So we've added to Paranormal Romantics family. Stacey Kennedy introduced herself yesterday. We'll also be joined by D.L. Jackson on Saturdays and Sara Brookes on Thursdays starting in May.
That means Paranormal Romantics will be a 7 days a week blog.
Guest bloggers and interviews will still be part of the fun we have.
After spending a weekend spring cleaning and packing for Romantic Times Conference, I'm ready for some R&R. I'm a little nervous about the red dress I bought for the Ellora's Cave red party. It's not my ususal jeans and t-shirt. While my hands were busy, my mind was else where wondering who would you like to hear from? What authors, editors, and agents would you be interested in having a visit from? How about some cover models or artists?
Thank you Rebecca, Annie, and the rest of the gang here at Paranormal Romantics for having me over! Today, I’m going to talk about a topic that even sometimes makes me squirm – religion.
A few months ago, I blogged about paranormal work that was almost too religious for my liking. I dubbed it inspirational erotic joked that I didn’t like my kink with a side of “come to Jesus.” But when I step back, just about all of the paranormal stories out there have their roots in religion.
First, there’s the latest fad, angels and demons. When researching my upcoming Samhain release, Angelic Surrender, I did tons of research on Fallen Angels and the different types of demons. It was amazing to learn that angels and demons are not just confined to Judeo-Christian-Islamic mythology, but are parts of the folklore of India, Japan, and Polynesia. It was fun to take bits and pieces from each religion and form my own mythology for the story.
Then there are shape-shifters. Different Native American tribes talk about men with the souls of animals living inside them or warriors who embody the spirits of their totem or clan. Sometimes the connection was so strong, warriors could become that animal. Then there are the Greek myths where Zeus became the ultimate shape-shifter to seduce his human lovers, taking forms of swans and bulls. Again, another paranormal element with religious roots.
And what about vampires? In the original Dracula, two of the seductive blood-drinker’s weaknesses were crosses and holy water. Some literary professors even postulate that vampires were the embodiment of some of the “deadly sins” – gluttony, wrath, greed, and above all, lust. Today’s vampires may not have the same weaknesses, but they still carry some of their original roots with the intimate embraces when they feed, the blood-tinged lips, and the seductive charm.
And lastly, there are witches. Wicca is a form of modern-day witchcraft, but its roots are centuries old with ties to the Druids, Celts, and Ancient Egyptians. Magic ritual and spells were important parts of these ancient religions, and their presence is still seen in the casting of spells and the calling of the five elements.
What are some of the most memorable ways you’ve seen a religion incorporated into a paranormal story? Was it a retelling of a myth? A revival of an unfamiliar religion?
First, I’d just like to say that I’m excited to join the Paranormal Romantics team and can’t wait to chat with fellow readers.
A little about me...
I love the paranormal romance genre and love a series more!! Nothing can hook me in more than an adventure and one that keeps on going. I love a page turner, one where I’m up at a ridiculous time and my eyes burn because I can’t stop reading. Witty characters, dominant men, danger, action, romance and hot sex―oh my!
My novels are heavy in fantasy, heart squeezing, thigh-clenching romance, and even give a good chuckle every now and again. I’m not a planner. I don’t write with a set idea because no matter what I plan, the characters’ voices always come through and demand I listen to them. So, I gave up trying to fight it!
The journey as a writer all began when I was a teen and wrote poetry, which still to this day I pull out to have a good laugh. Later on, I tried a couple of times to put a book together with no such luck. Couldn’t ever get past the first few chapters. But once I was exposed to the paranormal world, ideas came quickly.
At first, it was a way to keep my brain alive since being a stay at home mom can be a little let’s say―numbing. It was an escape from screaming kids, dirty diapers and plain old mom duty. It started as a hobby, but as the stories progressed it became a passion. Now, I indulge at nap time, especially the juicy bits! Every mom needs a good thrill!
So here in Kitchener, Ontario, I am a thirty one year old wife, mom, house cleaner, cook, teacher, play-doh extraordinaire, swing pusher, toddler chaser after – who loves the outdoors, curling up with the latest flick, and if I’m not plugging away at a new novel, I’ve got my nose buried deep in a good book. So there it is―my life!
My thought for the day...
Wrapping up the current novel I’m working on “A Deadly Whisper,” a conversation came up about cliff-hangers. Should I do one or wrap it up―that was the question. Well, of course the choice wasn’t mine. The characters demanded that I close off their story so that was that.
But this isn’t to say that I don’t love a cliff-hanger and haven’t used them before. In my Magical Sword Series, “The Devils Kiss,” has a wicked cliff-hanger that I am sure is going to cause a rumble. Sometimes, it needs it―sometimes it’s just cruel to do it.
I usually try to do something out of the ordinary for Friday but today I thought I'd give you a peek at my newest release, ACE OF SPADES which is a story that grew out of my love for the Poker After Dark program. (I'm in lust with Chris Ferguson...he does ballroom dancing including the tango!) ACE is available through Ellora's Cave and it is my second contemporary erotic story. I enjoyed writing it, who knows--there may be a followup in the works.
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
The dealer never looked up. Cards deftly flipped through her hands and slipped between each other with only a whisper of sound against the red felt. A professional who didn’t even bat an eye, she shuffled, cut and placed the deck in front of him. He had been suckered into the stupidest bet of his life. One he’d be sorry for if the right card wasn’t pulled.
Aldan ”Ace” Spade and his three friends were regular high rollers at the Coral Sea Casino. The pit boss had allowed the dealer to veer from the game of blackjack because no one else sat at the table with them.
He’d arrived late and missed drinks with his buddies at the gentlemen’s club located in the building next to the casino. The bet was whether or not he could take home the new hostess. This time Ace played blind.
He didn’t mind taking a girl to his place but damn, he hated not knowing what she was like. The manager hired the shallowest women in the world. They all seemed to care about one thing—hanging around long enough to hook a winner with deep pockets. He could count on one hand those who had survived long enough to accomplish that feat.
He pulled a card from the deck. The dealer took hers and faced it up. Eight of diamonds. His chances of turning over a higher card were fifty-fifty. Lower and he’d be stuck with the new girl.
Ace had grown tired of his lifestyle. Weary of the nameless women traipsing through his life. Shit, he was getting soft. And knocking on forty. The thought of settling down crossed his mind a lot lately. Problem was he avoided nice girls like the plague. Too many went bad in his business. He wasn’t interested in picking up the pieces anymore. Most of his life he’d played the field, and scored more often than a dollar hooker.
He flipped his card over. Five of hearts.
“Fuck me to tears,” he groaned. “I don’t feel like company tonight.”
His friends laughed at him. Ren said, “Hope you brought cash. I don’t take checks or IOUs and I got a feeling we might win the bet tonight.”
“Christ. Is she blonde?” He hoped she wasn’t. “Come on, let’s get this shit over with. Nobody told her about me, right?”
Trace still grinned. “Tell her what? You’re filthy rich or you’re just filthy?”
He glared hard at his friends. “She can’t be any worse than keeping company with you sorry bastards. Closing time she’ll be on my arm and I don’t take IOUs either.” Wasn’t often he was turned down.
They exited the casino using the boardwalk entrance and made their way to the club. There was a nice crowd and they waited a bit before the manger approached. “Your regular table’s empty, gentlemen. I’ll send a waiter over.”
After they’d been seated a while, Ace peered around, trying to catch sight of the new hostess. Not a sign of her. Aside from the woman on stage, she’d be the only female employee. The servers were all male and two bouncers flanked the stage to make sure no touching went on there.
“Hell, maybe she didn’t make it a day.” He continued to peruse the crowded room.
“Not to worry, she’ll probably be here longer than most.” Ren’s toothy grin made him wonder. No way she wouldn’t be a knockout. So what was up?
“Just wait.” Trace’s cryptic reply didn’t help Ace any. For some reason the guys were evasive.
The dancers treated what they did like a profession. One many sneered at, but a job nonetheless. Quite a few of those he employed attended the local college. They performed here to make a buck—and the tips were phenomenal.
The Shell was known by other names—titty bar, topless bar—but it was one of the cleanest run and safest in the county. The dancers were the best and if any of them tried to handle private business on the side, they were sent packing immediately.
Ace would have it no other way.
No one knew he owned the place except his friends. Even the manager didn’t. Everything got handled through his attorney.
The only problem here existed with the damn hostesses. Most were let go for outrageously coming on to the patrons. Others just couldn’t take the rowdy men who frequented the club. He kept hoping they’d find a lady who, with finesse, would stand up to the angry, rude sons of bitches. Ace made it a point not to interfere, but if that woman ever turned up, he’d make sure she stayed.
And other quasi-unimportant tragedies that have made my week so darn busy.
I’d like to start out by thanking Amazon.com. I am told that my replacement Kindle is on the way.WOO HOO.
I am, admittedly, a book-addict. It’s very hard for me to not read. It’s actually a punishment for me to go a whole day without doing any reading.So, since I read almost entirely on the Kindle now, it’s been very hard for me to go cold turkey on this problem.
Consequently, I’ve been trying to keep myself out of the house so I don’t notice that I’m not reading.What does this mean? It also means I’m not writing as much because I’m not at home to do the actual work.
So to compound my lack of reading, I am now going through writing withdrawals.
I know that Sandra Sookoo always leads us in great discussions on this blog that gets everyone really fired up.I sometimes think, as I sit down to do this, that I’d like to come up with topics like that but the truth is that I’m pretty dull in real life.
I have three children, less than five years old, all boys actually.I go to soccer games, and most recently T-Ball, I run errands, and drive children around. Yesterday was kind of exciting because I got the baby’s six-month photos done.I like to go out to eat and to watch television at night with my husband…
But in my mind I’m always on grand adventures.Outside of my writing, it’s very difficult for me to expression controversial things that might keep you all interested enough to run out here to read what I’ve written.
So I guess I’m not much of a blogger…
Truth is, I’m pretty bloodthirsty in my mind.My characters have grand adventures, huge love stories, and destinies they need to fulfill.Sometimes the bad guys win.Sometimes whom the reader initially thinks is the bad guy, is actually the good guy and ‘good’ is not always interesting in my worlds.
I’m going to continue to dream up the paranormal, I can’t seem to stop myself and I’m immensely grateful that you read them.
Gotta get back to my writing now.My heroine is about to become a vampire….
This issue has been circling around in my brain for a few weeks now. As most of you know, a lot of my work is loaded with humor and for those that are new to my work, I urge you to check out my website http://www.sandrasookoo.com. Add to that, I like to write in whatever genre the mood strikes: paranormal, contemporary or historical with heat but not at an erotic level.
What’s wrong with this picture?
I’m not writing for the trends.
Now I realize it’s the only way to make cash in this game but I can’t help but wonder if that’s doing things the easy way. Right now, I’m not interested in writing for the trends and have always been told to write something that interests me as a reader. I’m darned proud of the books I’ve put out, just wish more people would take a chance on them.
Funny vampires? I have 'em. (Recently got my print copies of Fang Shui in the mail and they're oh so pretty) Historicals with heat and heart? Yup those to. Contemporary books that'll make you snort your drink out of your nose? They're in stock now LOL Yes, my early work doesn't have sex in it. My 2010 work does. I've evolved, in this it was a change or die kind of thing and I'm okay with it. Pretty darned comfortable writing it, but that doesn't mean I won't go back to "sweet" romance if the urge strikes. So, take a chance on me. I've got everything you're looking for. LOL
(Yeah, shameless plug but that's what the world has come to, right?) LOL
But, they're not the trends.
Depending on which publisher you look at, you'll find the trending topics to be wolves, menages, category romance, Amish romances, dom/sub stuff or M/M stories.
None of which my books fall into. That's the sad truth. It takes a village to make the publishing industry go 'round and I'm not trashing those things, I'm merely saying I don't write in them.
Yet, I continue to write what I love, what interests me, what makes me laugh, hoping someone out there will love it, too, hoping the current trends will shift and my stuff will become popular. Please God. I can entertain the crap out of you, but first, someone needs to make the trends shift and demand different stuff. :-)
So, here’s today’s question.
1. Writers—how do you tackle this conundrum? Do you write for the trends, hoping to make it big or do you throw caution to the wind and write what you love even though it probably won’t sell well at the moment?
2. Readers—are you contend to read what everyone else is reading? Do you tend to pick up a book in the same genre over and over again, or are you willing to take a chance on something different?
Can’t wait to hear what you think. Good, bad, ugly, supportive, I wanna hear it all. :-)
It seems that werewolves and vampires are still the biggest genres for paranormal romance. I know I love books about them. There is just something about a big gorgeous hunk of a man who can go wolf when the urge takes him, or one whose bite can bring even greater pleasure.
My two werewolf series at Liquid Silver Books have done well for me, and I must admit I love writing them. I have my Wulf’s Den series and the new spin off series, Roxie’s Protectors. All of them have the same werewolf theme with a little bit of humor thrown in. I recently had the first book of a new werewolf series published at Noble Romance, Wolves of East Anglia-Mate for a King. These wolves are a little different from my other series, but I had just as much fun writing about them.
I also have the first book in my first vampire series, Ra’s Chosen-Soul Hunger, coming out at the end of May at Ellora’s Cave. With this series I combined my love for vampires and Egyptian mythology. I finished the edits for the second book of this series the other day. I have to admit that I fell in love with reading vampire romances first before werewolf romances.
You can read excerpts for my wolves and vampires on my website HERE.
So out of these two genres, which one do you love the best? Or are you like me and love both of them?
A long, long time ago in a land far, far away four children climbed into a wardrobe to hide from a mean governess and fell into a new world.
I was HOOKED.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first book I read from cover to cover without being told to do it by either parent or teacher. Something clicked during this journey through Narnia. I finished the book and thought, ‘So this is why people read.’ It was an important AHA moment in my life.
I think many people miss or by pass this moment, which is sad. I know more people who don’t read than do.
For me, reading is a chance of adventure. To be someone else. When I read my focus narrows and all around me tends to fade. It drives my husband crazy when I sit in my chair and laugh or cry at what I’m reading.
EVERYONE knows I surf YouTube for music. Usually starts when I'm writing and I look for something to listen to. It ended up with me having songs I associated with books and with various characters. When I come upon a piece I like, I will most often listen to the myriad of renditions, or covers, of the song. It's interesting to me the different sounds and ways an artist will interpret another artist's work.
See where I'm going with this? Today I've compiled a video collage of songs and the variety of ways they have been done--and redone.
This is WHATEVER LOLA WANTS by Sarah Vaughan.
Same song by Gotan Project (with Sarah Vaughan vocals) This piece has been used often on Dancing With the Stars and other shows for tango routines. We all know how I love tango *grins* think RHYTHM OF LOVE available now at Ellora's Cave.
Here's one with a Middle Eastern flavor--I want to SEE the Nabil Ayouch movie after watching the video trailer:
Here's a song I've always enjoyed listening to, LA VIE EN ROSE. First up, the awesome Edith Piaf whose name is synonymous with this song.
Then we have Louis Armstrong's version.
Cyndi Lauper did one too! Has anyone seen her on Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice?
And then there's MACK THE KNIFE by Bobby Darin...but we'll leave that for another time.
It’s just that my writing has me all over the place. My muse is half-asleep and not on her game.The kids are pulling me in ten different directions and I’m not doing anything all that well this week.
I will leave you with this quote:
“I don't want to achieve immortality through my work, I want to achieve it through not dying." Woody Allan
Anne Rice started writing her Vampire novels after suffering through a tragic death in the family. The idea of the undead, never dying.
