6/29/2012

Tiffany Truitt--Music is a powerful thing!


First, I’d like to say I am super excited to be stopping by Rachel’s blog today. She’s been an amazing supporter of the Chosen Ones, and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Today, I am here to talk about music and its relationship to the Chosen Ones. When writing guest posts for blogs, I sometimes find it difficult to come up with topics that I feel readers will find interesting. But when the stars align…they simply align. I’m not sure how many of you know this but Rachel created an amazing book trailer for the Chosen Ones. Truly amazing. I showed it off to everyone I knew, posting it on my blog, twitter page, and facebook. Besides the super cool graphics, Rachel picked a truly superb song---Evanescence’s Bring me to Life. The song really summarized the themes and mood of the novel. A co-worker of mine followed me around for weeks singing that song, and just this weekend a friend of my mother’s stopped me in Target and gushed about the trailer.


Music is a powerful thing.

I listen to music and attend a lot of concerts. In fact, it was during long car rides visiting a friend who went to school a few hours away from where I lived that I came up with the story for the Chosen Ones rocking out to a variety of movie soundtracks.

 I spent a lot of time coming up with a suitable playlist for the novel which I am posting below. These songs truly represent the characters and conflicts that make up the novel. As I am putting the finishing touches on The Naturals, the sequel to the Chosen Ones, I can tell you that I’ve been listening to a lot of Florence and the Machine, Niki and the Dove, and oddly enough…bluegrass and folk music. For those of you who have read the first novel, perhaps this will give you some clues about the sequel...muhahaha….but if you haven’t…perhaps the awesome songs below will entice you to give Chosen Ones a try.


The Lost Souls Trilogy: The Chosen Ones (Book 1)

1. “Somebody’s Blues” – Jimmy Eat World
2. “Hero” – Regina Spektor
3. “Hurricane” – 30 Seconds to Mars
4. “Born to Die” – Lana Del Rey
5. “Come Alive” – Foo Fighters
6. “Windowstill” – Arcade Fire
7. “My Body is a Cage” – Arcade Fire
8. “Closer” – Kings of LeoN
9. “Awake My Soul” – Mumford and Sons
10. “Running Up that Hill” – Placebo
11. “Paradise” – Coldplay
12. “Sing for Absolution” – Muse

About Chosen Ones

The Lost Souls, book 1 hitting bookshelves June 10, 2012 from Entangled Publishing!

I pushed down a key. The hair on the back of my neck shot up, and my skin tingled.

I imagined this was what it felt like to fall in love.

In that moment, I was ready to fall.

Life is bleak but uncomplicated for Tess, living in a not-too-distant future where the government, faced with humanity’s extinction, created the Chosen Ones, artificial beings who are extraordinarily beautiful, unbelievably strong, and unabashedly deadly.

When Tess begins work at Templeton, a Chosen Ones training facility, she meets James, and the attraction is immediate in its intensity, overwhelming in its danger. But there is more to Templeton than Tess ever knew. Can she stand against her oppressors, even if it means giving up the only happiness in her life?

Pre-order your copy of Chosen Ones at Amazon | B&N

About Tiffany Truitt

Tiffany Truitt is an 8th grade English teacher in Suffolk, Virginia. When she’s not traveling the world, she enjoys reading, writing, and obsessing over coffee. Lost Souls: Chosen Ones is her first novel. Find out more about Tiffany Truitt at her Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

6/27/2012

6/25/2012

Want a Taste of @Vaempires

I have a very special treat for all of you!!! :) Thomas Winship is thanking his friends, bloggers, followers, and fans with free copies of his books and he's given me permission to help spread the word! :)

GO TO the LINKS below and use the coupon to download your free copy!

Vaempires: Revolution KT25P
Vaempires: White Christmas TE58Z
 
Downloads good until 7/10/12
 
Please share the word about this post!


Oh, and if you do, be sure to give him a shout out.

tom@vaempires.com




Væmpires: White Christmas
It’s almost Christmas. With the global holiday days away, the people of the world should be turning their attention toward celebrating peace and goodwill, but tension between humans, vampires, and væmpires is at an all-time high. Desperate for solutions, King Brant schedules a secret summit deep in North America’s Northern Forest. Along with Queen Anne, Princess Cassandra, Daniel’s family, and the human president and First Lady, the vampire leader seeks to reaffirm the ties between humans and vampires, while brainstorming ways to respond to the growing hostility among væmpires.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Cassie’s relationship is at an all-time low. The princess is still reeling from her breakup with Vielyn, and Daniel doesn’t know what he should or shouldn’t do to help. Little does he know that the summit will be flooded with surprises—guests, allegations, accusations, proposals, and even Christmas Eve revelations—but not all of the surprises will be pleasant.
Væmpires: Revolution

It is the morning of Princess Cassandra’s sixteenth birthday. Everyone’s attention is focused on the heir to the vampire throne. World leaders, the rich and famous, and VIPs from every corner of the globe have gathered in the nation’s capital to celebrate the momentous event.
Cover-Vaempires: Revolution by Thomas WinshipCassandra’s boyfriend, Daniel, is late for the party. He’s still outside the city when all hell breaks loose. What he believes is an act of terrorism proves to be a full-fledged revolution. Væmpires—former vampires who mutated into warm-blooded creatures with an insatiable hunger for cold blood—have launched coordinated attacks across the globe, with three goals: the eradication of humanity, the enslavement of vampires, and the ascension of væmpires as the dominant species on the planet.
The vampire and human leaders are killed. Cassandra is missing. Daniel is the acting king. Desperate to find the princess, Daniel and his friends fight their way across the besieged city. With the hopes of the free world resting on the shoulders of four vampire teenagers, væmpires unleash their secret weapons: a new breed of væmpires that is far deadlier than any ever seen before.

What can four teens do against an enemy that can shape-shift, fly, and walk through walls?




The Author

Thomas Winship

Thomas Winship was born in Middletown, NY and still resides in Orange County.  He holds an MBA from St. Thomas Aquinas College and serves as an adjunct professor for courses in English Composition, Communications, and Business. He also spent fifteen years working for a global pharmaceutical company, specializing in organizational development, talent management, and training.

Tom writes in his spare time. His first novel, a mystery/legal thriller entitled Temporary Insanity (a.k.a. Case Closed), was a 2008 finalist in a national contest but failed to garner industry attention. His second novel, Væmpires: Revolution, was published in October and a follow-up novella, Væmpires: White Christmas, was published in December.

He is an avid collector of books, comic books, music, and movies. His interests are diverse: on any given day, Tom is likely to be found watching a horror movie, attending a hard rock concert, or enjoying a Broadway show.

He is currently working on the next installment of the “Væmpires” series, which is scheduled for a 2012 release.

You may contact Thomas here.

 

6/21/2012

Review: Maid For Pleasure by Lucy Rodgers




I'm excited to share my review with you, I think you'll find it quite hysterical.




Insurance actuary Libby Beckett is the epitome of a successful, independent, modern woman. With her six figure salary, she has a condo overlooking the beach, a BMW, and a closet full of fabulous shoes. So why isn’t she happy? And why do her fantasies always involve whips, bondage, and sexual slavery? Her desires are impossible to explain her buttoned-down accountant boyfriend, which is why when she stumbles across a website for a quasi-dating service for submissive women called Maid for It, she signs up. She’s quickly “matched” to Gavin Huntley, an engineer and inventor possessed of a small fortune and his own private island in the Caribbean. After carefully weighing the risks and rewards, as any good actuary should do, Libby breaks it off with her boyfriend and heads to Gavin’s island for what she promises herself will be two weeks to explore her darkest, dirtiest desires. When her time is up, she’ll say her safe word and, as outlined in Maid for It’s contract, Gavin will be required to release her.

But Gavin knows what Libby truly needs, and it’s not to be free. She’s made for pleasure—his pleasure—and he intends to put her to good use. Forever.



My Review:

Imagine, I accepted Maid for Pleasure for review, and had to wait for my teen to get out of school. She told me the wrong time, of course, and I had an hour wait. I read the whole book in that hour and when my little innocent child knocked on the window, she scared the shizzle out of me. I let her in, and she said, "Mom, why is your face flushed?"

After much sqwaking and denial, she glanced at my phone. "Have you been reading smut again?"
"Guilty."
"Great." Eye roll.

Yes, this is a real convo. :)

This book was just that hot. I totally loved the characters and enjoyed the story line. The ending almost made me not love it, but even it has redeeming qualities. I can't tell you too much, because it is a short. The blurb tells you what the stories about, and I'll just tell you my opinion. I loved it. :)



Pick up your copy here!


Lucy Rodgers

Lucy Rodgers writes dark erotic tales that explore the three C’s: consent, coercion, and captivity. Her stories always include some combination of forced seduction, questionable consent, lack of safe words, indoctrination, and slavery/ownership. Lucy’s books are intended for mature readers who understand the difference between fantasy and reality and who are looking for erotic literature that explores not just the physical but also the psychological and emotional elements of sexual bondage and domination.


How to connect with Lucy
Website
Twitter
Email

6/17/2012

Sacrifice of Passion--Trailer Release

A lot of you know that I like to make trailers in my spare time--don't laugh, I do actually have spare time.

So my latest trailer was for Melissa Bourbon Ramirez, and her new Entangled Publishing release Sacrifice of Passion. It's part of Entangled's new Dead Sexy line. These books look great! I hope you enjoy!



And, if you do like, please go show her some love on Amazon or B&N !!! Likes, Tags, and purchases are all appreciated, lol. :)

Hope you all have a great day!

6/14/2012

Being on Submission--Yikes!

So, it's been a while since I've put myself back out there. Thanks to my Phoenix series, and my contract with Entangled Publishing, most of 2011 was "in the bag" so to say. But, it's time to get back out there.

Delilah Devlin had a new call for submission on her Smokin' Hot Fireman Anthology and I decided to try my luck. If you're quick with the short stories, there is still time to get a submission in. I think it ends 6/15/12.

Tuesday night I came home, and warned the children and hubs that I had a story to write. Two hours later, I sent my little 2300 word piece to two betas, revised, formatted and hit send. Whew.

The funny part was returning to the living---I mean living room and acknowledging to my family that I realized that with the day job and the writing, I'd just completely worked for 18 hours straight with barely a, "Hello, honey, I love you guys."

It's a good thing they love me so much, huh? :P

Now, we wait. Nerves will frazzle. People will be barked at. All will be disjointed until September. But...that's the way I like it. Pile on the stress, baby! I hope you all have a good day!!! ")

6/13/2012

Etopia Press Pitch Results

Pitching is a nerve wracking business, so I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Here are the books that I'd like to see directly submitted to me.

Kinley Baker's: Excuse My Fairy
Jenn Nixon: Tiva Boon: Royal Guardian
Laura Diamond: Shifting Pride
Renee Pace: The Forsaken
Sarah Makela: Skin Deep
Leia Rice: The Chieftan's Daughter
Wendy Knight: Feudlings
Theresa McClinton: The Stone Guardian

Please see the submission guidlines at http://etopiapressblog.wordpress.com/submission-guidelines/
You do need at least a 1-2 page synopsis of your story, basically a summary. In your email to me, be sure to add any social links that you use for marketing: website, twitter, FB, etc...

Please submit your submissions to rfirasek at hotmail dot com and put the words: Pitch Submission in your subject line, along with the Title of your book. Pitch Submission: Excuse My Fairy

Every editor is different, and we're all looking for different things. These are the titles that I'd like to see directly submitted to Etopia Press submissions@etopia-press.net for a chance to let the other editors see your work:

Susan JP Owens: Walking Into Her Heart
Kary Radar: Taylor Made Life
Imogene Nix: The Blood Bride (When you have it completed of course)
Kate Lynd & Melissa Goodman: Gun Powder and Lead: Book 1
Tamara Hoffa: A Soldier's Heart

Thank you all for pitching and sharing your work with me. I know it's a very frightening and exciting experience, but you've done it. :) I wish you luck and much success with your work. Now, go write another great book. Oh, and get those submissions in!

6/10/2012

Page Flipperz: Creating Fate - Rachel Firasek Book Review

Page Flipperz: Creating Fate - Rachel Firasek Book Review: CREATING FATE - RACHEL FIRASEK  She gave away her heart…… Giving her heart to a mortal wasn’t something the First Fate planned. Losi...

6/08/2012

Etopia Press Pitch Contest with Rachel Firasek



Some of you may know that I've taken a position as an editor for Etopia Press. I can't tell you how excited I am to be working with these fantastic publishing peeps and the authors that I've already stacked up.

I have the best authors and want to add more! :)

So, with that being said, I've gained permission to do a fun pitch contest. Here's what I'm looking for. Don't be shy. These really are great people!

First and foremost, I'm looking for authors ready to begin their careers in the publishing world, established authors that can kick out books on a consistent basis, and people that like to have fun!

1. I want naughty erotica books with heart, passion, and depth. Give me stories that will make me weep, pant, and smile at the end. Got a whip and rope...or two in it? Even better! All heat levels wanted, but the darker and hotter will get my attention fastest. Any length that falls in Etopia's submission guidelines will be considered. I'll post the link in a few.

2. Romance! I want to see the love. Paranormal, contemporary, hawt heroes and fiesty heroines, you name it, I want it.

3. YA romance! Yes, I know. It's the other end of the spectrum, but I love a good YA--especially with a HEA!

As promissed, you can check out Etopia's guidlines for submissions to make sure your story fits, and it'll help when labeling your genre, here.


On to the fun!!!

In a comment below, post your pitch and first 100 words as follows:

Author:
Title:
Genre:
Word Count:
50 word pitch.
1st 100 words of story.

Pitch ends 6/12/12 midnight!


I'll post winning pitches on Wednesday, 6/13/12 and give you an email addy to send in your requested fulls. (If I don't request your MS, there may be another editor or two lurking that will, so please don't be shy. Bring it! And, good luck!)

Lyrical Press Presents An Author Blitz + books!


Tell me which one catches your eye? Which cover makes you buy? Or which book you are most excited about---or something sweet about all three, and one person will win a free book from each author! :)




Ultimate power, or endless love?



Born the son of a Scottish laird a thousand years ago, but now trapped by his cousin's spell, Devin McLoch has seen countless battles and death. The erstwhile thief has turned away from darker pursuits to lead a life of peace, protecting those he loves and considers part of his clan. However, there is one woman he can never forget, who must be given a chance to change, to accept her heart and his.



Arianne Farrell is just as dangerous and intoxicating as her power. Imprisoned in an ancient stone dance more than a thousand years ago, her only chance at freedom from the spell is through love--a love she denied. When Devin asks for her aid to save another from imminent death, she realizes there is more at stake than just her freedom or her heart.



WARNING: Two stubborn sexy wizards using magic with no bounds, scorching love scenes, and happy ever after. Ever play with fire? 



A Lyrical Press Paranormal Romance


Excerpt #1 – (Steamy)

Dark, rich chocolate colored bedding echoed the tile framing the fireplace. Dainty furniture, curved legs and soft cushions, yet the poster bed was large and sturdy. She’d seen it before while she visited his dreams. Definitely Devin’s room. And remembering didn’t help the ache snaking through her body.



Walking into the en suite, the first thing to catch her eyes was the floor-to-ceiling mirror covering one wall. Arianne studied her reflection. Her long, dark curls were mussed and tangled around a pale face. Her lips were pink and just a bit swollen from Devin’s kiss. The only thing she wore was a long white shirt. Sniffing the collar, she smelled the crisp, clean fragrance clinging to the material. His shirt, not conjured. Devin didn’t wear cologne, but the scent of his soap always stayed with her. He must have changed her clothes. What else had she missed?



Because I love you. Men were ever a puzzle. Still, hadn’t she known? The dreams they shared had changed over time, slow and sweet instead of hot and fierce. A softness came over his face each night she visited his sleep, the same one she had seen this morning. Just that look was enough to have her quaking inside.



She found a bottle of bubble bath on the side of the tub. Thanks to Devin's dreams and Allie's influence, she had knowledge of modern conveniences such as indoor plumbing. Turning the faucet on hot, Arianne poured two capfuls under the stream and let the water run until the big round tub filled. Reluctantly, she unfastened the shirt buttons and let the material fall away to the floor. Slipping into the frothy bubbles, she sighed and let the reality of her situation sink in.



I am finally out of that wretched circle. True enough, but she was still in a prison of sorts. One with running water, walls, food that didn’t taste like air, and a sexy male witch bent on driving her to frustration. Not so bad, all things considered.



Being trapped in the stone dance didn’t mean she hadn’t noticed changes in the world around her for a thousand years. She tipped her feet out of the water, waved toward them, and turned her toenails a bright fiery red. Allie brought her little things from the modern world. Mostly books filled with sweet love stories; more than a few of them brought a blush to her cheeks. What would Ryan think of his daughter’s taste in novels? Better not to head down that road. Allie had dreams of being a writer like her aunt and uncle. If what she liked to read was any indication, she’d write hot. Very hot. Speaking of hot, a soft tapping sounded at the door. Her maddening laird had returned.



“Okay in there?” His voice sounded hesitant. “Breakfast is ready.”



Time to ruffle the phoenix’s feathers a bit. “There is no need to be shy, Devin. You can come in.”




 Brynna Curry



Author Bio: Paranormal romance and romantic suspense author Brynna Curry is a lifelong believer in the importance of reading. She enjoys the writing process, helping others hone their craft by lending her time to review books, critique manuscripts and serving as a contest judge. She loves hearing from her readers.



When she isn’t writing, she’s often found haunting the library for new books to read, at the park with her children, or just spending an quiet evening at home with her husband Jackie watching old westerns on TV. She makes her home in North Alabama where the history is rich with music and culture, forests and lakes are abundant and beautiful, and every day is another adventure.



Visit her at www.brynnacurry.com.


Twitter: @BrynnaCurry http://twitter.com/#!/brynnacurry



Buy Links





 
Kayla Cagle took the pic. She is Brynna’s 13 year old daughter.










 
All’s fair in love and war. 

As leader of a fox skulk, Cody is used to feeling protective. But when his best friend, Misty, gets attacked, his panic has nothing to do with duty. Suddenly, he’s noticing Misty as a woman instead of the girl he grew up with. But pursuing those feelings would risk their friendship, something he's unwilling to do. 

Misty's tried everything, without success, to convince Cody she's not "one of the guys". Yet now that he's looking at her like she always dreamed, he pulls away every time she gets close. 

Danger lurks in the background, waiting to pounce. Someone plots against the foxes, leaving them all in jeopardy…especially Misty. Will Cody overcome his fears in time to save the woman he loves?

A Lyrical Press Paranormal Romance
  
When her lips parted in surprise, his tongue swept inside, taking control. This wasn’t a gentle kiss, but one borne of frustration. He didn’t ask for control, but seized it.
His flavor filled her senses. Everything fell away as she lost herself in his kiss. The entire world disappeared until it all that existed was the two of them.
Wiggling to free her arms, Misty reached up and circled his neck, rubbing the hot skin at the back before threading her fingers in his hair. The new position allowed his hands to slide down to her hips, pulling her forward until her front was plastered against his. Every inch of her pressed against him. He hardened as he pushed against her.
She moaned into his mouth, her hands fisting in his hair. The reality of the situation hit her, causing a shiver of pure pleasure to snake down her spine. Cody stood in her front entranceway, kissing her with such passion. This couldn’t be happening. It had to be a dream. But her dreams had never compared to this.
He broke the kiss to gently bite her lower lip.
Her breath hitched as he trailed his lips down her throat, stopping to nibble at her collarbone. Without thought, her body jerked forward into him, thrusting her breasts up in invitation. An invitation he seemed to understand as he reached his hands around her back, keeping her arched forward. His lips continued their descent, placing gentle pecks at the edge of her shirt. Blood pounded in her ears, drowning out everything but the sensations thrumming through her, his lips on her breast, his hands firm against her back, encasing her. Supporting her.
“The bedroom,” she managed to gasp as he slipped his hands under her shirt. Everywhere he touched fired nerve endings, leaving a trail of sensation in their wake. His hands stopped and he lifted his lips away from the top of her breasts, making her groan in frustration. When he straightened, she opened her eyes to stare warily into his as he studied her.
She tried to put every bit of certainty into her eyes, willing him to continue what he’d started. She knew she’d won when the roguish smile curled his lips before he leaned down and ravished her mouth once again.

One of my favorite things is picking up a new book and sinking into the story, immersing myself in the emotions between the characters. I hope someday to inspire readers the same way my favorite authors have inspired me.
When not writing, I can usually be found curled up on the couch with a good book, taking my dogs for walks, or spending time with my family.
It always makes my day to hear from my readers.

Buy Links:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Worth-Fighting-Alpine-Shifters-ebook/dp/B0080E4P68/ref=la_B004RS9P16_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338936748&sr=1-1

When life hands you wolves, howl. 

The alpha wolf in Zalin's pack is slowing going insane, which is tough enough to contend with, but the guy is gunning for the woman Zalin loves--the rancher's daughter who saved his hide. He's torn between taking off to avoid a confrontation with the Alpha, and sticking around to protect Lucia. Opening his heart to her is not an option-- he's had enough rejection to last a lifetime. 

Lucia is fascinated by the "wolf" she saved--at the time unaware he was more than a canine. Zalin seems out to save her from his Alpha, but she wants more than protection from him. When spilled family secrets make her doubt everything she knows, she turns to Zalin for stability, only to learn he's planning to leave. 

Will Zalin desert the one he loves when she needs him most, or will he howl a challenge on her behalf? 


Lucia went around the bend in the road, driving automatically while pondering the encounter in town. Luckily she could drive this road blindfolded. She turned off to head down the long lane to the ranch and had no idea how she’d got here. Something was on the road up ahead, some animal, so she slowed down to give it a chance to get out of the way. It looked like a dog and she wondered why it was standing there.
As she got closer, she realized it wasn’t a dog, but a wolf.
The same brown wolf her father had shot two weeks ago, the very animal she’d never thought she’d see again--yet there it was, in the middle of the road.
He didn’t budge.
Lucia stopped the car a short distance away, watching her wolf. While she was happy to see he seemed to have recovered, she wasn’t sure what he was doing here. If her father came up this way, he’d definitely shoot him this time. Even she thought he was too close to their cattle, and she didn’t relish the idea of wolves hunting their cows. Especially if this wolf chose to wreak havoc, showing her father the error of his decision to let him live.
“Go away.” Lucia edged the car forward, hoping the animal would take off.
No such luck. Instead of running away, her wolf sat and cocked his head to the side, watching her. For long moments he stared at her, then lowered himself to lie on the icy surface, his head resting on his paws. Paws crossed at the wrist.
“Oh, sure. Be cute. I don’t think so.” Still, she had to grin, seeing him eye her up. It would be safer to stay in the car, but then...he hadn’t hurt her last time. Maybe he was friendly? Had someone taken a wolf pup and tamed it, only to have him run away later? It was possible, though highly unlikely. She’d have heard about a tame wolf around these parts.
The wolf didn’t move an inch. She couldn’t get past him without running him over, and if he didn’t move, she had no way to get home. “Come on wolf, I’m really not in the mood for games right now.”
Lucia turned off the engine to conserve fuel, since the beast apparently had no intention of leaving. Fine. For long minutes they just stared at each other. She’d sit here until he moved, even if it was getting rather cold in the car with the heating off. Lucia rubbed her hands and breathed on them, seeing the wolf lift his head. He got up, but she’d never seen an animal look so...heartbroken. He was all sad puppy eyes, his tail low and his head slightly bent. When that didn’t work on her either, he slunk off the road to stand in the snow, still watching her.
“Thank you.” Lucia started the car again, the icy blast from the heater making her shudder. At least it wasn’t far now, she doubted the engine would warm up enough to provide heat before she got to the ranch.
She kept her eye on the wolf and, to her surprise, he trotted alongside the car for a while. Half a mile from the ranch he stopped and watched her drive away, then turned and disappeared between the trees in the distance.
Strange. She knew wolves were highly intelligent, but this one displayed more than just canine smarts. He’d acted as if he knew exactly who she was, and he’d definitely tried to lure her out of the car.
Lucia pulled into the yard and unloaded the groceries she’d picked up in town. Her arms full, she headed into the house, still pondering the encounter with the wolf--and the man in town, who’d most definitely attracted her attention.

 
Silke grew up in Germany and is used to things going bump in the night -- and it wasn't always the acrophobic cat, or someone hitting their head on a low beam on the ceiling.
She writes paranormal romance, usually at night, and blames Anne Stuart to this day for all her ambitions and strange stories, after reading one of her books.
These days the only thing going bump at "oh-dark-thirty" is her -- usually when she smacks into the sofa while creeping to the kitchen for another cup of coffee.
When she is not writing, you can usually find her somewhere in the Surrey countryside on the back of her Paso Fino gelding Oscuro.

Silke likes to hear from her readers. Feel free to file://localhost/contact her<:a> via her blog at http/::www.evilauthor.com<:a>, follow her on contact her via her blog at http://www.evilauthor.com, follow her on Twitter, look her up

Don't forget to leave the comments!!!




6/05/2012

Why I'm Proud to Be a Female Author--Miranda Stork

Please help me welcome Miranda Stork to the blog today!!! :)


It’s the year 2012, and I’m a female author. Nowadays, that phrase doesn’t really attract much attention. But it was a very different story for the lady authors of yester-year.

While there were never any laws forbidding women to write or publish, it was seen as something lower than cleaning the outhouse. If you ask people about famous female writers, most people will mention the Bronte sisters, or perhaps Beatrix Potter, but in fact it goes back further than this, and I’ll come back to them.

One of the earliest female authors to make her livelihood from writing was Aphra Behn, who was born around 1640. She was was a prolific dramatist of the English Restoration and was one of the first professional female authors. Her writing  consisted of the amatory fiction genre, the predecessor of the romance novel.  Felix Shelling was said to have said of her, 'a very gifted woman, compelled to write for bread…Her success depended upon her ability to write like a man.' . . .’ Many of her male contempories thought her to be a lower rate writer, simply because she was a woman.

We move on to the nineteenth century, where we meet up with the Bronte sisters again. They were female writers who famously used men’s names for pseudonyms, as was the custom at that time. Had it been known they were women, they would never have had their books taken seriously. Charles Dickens (despite being my favourite author)had a rival for Britain’s favourite author in the Victorian era, in the form of Maria Corelli. Mary Shelley had Frankenstein’s Monster published under her own name, but again it was not seen as a great book.

Now we come to Beatrix Potter. When she first wrote The Tale of Peter Rabbit, it was initially rejected by the London publishers, Frederick Warne & Co, so she published it herself. Once her book began to take off, they eagerly withdrew their objections, and republished the book. It went on to be one of the most famous children’s stories in the world.

Even today, there are examples of women being expected to hide the fact they are a female writer. J.K. Rowling was told that it would be unlikely that boys would read a book by someone called ‘Joanne’, and so made her use her initials instead.

All of these examples show how much harder it is to write a book, and be taken seriously as a female writer. Even I occasionally get the brunt of it. When people ask about my book, and ask what genre it is, I always reply, “It’s a paranormal romance. But it leans heavily towards horror as well-in fact, you will find it in the ‘horror’ category of amazon.” Most women are curious about it, and want to know more. But most men…well, their next question is, “But it has romance in then? Wouldn’t you rather write romance? Not horror?”

If there is one thing you want to do to make my blood boil, it’s to call into question my ability to write horror because I’m a woman. You can ask if I’m qualified to write it because I may not have read or watched a lot of horror. You can call my writing of horror into repute because it isn’t  very good. And you can even say I shouldn’t write horror, because quite frankly, it didn’t scare you, not even a little bit.

But do not for one moment suggest it’s because of my gender.

So, to wrap this rant up, I’m proud to be a female author, because I can hold my head up high, and know that I’m defying society in some small way, that I’m writing because I’m a good author, and that I’m following in the footsteps of some very, very great ladies.







Conner
Erin is a young psychologist, with no time for anything but her work, and unable to remember anything about her past. She leads an uneventful life, but a lonely one, in which she secretly wishes for a soulmate... Conner is an unusual patient who approaches her, thrusting her into a strange world of darkness that runs beneath our own. He believes himself to be a creature of legend-a werewolf. But he also draws Erin with a roguish charm, and an irresistible feeling that seems to bind them together... Conner desperately tries to save her from an unknown evil that pursues her with a relentless passion that crosses centuries, an evil that once took her very soul away, somewhere in Erin's lost memories. As she becomes more entwined in a series of events that will remind her of who she really is, will she make it away from the oncoming darkness unscathed...?

Conner Trailer

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Miranda Stork

I was born in Guisborough, North Yorkshire in 1987 and have lived in various places around Britain, including Newcastle and Glasgow. My writing is inspired by various writers, including the vivid characters of Charles Dickens, the imagination of Stephen King, and the gothic imagery of Anne Rice. My love of horror began at an early age, when I was only three or four. I could read proficiently at the age of three, and devoured fairy-stories, but I always had a bent towards the darker stories, such as the Brother's Grimm's tales...Red Riding Hood was always a firm favourite, although I always felt sorry for the wolf, despite him having tried to eat everyone! I also had an incredibly vivid imagination, leading me to believe that the noises that the radiator in my room made, were in fact the noises of monsters hiding behind it. This led to me having terrible nightmares, in which I believed I woke up and would see them sat in my room, doing nothing more extraordinary than playing cards or reading a book. As I got older, my love of tales about unknown creatures persisted, always wanting to devour tales about ghosts or other beings. Being born in Guisborough was also a coincidence, as it is a town rich in folklore and ghosts in various places, such as the Black Monk of Guisborough Priory...whether or not any of these stories were true, I still don't know, but I love the tingle of imagining whether or not they might be. As I began school, I began to read more books, and became enraptured with the tales of ancient Greece and Rome, loving the explanations for simple things around us turned into figures and gods. To this day, I still have an avid love of ancient customs, and I have especially fallen in love with Celtic symbolism and myths, winding them into my novels whenever possible. As I got older, about ten or eleven, I had moved, to a small village, with only about 80 children or so. I quickly became the main story-teller of my friends, my favourite one being a story about a girl who buys a porcelain doll, only to hate it after a few days and lock it away in her family's garage. The doll of course, is haunted, and breaks back into the house, calling, 'I'm coming, I'm coming...!' until she reaches the little girl, who is hiding under her cover, where she whispers, 'I'm here, I'm here...!' The poor mother of course comes into her daughter's room in the morning and finds her daughter dead, with the doll sat on top of her. I have a vague memory of telling a wide-eyed group of peers one morning, and one of them running off crying...I think I got told off for telling stories that were too scary at school. At the age of seven or so, I was given two books by a relative; one of them was a large collection of Lewis Carroll, and to this day my favourite poem is 'Phantasmorgoria'. The other book was a collection of weird tales, all involving fair maids and witches, devils and wicked spirits in some form or another, a lot of them derived from eastern story-telling, where children and evil witches constantly collide-usually with awful consequences. This persisted with a series of magazines and music called 'The Magical Music Box'. At this point I began to really get into more horror books, watching all and any horrors on television, even ones that were far too cheesy to watch without laughing. Point Horror stories became a favourite on my shelf as I went into my teens, alongside my classic favourites such as Dorian Grey and Great Expectations (still my favourite book to this day). I got hooked onto Anne Rice novels as well, loving the combination of a typically monstrous creature who had redeeming qualities akin to human ones. The most terrifying book that ever made an impression on me has to be The Exorcist. The film is nothing compared to the book-I don't believe I slept the night after finishing it, waking up at every noise in my room, imagining it to be a voice or whispered giggle. (If you want to cut my bio down a little, please feel free, it's simply the author bio I use everywhere else, so I thought it would be best to send you the whole piece.)

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