Excerpt & #Giveaway: Raising the Bar by Lucy Felthouse


Title: Raising the Bar
Author: Lucy Felthouse
Genre: Erotica
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Format: Ebook
Words: 5181


Book Description:

When Kayleigh takes a gap year before starting University, she decides she’s going to stay away from guys and just concentrate on having fun and experiencing life. That means going through a lot of batteries, but she’s happy and satisfied.

That is, until she gets to Spain on her travels and meets her new co-worker, Luciano. The scorching hot Spaniard soon has Kayleigh’s knickers in a twist— literally—and the time they spend together seriously raises the bar for her sex life. How will any other man ever compare?

Excerpt:


My first shift at the restaurant passes in a blur of flirtatious glances. My pussy swells and my clit throbs, desperate for attention. It’s all I can do to resist disappearing into the bathroom for a sneaky wank. Even better, I’d like to drag Luciano in there with me and ride him until his teeth rattle. Instead, I console myself with the fact that once I get back to my apartment, I can do whatever the hell I like. And I know for a fact it’s going to involve an orgasm.

I take a taxi back to my apartment rather than walking the dark, unfamiliar streets alone. It also means I can get there quicker and relieve the tension that the sexy Spaniard has caused. I pay the driver as fast as possible then rush inside and slam the door behind me. I heave a sigh of relief as I lock myself in.

Undressing, I drop my clothes by the washing machine and head to the bathroom, desperate to get clean. It’s not work that’s made me feel dirty, though. The flirting with Luciano have left me seriously wet. The panties I’ve just discarded in front of the washing machine are sodden.

Stepping under the shower, I groan with pleasure as the hot water caresses my fevered skin. I stand there for a few seconds, letting the heat and the water relax me. My tension slips away and runs down the plughole. I grab the shampoo and give my hair a wash, digging my fingers into my scalp and massaging it. Now I’m calmer. But by the time I’ve rinsed the suds, he’s popped into my head again. Damn him.

About the Author:


Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Decadent Publishing, Ellora's Cave, Evernight Publishing, House of Erotica, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour, Seducing the Myth, Smut by the Sea and Smut in the City.


Giveaway:

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Excerpt: When God Spoke (Fone-Stories™ #4) by Mike Kearby



Title: When God Spoke
Series: Fone-Stories™ #4
Author: Mike Kearby
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Self
Format: Ebook
Words: 2500
Purchase: Amazon

Book Description:

A Story Bound to be the Subject of Much Disagreement & Debate. When God Spoke is a Controversial Look at Religion Expressed by A Terminal Cancer Patient.

Excerpt:


It was in the autumn of my life, when that dreaded prognosis arrived. Unheralded and harsh, but not unexpected, the reality of such a forecast was this: anyone who dared step on the stage knew that one day the curtain would come down.
Unlike others given the directive, however, I refused to follow prescribed protocol for such revelations, those of shock, anger, or depression, for I never doubted the prediction of my course, I simply chose instead to proceed with great rapidity straight to the interminable question of, “Why me?”
Habitually disposed to disobedience (I confess here my one great flaw) I remained headstrong and demanding, and so, ever resolute, I refused to exit until a suitable answer was presented as to the reason.
And there is where my story actually has its genesis, for soon after my unreasonable rigidity prevailed, a voice did descend to that stage.
Then, over the course of three days I was provided with answers that my soul once thought of as incapable of occurrence.
Be assured that the voice was not without its own problems. It presented a conundrum in that it sounded much like and yet so unlike my own distinctive quality of tone and pitch. A baffling problem to be sure, yet one I resolved internally as the voice certainly had sufficient and affirmative counterclaims to my willful opposition of departing the stage.
So, what all of the above comes down to—is this: What you are about to read is neither synthetic nor spurious, but most avowedly true.

About the Author:


From Wikipedia: Mike Kearby (born 1952) is an award-winning American novelist and inventor. Since 2005, Kearby has published ten novels, one graphic novel, and written two screenplays: (2011) Boston Nightly, with fellow writer Paul Bright and (2012) The Devouring. Boston Nightly is scheduled for filming in Dallas in the spring of 2013.

Website | Vampyre Chronicles | Twitter: @mike_kearby |

Excerpt & Giveaway: Dragon Temptation by Kali Willows!


Title: Dragon Temptation
Series: 1NS - 1 Night Stand
Author: Kali Willows
Genre: Erotic Romance, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, M/F, M/F/M, Contemporary, Interracial,
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Format: Ebook
Length: 48 pages / 11,300 words
Purchase: Decadent Publishing | Amazon |
Book Description:

Cindy Dunham has become sexually emaciated, after a long dry spell and no prospect of romance in her near future. With her best friend’s upcoming wedding, loneliness is taking the lead, and she is starving for erotic rhapsody. The prospect of a blind date for the nuptials is embarrassing, but a necessary evil. The match Madame Evangeline finds for her leaves her reeling with conflict and jealousy. Will she ever get her carnal hunger gratified?

Yong Li, is no longer satisfied being the third wheel in his brother’s love life. Desperate to branch out and have an experience all his own, he is fraught with his ancient affliction that runs interference with the prospect of any normal relationship. Having had a life altering 1 Night Stand before, he seeks the help of his old friend, Madame Eve to find a new mate just for him.

Excerpt:



“What is this place?”
“It’s a hot springs cave.”
“A cave? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“Not when you’re with me, I’ll keep you safe, I promise.” The warmth of his smile melted the last of her cold exterior.
More solar lights illuminated the path to their destination. Although hesitant, she didn’t resist when he led her to the rocky archway. The exquisite aroma of the jasmine flowers clustered along the walls of the entrance lingered about them.
“It’s for the exclusive use of villa guests so….”
“What?”
“Since the reception is still going, I don’t think we’ll be interrupted.”
“Oh,” a shiver of excitement ran through her. Another chance of getting caught.
“There are some wrought iron torches along the stone walls.” Yong patted his pocketless jacket. “No matches.”
“I don’t have anything,” Cindy stopped. She wouldn’t follow even him into the blackness ahead. “I left my bag in my room, we’ll have to go back, we can’t see inside.”
“Hey, it’s no problem, I got it.” Yong stood close to the torch and blew on the wick. The glow emanating from his pursed lips ignited the lamp.
A surge of amazement rushed through her. “Oh, right, the dragon thing. Gwen told me all about it.”
“Hope it doesn’t freak you out.” Yong walked to the next one and repeated his magic.
“Not at all, actually, the first time I saw it was the night Gwen lost it on her ex. Then, I was freaked out, but it was like she was in a trance, and her eyes were….”
“Glowing?”
“Yes!”
“Yeah, that’s when the anger takes over. It’s like your body goes on autopilot. So, you’re okay with this then?” He leaned in to light another one.
“The way tonight is going; it’s just one more amazing thing.”
Yong took her hand and they went deeper into the tunnel.
A surprising sensation filled her palm. “Hey, your skin is getting hot.”
“Part of the parahuman lighter trick, I’m afraid. It’ll go back to normal in a few minutes.”

About the Author:

When Kali Willows isn't busy being the married mother of two, certified trainer or counselor extraordinaire, she is shadowing worlds of paranormal passion & intrigue.

Her goal in life? She has many, but her writing goal is creating emotional, compelling stories and characters you can't help but love, hate and cheer for.

A good cup of tea with the crackling fire gets her creative juices flowing in the wee hours of the night, when the house is quiet and she can type away to her heart's desire. Learn more at: www.kaliwillows.com


Decadent Publishing






Giveaway:

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#Giveaway: Bonded by Ria Candro!


Title: Bonded
Series: Mating Ritual
Author: Ria Candro
Genre: Futuristic Erotic Ménage Romance
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Format: Ebook
Words: Approx. 25,000

Purchase:


Book Description:

When Inara crash lands on a deserted planet, the last thing she expects is to run into two stunning men from the planet Spygia—who claim she is their mate. While she’d love nothing more than to indulge in a steamy encounter—or two or three—with these gorgeous hunks, she’s on the run from the barbaric Malucons who decimated her home planet of Chivea. And she’s on a mission to find her cousin, the only other Chivean survivor. Nothing, not even the promise of paradise to be found in the Spygians’ arms, is going to stop her.

When Inara refuses to be bonded to them, Neichon and Valeron strive to uncover what secrets she’s hiding before they unveil a few of their own. How will their reluctant mate react when she learns she’s destined for, not two, but four Spygian men? 

Just so you know—this story contains explicit M/F/M and M/F/M/M/M scenes. Enjoy!


Giveaway:


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Excerpt of The Curse Merchant by J.P. Sloan!



Title: The Curse Merchant
Series: The Dark Choir #1
Author: J.P. Sloan
Genre: Urban Fantasy Noir
Publisher: Self-published
Format: Ebook
Words: 83,000

Purchase: Amazon | Smashwords |

Book Description:

Dorian Lake has spent years cornering the Baltimore hex-crafting market, using his skills at the hermetic arts to exact karmic justice for those whom the system has failed. He keeps his magic clean and free of soul-corrupting Netherwork, thus avoiding both the karmic blow-back of his practice and the notice of the Presidium, a powerful cabal of practitioners that polices the esoteric arts in America. However, when an unscrupulous Netherworker interferes with both his business and his personal life, Dorian's disarming charisma and hermetic savvy may not be enough to keep his soul out of jeopardy.

His rival, a soul monger named Neil Osterhaus, wouldn't be such a problem were it not for Carmen, Dorian's captivating ex-lover. After two years' absence Carmen arrives at Dorian’s doorstep with a problem: she sold her soul to Osterhaus, and has only two weeks to buy it back. Hoping to win back Carmen's affections, Dorian must find a replacement soul without tainting his own. As Dorian descends into the shadows of Baltimore’s underworld, he must decide how low he is willing to stoop in order to save Carmen from eternal damnation... with the Presidium watching, waiting for him to cross the line.

Excerpt:


I slid into the Cadillac, inspecting the interior for anything that could inflict bodily damage upon my person. Malosi slipped into the driver's seat, and pulled the car into a U-turn in the middle of Amity Street.
I watched Malosi as he turned north onto the MLK expressway, pondering the man. I wondered how deeply Malosi had delved into Osterhaus' world.
"You're a practitioner," I stated.
"I've been trained in the necessities. Just to do my job."
"Where did you receive your training, if you don't mind my asking?"
"Mister Osterhaus. Everyone in his employ has a basic understanding of hermetic theory."
"How many people are in his employ?"
Malosi lifted a brow behind his sunglasses.
"Enough."
"Just you, then?"
"Like I said."
I looked out my window, watching as the taller buildings of downtown Baltimore cast their shadows over us. This wasn't going to be a long drive.
"Do you have any advice for me?" I asked.
"Advice?"
"For talking to Osterhaus."
He cocked his head and considered the question for a moment, before responding, "Be polite."
He drove up Light Street and stopped in an alley between a tall bank building and a red brick row house. I tried to step out, but the door was locked. I had to wait until Malosi opened the door from the outside.
Once free of the Cadillac, I looked up and down Light Street, the clear sky above slowly succumbing to a front of overcast clouds. Malosi gestured me towards a flight of steps dropping below the street in the alley, leading to a basement entrance to the red brick building. At the base of the steps was a thick iron door with a wrought bronze knocker. Malosi pulled the handle and pushed the door open with a loud scrape.
"Watch your head," he muttered as I stepped into the dark room beyond the door. A low-hanging wood case crossed the lintel, and I eyed it as I entered Osterhaus' basement office.
Malosi closed the door, and my eyes adjusted slowly to the dim light. The case above the door was part of an intricate series of bookcases and display cabinets with leaded glass doors that wrapped two walls. The near wall to my right was covered in a tapestry depicting what I imagined was a scene of the Crusades. A solid, finely carved wood desk sat near the far wall, leather-topped and well-polished.
The room was dim, lit only by two gas coach lamps that flickered in a cased opening that lead to stairs slipping up and out of view into the building above.
Malosi pulled one of two green leather chairs from the front of Osterhaus' desk and held out his hand.
"Have a seat. I'll fetch Mister Osterhaus."
I nodded, and watched as Malosi disappeared up the flight of stairs with heavy footfalls.
The room was thick with the smell of frankincense. I recognized the aroma, though it was laced with other sharper scents I couldn't pick out. Cedar, perhaps. Something for wardings.
As I squinted up at the glass displays, I noticed several vials of blown glass set in neat rows upon the glass shelving. They resembled perfume bottles, the kind one buys at tourist friendly kiosks in Venice. I was on the verge of piecing together all manner of theories regarding the contents of those vials when I heard the upstairs door open, and two pairs of footsteps descending.
I stood up in time to see a short, thin man step into the room from the cased opening. He had a wiry frame, almost shriveled as if elderly, though his face and eyes were sharp. He had a hawk-like brow, jutting over clear blue eyes, sending bushy gray eyebrows up at angles towards a receding salt-and-pepper hairline.
He parted his thin, crooked lips and said, "Dorian Lake, I presume?"
"Osterhaus?"
His eyes narrowed, and he looked back at Malosi with a nod before proceeding into the room and behind his desk.
"Believe it or not, Mister Lake," he continued as he slid into his chair, "I've been meaning to speak with you for some time now."
I took my seat, giving Malosi a sidelong glance, making sure he wasn't holding a shotgun or baseball bat.
"That a fact?"
He stared at me with those piercing eyes, and the more I took him in, the more I realized that I really hated this man.


About the Author:


I am a storyteller, eager to transport the reader to strange yet familiar worlds. My writing is dark, fantastical, at times stretching the limits of the human experience, and other times hinting at the monsters lurking under your bed. I write science fiction, urban fantasy, horror, and several shades in between.

I am a husband and a father, living in the “wine country” of central Maryland. I’m surrounded by grapevines and cows. During the day I commute to Baltimore, and somehow manage to escape each afternoon with only minor scrapes and bruises. I am also a homebrewer and a certified beer judge. My avocations dovetail nicely!

Website/Blog | Twitter: @J_P_Sloan | Facebook |

Excerpt & # Giveaway of Harbour Falls by S.R. Grey!



Title: Harbour Falls
Series: A Harbour Falls Mystery #1
Author: S.R. Grey
Genre: Romance, Mystery,
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: Ebook | Paperback
Words: 114,000 apx.


Book Description:

Best-selling author Maddy Fitch, researching material for a new novel, returns to Harbour Falls to investigate a disappearance that has haunted the town for more than four years. Maddy soon discovers that the case may be cold, but the #1 suspect, Adam Ward, certainly is not. Now living on an island off the coast of Maine, Maddy takes up residence near the sexy Mr. Ward's home. As she begins to seek out answers, the mystery deepens, putting Maddy in jeopardy.
Lies, secrets, deceptions. Nothing is what it seems in Harbour Falls.

First in a series. Romance/Mystery genre

Excerpt:


Adam leaned back in the chair. Gone was the playful, naughty man who had made me feel so frustrated and angry. But, in all honesty, he’d also reminded me I could be desirable to someone. Maybe even desirable to him.
“We should probably get you back to the cottage,” he said, waylaying my train of thought. “It’s getting late.”
“Yeah, probably,” I agreed.
Adam drove me back to my cottage in his Porsche. And what a ride it was. Between the short distance and his lead foot, we reached the driveway in what had to be a new time for the record books.
Once I recovered from the impromptu Indy 500 experience, I said, “Well, thank you for driving me back, and I truly am sorry for trespassing on—”
“Maddy, don’t be foolish. I’m the one who should be apologizing. I knew you were moving onto the island today. I shouldn’t have been so suspicious when you wandered onto my property.” He paused, smiled knowingly, and then added, “After all, you were probably just taking a little stroll to get started on clearing that writer’s block, yes?”
His eyes met mine in the eerie glow of the instrument panel, and it was impossible to discern if he was joking. Or not. “Um, yeah, exactly,” I said shakily, while nodding profusely.
He didn’t seem to be buying the writer’s block story. I only hoped he hadn’t caught on to the real reason I was on the island. “Yeah…right,” he said in a dubious tone of voice.
I prayed he wouldn’t question me further, because I had the distinct impression Adam could be very persuasive, if need be. Thankfully he flashed me a smile. Though brief, I thought it genuine. 
Relief flooded over me. I grabbed the door handle, my palm sweaty. “OK, thanks again.” Adam said nothing, so I continued, “I’m sure I’ll see you around. Take care.” Knowing I was blabbering on like, well, like a high school girl with an unrequited crush, I opened the door and clambered out.
“Wait, I’ll walk you to your door,” I heard him say.
Before I could decline, Adam was out of the car. I nearly ran into him on the walkway, and he moved aside, motioning for me to go ahead of him. As we walked the short distance from his car to my front door, I felt his eyes on me. It was lunacy, but instead of being uncomfortable, I was kind of hoping he was checking me out.
The intoxicating feeling of possibly being desired by someone I felt so attracted to was making me feel flirtatious, and consequently, impetuous. At the door I turned to him and asked, “Do you want to come in?”
“Madeleine…” He breathed out. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh God, I didn’t mean that!” Or did I? I was sure my face was turning shades of red to rival the changing leaves on the trees. My only saving grace was that it was dark out.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured, feeling foolish for sticking my foot in my mouth.
Adam reached out and ghosted his fingertips along my jaw. “There’s nothing to apologize for.” I closed my eyes and relaxed into his warm touch, allowing his fingers to make a slow, silky path down the side of my neck to my shoulder. Toying with the flimsy strap of my top, he whispered, “Exquisite.”
“Adam,” I began. 
Our eyes met, and even in the darkness, I saw conflict in his. “I better just…go,” he said, dropping his hand and turning away.
Not sure what had just happened, I mumbled, “Good night,” and went into the cottage. In the dark I leaned back against the inside of the door. After several minutes I turned on a lamp and pulled myself together.
One thing for sure, my first time seeing Adam Ward after all these years had not gone the way I’d ever expected. Now that I was away from him, I was able to think a bit more clearly. I sat down on the sofa and pulled my knees up to my chest.
Viewing Adam with an objective eye was going to be a challenge. I couldn’t allow this attraction to him to get in the way of my reason for being here. It was going to be tough, because being around him had made me feel awake and alive. Like giddy, skin-tingling, pulse-racing alive. And now that I’d experienced it, I really craved that feeling.
But it was imperative to keep reminding myself that Adam Ward was more than just some heartbreakingly handsome guy. Hell, he was the primary suspect in this case. He could end up being downright dangerous. And not the sexy kind of dangerous that had excited me tonight.
No, Adam was not to be underestimated.

About the Author:


S.R. Grey is the author of Harbour Falls, first in the Harbour Falls Mystery trilogy.
She resides in western Pennsylavania. She has both a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Robert Morris College, as well as an MBA from Duquesne University. And though she enjoys working in sales and consulting, her true passion lies in writing. Other interests include reading, traveling, running, and cheering for her hometown sports teams.


Giveaway:


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Guest Post: New Year, New Love? by Nona Raines



Thanks so much for having me here today, Holly, and Happy New Year, everyone!
At the birth of each New Year, we make all kinds of promises to ourselves in the form of resolutions: we'll stop biting our fingernails, start jogging every morning, or stick to a high-fiber diet (donuts have fiber, don't they?) "Out with the old and in with the new", we cry as the old year closes and the New Year begins.

But what if you are one of the things left behind? That's what happens to Mia Manetti, the heroine of my BDSM themed erotic romance Uncollared. Or at least, that's how she feels—as though she's been swept aside like so much used confetti. When her Dom, Philip, tells her they're over, she's caught by surprise and torn between hurt and anger.

What do you when the man you love lets you go? You get mad, you feel sorry for yourself and finally, you move on. How better to move on (and to prove to the world that you're past it) than to find a new man? Mia agrees to submit to Master Chess because it feels safe—she doesn't love him, therefore her heart will be protected. But what happens when love sneaks up on her? Will Chess be her new chance at happiness?

What Mia doesn't realize is that Chess is not who he seems. He's hiding a lot from her, hiding a lot from the world, and afraid to let anyone know the truth. His secrets are a burden, and he doesn't want to encumber Mia with them as well. But is it really his concern for Mia that's keeping him silent or is it his pride?

Submissive Mia Manetti is devastated when her first Master uncollars her just as she was hoping for a permanent relationship with him. Trying to move on, she agrees to sub for a powerful and sexy new Dom.
Chess Ryan has wanted Mia from the first moment he saw her at Club Restraint, but it was always "hands off" because she belonged to his friend Philip. Now, thanks to that friend's maneuvers, Mia is finally his. But only for a little while.
Mia finds it increasingly difficult to keep her feelings in check as she experiences erotic delights with Master Chess, sensual and sexual fantasies that she's never known before. Is she setting herself up for another heart ache?
Guilt, secrets and misplaced pride all keep Chess and Mia from being completely honest with each other. As they connect sexually and emotionally, they realize their relationship has grown too serious to be called "play". How far are they willing to go as Master and slave?

Chess and Mia will make it only if they let go of fear and pride. If they're honest with themselves and each other. By not dwelling in the past and refusing to fear the future, they will finally be able to say "Out with the old and in with the new." They'll be able to embrace their love.

Uncollared is available at:



Uncollared by Nona Raines



Purchase: Loose Id | Amazon | Barnes and Noble  | All Romance ebooks |

Submissive Mia Manetti is devastated when her first Master uncollars her just as she was hoping for a permanent relationship with him. Trying to move on, she agrees to sub for a powerful and sexy new Dom.

Chess Ryan has wanted Mia from the first moment he saw her at Club Restraint, but it was always "hands off" because she belonged to his friend Philip. Now, thanks to that friend's maneuvers, Mia is finally his. But only for a little while.

Mia finds it increasingly difficult to keep her feelings in check as she experiences erotic delights with Master Chess, sensual and sexual fantasies that she's never known before. Is she setting herself up for another heart ache?

Guilt, secrets and misplaced pride all keep Chess and Mia from being completely honest with each other. As they connect sexually and emotionally, they realize their relationship has grown too serious to be called "play". How far are they willing to go as Master and slave?

About the Author:



Nona Raines became hooked on romances when she first picked up "The Flame and the Flower" by Kathleen Woodiwiss (and she's not telling how long ago that was). Romances may have changed since then, but her love for a good love story has not. She's been writing off and on for years, but it was only when she joined the Central New York Romance Writers Association that she finally gained the support and confidence she needed to complete a manuscript.

Nona lives in upstate New York with her many pets and is currently working on her next novel. A former librarian, she enjoys reading books of all genres and discussing them with others. She is thrilled to finally be able to call herself an author and looks forward to hearing from readers.

Guest Post & Giveaway: The Vampire is (un)Dead -- Long Live the Vampire! by A. Sangrey Black (H.A. Fowler)


Hi Everyone! Please help me welcome author A. Sangrey Black to Reading with Holly today! :)

I hear/read the mutters every day on blogs, forums, and in the press lately: vampires are SO over. The glut of the market begun by the TWILIGHT phenomenon has burned out a large chunk of the reading public. They don't care if they never see another blood-drinking, brooding, shadow-dwelling emo creature of the night as long as they live, and that vampire fiction is dying out, staked in the sun to melt/crumble to dust/burst into flames.
While it's true that the OMG VAMPIRES ARE EVERYWHERE fad has definitely eased, and sadly, a lot of publishers aren't quite as eager to scoop up any and all fanged fiction as they might have been a few years ago, I am here to tell you that that creatures of the night are here to stay. The fact is, vampire fiction (outside of folklore) has ebbed and flowed in popularity cycles since the generally accepted birth of the genre in John Polidori's early 19th century story, The Vampyre (believed to be based on an unfinished manuscript of Lord Byron's, called Fragment of a Novel). That story itself started a wave of vampire penny dreadful and novels  in the Victorian Era that included Varney the Vampire, Carmilla, and finally the seminal vampire story, Bram Stoker's Dracula.
The great birth of the 19th Century vampire left the Dracula myth as the most popular and the framework for much of the stories to come. Once within the 20th century, the gothic setting set by Dracula remained popular, but the popularity of the genre grew to the point where it began to slide into others, such as sci fi, fantasy, and modern horror. People loved the vampire so much that the alien, the fantasy creature, and the thing of nightmares were born from Big Daddy Drac.
Toward the middle of the 20th century, the vampire held a steady place in popular culture, more popular in movies than books. That is, until the late 60's sparked another literary vampire revolution, spawned by the Dark Shadows novel tie ins by Marilynn Ross, the epic historical vampire series starring the gentleman Saint-Germain by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro (highly underrated, imo), and finally, the Great Lady of modern vampire fiction herself, Anne Rice of the famous Vampire Chronicles. Without the influence of these three literary mistresses, none of the romantic, erotic, or heroic vampires we've adored over the past 20-30 years would ever have existed.
Edward, you better bow down to Lestat. Seriously.
During the late 70's and through the 80's, we once again have a smooth status quo with our creatures that go bump. They went on in horror and science fiction, but gradually gained increasing popularity as romantic (especially gothic and romance novel) figures until the 90's, when another explosion came to both book and screen. Thanks to the increasing popularity of the nascent paranormal romance category and the advent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the hero/anti-hero figure style and pop culture flavor of the new vampire, another generation of fans demanded more stories all along the full range of vampire fun, from the terrifying, to the philosophical, to the just downright hot. From this, the late 20th century saw the birth of Urban Fantasy, an interesting combination of fantasy, horror, romance, and action.
Urban fantasy and paranormal romance have been the vanguard of our undead friends, and the TWILIGHT phenomenon was born within it. Like Harry Potter before it (sorry, Potterheads, I hate saying that too), popular culture was overwhelmed by the growth of a fandom to a degree never seen before. When such a wave of popularity rushes over the publishing world, they (and readers too) turn into the greedy, grabby, needy GIMMEE MORE creatures we see in vampires. Vampires were suddenly everywhere, good, bad, or indifferent. Every other new release was about a vampire, or contained something vampire-related. The craze almost single-handedly generated an independent existence to the previously small YA Paranormal genre (which is where the majority of paranormals have migrated at this time). Movies, TV shows, random references in unrelated media -- we were kind of trapped in an I AM LEGEND sensation of reality. Even lifelong vampire fans were weary of it all, probably because so much of what we were inundated with was crap.
BUT… vampire fans have not gone away. We have never gone away. When I was a kid, I got addicted to Anne Rice, and my entire reading life has always been in pursuit of new and interesting vampire stories. Sometimes I had to scour used book stores, beg friends, read the back cover of every romance novel to see if there was a vampire in it. Other eras (like the last five years or so), every book I ran into starred or involved vampire shenanigans, and the trick was talking to friends for recommendations so I could filter out as much garbage as possible. Didn't always work, but it was better than the random grab out of a section of hundreds of books. My TBR is already monstrous as it is!
We'll never go away. There's a group of us who not only remain dedicated to the vampire character in our reading, but who want to continue its development in our writing. Every theme under the sun can be explored with vampire characters, even if they're secondary, or predatory, or a vague background of downright evil. Maybe the press and the publishers have moved on to the next thing: angels, pseudo-BDSM, ghosts, demons, what have you… but we good, old-fashioned vampire readers and writers have always been here, and we'll always remain. Our market may shrink back to a backlist size, but I'd bet my shrinking royalty checks that they'll never truly go away.
If we haven't wiped them out in a thousand years… I don't see how we could do it now. I know I'll keep writing about them, and if I have to scour the shelves and beg friends again, I've got no problem with that! I'm a good, old fashioned, vampire girl!
Which may be obvious when you read my novella IF WISHES WERE SHADOWS. One of the major reasons I believe vampires have remained popular in literature is because of their flexible nature. Vampires can serve almost any need we have for them in a story: villains, heroes, sex symbols, mindless predators, the worst of calculating monsters, and every permutation therein. They can look exactly like you and I, or utterly foreign; live in the shadows, underground, or walk among us. I've always been fascinated by this flexibility, the inherent mystery in vampires. How as a writer you can make the vampires in your universe whatever you need them to be.
In SHADOWS, they are predators, living in carefully maintained power structures that work not only in their nightly mundane existence (if there can be such a thing), but in their sexual predilections as well. How much they mix with human society is an entirely individual decision, and how deadly they are in that arrangement differs as well. They do have rules about keeping their nature mostly secret, but there are populations of humans who know they exist as well, like hunters and those who interact with them for sex and/or blood.
Vampires in the SHADOWS universe are sexually flexible -- in every possible way. They don't choose lovers by gender, and they aren't restricted by what we western humans generally consider taboo activities. They do what they like, with whom they like, when they like, and where. The entire range of sensuality and sexuality is possible in their society, within and without of clans, families, and other permutations of the family unit. In this case, Adam and his lover George William have been "exclusive" for the hundred or so years that George William has been a vampire. They have had multiple lovers together and separately -- especially Adam, who has a weakness for human women, and tends to like to keep them for more than a night or two, George William, on the other hand, thinks of them as playthings… and sometimes has a problem even keeping extra lovers alive.
I don't want to give too much away, but Adam and George William's pairing changes when Adam falls in love with the human woman, Calinda, the main character of IF WISHES WERE SHADOWS. The exotic, frightening blend of love, lust, pain, blood, and sex that boils up in this story, I think, demonstrate one of the darker, hotter places you can go with the vampire mystique. They don't all have to be heroic, sparkly, sweet teen emos -- they can be barely reigned monsters who rule their dungeons with a velvet fist.
Thanks for having me today! And don't write off the vampire quite yet! They'll quietly creep around in the background of fiction as they have since the beginning of recorded human lore, and in another few years, maybe a decade… we'll be overrun once again.


***



Title: If Wishes Were Shadows
Series: The Shadows Series, #1
Author: A. Sangrey Black
Genre: Paranormal, Erotica, Menage (m/m/f), BDSM, Vampire,
Publisher: Cobblestone Press
Ebook
Words: Approx. 14,000

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Book Description:

Calinda Byer is all assertiveness in her daytime life, but when it comes to the bedroom, she leaves her will at the door with her clothes. Her vampire Dom, Adam Straton, refuses to turn her until she has witnessed the darker side of immortality and the true depths of his sexuality -- including his male vampire lover.  A weekend at his country estate promises dark, twisted delights the likes of which Calinda could never have imagined. All she has to do is use the safe word, and she can return to the "normal" world alone. But will she?


Excerpt:



 “Are you certain you wish to go on?” he asked.

Calinda grinned in spite the horror-movie air and his grim demeanor and nodded. There were no shadows dark enough that would keep her from taking this journey with him. Nothing she wouldn’t do if he asked it of her, just as she knew he would, if he hadn’t already tasted all of her secrets.

Satisfied, Adam took her hand, pressed a small switch on the wall beside them, and led her down a narrow set of stone stairs, now illuminated by a dim red light. The stairway curved sharply, and he was guiding her down and down forever, circling into the depths of who knew what. She had learned from experience that the border between the heavenly and hellish was very fine indeed. She liked it that way.

Calinda’s heart thundered, her stomach fluttering with nerves, and she relished each sensation, tucking it away in her memory like some women might keep tickets to a show she’d attended with her lover. She had been an adrenaline junkie since the day she was born. Instead of drugs, she far preferred driving fast cars, jumping out of airplanes, and dating ancient, sadistic vampires than pills or needles. This occasion, with its mysteries and uncertainties, was better than any shot of pure heroin straight into her system, and the vampire she loved was giving it to her. He had become so many things to her in the two years they’d been together, and adrenaline dealer had been one of the greatest of them from the moment they met.

She remembered with an electric shiver through her system the first moment when she realized what he was, when she invited him home knowing what he could do to her. The biggest charge of her life. She gave his hand a squeeze in thanks. No, she had no difficulty in taking this journey. There was only one thing that could be at the bottom of this staircase, spiraling them into the depths of the earth together: the darkness he kept talking about, made manifest. The deepest shadows inside him. She was so eager to see it she was already wet.

About the Author:


Alexia enjoys the darker side of entertainment, including literature from the classic gothic style to the modern horror novel, erotica and romance that walks in the shadows off the beaten path. She loves horror movies both psychological and gory, and nurses a fascination for and dedication to the rights and practices of alternative lifestyles. What two or more adults do in the privacy of their dungeon is her... rather THEIR business. Vampires are her great fictional (or are they?) love, but all things that hunt the night, human or otherwise, forever capture her imagination and demand that she tell their stories. A denizen of the Adirondack Mountains of New York, there are plenty of legends, ghost stories, and creepy happenings in the deep forests and abandoned caves to keep her writing for the rest of her life.

A. Sangrey Black also writes more mainstream paranormal romance and urban fantasy as H.A. Fowler. She loves to hear from readers of both styles, so feel free to drop her a line or visit her blog or Facebook.


Giveaway:

Enter below to win a Ebook copy of If Wishes Were Shadows by A. Sangrey Black + any eBook copy by H.A. Fowler, 1 $10 Gift Certificate from All Romance Ebooks + 1 eBook copy of If Wishes Were Shadows by A. Sangrey Black and Grand Prize: 1 "Naughty" Toys kit + 1 eBook copy of If Wishes Were Shadows by A. Sangrey Black - US Only. Ends Jan. 30th

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