In The Footsteps of Dracula by Steve Unger

Welcome Steven P. Unger today who has a fascinating article related to his current release, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DRACULA.  Steven also has a copy of the book (pdf or paperback) for one lucky commenter, so show him some love in the comments! 

THE FIRST CIRCLE OF OTHERNESS:

PURSUING A 19^TH CENTURY NOVEL

IN 21^ST CENTURY ROMANIA

 By Steven P. Unger

     When [Dracula] first appeared, Transylvania belonged to Hungary.  Romania inherited the myth [of Count Dracula], along with the respective territory, in 1918.  Dracula's home could not have been placed in the Alps (too close to the heart of Europe) or in Tibet (too far away).  The Carpathians offered just the right setting:  on the edge of Europe, where Western civilization gives way to something already different.  The Romanian space represents, for the West, the first circle of otherness:  sufficiently close for the curious configurations and disturbing forms of behaviour . . . to be highlighted all the more strongly.

Lucian Boia, Romania

            I set out to write In the Footsteps of Dracula:  A Personal Journey and Travel Guide knowing almost nothing about Romania or Romanians.  I only knew the places I needed to go in order to follow in the footsteps of the fictional Count Dracula and the real historical figure that Count Dracula's character was loosely based upon:  Vlad Ţepeş, known in the Western World as Vlad the Impaler.  I started by calling the closest Romanian consulate, in Los Angeles:

            "Hello, I'm writing a book, and I need to go to the Borgo Pass, Bistriţa, Sighişoara, Tărgovişte, Poienari, and an island in the middle of Lake Snagov."

            There was a very long pause.

            "Perhaps I'm not pronouncing the names correctly."

            "No, your pronunciation is fine.  Will you be going with a tour?"

            "No, I'm a travel writer and I want to go independently, using public transportation—you know, like trains and buses."

            "That will be somewhat difficult, sir."

            "Well, can I go to tourist offices and get information when I'm over there?"

            "Actually, there are no tourist offices in those places."

            "Oh, I see.  Well, thank you for your time." 

            It began to dawn on me that traveling in Romania was going to be very different than what I had experienced in Western Europe.  But I wasn't ready to give up.  I made online reservations for the Dalin Hotel in Bucharest:  surely, I thought, the concierge would have all the information I needed.

            I was wrong about that.  The concierge told me I could take a train from Bucharest to Tărgovişte; beyond that, well, "there are bandits."  He might as well have pointed to my map of Romania and said:  "Here be dragons" or "If you go past this point you will fall off the edge of the earth."

            Still, I was determined to find my way through the country.  And the first thing I had to do was to get to Lake Snagov and the island tomb of Vlad Ţepeş.  This was when I first encountered the generosity of spirit that I would find again and again among the Romanian people.

            Before I left the U.S., I had been given the phone number of a man, Daly Gurman, who lived in Bucharest, by someone who knew someone named Ann E., who in turn knew Daly.  I called Daly and soon discovered (1) that he only spoke German and Romanian (fortunately, I'm fluent in German); and (2) Daly had never heard of Ann E.  Nevertheless, when I told him of my desire to visit Snagov, he invited me to come to his school the next day, where he taught gymnastics, and from there he would drive me to Lake Snagov.

            I was shocked.  Who in America would take a call from a complete stranger, who was referred to him by another complete stranger, and offer to take off time from work and drive that stranger to a place 30 miles away?

            Daly, whose school was just a short walk from my hotel, was a wonderful help to me on my quest to describe and photograph the tomb of Vlad Ţepeş.  He was able to find the pier at Silistea on the shore of Lake Snagov, and called Father Varahiil Bănăţeanu, whose cell phone number is posted by the pier.  Father Bănăţeanu rowed us to "Dracula's Tomb" for a small fee.  Though Father Bănăţeanu speaks only Romanian, I was able to communicate with him through a friend by conversing in German with Daly. 

As Daly and I waited for Father Bănăţeanu on Silistea's narrow wooden pier, I couldn't resist taking a shot of two locals sitting on a nearby bench (see below).

Grandpa and Me:  Snagov Lake

Father Varahiil Bănăţeanu and his Dog

            I stayed a few more days in Bucharest, where people seemed to make a living in any way they can.  I encountered no panhandlers, though there were street merchants everywhere.  One of the most enterprising I encountered was a man who sat at the same spot every day on a bridge near Piaţa Unirii, one of Europe's largest public squares and home to the gigantic, ultramodern Unirea Shopping Center.  At his feet was a blue bathroom scale:  individuals and families weighed themselves on his scale and gave him some money in return.  When business was slow, the "Bucharest Scale Man" would feed the sparrows.  (See picture below.)

The Scale Man, Bucharest

             Another example of Bucharest's urban entrepreneurship is the impromptu street ballet performed by the attendants of a makeshift parking lot next to the fountain in the center of the Piaţa Unirii.  Apparently with unofficial police approval, a handful of brave men have commandeered a space large enough for about twenty cars, just inside a roundabout with a never-ending stream of traffic.

            Every few minutes, a car circling the roundabout stops right in its tracks, causing the drivers of the cars behind to stomp frantically on their brakes, and the first driver beeps his horn.  One of the attendants runs out to the car and gets behind the wheel as the driver slips out.  The attendant somehow manages to squeeze the car into the lot with just inches of clearance around it.  The car's owner attends to his errands; returns and pays the attendant; climbs back into his vehicle; and muscles his way back into the roundabout.  As far as I know, no one has lost his car—or a vital body part— in the process.

            I could go on and on (and I do go on and on in my book) about my encounters with Romanians, their friendliness and generosity and, in the case of a few minor bureaucrats, their obstinacy; but this is only meant to be a short newspaper article, and the following last example is when I began to really understand what life is like for the average Romanian.

            My intent was to take trains all the way from Tărgovişte to Curtea de Arges via Titu and Piteşti; a first-class, reserved-seat ticket cost $6.61.  It took about three hours to get to Piteşti from Curtea de Arges, including a half-hour wait to change trains in Titu.  On the train to Titu, I gave one of my angel holograph key chains to a mother to give to her little girl, who had been singing all along the way.  She was so excited by the holograph that she ran up and down the aisle, showing off her new treasure to all the other children.

            When I reached Piteşti, there was a 2½ hour wait for the next train to Curtea de Arges, only 20 miles away.

            Rather than waiting, I asked a taxi driver if he could take me to a MaxiTaxi going to Curtea de Arges.  I had seen a short reference to MaxiTaxis in my guide book, and I thought it was a variation of a bus.  He said yes and I got in the cab.  He took off and just kept driving and driving, all the way through this big town and even past an encampment of Gypsies.  The driver didn't speak English, French, or German, the only languages I know, and I was getting concerned.  I was afraid he might drop me and my baggage off at some deserted bus stop far, far away from civilization.  And then what would happen to me?  He finally stopped at the outskirts of Piteşti, and to my surprise there was less than the equivalent of three dollars on the meter.  I tipped him another three dollars, got out of the cab, and breathed a sigh of relief.

            The MaxiTaxi stand was bustling with activity, chock full of passengers and vans, but it didn't take long to find one going to Curtea de Arges.  It was my first ride in a MaxiTaxi, and it seemed as full as full could possibly be.  The driver tore off a paper ticket at the two-dollar level; I paid him and found one of the last two remaining seats almost hidden toward the back.

The ride only lasted about 35 minutes, and I arrived in Curtea de Arges almost two hours before my train would have left the station at Piteşti.  So that worked out OK, and I realized:  this is how most Romanians get around.  On an average salary of $400 a month at best, few people can afford a car or the five dollars a gallon it costs to put gas in it (and that was in 2005), and even trains are relatively expensive for them.  This was reality in Romania.

And that reality—of being on my own and among everyday Romanians living their everyday lives—was one of the best times of my life.

Easter Parade in Tărgovişte

The 2^nd Edition of In the Footsteps of Dracula:  A Personal Journey and Travel Guide, available now from its dedicated World Audience Web page, (http://worldaudience.powweb.com/pubs_bks/Dracula.html), as well as from www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.de, and www.amazon.com/Kindle), includes:

    References, Web Links, and Costs Updated to December 2010;

    The First Review of Dracula Ever Written, Published in the Manchester Guardian on June 15, 1897;

    A New Section on Bram Stoker's Dublin;

    A Rare Photo of a Wolf-Dragon, the Original Source of the Name "Dracula," Carved Within the Ruins of a Prehistoric Dacian Temple in Transylvania; and much, much more!

New Vampire Releases for May 2011

At last, the new vampire releases for May! There's also one from April that I neglected to add last month Ascension: A Dark Breed Novel by Sable Grace.  Although I don't usually list reprints, I did want to mention that Brian Spableford's classic novel Empire of Fear is once again available. Happy Reading!

Almost Final Curtain: A Vampire Princess Novel (Vampire Princess of St. Paul) by Tate Hallaway NAL Trade, May 3, 2011 Craving the spotlight is in her blood. Ever since high school student Anastasija Parker discovered she was vampire royalty, her life has been sort of crazy. The half-vampire- half-witch just wants some normalcy, and trying out for the spring musical seems like the perfect fix. But when the ancient talisman that stands between vampire freedom and slavery to witches is stolen, Ana has to skip rehersal and track down the dangerous artifact before someone uses it to make this year's curtain call her last...

Always the Vampire by Nancy Haddock Berkley Trade, May 3, 2011 It's not easy being a dutiful maid of honor when you're a vampire in the Sunshine State... Cesca Marinelli has been slacking on her duties as a vampire princess, but she will be the best maid of honor ever for Maggie's Victorian wedding. However, when her mostly-human honey, Saber, falls ill due to a magical construct called the Void, she knows she'll have to go beyond the call of bridesmaid duty... The Void is affecting every supernatural being in Cesca's afterlife, including her shapeshifter ex, Triton. To counter the Void's reign of terror, Cesca must fully summon her vampire powers-which may lead to her own doom.

Applewood by Brendan P. Myers By Light Unseen Media, May 15, 2011 When a mutilated body is found in the woods near the central Massachusetts town of Grantham, Scott Dugan comes home for the first time in more than twenty years. He returns to the decaying house where he'd grown up, one of many derelict homes in the long-abandoned neighborhood of Applewood. More than two decades earlier, Dugan and his tightly bonded group of friends had been struggling with the same pains that plagued millions of teens like them--bullies in school, broken families, money problems, relationships. But the evil that revives to spread through Grantham confronts them with a far darker and more destructive adversary. In 1861, Grantham sent its own home town war hero, Colonel Alexander Pope, and a company of locals to fight for the Union cause in the Civil War. Marching through the isolated rural regions of Georgia, the Colonel and his soldiers discovered a horrible secret hidden behind the lovely facades of the plantation mansions. When the veterans of Grantham came home, they brought something else with them. Now that something else has awakened once more to grow and feed. Dugan and his friends are among the few who realize what's happening to their town. They band together to ferret out information about the history of the Colonel and to fight the threat. But victory, if it's even possible, will come at a terrible cost. Some, like Dugan, will never be the same. Ascension: A Dark Breed Novel by Sable Grace Avon, April 26, 2011 The gates of hell have opened, and one woman will stand in the crossfire as the Dark Breed—vampyre, demons, shape shifters—and mankind fight their last battle for survival. Kyana is half Vampyre, half Lychen . . . and the last of her kind. Determined, dangerous, and damned, she has no love for the mortals who have imprisoned and misused her. But when the Order of Ancients entrusts her with a mission—to find the key that will send the Dark Breed back into Hell for eternity—Kyana has no choice but to accept. She is furious to learn her assignment comes with an escort . . . Ryker, a demigod and fierce warrior who long ago found a way under her skin and stayed there. In a shaky alliance, they discover an ancient cult with dangerous motive and a god who seeks to destroy all others. And as Kyana begins to feel the heat that threatens to bind her to Ryker, she knows she has to resist. For it could only mean the undoing of them both . . .

Attack of the Vampire Weenies: And Other Warped and Creepy Tales by David Lubar Starscape, May 24, 2011 A boy steals a ticket to an amusement park and gets the ride of a lifetime—literally. The first day of middle school turns into a free-for-all when the gym teacher offers a “get-out-of-gym-free” card. Sick of his sister’s vampire wannabe friends, a kid decides to teach them a lesson at their next party. But the tables are turned when some surprise guests show up. Critically acclaimed author and master of the macabre, David Lubar, is back with thirty more warped and creepy tales for fans of his bestselling Weenies story collections, which have sold more than 1.7 million copies to date. Don’t be a weenie. Read these stories. If you dare!

Bite Club (Morganville Vampires, Book 10)
by Rachael Caine
NAL Hardcover; 1 edition (May 3, 2011)
Young Adult

After discovering that vampires populate her town, college student Claire Danvers knows that the undead just want to live their lives. But someone else wants them to get ready to rumble.

There's a new extreme sport getting picked up on the Internet: bare- knuckle fights pitting captured vampires against each other-or humans. Tracking the remote signal leads Claire- accompanied by her friends and frenemies-to discover that what started as an online brawl will soon threaten everyone in Morganville...

Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 11)
by Charlaine Harris
Ace Hardcover; First Edition edition (May 3, 2011)

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover Eric Northman and his "child" Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows...

Empire of Fear: An Epic Vampire Novel by Brian Stableford Skyhorse Publishing, May 31, 2011 “Richly detailed . . . sure to fascinate history buffs—alternative and otherwise.”—Publishers Weekly In an epic novel the Washington Post called “riveting,” Brian Stableford brilliantly imagines a world ruled by a powerful aristocracy of vampires: long-lived, extraordinarily handsome humans who are immune to pain but must drink the blood of their common subjects. The story begins in seventeenth-century London and spans three hundred years—moving from England to the heart of Africa, to Malta, and finally to the New World. Edmund Cordery, Mechanician to the court of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, believes that vampire beings must have a natural explanation. But when his discoveries make him dangerous in the eyes of his masters, Edmund entrusts his learned secrets to his son, Noell, who in turn becomes a fugitive. When he returns to Europe he faces the awesome might of Coeur-de-Lion and the infamous Vlad the Impaler. This classic has been translated into five languages and “turn[ed] the typical vampire story on its ear” when it was published, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

[Reprint of a classic!]

Forever Freed by Laura Kaye The Wild Rose Press, May 3, 2011 A heart can break, even one that no longer beats. I stalk my new neighbors, a single mother and her child, drawn by the irresistible scent of their joy and love. I crave their blood, starved for some healing respite from my ancient grief. Now to lure them into my grasp. But they surprise me. Little Olivia accepts me without fear or reservation-talking, smiling, offering innocent affection that tugs at my long-lost humanity. Her mother, Samantha, seeks me out when she should stay away, offering sweet friendship, and calling to the forgotten man within me. They lure me instead. Ah, Dio, Lucien, run and spare them while you can...

Hard Bitten (Chicagoland Vampires, Book 4)
by Chloe Neill
New American Library; 1 edition (May 3, 2011)

Times are hard for newly minted vampire Merit. Ever since shapeshifters  announced their presence to the world, humans have been rallying against  supernaturals-and they're camping outside of Cadogan House with protest  signs that could turn to pitchforks at any moment. Inside its doors,  things between Merit and her Master, green-eyed heartbreaker Ethan  Sullivan are...tense. But then the mayor of Chicago calls Merit and  Ethan to a clandestine meeting and tells them about a violent vamp  attack that has left three women missing. His message is simple: get  your House in order. Or else.

Merit needs to get to the bottom  of this crime, but it doesn't help that she can't tell who's on her  side. So she secretly calls in a favor from someone who's tall, dark,  and part of underground vamp group that may have some deep intel on the  attack. Merit soon finds herself in the heady, dark heart of Chicago's  supernatural society-a world full of vampires who seem ready to fulfill  the protesting human's worst fears, and a place where she'll learn that  you can't be a vampire without getting a little blood on your hands...

Jace (Shadow Wranglers) by Sarah McCarty Berkley Trade, May 3, 2011 He had one need. She had one hope. Together they have one chance... Vampire Jace Johnson was not a family man until he met Miri. But their forbidden relationship ended when she disappeared. After a year of searching, Jace finds Miri in a Sanctuary enclave. After a year of cruel experimentation by the Sanctuary on her werewolf form, Miri is no longer the passionate wife Jace remembers. She only lives to rescue the daughter Jace never knew they had. Now, they must overcome the tragedy of their pasts if they are to reclaim the future they both desire...

Jane Jones: Worst. Vampire. Ever. by Caissie St. Onge Ember, May 10, 2011 For Jane Jones, being a vampire is nothing like you read about in books. In fact, it kind of sucks. She's not beautiful, she's not rich, and she doesn't "sparkle." She's just an average, slightly nerdy girl from an ordinary suburban family (who happens to be vampires.) Jane's from the wrong side of the tracks (not to mention stuck in the world's longest awkward phase), so she doesn't fit in with the cool vampire kids at school or with the humans kids. To top it all off, she's battling an overprotective mom, a clique of high school mean girls (the kind who really do have fangs), and the most embarrassing allergy in the history of the undead, she's blood intolerant. So no one's more surprised than Jane when for the first time in her life, things start to heat up (as much as they can for a walking corpse, anyway) with not one, but two boys. Eli's a geeky, but cute real-live boy in her history class, and Timothy is a beautiful, brooding bloodsucker, who might just hold the key to a possible "cure" for vampirism. Facing an eternity of high school pressure, fumbling first dates, or a mere lifetime together with Timothy, what's a 90-something year-old teen vampire to do? Fans of the Vladmir Tod Chronicles, You are So Undead to Me, and Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side will feast on this deliciously readable, smart, and fantastically funny debut.

Vampire Kisses 7: Love Bites by Ellen Schreiber Katherine Tegen Books, May 17, 2011 As a mortal girl dating a vampire, Raven knows that love isn't always easy. And will Alexander ever make their love immortal? Now that Alexander's parents have returned to Romania, Raven and her dreamy vampire boyfriend are happy to resume their cryptic romance. But soon another visitor comes knocking: Sebastian, Alexander's best friend, arrives for a stay at the mansion. At first Raven is wary, and then thrilled—this is the perfect chance to learn more about her darkly handsome boyfriend and his past! Sebastian could be her guide to the love habits of Alexander and his kind. But when Sebastian falls for a particular Dullsvillian, will another mortal beat Raven to the bite?

Vampire Kisses 8: Cryptic Cravings by Ellen Schreiber Katherine Tegen Books, May 17, 2011 The morbidly monotonous Dullsville has finally become the most exciting place on earth now that Raven is madly in love with her hot vampire boyfriend, Alexander, and a crew of vampires has taken residence in Dullsville's old mill. Raven discovers Jagger's plan to open a new club, the Crypt, right here in Dullsville. But is it her dream come true or her worst nightmare? Raven and Alexander have to figure out what the nefarious vampire has in store for Dullsville's teen and vampire population. Can Raven convince Jagger to listen to her plans to make the Crypt the morbidly magnificent dance club it could be? Will it be safe for mortals and vampires alike? And as Sebastian and Luna's relationship heats up, Raven wonders about her own amorous fate: Will Alexander ever turn her? Does he crave her and does he want to spend eternity together? And what does she really want? With cryptic secrets and cravings, this eighth installment in the Vampire Kisses series is a romantic and mysterious thrill ride.

Paranormal Pleasures Giveaway

Title: Paranormal Pleasures Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction

Author: Roxanne Rhoads

Publisher: Bewitching Books

Genre: Paranormal erotica

ISBN: 0615470386 / 9780615470382

Page Count: 138

Get it in Print, at Amazon or ebook at Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble Nook, and All Romance Ebooks

Book description:

Ten tantalizing, erotic tales of vampires, witches and demons grace the pages of this short story collection by Roxanne Rhoads.

Step into the darkness and let these tales tempt and tease to satisfy your paranormal cravings.

Eight of Roxanne Rhoads' previous eBook publications appear in print for the first time, along with two brand new, never before published tales of supernatural love and lust.

Extended Description

A Last Goodbye

New witch Marissa is learning the ropes of being one of The Others. One of her mentors is vampire Deirdre, a tall beauty who really irritates Marissa. Marissa is extremely pissed when she shows up to Dante's Ball and finds Deirdre there with Marissa's recent ex-boyfriend, Jeff. The one she was encouraged to break up with because of his humanity. Deirdre explains her reasons for bringing Jeff and offers to help Marissa say goodbye to him in a way none of them will ever forget

Overkill... (Read more) A Last Goodbye

New witch Marissa is learning the ropes of being one of The Others. One of her mentors is vampire Deirdre, a tall beauty who really irritates Marissa. Marissa is extremely pissed when she shows up to Dante's Ball and finds Deirdre there with Marissa's recent ex-boyfriend, Jeff. The one she was encouraged to break up with because of his humanity. Deirdre explains her reasons for bringing Jeff and offers to help Marissa say goodbye to him in a way none of them will ever forget

Overkill

Vanessa is tired of her boyfriend Simon’s promiscuous vampire ways and stakes him, repeatedly- not close enough to the heart to kill him but close enough to make it hurt. But now she’s had a change of heart and considers embracing the sexual world of the vampire instead of being jealous of it.

Witch in the Middle

Ariadne is a witch torn between two men, a vampire and a human. Her heart doesn’t want to choose but the men force her to make a decision that could break her heart, unless with the help of the Goddess all three of them can come to a mutually acceptable…and enjoyable agreement.

When It Storms

Devon’s witchy girlfriend becomes insatiable every time a storm rolls around and he’s more than happy to give her exactly what she needs.

Monster Inside

Shannon’s never seen her vampire boyfriend, Logan, vamp out before. Then one night he has to kill to save her life. Can she ever look at him the same way again?

The Questioning Concubine

Elita, a pure blood witch, has come home to find who or what killed her parents and to take her rightful place as the head of the coven. After five years of investigating and exhausting all conventional methods at her disposal, she decides to do the one thing a good witch should never do—summon a demon. The demon is not what she expected. Elita is soon swept up in his power… and her own.

Renata

The residents of the sleepy little town of Flushing, Michigan had no idea a vampire lived among them, seducing and drinking from all the men in town. Renata walked among them, blending in, taking only what she needed. One night, while she was on the prowl for fresh blood at a carnival, a handsome carnie caught her eye. She had no way of knowing he was a vampire hunter and was there for her.

Sea of Blood

Liana made Nerissa a vampire centuries ago in the islands of Greece but she’s never tired of her companion or the way she hunts her prey.

A Halloween to Remember

What says Halloween better than a wild party at an old Victorian mansion complete with its own cemetery? Perhaps meeting the man of your dreams thanks to the magic of Halloween.

Adena can’t believe her eyes when she spots Dimitri in the library- he looks like something straight off the cover of a historical romance novel-the type of guy she’s always dreamed of. Too bad he disappears before she has the chance to introduce herself. When she finally spots him again later that night she decides she’s not letting him get away again. Adena thinks she’s finally found the one. Until she wakes up alone the next morning- in the cemetery.

Halloween magic brought them together but will it be strong enough to keep them together?

Witching You A Merry Christmas

Witch Vicki has been leery of vampires ever since she was attacked five years ago. Daniel's a vampire and he's been secretly in love in with Vicki for two years ever since becoming Vicki's partner in The Guardians a supernatural group of paranormal crime fighters. Daniel loves Christmas and hopes the spirit of the holidays will soften Vicki's hatred of vampires and help her see him in a new light. Will he get his Christmas wish?

Would you like to win a print copy of

Paranormal Pleasures?

Then leave a comment on this post with your email address

1 winner will be chosen

US Shipping Only Please

The Writing Life Guest Post with Elaine Bergstrom and a Shattered Glass Giveaway

The Writing Life ... is it fun yet?

Guest post by Elaine Bergstrom

Finishing a first novel is not unlike pregnancy and childbirth, although gestation and delivery take far longer. But the end product is a designer baby ... your plot, your dialog, your steamy and horrific scenes all molded and brought to life entirely by you. It’s fun. It’s terrifying. It’s the hardest and most wonderful work a writer will ever do. Like Jane Wilder in Romancing the Stone, I cried when I’d finished my first novel, Shattered Glass. This vampire novel is about addiction and obsession, and by the time I wrote the final sentences I was both addicted and obsessed.

Writing my first novel was hard because I was new to the process, and not completely sure what I was doing. But I was convinced that I had the right instinct, and I hoped others would love my baby, too. Fortunately, readers did love the romance between the immortal Stephen Austra and the young gifted painter Helen Wells as much as I did.

And they let me know. My very first signing had a young man who held out my book with trembling hands and said, “Please sign this, I love all your books.” OK, maybe he was a bit confused, or maybe he was psychic. Nevertheless, I got letters, too, and wonderful comments from fans about Glass, and later the other books in the Austra series. Just after my husband and I split up, I got an email that had as the subject line, “You’re practically a religion in my house.” She then said she’d been afraid to write and bother me. Bother me! I printed out and posted her comments on my refrigerator door so I could read them every day.

Another came from a man about to celebrate his 10th wedding anniversary. Is wife-to-be had been reading Shattered Glass when he proposed to her. She’d lost her copy. He wanted to buy another and have it autographed to give as a wedding present. Another wrote of the savage hotel room scene near the end of the novel, “You raped the reader, I loved it!” For that same scene, I got my one negative comment, this from a man who accused me of writing “torture porn.” Yes, the novel, and all of them, are for adults, but my characters use seduction as a weapon as much as they do teeth and body. If I had wandered into TP, more people would have noticed.

This is the digital age. Fans can contact authors directly, whereas in the past they often had to go through publishers that often only send fan letters to writers just a few times each year. Writers can comment on their craft and their characters and share news on websites and blogs. And, in a move that will alter the future of publishers and bookstores, writers can publish their own works directly. This is what I have done with Shattered Glass, which I released with the 12,000 words that had been cut from the original book (for length) returned to the story. There is also a new Austra novel, Beyond Sundown released by Elaine-the-Publisher just last month. These are also in e-format as well as in print and the rest of the Austra series is available for kindle. The novella, The Violin, will be released for all e-formats later this spring. And there will be more from me. having declared my independence from traditional publishing, I have never had more fun writing – hope your reading is fun, too. My email is on my website, www.elainebergstrom.com. Feel free to write anytime!

Bio:

Elaine Bergstrom was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and is the product of 16 years of Catholic education which, she is sure, has strongly affected her work. Her first novel, Shattered Glass, was among the first vampire romances and created a family of vampiric immortals -- powerful, eternal but with some odd constraints on their natures. It was set in her hometown and the church she attended as a child. It was nominated for a Stoker, received critical acclaim and has been followed by four other related novels, as well as Under the pseudonym Marie Kiraly (her grandmother's name), she has written two Dracula sequels: Mina...the Dracula Story Continues and Blood to Blood. She resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she runs a novel writing workshop, freelances as a TV and film critic and writes grumpy old lady letters to her congressmen and local papers.


Book Blurb:

Stephen Austra – glass artist and immortal – is the head of a family that acquired wealth and fame for its marvelous creations of stained glass windows in medieval cathedrals and churches. While restoring a historic Midwest church, he meets a young painter, Helen Wells. Their attraction is immediate and intense, but she is more than just a potential lover. She also has the capacity to save his race, if he can only keep her and those she loves safe from the dark force that is stalking both of them.

Excerpt:

Helen had removed her braces and pushed her porch swing violently in an attempt to dissipate her anxiety. When the door swung open, she looked up at Stephen, her eyes brimming with anger and dread. “Now,” she said, the word both a question and a demand.

Stephen recalled her own words: “She is not a child, yet how like a child she acts.” He caught the swing and leaned his face close to hers. She drew back, startled by his fierce, unfamiliar expression. “Now.”

Her tension would be a distraction and he knew it would have been infinitely better had she begun as he had, with someone who understood and would yield willingly. For that he had hoped to wait until they reached New York or Chavez. But the act could not be postponed. She waited with fatalistic anticipation, and in response he grinned. “Well. Helen, must I remain here and take potluck, or shall we go for a drive?”

It worked. She laughed, though uneasily and only for a moment. “Take me somewhere you used to go.” she ordered less apprehensively.

“Very well. But you shall make the choice for me.”

“Do you think I would be jealous otherwise?”

“No. I want you to be attracted to the one you choose.”

She became confused. “It would be a man.”

“And this need not be sex.” His voice had already moved to a more compelling timbre. In spite of his misgivings, tonight had begun to excite him. “You hunt with me and I shall feed as much on your pleasure, your response to what occurs, as I will on the blood of the one you choose.”

She found him buying cigarettes at a gas station; no older than herself, with features still softly feminine. Captured by Helen’s eyes, eyes that were not entirely her own at that moment, he accepted her offer of a ride home, sitting without question between her and the silent driver, unable to be polite as he stared at her body with frank longing. But Helen felt no dread, for some consummate force had taken control of him, holding him helpless. She glimpsed swift snapshots of his life, savored his private dreams, and understood that Stephen could arouse my emotion, but because she was here and feared it most of all, he had chosen desire.

She brushed her fingers across the inside of the young man’s wrist, feeling his pulse quicken, innately knowing when to give that unspoken command. ―Look at me, think only of me.―
A small sound of shameless joy escaped him when she rested her hands on the sides of his face, and she wondered at his rapture while, behind him, the other -- the forgotten one -- pressed close, his lips on the young man’s neck.

Stephen felt no struggle, no adversary here. This was the sort of first choice he had expected she would make -- pretty and safe, young as she was young, with emotions infinitely refinable -- and far more satisfying than he had anticipated.

As Stephen stole that small bit of life, Helen felt the life explode within him and, with it the power! Her mind emptied of all save its presence, and she marveled at what they had done and how much more they could do.

Would like to win Shattered Glass?

One winner will receive an ebook copy

Just leave a comment or question for Elaine

Be sure to include your email

(posts without email addresses will not be considered for the giveaway)

A winner will be announced Wednesday June 1

Review: ANGEL OMNIBUS

Angel Omnibus, featuring: Joss Whedon, Scott Allie, David Fury, Christopher Colden, Brian Horton, Paul Lee, Marvin Mariano, Brett Matthews, Eric Powell, Mel Rubi, Tom Sniegoski, Ryan Sook, Christian Zanier.
It's been a while since we've seen Angel on TV, and I, for one, was in the mood for this collection of Angel graphic novels collected in an omnibus edition.  Brought back some great memories of the show, including Doyle.  Why, oh why, did they kill off Doyle so early?
If you enjoyed the show, then you should pick up this collection.  The illustrations are gorgeous, and the stories quick, compelling, and everything we all loved about the series.  It's only $16.15 at Amazon and is stuffed with almost 500 pages of non-stop Angel action.  How can you not buy that one?

[pdf version provided by NetGalley for review]

Review: The President's Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth

Book Description:

When a new outbreak of an ancient evil—one that Cade has seen before—comes to light, he and his human handler, Zach Barrows, must track down its source. The President suspects the threat might have ties to a high-level defense contractor—a private, Blackwater-like security force whose hired mercenaries who take a very dim view of being forced to work with the President’s men. To “protect and serve” often means settling old scores and confronting new betrayals . . . as only a century-old predator can.

Review:

Normally when I review a book I take notes on little sticky papers that I put in the front cover. It could be anything from page numbers for favorite scenes, quotes that I find amusing, plot elements that may or may not work for me etc. Only I was so eager and happy to finally be reading The President's Vampire that I forgot to take notes, except one lonely sentence that read: Cade is definitely back and better than ever! Not much help in the review department but it does convey my basic thoughts about the book.

Blood Oath, released last year, quickly became one of my all time favorite vampire books, which made me both nervous and excited for book two in the series. Sequels can be tricky territory but I worried for nothing because this book rocked my world! Everything was just...more. The mission was more difficult, the monsters more scary, the past more involved, the action more intense. And now you know why I am not a writer.

I've been trying to think of a comparison so that new readers might have a reference point but I can't think of any that are totally accurate. Cade is a little like Jason Bourne, James Bond, and Ethan Hunt, all wrapped into one badass vampire. Zach, Cade's human handler, has a bigger role in this book and I really enjoy his evolution and growth as he tries to adapt to his new lifestyle. He's still witty, delivering some of the most memorable lines in the book, but he has grown into his responsibilities and gets a bigger piece of the action this time around.

The President's Vampire has something for every reader, male or female, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The subject matter is relevant to world events and written in such a way that it plays out quite visually in your head. I certainly wish we had a Cade to help deal with all the baddies that lurk out there. If you're worried that this is a second book, don't be. Although a few references to Blood Oath are made the book can easily be read as a stand alone action adventure novel with no trouble to the reader. Everything you need to know is explained. However, I do think you should read both books because they are just that good.

*Reviewed by Anna Dougherty for VampChix
*I won this book through the Goodreads First Reads program

Bloody Valentine Review

Bloody Valentine (A Blue Bloods Book) (Blue Bloods Novel) by Melissa De La Cruz

Hyperion sent this book for review, thank you!

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Vampires have powers beyond human comprehension: strength that defies logic, speed that cannot be captured on film, the ability to shapeshift and more. But in matters of the heart, no one, not even the strikingly beautiful and outrageously wealthy Blue Bloods, has total control. In Bloody Valentine, bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz offers readers a new story about the love lives of their favorite vamps - the passion and heartache, the hope and devastation, the lust and longing. Combined with all the glitz, glamour, and mystery fans have come to expect, this is sure to be another huge hit in the Blue Bloods series. 

Also, witness the bonding of Jack and Schuyler.

This book has three stories, one being about the bonding of Jack and Schuyler, which I know I was waiting for!  This section did not disappoint at all and was my favorite.  That's probably why it was saved for last.  I loved it, down to the ring Jack gives her, that turns out having magical powers (I won't say more than that, but wow!) and her powder blue dress!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE  :)

As for Oliver's part, the first section actually, was a bit more dark and sad, but still well written and intriguing.  Only sad, because he is trying to move on from Schuyler and the ways in which he does are very dangerous and unconventional.  Maybe a bit much really for a ya novel, but hey I'm not complaining!  The adults would like this book just fine too.  The entire series is really quite grown up, something that I think I mentioned in one of my first reviews early on in the series and it continues in that fashion.  

  

Not forgetting Part 2 of Bloody Valentine; it was about Allegra, Schuyler's mom and the story of her father.  Her real father!  Whom we never really know about until this book.  So that is also very interesting.  And about how Allegra was supposed to be bonded to someone else...  The plot thickens!  

Great story-crafting by Melissa De La Cruz in all three stories!  They compliment the series nicely and add depth to the series.  I can't wait for the next blue bloods book!  And look at that cover!  Each one gets more beautiful and almost Gothic looking in a way.  Which does go with the mood of this book pretty well.  I thoroughly enjoyed it!

~Review by Shauna Leigh Atkinson

Trailer for "Bloody Valentine":

The next book in the series, "Lost In Time" will be out October 4, 2011:

While we wait, Melissa has a new series for Adults coming out June 21, 2011 called "Witches of East End"::

Trailer for "Witches of East End":

See more book trailers and updates on Melissa De La Cruz's Website!

Happy reading all!

~Shauna

New German Vamp Flick

Okay, so it was out last year, but it's new to the US...

Guest: Annie Nicholas

Please welcome Annie Nicholas to the hot seat today.  She has an ecopy of either THE OMEGAS or THE ALPHA to give away to one lucky commenter!

Forgive and Forget, I think?

We’re taught at a young age to forgive those who’ve wronged us and have probably passed this on to our children. “Say you’re sorry.” Is a common thing we teach but when on the receiving end it can be difficult to forgive.

Betrayal has many faces and lying is one of them. This is a huge pet peeve of mine and I consider withholding information as lying to.  Duplicity places a big role in my new book, The Beta Book 3 of The Vanguards series. I wanted my hero to be forgiving as I’d been taught, but that just didn’t happen. Characters are not always the extension of the writer but my hero and I shared the same temperament when duped.

How forgiving are you?

I’ll be choosing a commenter to win an ecopy of either The Omegas or The Alpha.

Blurb:

Three days of hell, in charge, and running out of antacids.

As the pack’s Beta, Robert needs to watch over the Vasi werewolf pack for a few days. He hates the responsibility, but his job is to dissolve any problems while his alpha honeymoons. Nevertheless, trouble comes to town and her name is Esther. She's beguiling, beautiful and picks his pocket. Although Robert doesn’t trust her, he still wants to possess her.

Esther arrived in Chicago with the intention of slaying a vampire named Daedalus. While trailing her quarry, she encounters Robert who unhinges her world. He doesn’t know her trade, and she doesn’t know his connection to the vampire. Disturbed by her attraction to this unusual werewolf, she can’t decide which prey to hunt. The one who’s stolen her heart or the one who’ll fill her bank account.

Hot graphic werewolf sex, growing body parts, and one pissed off Nosferatu.

Buy Link: www.lyricalpress.com/the_beta

Excerpt: http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=96&products_id=444

Annie Nicholas

www.annienicholas.com

www.annienicholas.blogspot.com