Interview with Count Saint Germain author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.

Today VampirePhile has the pleasure of an interview with Chelsea Quinn Yarbro author of Count St. Germain Chronicles. 

VampirePhile: Thank you Chelsea and welcome. Now regarding your essay: On the Electronic Backlist, Do you think that there will ever come a time when books will only be offered electronically? Thereby potentially eliminating the need for “print” publishing?

 

 

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro:  Of course not.  There will always be a place for books, although I think such things as purely recreational reading, and text books may well become largely electronic over the next decade.

 

 

VP: It seems that you were ahead of the time/s when you published e-books with Hidden Knowledge back in the 1990’s. Would you, personally, ever consider only e-publishing your books in the future?

 

 

CQY:  I certainly wouldn't rule it out, considering how the publishing industry has been acting the last few years, but I'm old enough to prefer having my work available in paper-and-print as well as electronic forms. I'm not being entirely facetious --- I suspect that layered publishing is going to emerge in the next five years, and small press editions accompanying e-editions will become more common than what is presently the norm.

 

  

VP: Do you see the continued advancement of electronic publishing having an impact on bookstores and their need to be?

 

 

CQY: I think bookstores will change how they present their products; I doubt they will vanish, although I wouldn't be surprised if the supermarket approach to bookstores will lessen.  I suspect specialty bookstores will re-surge in importance, and will offer more than books to their customers.  It wouldn't surprise me to see bookstores offering, along with signing parties, mini-seminars and discussion groups.  And since not everything will be available in e-form immediately, I think it likely that used and rare books will be part of the attractions that bookstores will offer.  At least that's how it looks now.  Ask me again in a year or two; my opinion may change in the interim.

 

 

 

VP: In your opinion, do you foresee any major steps, other than those already in place that may need to be taken to protect electronic copyrights, especially given the nature of the Internet and this being the age of easy access to information?

 

 

CQY:  I certainly hope so.  The whole issue of copyright and how to protect it is undergoing change.  The print life of copyright is longer than it's ever been, and I wholeheartedly support that.  There have been some recent decisions about e-copyright that, while a good start, have many bugs to work out of the system before the copyright can function in e-form as it does in print. 

 

  

VP: Taking a look at some of your honours, what was it like for you (your feeling in the moment) to be named a Living Legend by the International Horror Guild and being only two women ever to be named Grand Master of the World Horror Convention?

 

 

CQY:  Of course, the recognition feels wonderful and gratifying, but as you point out, most of the recognition has gone to men.  As satisfying as it is to get these awards, I would feel much better if more of the fine women writers in the field had received these awards as well.  There are many excellent women writers who have not been given the same attention as their male colleagues; I'd like to think that this will change in the not-too-distant future.

 

 

VP: Your vampire Count Saint-Germain novels are described as being “accurately detailed historical fiction”, what inspired you to plot your stories in a historical setting? And do you think authors who also write historical fiction (regardless of genre) owe it to their readers to be as authentically accurate as possible?

 

 

 

CQY:  When you have a 4,000 year old character, as the historical Comte de Saint-Germain claimed to be, it's hard to avoid history.  The evolution of human cultures, thought, and experience, fascinates me. I also think that the study of the past sheds a great deal of light on the present, and helps to develop a sense of the future --- you can't know where you're going until you know where you've been.  I try for as much historical accuracy as the story-line will allow, because I think there isn't much point in setting a story in an historical period, and then to represent the time inaccurately, but I'm not dogmatic about it.  Every writer is entitled to do his or her work their own way.  But if history is represented with anachronistic ideas and social conduct, I, as a reader, may throw the book across the room, but that's just me --- others may find no problem in historical inaccuracies.  I also like alternate history.  I have a proposal for an alternate history trilogy that has yet to find a home, which is too bad, because I'd have a grand time writing it.
 

 

VP: From perusing your website, I read the news that “Tor has contracted for A Embarrassment of Riches which will be novel #22 in the Saint-Germain Chronicles.” Can you tell fans a bit and/or reveal anything of what it’ll be about?

 

 

CQY: The story takes place in the Kingdom of Bohemia toward the end of the 13th century,  at a time when Bohemia was the richest Kingdom in Europe.  Almost all the action takes place in Praha (Prague) around the Court of Queen Kunigunde, who was the granddaughter of King Bela of Hungary.  The story has to do with all the various skullduggeries that happens under the surface of the Court.

 

 

VP: Would you ever one day like to see your count Saint-Germain novels adapted for the screen (big? or small?)?  And have you ever imagined the actor who you’d like to see portray him?

 

 

CQY:  You bet.  And for the last thirty-plus years I've thought about casting.  My preferences have changed over time, largely because even the most charismatic actors are not immortal, and someone who might have been my choice twenty years ago is now no longer of an age to take on the characters.

  

VP: With the current “undead” trend in film and tv being ever so popular seems, especially today, like the fans want more fangs! Other than your own, what are some other vampiric or vampire related works you’d like to see adapted for the big and/or small screen?

 

 

CQY:  When I read, I rarely think of film, except occasionally when reading those annoying books that are clearly written with screen adaptation in mind.  That said, I think that some of Tanith Lee's work would do well on the screen, and although I think it would be difficult to do justice to the books, Christopher Moore's comic vampire novels could be great fun on the screen.  The trouble is, screen adaptation is such a complex matter, that the simple idea of a film or tv presentation would depend on who did the screenplay, who directed it, who designed it, how it was filmed, etc. etc. etc, that even imagining a cinematic form tends to be nearly impossible to envision, no matter how appropriate the story may seem to be to film or tv.

 

 

VP: Giving Saint-Germain’s nature as “more honorable, humane, and heroic than most of the humans around him.”  In a general sense, what do you think might be his take on the world we live in today?

 

 

CQY:  The world today is perhaps a bit too all-encompassing for an answer.  What aspect of the world today?  The international political situation?  Conditions in Africa and Asia and Latin America?  Issues of climate change --- which he has dealt with in a couple books --- and natural disasters?  The population crunch?  Technological and scientific advances?  Human trafficking?  The increasingly complex international Internet and its ramifications?  All of these aspects of the current world have potential as story material, as do many others.  The three novels and the eight Saint-Germain short stories set in the 20th century address some of these issues, as does the one short story in the 21st century, but there is no simple response to your question. 

 

 

  

VP: And finally, how far have you imagined taking Count Saint-Germain? That is to say, apart from those stories already planned (numbers #24 & #25, according to the website), how many more may be there after? 

 

 

CQY: That depends on the publishers much more than me.  I still have a lot of history I can draw upon, and a character who can go many places, geographically and historically, assuming that Tor wants more of him, or of Olivia; I'm willing to write more, if the publisher wants to publish more, but that part of the equation is out of my hands. 

 
  

V***V 

Interview with Jerry Gonzales of Dusk Comics.

Today VampirePhile has the pleasure of an interview with Jerry Gonzales, artist/illustrator with Dusk Comics.

VampirePhile: Hello Jerry and welcome. So my first question is, for those reading who may not yet know about you, tell us a bit about yourself, such as how you got started as an illustrator/graphic artist?

Jerry Gonzales: Thanks for the opportunity. I'm from Austin, TX., born and raised, I got into wanting to draw comics at a young age. Then again who didn't. I really started to focus on getting in to the comic business around high school, after I had made a short comic for my friends and realized that I could do this for a living. I never went to college for my career, I was self taught in how to illustrate for comics. Before the age of Facebook, MySpace, DeviantArt, and so forth, I sent all my submissions via snail mail. After many months of mailing submissions to several different companies, one company from San Antonio named Antarctic Press, published several pin ups and stories for their fan based Annuals of Gold Digger and Ninja High School. A few years later, I met David at a con in Dallas and he got me a job at Dusk Comics.  

VP: Tell us a bit about Dusk Vol. I & II and Mystery Masque (formerly Miss Masque)?

JG:  Dusk is about a young woman name Eve who was in a abusive marriage but gets kidnapped into the world of vampires and magic. Her benefactor, Lord Ash, leads her back to a normal life but Eve chooses to stay with Ash. Mystery Masque is another version of the comic character from the 1940's Miss Masque. Also better know as Masquerade from Dynamite Entertainment. Note that Miss Masque is a public domain character so there's not too much of a worry of a legal lawsuit coming our way. Anyway the difference between Dynamite's Miss Masque and ours is that their character focuses on the superpower aspect of Miss Masque. Our version deals with crime fighting side of the character. In the book, Diana Adams is an adrenaline, she feels alive when she's in a stressful situation. So when her friend/co-worker, gets in trouble with a criminal organization, Diana takes advantage of the situation helping her friend out thus giving her the alter ego of Miss Masque.   

       

VP:  How long you've been an illustrator / graphic artist with Dusk Comics?

JG: I've worked for Dusk Comics for about roughly two or three years. Wow, time flies when you get into the comic biz. (laughs)

VP: How long does one panel take to draw and/or colour in? 

JG: With one panel, from pencils to inks, it only takes about an hour. A full page from beginning to end takes about eight hours to do. I used to crank out pages in less time but the end result was the pages turned out poorly. So I started to slow down my process and take my time with the artwork. I've avoided coloring, due to the fact that I suck at it. Someday, I might take the time to learn how to color. 

VP: What materials do you use and/or prefer to use? And what medium do you work in? Do you illustrate by computer or by hand or both?

JG: I materials that I use are mechanical pencils (varying from .03 to 2mm), non-photo blue pencils, kneaded eraser, Sumi black ink, Hunt 102 crow quill pen, various brushes, .35 and .50 Koh-i-noor pens, and for paper I use Blue Line Pro art boards. I mainly go the traditional route when it comes to illustrating comics. But I recently started messing around with sketching on Manga Studio and on Photoshop. I not sure if I really want to commit to doing all of my comic work digitally.

VP: In three words, describe your style?

JG: Work in Progress.

VP: Give us a general idea of the process it may take to develop a comic such as Dusk, especially as it’s all collaborative. How many people are involved at any one time? Is it all done at the same time or does it go through several stages starting with the author?

JG: The steps for developing a comic usually goes by: writer has a script, which goes to the penciler who illustrates the pages, then the inker goes over the pencils and last the letter types up the dialog. In between each step there's constant communication (via email) with the writer/editor. As for how long the process takes, it all depends on how reliable everybody who is contributing to the book(s). Some of us have bills to pay so we rely on our jobs in the outside world to take care of that while getting an issue done at a particular time frame. The first volume of Dusk, didn't have too much of a deadline to work on. All the stories were culminated over long periods of time. Mystery Masque was done in about eight or nine months, or at least on my part I was able to finish the book within that time.        

VP: Other than graphically, do you contribute to the storyline of the Dusk series and/or Mystery Masque?

JG: The only thing I contribute to the storyline is mainly just pacing of the story. If there's something that doesn't look right with a particular page then I'll shoot an email to David and then go from there. I would like a shot at writing a comic someday. It may not involve Dusk or Mystery Masque, but I have a few ideas that I would like make into a comic.

VP: Given the nature of Dusk, what do you find attractive about the world of the Paranormal, if anything?

JG: I find it amazing that every paranormal story and/or legend that has been told for God knows how long, still fascinates us and keeps us wanting more.

VP:  Where and/or how far would you like to see the Dusk series go?

JG:  I would like to see the series last a few more volumes in the comic world, I like illustrating the book and I would like to continue drawing Dusk in the future. As for anything past the comics medium...well that's for David to decide.

VP:  What is your opinion of comics adapted for the big screen? What have been some of your favourite adaptations? Or what are you looking forward to?

JG: For a long time I was real picky about how the movie industry would handle some of the well known comic characters. Over time I realized that they're not making a movie just for the regular comic geeks, they're making a comic movie for the people who aren't comic geeks. I mean you're trying to fit a full comic into a two to three hour movie, and keep the viewer entertained. So you have to forgive a little on the screenwriter or the director from deviating away from the original book. Best advice for anybody who wants to see a movie that looks good, don't go in with high hopes, there's a good chance that you'll be disappointed. As for some of my favorite adaptations, Dark Knight is right on top of the list. Kick-Ass was a good movie, also The Losers, was really good. It didn't do well in the box offices but when you watch the movie, its really entertaining. I look forward to seeing Green Lantern, Captain America and Thor.

VP: What is your opinion with regards to Western and Manga? 

And with regards to the terminology “Comic” vs. “Graphic Novel”? Which of the two do you do prefer to use? Do you think there is any relevance to the divide that some enthusiasts feel with regards to the label “Graphic Novel” vs. the label “Comic”?

JG: I enjoy both western and Manga. I grew up on western comics (Marvel, DC, Image), so I have the traditional style of comic book storytelling embedded in my memory. With Manga, I discovered that genre back in high school, much like everyone did in my generation. I'm amazed on how long it has lasted and how mainstream it has become. Back in the day, you couldn't buy mangas at a Borders or a Barnes and Nobel. You would have to special order it through a local comic shop, order online, or go to a convention just to get a import of a manga. I really got into the manga genre because I was fasinated with how complex the stories were and how the artwork was detailed and bold. If it wasn't for manga, I think, I would still be looking for my own style or just plain given up comics all together.

I have mixed feelings about the label "comics" vs. the label "graphic novel". I prefer use the label "comics" over "graphic novel". But when I talk to someone about what I do I tend to use graphic novel. The way I see it, saying graphic novel over saying comics is like saying I work as a Movie theater consultant, when actually you work in the box office at a movie theater near the mall. Both have the same meaning, just one sounds more grown up.  

 

VP:  Who are some (other) graphic artists you may admire and why?

JG:  The top one on my list is Fred Perry, he's an writer and American-manga artist for "Gold Digger". I love his work, he's the reason I have an art style. Another artist is Frank Cho of Liberty Meadows fame, his artwork is amazing. Also Carlos Pacheco, is another great artist, I got into his style when I read JLA/JSA: Vice and Virtue. I love the way he draws hands. I could go on, but if I did then this interview would take forever. 

VP:  Technology and Art. With regards to both, what do you think are the pros (and cons) if any? 

JG: The good thing that I can think of is that technology has become a very reliable tool with comics. It has changed the way we do art. The down side, it has become too reliable. I feel that without learning how to draw traditionally, the art itself will suffer. Granted I'm in that phase of learning to draw digitally, but it still won't replace the feel of working with pencil and ink.     

VP: A just for fun question to finish - With the current “undead” trend in Film and Tv being ever so popular with True Blood, Twilight, Vampire Diaries, Being Human, Underworld etc – seems like the fans want more fangs! What are some other vampiric or vampire related works you’d like to see adapted for the big and/or small screen?

JG:  Well (I'm out dating myself here), there was a book that was released back in the mid to late 90's called Crimson, done by Humberto Ramos. I enjoyed that book and I would of like to see it in a form of a live action TV series. But honestly I would like to do the opposite of putting a vampire related movie or Tv show into a Graphic Novel format. Kind of like what happened to Buffy after the TV series was over, the following season was done in comic format.              

                                                                                                                                                                         

VP: Well thank you very much Jerry for stopping by and giving readers the opportunity to discover more about your world and the world of Dusk Comics. We would like to wish you and David Doub and everyone at Dusk Comics continued success with the new release/s. It’s been a pleasure having you here and definitely looking forward to more in the future. 

For more info on Dusk Comics and for a free read of Dusk Vol. 1, visit: http://www.duskcomics.com/

You can also see more of Jerry's work on his deviantArt page. http://monkeygeek.deviantart.com/

V***V

Interview with Skyler White author of "and Falling, Fly".

Just in time to coincide with St. Patrick's Day today VampirePhile has the pleasure of an interview with Skyler White, author of the provocative debut novel and Falling, Fly (which is set predominantly in Ireland).

VampirePhile: Hello Skyler, welcome. First off I must give kudos on a great read. As I mentioned in my review, I found your writing to be very lyrical, insightful and thought provoking. 

So my first question is then, for those reading who may not yet know about you, tell us a bit about yourself: such as how you got started? How long you've been writing?

Skyler White: I’ve used writing as a problem-solving tool for as long as I can remember. Somehow, I think more clearly when I’m writing than I do otherwise. But I’ve only been writing for publication for about five years, and this is my first published book. Before that, I’d been a ballet dancer and a stage director. I worked in advertising for a while and I had an Internet start-up venture, back in the day when those were fashionable. I had developed a line of dogma-free prayer candles, but I hated the production part of it. I felt really good about the way they looked and how every part of them was ethically and environmentally sourced, but I hated making and boxing and building them. The more I sold, the more I had to do that, so I was in the stupid place of being disappointed when new orders came in.

I kept trying to develop new products instead of selling the ideas I’d already had, and finally my husband and my best friend (both of whom I’d roped in to helping me with design and marketing) sat me down and pointed out that what I really loved was the thinking and the writing, and maybe I should find a different pursuit that allowed me to concentrate on those aspects more. It wasn’t easy to hear, but I’m so glad they helped me see it, because I’m much happier now.

VP: So you mentioned (re: and Falling, Fly) in your bio on your website, that: “I wrote it because I needed to meet Olivia. Because I was interested in the difference between wanting and being wanted.”

Were you able to reconcile these differences and how?

Skyler White: You’re the first person to ask me that. It’s a hard question. But yes, I think I did find reconciliation between the two impulses, although it’s something I have to remember. I revert back to old patterns very easily.

For me, it was about getting in touch with the un-lady-like hungers, with being able to say “I want” rather than “He wants me.” I still like feeling desirable, and a lot of times, my awareness of being attracted to someone shows up first in the thought “he likes me!” or “is she coming on to me?” But I’m learning to turn my attention from looking for clues about how the other person feels to looking at my own feelings. I try to focus directly on my wanting. Which is hard. Because wanting is a kind of pain. It’s an awareness of lack. You want what you don’t have.

Once you have something you wanted, you feel appreciation or enjoyment or boredom, but not wanting anymore. Not desire. That implies lack. And I find myself quick to transfer my longing towards things I can gratify. I’ll have a snack or go shopping rather than simply experience the feeling of wanting. But I’m trying to learn to be OK with just the wanting. It’s not something I’m good at yet.

VP: I love the new type of language you use, for example “psycast”, what method (if any) did you employ for creating your unique words? And what made you decide to use the word “quills” rather than “fangs”?

Skyler White: Thank you! I had tremendous amount of fun playing with language while writing.

Psycasting came out of “broadcasting” or “telecasting” put together with the character Psyche from Greek mythology, who is a close relative to the sisters.

I really didn’t want to use the word “fangs” at all because they have an animal connotation that I didn’t want to invoke. My vampires aren’t animalistic at all. They’re barely even humanistic. “Quill” comes out of animal terminology too, but it implies feathers, (or porcupines!) and wings. And because they’re angels and have (or had) wings, a feather-vocabulary seemed more appropriate. The fact that writers used quills was kind of a fun bonus, too!

VP: What do you find attractive about the world of the Paranormal?

Skyler White: Its readership! There are simply no more generous, open-minded readers out there. As a writer, if you want to experiment with genre, with form, with language, with worlds or ideas, there really is no other space you can mix and match with so much freedom.

VP: and Falling, Fly is a beautiful title, especially for the image it evokes. How did you come to choose it? And what does it mean to you?

Skyler White: Thanks! It ended up giving me fits, what with the lower case “a” and the comma, but it really did mean a lot to me, so I’m glad we stuck with it. There are a couple of levels to the title for me. The first is the simple idea of commitment. It’s the “you can’t learn to dive in the shallow end” lesson of courage and reward. If you want to fall in love – hell, if you want to write a book – you have to hurl yourself off the parapet not just once, but every day. You have to take risks.

But it’s also a metaphysical thing. When we fall from grace, when we toss ourselves out of heaven, out of safety and supplied answers, only then to we have the possibility of reaching a paradise of our own creation under our own strength. Only once you’ve had your heart broken can you love. It takes experience, good and bad, to grow into our full selves.

VP: and Falling, Fly touches on a few particular, poignant issues, especially as it relates to women: desire (being desired) and love. Do you feel that as women today (esp. in this media driven time), that we have it harder, than say our fore-mothers?

Skyler White: I don’t know. I think it’s hard to be a woman today, but it’s a different kind of hard than it was a hundred years ago, but I’m not sure which is harder. I know I wouldn’t switch places with my foremothers if for no other reason than the child-mortality numbers, but I don’t think we’re living in the golden age of freedom that the revolutionaries in the sixties were hoping to create for us.

VP: Who are some (other) women you may admire, be they authors or not, and why?

Skyler White: What a cool question! I’m going to restrict myself to public women, although I’m lucky to know many really admirable women personally. Marion Zimmmer Bradley: for her (early) sexual and religious boldness and for her (early) fandom. Margaret Atwood: for (later) embracing of genre fiction, her feminism, consummate craftsmanship, and politics. Antonia Fraser: for her scholarship, feminism and marriage. Barbara Kingsolver: for her honesty, skill, diversity, and the way she talks about parenting. Wow. There are so many more before I even branch out from writers, but they were the first four who came to mind.

VP: and Falling, Fly and your other upcoming release In Dreams Begin both feature Ireland. Why Ireland? And could you divulge a bit more about In Dreams Begin?

Skyler White: “Why Ireland” actually has a lot to do with the story of In Dreams Begin. Ireland is where I’m from genetically, but because I was adopted at birth in the late 60’s, that’s about all I know about my biological history. When I wanted a “back home” for Olivia, Ireland seemed resonate on a personal level, appropriate on a story level, and since I’d been in 2005, I’d already done the research!

In Dreams Begin (and the title is the first piece of Yeats’ quote “in dreams begin responsibilities”) is the story of a contemporary graphic artist who falls asleep on her wedding night and wakes up in the body of Maud Gonne, a famously beautiful, six-foot tall, red-headed Irish revolutionary who may have been part faerie. The amateur occultist who channeled Laura into Maud then introduces her to WB Yeats, and the two – Victorian romantic poet and time-shifted, modern cynic – fall rather helplessly in love.

It was a very research-intensive project, but real history was remarkably cooperative. Yeats was heavily involved in the occult, and experimented with all kinds of things including astral projection and a “spiritual marriage” with Maud who, traveling the Irish countryside, was widely referred to as the “lady of the Sidhe,” a kind of faerie famous for the theft of brides.

VP: A just for fun question to finish - With the current “undead” trend in film and TV being ever so popular with True Blood, Twilight, Vampire Diaries etc – seems like the fans want more fangs! What are some vampiric works you’d like to see adapted for the big or small screen? And, if you haven’t already, would you try your hand at penning a script?

Skyler White: I haven’t tried screenwriting. I’d like to, and I’m curious, but I feel like I’d need to learn a lot before I gave it a shot. It’s very different from writing a novel.

I think Julie Kenner’s “Good Ghouls” vampires are ripe for TV or film, though.

VP: Well thank you very much Skyler for stopping by and giving VampirePhile and its readers the opportunity to discover this world of yours. We would like to wish you continued success with the new release. It’s been a pleasure having here and definitely looking forward to more from you in the future.

Skyler White: Thank you so much for inviting me, and for such really difficult, interesting questions.

Skyler White is author of dark fantasy novels ‘and Falling, Fly’ (Berkley, March 2010) and ‘In Dreams Begin’ (Berkley, March 2010). She lives in Austin, TX. Read more about Skyler on her website: http://www.skylerwhite.com

and Falling, Fly is now available at: Amazon.com /  Barnes & Noble /  Borders /  Powell's / IndieBound .

Review of author Skyler White's "and Falling, Fly"

The angel of desire is damned . . .

Olivia is a vampire bored with modernity. Tattooist,
boyfriend, black-metal singer: everyone you don’t love
tastes the same. Since the fall from Eden, she has hungered
for love, but fed only on desire. Dominic O’Shaughnessy is a
neuroscientist plagued by impossible visions.
When his research and her despair collide in Ireland’s L’Otel
Mathillide – a subterranean hell of beauty, demons and
dreams – rationalist and angel unite in a clash of desire and
damnation that threatens to destroy them both.

*

VampirePhile’s review of and Falling, Fly

I had the pleasure of reading Skyler White’s and Falling, Fly on an uninterrupted 10 hour train ride (5 hrs in each direction), and I was very glad I had had that time to delve into her world. And what an intriguing world it was.

Honestly and Falling, Fly is unlike any other vampire based genre novel I have read. A captivating concept of a world in which: “Every vampire is a fallen angel of desire, and we nourish our deathless beauty on what we fleeting inspire in mortals who live, but briefly.” (p.16).

A place where science, mythology and magic meet and create an interesting, thought provoking meld.

Skyler weaves a world that is, at the same time beautiful yet gritty, beginning in the first few chapters in America, then continuing across the Atlantic to Ireland in the hell that is L’Otel Mathillide.

Centering on the two complex protagonists, Olivia (the fallen angel of desire) and Dominic (the self medicating neuroscientist), and each ones quest for understanding, acceptance and freedom.

Dominic seeking to understand himself “mentally”: Is he crazy? Why does he have so many memories of lives previously lived? Can he erase these memories with the skills of science?

Olivia, is seeking to be understood “physically”, and once seen for what she really is (a fallen angel, now vampire) through eyes that are not blinded by her beauty, she can thereby gain her freedom from the trap of unfeeling mortal flesh.

I found that, and Falling, Fly put to question the notion of the superficiality of desire. Are we only considered desirable, if we meet the requirements of what is dictated or expected? And if one does not fit into it, are we thus damned, undesirable and unworthy?

Furthermore the language in which Skyler writes evokes a wonderful sense of lyric and poetry (that was not lost on this fellow poet). Her use of metaphor helps to drive the story along in the minds eye, conjuring images that add to the uniqueness of the novel. For example: “Tonight, I will hunt with Adam’s rage on ruined shoes, and I will feed full-tooth. Desire denied consumes.” (p.22)

As well, personally, I like Skyler’s approach with the points of view in the novel. Using the “I” point of view for the strong female persona of Olivia, yet not over shadowing (and giving equally to) the voice of the male protagonist Dominic.

To quote Julie Kenner (USA Today bestselling author): “Skyler White’s and Falling, Fly puts a unique and intelligent spin on the vampire legend… will have readers turning pages… and thinking about the book long after they’ve reached the end.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Skyler White's and Falling, Fly makes for a provocative and intriguing debut, that takes you on an intellectual ride, that's well worth reading!

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Be sure to join VampirePhile later on this week, when author Skyler White will be stopping by for an interview.

Bite Bits: Viral Vamp Videos

Here's to ending the week with a fang - Bang! with some vampire and vampire related videos, courtesy YouTube: 


A) It's our favourite shape shifter Sam (Trammel) talking about the success of True Blood and his...bare behind, in two parts:
Part 1:



Part 2:




B) A funny bit of Fang: "Twilight Sucks: Emo Vampire Song":



C) More fangy, albeit retro fun, with/from "In Living Colour" : 



D) And just for the heck neck of it, because we ( meaning me ) I love the opening theme song so much:



E) Tru Blood French Commercial (Canada's Space Channel is currently using this in promo to announce "True Blood, uncut, coming soon to Space") :



E) Charlaine Harris gets crowned Queen of Louisiana:




F) And then she gets serenaded by none other than Bubba:

Note: if you're not following the Facebook or Twitter  page, there were lots of other updates to be had this week, check them out!

Interview with: Roxanne Rhoads, author of Eternal Desire:

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Promo Video for Roxanne Rhoads' "Eternal Desire" :

See below the promo video for Roxanne Rhoads ( of Fang-tastic Books) new release: "Eternal Desire".
And join me tomorrow for my interview with Roxanne!

Vamp Henry (Kyle Schmid) does Ring Con and more

So the forums over @ KyleSchmidCentral are all atwitter with the return of the females from this years Ring Con in Germany.

Below are some videos that were done by some fans at said convention.

Here, courtesy of Forks Blood Bank and youtube, Kyle talks about playing the Vampire Henry (Blood Ties).
And here, he sends a greeting to all vampire fans!

Also, found by a fan @ KSC, an article from an Irish online mag: How Tv got bitten by the Vampire Bug!

Also, don't miss this Thursday's episode of the Vampire Diaries, here's a sneak peak!

My Bloody Vampire - 31 Days of Dark Delights Event

My Bloody Vampire - 31 Days of Dark Delights Event

Fang-tastic Books: Blog Tour for Eternal Desire

Fang-tastic Books: Blog Tour for Eternal Desire

Roxanne Rhoads, will be doing a virtual book tour to promote her latest, soon to be released (October 7th) feature: Eternal Desire ( "a vampire story with erotic elements"), and yours truly will be among those that gets the honour to host her.

Check the site link above, for more details!