anything for power and sex. We have access to both. Many of us choose to cultivate consorts willing to watch over us in exchange for certain favors. It is much like developing a bond with a loyal dog.

It’s not a perfect system of course and even Vampires can make mistakes. Body bags have been very
helpful. On those rare occasions a Vampire is found in the daylight hours, the body is carefully sealed
up in a protective bag and safely wheeled into some air conditioned morgue. A few short hours later, as
long we haven’t been too disassembled by busy hands, we arise ready for a night on the town none the
worse for wear.

Speaking of consorts, you are strikingly, almost uncomfortably beautiful. You must have some
interesting relationship stories to tell.

Vampires do not have the same sorts of relationships as humans. We are bound by very few social
mores. With the exception of those high minded Messianic Vampires, most of us live for the sake of
pleasure. Among our own kind, sex flows freely like the blood from our prey, we enjoy sexual pleasure
and satisfy it freely with others of our own kind as the mood strikes, regardless of gender and with no
concept of partner or lover. As for you humans, delicate little Adamites, evolution has equipped us to be highly desirable to your kind, able to seduce almost anyone of at any time to suit our needs. And I assure you, those needs are terminal.

Scary. What’s like to see history unfolding for all these years?

Mostly boring. You humans have such a high opinion of yourselves. Thinking your monuments and
advances are unrivalled and exceptional. It’s quaint really. Imagine watching a tribe of monkeys fussing over a hill of twigs and then preening and crowing about it. Despite your enthusiasm, it is all but a quick march into the grave for each of you. Vampires, long-lived, know that true advances are made in the mind. It has been fun to take advantage of certain situations along the way. However, some of your advances in technology have been useful. Airplanes have certainly helped globalize the Vampire community. Automobiles make it so easy to get around. Safe rooms protect us from prying eyes and the sun like never before. But best of all, medical advances and more reliable access to clean water and food have contributed to a population explosion of humans. The world is an endless and ever-growing buffet and you taste better than ever before. Healthier.

You are really stunningly attractive.

Is that a question?

I guess not. What is your opinion of Elizabeth Vaughn, the new queen of the Vampires?

She is annoying. Self-righteous. Untested. Ultimately doomed. I sense great power in her, but her
ridiculous cleaving to her human cowboy lover leaves her weak and vulnerable. And draws the scorn of both Messianic and Reptilian Vampires alike.

And Tucker, her cowboy lover?

Filled with a foolish pride as if king of some great fortune. Tucker is surprisingly resilient though. Like
a cockroach. I’ve tried to kill him twice, unsuccessfully. That rarely happens. He seems quite bent on
protecting Elizabeth Vaughn and motivated by what you call love, what I might call a derangement of
already precarious sense. He and that traveling flea circus of a dog of his, I hate them both.

I may have mentioned that you are quite beautiful. With your raven hair and creamy skin. Is the room
getting hotter? I feel dizzy.

I think we should conclude this interview and get some fresh night air, some place private where maybe I can grab a bite.

Don’t you mean “we” can grab a bite?

Yes of course. We.

About the Book:

The Cowboy and the Vampire
By Clark Hayes and Kathleen McFall

Paperback: 408 pages
Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK Release Date: October 8, 2010
ISBN-10: 0738721611
ISBN-13: 978-0738721613

Reporter Lizzie Vaughan doesn’t realize it, but she has 2,000 years of royal
Vampiric blood coursing through her veins. Neither she nor Tucker, her cowboy lover, has any idea that Julius, the leader of the undead, has a diabolical plan to reign over darkness for all eternity—with Lizzie at his side.

Lizzie battles for her life—and her soul— as she and Tucker find themselves caught up in a vampire war, pursued by hordes of Julius’ maniacal, bloodthirsty followers.

Who will be left standing when the sun rises?


The Cowboy and the Vampire brings together two iconic characters — cowboys and vampires — and
crashes them together in a story about true love, culture clash and evil plans to take over the world.

There’s also a healthy dose of laugh-out-loud humor, a rich portrayal of life in the modern West, a fresh new take on the Vampire myth and plenty sexy seductions at the hands, and lips, of Vampire vixens.

What People are Saying:


“Deliciously dark.”—BOOKLIST

While mashing up all the stereotypical plot elements of Paranormal Vampire and Contemporary Western Romance, THE COWBOY AND THE VAMPIRE delivers unremitting fun, and a damn
good read. --Diana Troldahl, Freshfiction.com

"The Cowboy and the Vampire" ... combined their interests - Hays grew up on a ranch, McFall
was curious about religion and history - and was an experiment to see whether they could live
and work together. --Jeff Baker, The Oregonian

...husband and wife writing duo Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall has succeeded in writing
a unique story among all the vampire books that are out there today. --Bertena Varney,
examiner.com

I enjoyed The Cowboy and the Vampire; the quirky characters, the new mythology of vampires,
and the focus upon the uncertainty between evil and good. --Joanne L. -- LuxuryReading.com

The vampires in this book are Hays and McFall's own version and have an interesting link to
early Christianity ... Some are good, some are less good, and some are joyfully bad. --Book
Lovers Inc.

Book Links:
Website http://cowboyandvampire.com/
Social Network www.facebook.com/cowboyandvampire
Book Trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0hig70b-2U&feature=youtu.be

About our latest projects:

We are hard at work on Blood and Whiskey, the first in a trilogy that picks up where The Cowboy and
the Vampire ended. It will be out in early 2012.

In the meantime, check out the novella Red Winter, by Clark, edited by Kathleen, released exclusively as an e-book:

Summary of Red Winter: 

Sheriff Early Hardiman has seen a lot of bad things in his life, but nothing could have prepared him for the first Vampire to visit the Old West. It’s 1890 and winter is closing like a noose around tiny LonePine, Wyoming. Fans of The Cowboy and the Vampire know LonePine will see its share of Vampires 120 years later, but in 1890 the appearance of the fearsome Jericho Whistler — with an unquenchable thirst for blood and unwilling to die — created a new kind of terror.

Thank you Elita! Thanks to Bewitching Book Tours for arranging this stop on the tour. Be sure to click the link for the contest form. Sorry that the form isn't just included on the page, but I am having trouble getting the embed code to work properly:(