Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Why, Zombies, Why?


Danica Winters:  I have the distinguished honor of hosting Rusty Fischer on Paranormal Romance today.  When we were discussing his guest post he asked what he should write about.  I, like most people who track publishing, have seen a rise in the popularity of YA and Zombie fiction. I enjoy the new surge in popularity; and often when I talk to readers about this new genre, they seem to be enthralled with the dead coming to life. 
So my question was simple...Why do you love to write about Zombies???  
 
Why, Zombies, Why? 7 Reasons I Write About Zombies

A Guest Post and Giveaway by Rusty Fischer, author of Detention of the Living Dead

So… I started this guest post by trying to list the one reason why I write about zombies, and every time I did I found a new reason! I ended up with not four, not five, not six but seven reasons why I write about zombies; here they are:
1.)  So much to explore: The zombie mythology is not as well-defined as, say, vampires or even werewolves, so there is a lot to explore and, frankly, they make a great “blank slate” to write on.

2.)  Trying something new: Since the zombie mythology is so thin, it’s a great genre to try new things in. I get a lot of flack sometimes, but my zombies talk, drive, have societies and laws, kind of like the vampires in YA literature.

3.)  Guts galore: I never thought of myself as a particularly gory writer, but it’s kind of hard to avoid when writing about zombies and, truth be told, kind of addictive!

4.)  I love B-movies: Just as addictive is my love of all things B-movies, particularly zombie B-movies, which is how a lot of reviewers describe my writing so, for me, it’s kind of a win-win.

5.)  Zombies can be fun: Part of the joy of writing about zombies is bringing a little “fun” to the genre. So many zombie stories are bleak and super serious, and in many cases, rightfully so, but in that same B-movie spirit, I don’t see any reason why they can’t be fun as well.

6.)  Undead underdogs: To be, one of the most compelling reasons to write about the undead is that they’re perpetual underdogs; not as “pretty” as vampires, not as “sexy” as werewolves and far less romantic than guests, they make a great underdog story every time.

7.)  Come on, they’re zombies: What’s not to like?
So, if you’re not a zombie writer, why not? And if you’re not a zombie reader, why not? I’d love to hear your zombie opinions, pro or con, in the comments boxes below!

Yours in YA,
Rusty
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Book Description:

Maxine “Max” Compton is in detention when the outbreak starts; so are several other students when Max’s best friend Brie storms in – chomping on the thigh bone of their favorite Home Ec teacher, Ms. Watkins!

Brie is a zombie, and quickly starts biting everyone in the room – even her best friend, Max!

When the class realizes what happens, it’s too late; they are all zombies – and they’re no longer alone.

Now a thin gray man in a white lab coat is testing them; making them read, and once they can no longer read, the zombies are led from the room, never to be seen again.

One by one the zombies stop reading, all but a few of them, Max included. Oh, and that cute thug she’s been crushing on for years, Cory Winthrop!

That’s when Max learns that there are good zombies, and bad zombies. And if she’s to survive, she has to pick a side.

Who knew Detention could be this hard… or last forever?

Title: Detention of the Living Dead
Author: Rusty Fischer
Genre: Paranormal, Young-Adult,
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Ebook
Pages: 181

Purchase:
Amazon | B&N | BookStrand | Smashwords |

Excerpt:
“G-g-g,” the zombie sputters, black eyes focused intently on the page in front of her, tongue tied in an endless loop, frustration oozing out of every gray, decaying pore.

If she could still sweat, I know she would.

“G-g-g….”

Her cold white hands grip the pages of the comic book like the edges of a life raft in a wild, raging sea.

If she could still cry, she’d already be bawling.

Instead she is locked in this endless loop, stammering, yammering, trying to find the keys to her lost humanity.

“G-G-G….”

Her voice is raspy, like maybe her vocal chords have been sanded down, blow dried for days, and now look like strips of beef jerky hanging in the back of her throat, useless at his point except for her guttural scratching.

“A-A-A….”

It’s been like this for five minutes; five endless, torturous, agonizing minutes.

“M-M-M….”

Endless because, well, you’ve never realized how long a single minute—sixty short seconds—can stretch out until every stinking bleeding one of those sixty seconds is filled with a “G-G-G” or an “A-A-A or an “M-M-M.”

It’s like waiting for a stutterer to finish reading War & Peace, out loud, in one sitting, while you kneel on a bed of nails, with water dripping on your head, sitting next to your distant cousin from Alabama, with her whispering in your ears about her favorite catfish casserole recipe.

Torturous because I can see the word right in front of me and just want to finish it for her: “Gamma!” I want to scream. “Gamma! What you’ve been yammering for the last five minutes is ‘G-G-G-G-GAMMA,’ you freakin’ moron!”

Agonizing because this is no typical zombie; this is my best friend since third grade, Brie Cunningham.
 

About the Author:

Rusty Fischer is the author of Zombies Don’t Cry, as well as several other popular zombie books, including Panty Raid at Zombie High, Detention of the Living Dead and the Reanimated Readz series of 99-cent living dead shorts.

          Rusty runs the popular website Zombies Don’t Blog @ www.zombiesdontblog.blogspot.com. At Zombies Don’t Blog you can read more about Rusty’s work, view his upcoming book covers and read – or download – completely FREE books & stories about… zombies!
 


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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Book Review and Excerpt for My Vampire Cover Model by Karyn Gerrard

 
Book Description:
Life changed for Deanna Brooks the night she attended a book signing for her aunt’s best-selling paranormal romance series. There she met Burney ‘The Cover God’ Sheridan. The model for the series’ fictional vampire hero, Burn is beyond handsome and has an overabundance of Irish charm. He’s too good to be true.
Burn Sheridan, a man with scores of past lives, has a secret: he is a vampire. Meeting Deanna is agony because for the first time in over two hundred years, Burn experiences the rarest of vampiric needs—the mate-of-the-soul connection. Keeping people at a distance has been Burn's existence for centuries, but Deanna makes his pledge of staying detached impossible.
Many obstacles lie ahead and the biggest of all may be Burn himself. Can Deanna and Burn overcome them and find lasting love?
 
Excerpt:
Deanna tapped her sandaled foot in annoyance. She didn’t want to bother with the guy, but Janice insisted, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement as they advanced toward the table.
As they moved closer, the model’s masculinity became more potent. She could hear the slight lilt to his deep voice as he answered the ladies questions. His eyes crinkled sexily when he smiled. His teeth were perfectly shaped and a brilliant white.
Deanna glanced at her aunt’s table a few times, hoping to catch her eye, but Carol was busy working her crowd. While Deanna enjoyed an historical romance she’d never quite taken to the paranormal genre. Aunt Carol always mailed her advance copies, but she usually wound up giving them to Janice. She should’ve given the books a chance. Judging from the crowd, paranormal romance seemed popular. There was a steady stream of women coming and going.
Janice clutched her arm. “We’re next!”
Oh, yippie-friggin’-yay.Janice stood next to Burn.Damn, he is tall. A few inches under six-six, anyway,Deanna observed. Janice babbled nonsensical chatter while the model smiled, nodded, and signed a couple of her paperbacks.
Janice put her arm around the man’s trim waist. “Take our picture, Dean!”
Deanna raised the camera and looked up just as Burn’s searing gaze swept over her like a roll of white heat. God, his eyes had turned from black to silver again. Those special magic contacts were amazing. Holding out the camera, she clicked and hoped Janice was in the frame because she couldn’t tear her eyes away from “Sizzle” or “Burn” or whatever his name was. Deanna clicked another for good measure.
Janice took the camera and shoved her toward the leather-clad hunk. Her mouth went dry, and her insides fluttered. For God’s sake, he was only a model. Why was she so flustered?
She stepped next to him and glanced up.Oh hell yeah, very tall.He towered over her by at least a foot. His arm stretched out to clasp her shoulder, and he brought her in tight against his side. Solid, rock-hard muscle. Her insides began to churn in arousal.
“What’s your name, darlin’?”
She couldn’t speak. Deanna was like Ralphie inA Christmas Story,sitting on Santa’s lap.Duh…uh.No words came out.
“Her name is Deanna, but I call her Dean!” Janice sang out.
Burn gently squeezed her shoulder, and it almost brought her to her knees, his touch was so intoxicating.
“Dean. I like that,” he purred.
Dear God. His voice, was he Irish?The tone sounded low, sexy, and rumbled deep in his impressive chest, sending shock waves through her entire body.
Then the unthinkable happened. A wash of scent covered her. Deanna could taste it in her mouth, and feel it on her skin. Was the overpowering aroma his cologne? Some guys liked to drown themselves with those tacky body sprays. Burn must have marinated himself in the swill.
Deanna wheezed and her throat closed up. Her hand clasped her throat. Trying to breathe through her nose was unsuccessful. The only thing she smelled was his spicy, musky, overpowering scent. Her eyes watered and her body trembled furiously.
“Are you all right, love?”
Deanna fell to her knees, fighting for every breath. Strong arms encircled her and carried her from the sales floor through to a door marked Staff Only.

 
Title: My Vampire Cover Model
Author: Karyn Gerrard
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, Erotic Romance,
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Ebook
Words: 22000
Purchase:

 
About the Author:
 
Living in a small town in a corner of Ontario, Canada, I wile away my spare time writing, reviewing and reading romance. As long as I can avoid being hit by a runaway moose here in this wilderness paradise, I assume everything is golden. Originally from the east coast of Canada, I love to set my some of my stories in the Maritime Provinces~
Happily married for a long time to my own hero, a teacher that braves everything that is thrown at him. His encouragement keeps me moving forward.
Paranormal Romance Fans For Life Review:
 
 
This book is a rare gem in the world of erotic romance! 
 
I award Karyn Gerrard 5 Bites for My Vampire Cover Model!!!
I LOVED this novella!  Karyn Gerrard is such a talented writer.  From the very beginning she had me hooked--so much so, that I was forced to sit and read this work in a single sitting.  While the characters and the plot were somewhat predictable, Gerrard did such a good job writing that it was easy to overlook that the premise was a bit silly (which ended up making it that more fun--hello, cute meet!). I wholeheartedly recommend this book. 
 
 

Monday, November 12, 2012

Giveaway for Lethal Beauty Author, Sara Brookes!

Book Description:
As a covert operative in Elatia’s elite military, Sway Waybourne is used to fending for herself. But a powerful uprising means she’s now responsible for guarding the leader of a neighboring planet. Within seconds of meeting Dason Cavaletti, sparks fly and Sway realizes she’s gotten more than she bargained for.
Dason is curious about the arousal taking over his mind, body, and soul. When he can no longer stand the overwhelming desire, he confronts Sway. But the disturbing news she delivers isn’t at all what he expected. Mating with the gorgeous woman could kill him….
WARNING: Sarcasm galore from a fiery heroine who can take care of herself thank-you-very-much. She won’t take anyone’s guff—even from the leader of the free universe no matter how handsome he is. A unique genetic quirk leads to inventive foreplay, one blazing hot hands-on session in the bathtub and a gender bending encounter that signals this ain’t your father’s Star Trek. No redshirts were harmed while writing this novel.
 
Title: Lethal Beauty
Series: Elatia, #4
Author: Sara Brookes
Genre: Science fiction, Paranormal, Erotica,
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Ebook
Words: approx. 25K
Available through:

 
Excerpt:
“This is…quite the situation.”
She blew out a breath as she slumped onto the far side of the mattress. “You can say that again.”
Sensing her frustration—which matched his own—he reached over and clamped his hand around her ankle. She didn’t fight as he dragged her across the bed and into his arms. “It’s not as if it’s the end of the world.”
“No. It’s just…I’m used to being able to handle any situation.”
“And you don’t know how to handle this.”
“Not really.”
“I’m sure we can come up with ideas. In fact, I’m thinking of one right now.”
“You’re going to be the death of me.”
“Way I understand, it’s the other way around.” Her laughter rang out in the room, shattering the tension. He pulled her closer, content and sated for the moment. “You’re a remarkable woman. Strong, determined, not to mention sexy as sin.”
She squirmed against him and he took it as a signal she wasn’t used to hearing such things said about her. Her reaction made him decide to shower her with attention while they were trapped together.
He was both amused and terrified by her reactions. Her extraordinary skill set was evident and he found her tenacity admirable. She possessed a vulnerability, though she clearly did her best to hide that aspect of her personality. By his guess, she thought it would show a weakness if she let others know about any flaw in her perfection. A good covert operative couldn't have any visible flaws. Otherwise, they weren’t very good at their job.
By the looks of things so far, she was very, very good at her job.
And for reasons he didn’t completely understand, he had begun to fall in love with her.
 
About the Author:
Sara Brookes is an award-winning romance author has always been fascinated by the strange, the unusual, the twisted and the lost (tortured heroes are her personal favorite). She is an action movie junkie, addicted to coffee and has been known to stay up until the wee hours of the morning playing RPG video games. Despite all this, she is a romantic at heart and is always a sucker for an excellent love story. Born and bred in Virginia, Sara still lives there with her husband and daughter. The entire family is owned by two cats, Galahad and Loki, who graciously allow the family to cater to their every desire.
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