Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Coming Out Of The Closet, er, Coffin


Talking about being a vampire book writer can be weird.

In non-book-related situations, I mean.

I've only recently come "out of the coffin" in general and let everyone know that I write vampire books. And, not only do I write regular vampire books, but my alter ego/evil twin writes smut vampire books (as my brother calls them).

I've lived in Boulder, CO for a long time, and I've built up various reputations here: first as a tarot reader/psychic and then, as I got more degrees and gathered more education, a counselor/psychotherapist, hypnotherapist and college instructor. I was lucky enough to write a weekly newspaper column for a few years.

Since Boulder is a metaphysical/holistic/"granola" kind of place, people have come to expect certain things from me.

Vampires don't usually fit into their ideas about who I am and what I do.

For example, I participated in a metaphysical fair recently where I did Tarot readings and sold my guided hypnotherapy CDs. I had my book cover postcards on my table, and people frequently picked them up to investigate. I can't tell you the number of times the postcard was thrown back onto the table with a gasp, and -- eyes wide -- the person would inevitably say something about "how could such a lightworker such as you (meaning me), have anything to do with something so dark and satanic as vampires." Wow. Shades of my childhood. But the annoying regularity of the reaction caused me to put my cover photo postcards under the table so as to soothe the fragile sensibilities of the fair participants. Their reactions really took me by surprise. I guess I'd assumed they'd be more open-minded. In my world, metaphysical, paranormal and supernatural all go together.

Well, lessons learned. Will I be holding any booksigning events at metaphysical book stores? Probably not. Well, maybe a pagan one here and there.

But, I'm letting all my clients know about the sale of my book and its upcoming availability. Even psychotherapists have shadowy corners. Will they run, screaming? Gee, my bank balance hopes not!

And speaking of bank balances, I was thrilled to get a nice royalty check from the epub my alter ego sold her novella to. Quite surprisingly delightful.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

I signed a contract for my second book!

Ta da! I just signed a contract with Medallion Press to publish the second book in my vampire psychologist series. The book is tentatively called "Dark Harvest." I'm not really going to tell anyone until the contracts are all neatly filed, etc., so let's just keep this between you and me for now, okay?

grin

I'm counting the days until "The Vampire Shrink" is released in October! Yay!





Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Another Review for "The Vampire Shrink"!! And an Interview!


I can't help myself. Having my book come out this year is just about the most exciting thing I've experienced in a long time! Every step along the way is wonderful and terrifying! So, needless to say, I Google the book often to see if anything new has shown up (and, as you might imagine, I'm hoping for positive things!). Anyway, I found another lovely review today at Simegen.com. Here's the link:



Gotta Write Network interviewed me. Here's the link:

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Excellent New Vampire Blog!


Marta Acosta, author of "Midnight Brunch," and "Happy Hour at Casa Dracula," has created a great vampire resource. Here's the link:
Add Vampire Wire to your favorites!

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Why do women love vampires?




A newspaper reporter friend asked me that the other day.

We hadn't seen each other for a while, and she was surprised to find out that the book I'd written (she knew I was writing one, and she just assumed it was nonfiction -- something about psychology or hypnotherapy or psychic abilities) was about vampires. She was so surprised, that she stood silent, staring at me for several seconds. "Vampires? Like the old gross, skinny bald guy with the long, filthy fingernails? Like Bela Lugosi? Why would you want to write about them?" I explained that I found the idea of a gorgeous immortal tapping at my window, wanting inside to share my bed, to be highly arousing. "Ewwwwww," she said. "You like the idea of having sex with some festering dead thing?" "No," I explained. "That sounds more like zombies. Not my orgasmic cup of tea at all."

So, for the next half hour I told her about paranormal romance and the explosion of vampire fiction over the last few years. She hadn't even read Anne Rice!! She said she had a hard time wrapping her mind around the apparent fact that women love vampires. (I'm sure men love vampires too, but that's a totally different subject, which I won't cover for now.)

Anyway, she said that if a wrote an article about "Why Do Women Love Vampires," she'd see what she could do to use it as a feature article. No promises. Well, cool!

Hera St. Aubyn is going to help with the research, by asking a different question on her blog: How many different "kinds" of vampires are there, and which is your favorite and why?

http://herastaubyn.blogspot.com

So, I'm going to ask all my vampire-loving friends to tell me why they love vampires. If you'd like to leave a comment with your opinion here (and on Hera's blog), we'd be very grateful!

So, why do women love vampires?


Thursday, May 17, 2007

My First Review for "The Vampire Shrink"!


I got my first review today for "The Vampire Shrink." Gotta Write Network gave the book 5 out of 5 Quills! What a wonderful surprise!


You can read it here:



Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Hera St. Aubyn's "Undead in the City" On Sale Today!


If you like erotic paranormal (vampire) romance, you need to check out Hera's steamy "Undead in the City." Here's a link to read an excerpt and purchase the book:




Saturday, May 12, 2007

Vampire Panel at CRW Conference and Books You Should Buy!








What fun! I participated in a panel today with 2 other authors (both with vampire novels currently available), Jeanne C. Stein ("The Becoming" and "Blood Drive") and Mario Acevedo ("Nymphos of Rocky Flats" and "X-Rated Bloodsuckers"). They are both delightful and great to panel up with. Run right out and buy their books! And while you're at it, feel free to pre-order mine at Amazon.com!!!

Also, the wonderful Marta Acosta (who, along with Jeanne was sweet enough to blurb my upcoming book) also has a "must buy" book: "Midnight Brunch" (and don't miss her first book, "Happy Hour at Casa Dracula").

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Appearances and Book Signing Events

Here are some places I'll be:

2011

RomCon, Denver
Friday, Aug 5-Sunday, Aug. 7

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Conference
Denver
Friday, Sept. 9-Sunday, Sept. 11

CRW Author's Tea
Brighton, CO
Saturday, October 8

Lady Jane's Salon
Denver
Tuesday, October 11

Novelists, Inc. Conference
Tampa, FL
Wed., Oct. 19-Sunday. Oct. 23

World Fantasy Con
San Diego, CA
Wed., Oct. 26-Sunday, Oct. 30

2012

Romantic Times Con
Chicago
April 11-April 15

Pikes Peak Writers Con
April 20-April 22

RomCon
Denver
June 22-24

Comic Con
July 12-15

RWA Con
July 25-28

*********************

2009
****************
Friday, Jan 2, 5 p.m.

Taping a public broadcast interview

at Broomfield Public Library

******

Wednesday, January 21

Guest Blogger at Bitten by Books

******

Saturday, January 31

Book Signing

The Haven with authors Melissa Mayhue and Elaine Levine

******

Friday, Feb. 6

Interview on Reader's Entertainment Radio

6:15 p.m. mountain time

******

Saturday, Feb. 7

Valentines Author Event, Louisville Public Library

Book signing

******

Sunday, Feb. 8

Signing with authors Elaine Levine, Melissa Mayhue and Robin Owens

Book Mall, Denver

******

Saturday, Feb. 14

Book reading in Second Life with author Melissa Mayhue

5 p.m. mountain time

******

Opus Fantasy Festival

Red Lion Hotel, Denver

Friday-Sun, March 13-15

Panel participant, book signing

******

Saturday, March 21, noon

Book signing with Elaine Levine, Melissa Mayhue, Robin Owens, Tara Janzen

Centerra B&N, Loveland, CO

******

Saturday, March 28

Book signing with Elaine Levine, Melissa Mayhue, Robin Owens, Tara Janzen

Readers Cove, Ft. Collins, CO

******

April 18, 10-4

Author event at Carbon Valley Regional Library

Firestone, CO

******

April 19, 12-3

Author Open House

Englewood Library, Englewood, CO

******

April 21-26

Romance Lovers Convention

Orlando, FL

Panel and book signing

******

May 1-2

Colorado Romance Writers Convention

Denver, CO

Panels and book signing

******

May 9

Multi-Author Book Signing

With Melissa Mayhue, Elaine Levine, Robin Owens, Tara Janzen

Borders Books, Greeley, CO

******

May 17

Multi-Author Book Signing

With Melissa Mayhue, Elaine Levine, Robin Owens, Tara Janzen

Borders Books, Boulder, CO



******

May 26, 7 p.m.

Book signing with authors Carrie Vaughn and Esri Rose
Boulder Bookstore, Boulder, CO

******


2008

January 12, 9-noon

Longmont Free University

I'm teaching a class on writing paranormals and having a book signing after.

******

January 13, 3 p.m.

Denver Book Mall

Signing with author Carrie Vaughn

******

January 26, 2 p.m.

Signing

Borders Books, Boulder, CO

******

February 8, 5:30 p.m.

Signing

Barnes and Noble Bookstore, Boulder, CO

******

February 9, 9-noon

Longmont Free University

I'm teaching a class on writing paranormals and having a book signing after.

******

February 10

Sisters in Crime

Colorado Springs, CO

Presentation: When Two Worlds Collide, integrating the paranormal/metaphysical/nonordinary in everyday life and into your writing.

******

February 16, 2 p.m.

Borders Books, Longmont, CO

Signing with author Melissa Mayhue

******

February 23, 2 p.m.

Borders Books, Greeley, CO

Signing with author Melissa Mayhue

******

March 8, 2 p.m.

Barnes & Noble, Thornton, CO

Signing with author Melissa Mayhue

******

April 13, 1-3 p.m.

Englewood Public Library

Author Open House

******

April 18-20

Horrorfest, Denver, CO

Panel, booksigning

******

May 24, 2 p.m.

Centerra Barnes & Noble, Loveland, CO

Signing with authors Melissa Mayhue and Robin Owens

******

May 31, 2-4 p.m.

Pikes Peak Writers Book Signing

Barnes & Noble, Chapel Hills Mall, Colo. Spgs

******

August 6-10, 2008

World Science Fiction Convention

Panels, Book Signing
Denver, CO

******

August 15

Book Club appearance, Denver

******

September 12-14

Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Conference, Denver

Book signing, presenting

******

September 20-21

Mountain and Plains Trade Show

Colorado Springs, CO

Hanging out at the booth, passing out promo.

******

October 3 & 4

Author Fest of the Rockies

Manitou Springs, CO

Panel with Esri Rose and Jeanne Stein, Book Signing

******

October 22

Boulder Bookstore

Signing with Esri Rose and Carrie Vaughn

******

October 24-26

Mile High Con

Denver, CO

******

October 29, 7 pm

Vampire Night at Douglas Co. Library

Presentation and signing with Jeanne Stein and Mario Acevedo

******

November 8

Association of Libraries Conference

Denver, CO

Giving out promo at the CRW booth

******



December 6, 3-6 p.m.

The Neighborhood Bookstore

Author Event

Littleton, CO

******

December 13, 2 p.m.

Chapel Hills Barnes & Noble

Colorado Springs, CO

Signing with author Bob Spiller

******

December 14, 2 p.m.

Citadel Barnes & Noble

Colorado Springs, CO

Signing with author Bob Spiller