Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Vampire of Blackpool

Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. Today I share another excerpt from my NaNoWriMo 2012 novel, The Vampire of Blackpool. I have yet to return to the project for edits, but I certainly plan to have this one published in the future. This excerpt is a conversation between our protagonist, Meredith Hanson, and a young witch called Samantha Morris.

            “Hi,” she said nervously, “Um, I thought maybe we could talk?”

            I frowned.  This was highly irregular.

            “About what?” I replied coldly, and I saw her shiver at my icy tone.

            She swallowed, and when she spoke again her voice trembled.

            “Um,” she said, “I don’t know.  Stuff.”

            She waved her free hand vaguely in the air, as though I should understand what she was indicating.  I simply stared at her, unmoving once again.

            “We have nothing to discuss,” I said in the same cold tone.

            The girl chewed her lip.  I tried to enter her mind to discover why she had taken an interest in me.  At first her thoughts were a jumble of everyday nuances, but she quickly felt my presence, and she threw up a rather impressive shield against me.  I inclined my head, unable to hide my surprise.  She smiled, realising my reaction.

            “Yes,” she said more confidently, “I might be new to this, but I know how to protect my thoughts from vampires.”
            I smiled faintly, showing my amusement.

            “Very well,” I said.

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping! 

*Gothic image courtesy of Pinterest

I’m a Camper! #CampNaNoWriMo 2013

I have been struggling with a manuscript for about the last six months, and so I decided it was time to get help. I turned once again to the good people at National Novel Writing Month. Since I managed to write 2 very pleasing novels during my NaNoWriMo events in 2011 and 2012, I thought I should try it with this one. Lucky for me, Camp NaNoWriMo is active throughout April.

The manuscript in question hasn’t even got a title. My working title is The Vampire Hunter, but that doesn’t do it justice, so it will have to change. I began the novel with gusto, having received a flash of beautiful inspiration from my Muse while out walking by the canal one day. Then, without warning, my Muse went on holiday! How dare she! In fact, I think she might have emigrated. I have been receiving ideas for stories on the odd occasions when she shows herself, but with this novel, she seems to have left me to it.

The story is about a vampire hunter who lives on a canal boat. She travels the UK waterways, slaying vampires wherever she goes. Dr Jennifer Worthington works alone, having lost her previous partner during a hunt that went wrong. Her sole aim is to locate the vampire who broke her heart when she was at university, and to destroy him. During her quest, she discovers an ancient and powerful vampire who has a strange attraction both to and for Jennifer.

At this point in the story, I am about to head off into a whole new adventure on uncharted territory. Jennifer discovers that she has a history with the vampires she hunts, and it goes back centuries. We have elements of past lives, reincarnation, and even angels and demons lurking in the shadows. I just need to figure out how to bring them forward and integrate them in an exciting and enjoyable story. Camp NaNoWriMo, I need your help!

*Vampire Hunter image courtesy of Pinterest

Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Vampire of Blackpool

Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. Today I will share another excerpt from my manuscript for NaNoWriMo 2012. The novel is called The Vampire of Blackpool, and I was quite pleased with the result. I have yet to return to the project for edits, but I certainly plan to have this one published in the future. Enjoy!

 

Before either of them could make sense of what I was, I struck at the girl, biting her throat and drinking deeply of her blood. She screamed loudly, but it soon faded as she fell unconscious in my grasp. The boy stared in horror, as I raised my eyes to look at him while I fed. He soon gathered his senses however, and I realized just in time that he was about to hit me with the torch. He was strong, but no match for me. Rearing up from his girlfriend’s body, I hissed at him and smacked his arm hard. The torch flew across the garden and landed with a thud in a flowerbed. The boy stared at me, struck dumb by his terror. He stuttered and managed to find his voice.

            “You’re a…a…” he gave up talking as I reached across to grab his jacket.

            “Yes,” I replied smoothly, my eyes glowing silver and my skin translucent in the moonlight, “I am a vampire.  We do exist.”

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping! 

*Vampire image courtesy of Pinterest

Hump Day Hook #HDH – The Darkness of Love

Hello and welcome to another Hump Day Hook. We continue with one more snippet from The Darkness of Love, and here is a little insight into the adventure that awaits our hapless stable boy Marcus Scott, and the young Lady of the Manor, Sarah Stockton…

Gregory watched Sarah and Penelope trot towards the lake, the sunlight helping Sarah’s lustrous hair glow golden, and Penelope’s flanks were silvered, making a nice contrast to her mistress sat resplendent and proud in her pretty blue dress.  Gregory felt his body tighten with anticipation.  It had been a week since he had shared a bed with his wife, and now he needed her desperately.  He had been extremely busy with work, and now was concerned that he may need to spend some time at his offices in London, to put his affairs in order.  What might happen at Stockton Manor in his absence?  Would young Marcus take his chances with the Lady Sarah, or would he continue to resist, even though it was clearly becoming increasingly difficult for him? 

If you enjoyed this one, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and peruse some new and exciting authors. We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping!  

*Vampire lovers image courtesy of Pinterest

I Mourn for Being Human as it reaches the End

Last night I watched my favourite TV show, Being Human. It was an emotional time when the announcer reminded the audience that this final series is almost over. Next weekend we see the grand finale, which draws to a close 5 wonderful seasons of this innovative and action packed supernatural drama.

According to the writers at BBC3, who broadcast Being Human, this was never meant to be so big. It was an experiment, to see how the television audience reacted to watching the story of a ghost, a vampire and a werewolf living together in Bristol. It turned out the audience loved it, and during the next few series our characters evolved, grew, moved on, and the setting changed to Barry in Wales.

Part of my attraction to Being Human is that it is British. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I also enjoy watching The Vampire Diaries and True Blood, among other things. But for me, to find a good, realistic, British supernatural drama on our native BBC, was just perfect. I am very sad to see the end of Being Human. I am also very interested to see what comes next.

I can’t help but think that there is now room for something more, perhaps a television dramatization of my Redcliffe novels? I am here, I am waiting, and I am hungry for the action! And judging by the popularity of Being Human, there are many more people who feel the same way. They just need to discover Redcliffe like I did!

Hump Day Hook #HDH Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel)

Having recently sent my final manuscript off to the publisher for printing, I would like to share an excerpt from my upcoming new release Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). I am very excited to see my third book in print, and I hope you will enjoy the snippet, which shows a little action between the witch Jessica Stone, and the alpha werewolf Danny Mason.

“You are the alpha male,” I said, “You are worthy of our attention.”

            “Jessica,” Danny said, “I do not want to play with your tiger.  I want you,” he paused, staring at me with glowing blue eyes, “Jessica, I want you.” He said again.

            I hesitated, mulling over his words.  Something stirred within me, a memory of another man who looked identical to the alpha.  The other man was not a wolf.  He was dead.  I didn’t want a dead thing.  I wanted heat, power, and life.  I moved towards the alpha, my body preparing to pounce.  My movements were smooth, agile and feline.  I loved the way I moved, so graceful and delicate, so strong.  I pounced.

There we go! Not only is Jessica fighting with her wayward animal familiar, but she is about to plunge head first into a love triangle with supernatural identical twin brothers. Will her sanity survive? Will she survive? Wait and see! In the meantime, you can read the story from the beginning by checking out Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) free on Wattpad for a limited time only. You can then sample the sequel Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) and follow the progress of our feisty heroine and her tumultuous relationships.

You can see the rest of our Hump Day Hook bloggers on our special website, and on Facebook. Take a look, you won't be disappointed! 

A Vampire for Valentines Day #VampireBlogHop

I am very excited at the moment! Not only am I soon to release my third novel in the paranormal romance series the Redcliffe novels, but also my favourite television show, Being Human, is back on BBC3 for its fifth series. Can life get any better? Well, yes, but for now I am content!

Today is St Valentine’s Day. Traditionally we are supposed to revel in romance, lavish affection upon our loved ones, and take the opportunity to share our true feelings with the objects of our affections. As a married woman with a young child and another on the way, my romantic life is pretty non-existent right now!

That is partly why I escape to Redcliffe and the passionate love affair between witch Jessica Stone, vampire detective Jack Mason and his identical twin werewolf brother Danny. Throw in a werewolf love triangle between alpha Danny Mason, and lieutenants Simon Bunce and Sally Frost, and you have an explosive mix. Add another feisty vampire, playboy business owner Marcus Scott, and the whole thing becomes a tornado!

So, for your romantic pleasure, and in the spirit of St Valentine, I have participated in the Valentine’s Vampire Bite Blog Hop courtesy of Precious Monsters. My vampire heroes are Detective Jack Mason from the Redcliffe novels, his friend Marcus Scott, and the heroes from Being Human, Mitchell (actor Aidan Turner) and Hal (actor Damien Molony). If you haven’t seen Being Human, here are some photos of these two delectable Irish men (who incidentally would be in the running for my fantasy Redcliffe cast):

Mmm, delicious! Happy Valentine's Day my friends. May it be filled with love, romance, and chocolate!

*Cover Reveal* Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) – New Release!

It has arrived! It has finally arrived! After much discussion, tantalising titbits, and lots of talk about my exciting new Redcliffe novel, I can now reveal the front cover of Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel).

*Cue drum roll* - Ta-da!

Adjusting to life with vampires and werewolves, Jessica Stone is learning about being a witch. Love is painful. Life is difficult. It is never boring.

Life has changed forever in Redcliffe, Cornwall. Jessica Stone used to be a normal, happy human. Now she is an angry, conflicted and confused witch. It all happened when she met Detective Jack Mason and his identical twin brother Danny. Jessica almost died twice, fell into a love triangle, and she became a murderer. Now she faces the ultimate challenge as she continues the fight to save the man she loves, while simultaneously struggling with her lust for his werewolf brother and their vampire friend. Can she survive, or will love finally end her life completely?

Hump Day Hook #HDH - Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel)

Good morning and welcome to another Hump Day Hook! This week I have decided to show what happened when Jessica Stone met the vampire Marcus Scott. He is an interesting character. He was only supposed to have a bit part in the Redcliffe novels, but somehow he wheedled his way into the cast, and if I'm honest, into my heart! Watch out for more of Marcus when I find the right publisher for his story...

For now, here is the Hump Day Hook taken from my debut novel Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel). Don't forget you can read the whole novel for free on Wattpad for a limited time only, check it out!

“Marcus stop!” I cried, “Please stop, you’re hurting me!”

I was suddenly in a blind panic as he lifted his head, his face pale, and his eyes wild.  He opened his mouth and I tried to scream.  He was going to bite me! 

Suddenly he was flung away and slammed into the ground across the car park.  I saw Danny standing before me.  He glared at Marcus.

 “What did we tell you?” he yelled, “She is with Jack; she is not yours to take.  Leave us!” 

Marcus smoothly stood and put a hand to his mouth where he was bleeding from Danny’s punch.  He smiled and sauntered away without a word.  Danny turned back to me. 

“Are you alright, Jessica?” he asked, “Did he hurt you?” 

Tears sprang to my eyes.  I felt so foolish, so stupid.  If I hadn’t gotten drunk I could have stopped this from happening.  Danny‘s expression was full of concern. 

“Hey it’s all right.” he said softly, “Look, come inside and I’ll get you some water and find Jack.”   

Dramatic, isn't he? Marcus is a brilliant vampire, and he certainly throws a spanner in the works when he makes an appearance. You can see more of him in my second novel Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) and in my upcoming third release Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). 

If you want to see more great writing from diverse and exciting authors, check out our Hump Day Hook blog and the Facebook page for links to more excerpts. You will not be disappointed!

 

Valentines Day Vampire Bite Blog Hop

One of my New Year's resolutions was to get involved in some blog hops with both my author blog, and my personal one. I have thrown myself into the challenge by opening up my blog for guest appearances by fellow authors (message me if you would like a spot), and now I have joined my first blog hop. I will be writing about my favourite subject on Valentine's Day, and the very romantic topic is, of course, vampires!

I am currently considering my options, and wondering which angle to take for my blog post. I am thinking it is a good time to tie in with the upcoming release of my third Redcliffe novel, Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). And, in the spirit of love and romance for Valentine's Day, I think it might be nice to share some background information about my favourite vampire, the incredibly gorgeous, moody and complicated Detective Jack Mason, lover and soulmate to our witch heroine, Jessica Stone.

If you would like a preview of the vampires of Redcliffe, Cornwall, hop over to Wattpad now, where you can read the entire first novel Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel), free. It is online for a limited time only as I promote the series that also includes Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel) and Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). Have a read, and tell me what you think...

Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) - *FREE Special Offer*

I am pleased to announce the imminent release of my third Redcliffe novel, Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). This book promises to be the most explosive part of the adventure so far, with more revelations for bookshop owner Jessica Stone as she navigates the new world of supernatural creatures, vengeful vampires, and alpha werewolves.

To celebrate the new book, and as a thank you to my fellow readers and authors for your continued support, I have posted up my first novel, Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) free on Wattpad. Follow bookshop owner Jessica Stone as she unwittingly falls in love with a vampire police detective and his identical twin werewolf brother. Their lives are dangerous but Jessica cannot leave once she admits her feelings and discovers her own hidden truths.Check it out here! 

If you enjoy that one, you can sample the second novel, Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel), and I will be back very soon to share the release date for Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). Any reviews are welcome and appreciated, as is your interaction either here, over on Wattpad, or via Twitter or Facebook.

Have a lovely day!

Hump Day Hook for Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel)

It is time for another Hump Day Hook snippet from my second novel Love Kills (A Redcliffe Novel). I trust you have all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and are preparing for an exciting New Year celebration. There will be more from Redcliffe in 2013, starting with the release of my third book, Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). Stay tuned, and in the meantime, here is something to whet your appetite.

*WARNING* - VIOLENT IMAGERY - NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!

Kimberley started to move and then suddenly her hand was at my throat.  She pushed me hard against the wall and I panicked, struggling to breathe.  Before she could speak Danny grabbed her, yanked her back, and threw her across the room so that she skidded and crashed into the wooden chairs.  I sank to the floor, hands to my throat, catching my breath, coughing and spluttering violently as my body reacted in fear.  Danny was crouched above Kimberley, growling and snarling but still in human form.  He punched her and the sound echoed through the room.  She cried out and I heard her whimper and beg him for forgiveness.  His voice was clear and terrifying.

“You ask my forgiveness?” he roared, slapping her face, “You should ask for Jessica’s!  She is my friend, and I welcome her here into our lair with a promise of protection.  You will protect her as our own, Kimberley, or you will be cast out.  What do you choose?”

Don't forget to check out our Facebook group for more exciting novel snippets and lots of fabulous authors. Happy reading! 

Supernatural Adventures in Cornwall - the Redcliffe Novels

Since we are fast approaching an especially busy week for eBook sales and people eagerly searching for new authors and series' to get their teeth into, I am taking this opportunity to promote the Redcliffe novels. Allow me to elaborate...

Set in Cornwall, England, the Redcliffe novels follow the adventures of bookshop owner Jessica Stone as she unwittingly falls in love with a vampire, becomes entangled with his identical twin brother's werewolf pack, and then discovers she is a witch. 

 Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) is about a young woman who runs a bookshop in Cornwall with her best friend. She falls in love with a local police detective and later discovers that he is a vampire, and that his identical twin brother is a werewolf. She is dragged into their complicated and dangerous lives, to her detriment, where secrets are told and lives are lost...

In the recently released sequel Love Kills (A RedcliffeNovel), Jessica Stone recovers from an horrific werewolf attack and comes to terms with revelations that her lover, Jack Mason, is a vampire, his brother, Danny, the werewolf pack leader, and her best friend, Simon, is a werewolf.  Add to that her discovery that she is a witch, and life is suddenly a whole lot harder than it used to be. Jessica has to fight for her own life and Jack’s when faced with his jealous vampire master who wants her old lover back. But things are never easy, and a vampire master is not so easy to defeat…

My books are available in both eBook and paperback formats, with a third novel due out in 2013. You can find links for all formats on my website, on Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Waterstones. I hope you enjoy reading them just as much as I enjoy creating the magic and mayhem! 

Meet the Vampire Book Realm Authors at Coffee Time Romance

I have already posted about this a few weeks’ ago, but remember our date for Friday 30^th November (oh, that would be today, now in fact!) I will be live in the Latte Lounge at Coffee Time Romance, along with my fellow authors from the Vampire Book Realm.

This is an all-day event, so drop by anytime and say hello! We are running cool competitions, discussing all aspects of our books, and I will even post excerpts from my newest vampire tale, The Vampire of Blackpool (fresh from the NaNoWriMo press!)

So remember, pop in to our forum any time today at Coffee Time Romance. If you love vampires, you will love the Vampire Book Realm… 

http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php?f=1955

#NaNoWriMo – It’s in the Bag!

Well, this year’s NaNoWriMo challenge has proved especially tough, and it is only my second attempt at the contest! It was easier to write last year partly because I was writing the sequel to my debut novel and the story was already planned, and partly because my daughter was under 1 and therefore easier to entertain.

This month, in NaNoWriMo 2012, my novel has literally been a surprise to me. My title is The Vampire of Blackpool. It probably won’t stick, but it was all I could come up with in time for the challenge. My story has literally developed every time I sit down to write. I have no prior understanding of my characters or the plot. All I knew in the beginning was that I had a female vampire living in solitude on the outskirts of Blackpool. She was a traditional vampire, feeding and killing humans with no sense of remorse. It was supposed to be a horror story.

It hasn’t quite turned out that way, but I am still happy with the developments. My vampire, Meredith Hanson, has been on a killing spree. A vampire hunter is also chasing her and they have so far battled to near-death and then engaged in conversation, albeit brief. She feels something for him, but she is confused. Meredith has also become intimately acquainted with a young nurse who just happens to be a witch, and this sub-plot has taken me by surprise during the last couple of days.

The icing on the cake for NaNoWriMo 2012 has been the arrival in my story of a familiar face from the Redcliffe novels. Detective Jack Mason has arrived on the scene! He has travelled up from Cornwall to Lancashire, and it seems that he and Meredith have a history. We might learn a little about it soon enough, but I am not sure. I will give Meredith free reign to tell her story. My muse has suddenly woken up and seems very eager to share. Wonderful!

So, as it stands, I am now at 38,493 words. I have to write another 11,507 words in just 8 days. The estimate is to write 1,439 words per day, according to my stats on the NaNoWriMo website. This means I will finish my novel on 29^th November. Perfect! And, a little early but I’m feeling generous, Merry Christmas!