Exclusive Bitten by Books

Interview with Justin Gustainis

***PLEASE NOTE: This contest ends 7/2/08 at 6:00 PM pdt. Any entries after that time will not be valid. Winner will be announced tomorrow.

A big welcome to our readers today! We have LOTS of fun stuff planned, so hang on to your coffee cups and don’t wander too far away from your computer. Be sure to read to the end of the interview to find out how to WIN one of several great prizes being offered up today, including TWO copies of Black Magic Woman from the author and a $25.00 Amazon.com Gift Card from Bitten by books!

Interview:

Hi Justin!

Welcome to Bitten by Books, we are excited to have you here today!

I would like to thank you taking the time to join us for the question and answer session with our readers. It has been very interesting to get to know more about Justin Gustainis and what makes him tick as a writer! Readers, if you haven’t done so already please stop by and get your copy of Black Magic Woman right now! You will be so glad you did.

BBB: What do you find the most challenging aspect of writing?

JG: You mean, apart from sitting at the keyboard quietly, while beads of blood form on my forehead? I’d say it was plotting. Coming up with a story that’s entertaining, hasn’t been done a million times, and has some internal logic — that’s the hardest part for me.

BBB: What is the most rewarding aspect of writing for you?

JG: I think it’s the sheer absorption. Once I get into it, time passes virtually without notice. If I don’t have to have to keep track of the time (because of a commitment of some kind), it’s not uncommon for me to look up from the computer and see that two hours have passed. About twelve years ago, a guy with an unpronounceable and unspellable (by me, anyway) name wrote a book called Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. He talks there about how certain activities are so absorbing for people that they get into a “zone” where nothing else matters. For some people, that comes from playing sports, or listening to music, or painting. For me, it’s writing.

BBB: What made you decide to start writing or decide you wanted to become an author?

JG: Writing started out as a hobby, of sorts (by day, I’m a mild-mannered college professor). I began writing as a way of dealing with an emotionally difficult time in my life. At first, I had no real thought of publication. But the thing I was fooling around with eventually turned into a novel, and the rest is history. Or tragedy — depending on how you look at it.

BBB: Your book Black Magic Woman that released in January by Solaris is based on a new series featuring Quincey Morris a paranormal investigator. Is there a reason you decided to go with a male character for the protagonist in this series?

JG: I suppose that I identify with males more closely — being one myself, and all. Consider: all the female urban fantasy protagonists are written by women (and damn well, too): Laurell K. Hamilton, Rachel Caine, Lili Saintcrow, Charlaine Harris, etc. And the male characters in the genre, like Harry Dresden and John Taylor, are written by men (Jim Butcher and Simon R. Green, respectively). By the same token, I like to think I’ve done right by Libby Chastain, who’s sort of a co-protagonist. The comments I’ve received from women readers would seem to say that I have.

BBB: What made you choose the Voodoo type rituals that took place in your books?

JG: Well, rightly or wrongly, voodoo represents something sinister to most Westerners. It’s a cultural trope. So, one way to depict black magic is to manifest it through voodoo. As for the specific rituals (and most of my other research, for that matter), all I can say is, God bless the Internet.

BBB: Are there any other books or series with different paranormal creatures in the works?

JG: Evil Ways, the second book in the “Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigations” series, is due out around Christmas. Lots of witchcraft in that one. Some zombies, too. Quincey and Libby don’t really have all that much to do in this story — just save the world. No pressure, or anything. The third book in the series will be called “Sympathy for the Devil”. I’ll let you guess what that one’s about.

I’m also putting together an anthology of “occult detective” stories, with contributions by some of the best-known authors in urban fantasy: Kim Newman, Simon R. Green, Lilith Saintcrow, Julie Kenner, Rachel Caine, Jim Butcher, P.N. Elrod, and a number of others. The idea is to take characters who are mostly (or exclusively) known in series novels and feature them in short stories. I hear Quincey and Libby will be putting in an appearance, too.

BBB: What genre would you classify Black Magic Woman? Urban Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal a mixture?

JG: I don’t think those categories are mutually exclusive. That said, I suppose “urban fantasy” is closest to the mark, although I wouldn’t be embarrassed to cop to “dark fantasy,” “paranormal,” “occult thriller,” or plain old “horror.”

BBB: What is your favorite time of day to write?

JG: Well given my day job corrupting the minds of America’s youth, I mostly write in the evenings and on weekends. On weekends, I write whenever I can spare the time — sometimes, morning, sometimes afternoon, other times, at night.

BBB: What is your favorite paranormal book of all time?

JG: I’d say it would have to be Anno Dracula, by Kim Newman. It starts with the premise that Dracula was not killed by Van Helsing and his crew. Instead, the Count seduces, then marries, Queen Victoria, becomes the Prince Regent of Great Britain, and starts making vampires left and right, who soon come to dominate British life. The book’s a masterpiece, IMHO.

BBB: If you could be any paranormal creature, what would it be and why?

JG: A vampire, but only if I could be the cool kind. Like Frank Langella in Dracula (1979)

BBB: Where do you find your inspiration when writing? Do you have somebody who inspires you?

JG: My muse is a guy I call Charlie. Kinda small fella, balding. Smokes Marlboros. He doesn’t always visit just when I want him to.

BBB: When and where is your next scheduled book signing?

JG: I’m done signing for Black Magic Woman (except on an “ad hoc” basis). I imagine I’ll be doing some signings when Evil Ways comes out, but that’s too far off to schedule anything yet.

BBB: How true are the rumors that you are an expert in occult sciences and black magic?

JG: I could tell you, but then I’d have to turn you into a frog.

BBB: Who is your favorite secondary character in Black Magic Woman?

JG: I suppose the South African cop, Van Dreenan. He carries a lot of sorrow around inside him, and I can kinda relate to that.

BBB: What did you do before you became a writer? Do you write full time?

JG: I was, am, and probably will remain (unless the books start selling REALLY well) a college professor. I teach in a mid-sized university in upstate New York, where my specialty is Social Influence (Persuasion, Argumentation, Propaganda, etc.).

BBB: What is your favorite meal?

JG: Pizza. Double cheese, ham, and mushrooms, if you please.

BBB: If you were stranded on a desert island infested with vampires, what ONE author’s books would you have delivered?

JG: God’s. A case full of Bibles would probably come in REALLY handy.

BBB: Do you have any pearls of wisdom you would like to share with our readers here today?

JG: I’d quote the line that is spoken directly to the audience at the end of the stage play version of DRACULA: “There ARE such things.”

Justin, thank you SO much for taking time out of your busy writing schedule to give us this great interview. It has been great!

Questions and Contest: Now, I am going to open up the internet floor so to speak and let our readers ask some questions. Feel free to post as many questions or comments as you like. Justin will be answering them the rest of the day.

Readers, here’s how to enter the contest. You can do one or all of these things, and each one will give an additional entry. This is to win either a SIGNED copy of Black Magic Woman OR a $25.00 Amazon.com Gift Card.

1. Ask the author a question (max two questions count towards entries) and, your name will be entered for a chance to win one of the fabulous prizes mentioned above.

2. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter here on the right hand side of the site.

3. Post links to the interview here today at another blog or website and you will be given additional entries to win. You MUST post those links in one response here in this thread.

4. Purchase a copy of Black Magic Womanand send us a copy of the receipt for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces) for an additional entry.

5. Watch the posts today in this thread for additional chances to gain more entries.

Be sure to include an email and name where we can contact you if you are a winner.

We will be awarding the prizes and posting the winners Thursday, July 3rd, 2008. Winners will be contacted via email and posted to the Bitten by Books website.

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

Scions: Insurrection is book two of the Scions Trilogy, but you can enjoy it without having read book one, Scions: Resurrection. Landon Rourke is a PI werewolf exiled from his pack for fighting with his pack leader during a vampire-werewolf battle that took place in Resurrection. Kaitlyn McKinney is a newly promoted police detective, following in her father’s footsteps. Their paths cross when they meet in a park over the remains of a burned body. Kaitlyn remembers Landon from a few years ago when he worked on police cases and she was an intern, but Landon knows Kaitlyn well. He is tormented by a secret that has made him watch over her since she was a child, while also driving him away since she has become a woman. After Kaitlyn coerces him to help solve her first case, it is a fast-paced, action-packed ride on the way to discovering what is behind missing werewolves turning up dead and who is hijacking government pulsar guns and using them to kill vampires. All roads lead to a surprising, but satisfying, conclusion.

This is a fast, easy read that I liked better than Scions: Resurrection. I cannot help making comparisons. The characters are even more likable, as they struggle with personal problems while working for the greater good. The action is more suspenseful. Each scene adds substance to the story and is driving towards the final resolution. The romance is sweeter; the sex, hotter. Ms. Michelle is still heavy-handed with wordy descriptions and overused words but there are fewer here. This makes it easier to stay focused on the story, which is full of creative details Ms. Michelle skillfully fits together. I am eager to see how the trilogy ends in Scions: Revelation, due out in December 2008.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Silhouette (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373617879
• ISBN-13: 978-0373617876

To purchase a print copy of Scions: Insurrection click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Scions: Insurrection click here.

Books in the Scions series in the order they should be read:
Scions: Resurrection
Scions: Insurrection
Scions: Revelation

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

While having drinks at a tavern in Baltimore one evening, Gabriel Diaz and his ex-girlfriend Liz are approached by a beautiful stranger. She introduces herself as Kamilah, a local student, and inserts herself into the conversation. Liz is wary as something just doesn’t seem right about Kamilah. Gabriel however, is entranced. After Liz leaves, Gabriel and Kamilah continue their conversation until the tavern closes and then go back to Gabriel’s apartment. The more time Gabriel spends with Kamilah, the more he is drawn to her. It’s as if she has almost cast a spell on him.

He’s enjoying the budding relationship but now and then he gets a strange feeling about Kamilah. Her body temperature is unnaturally high and sometimes he catches a glimpse of what appears to be calculating or smug looks on her face. He’s also been having strange nightmares that sometimes feature Kamilah. He shrugs it all off as nothing and attributes it all to stress. His sister Elena is due to have her second baby within the month and Gabriel is working extra to make up for the time he’ll be gone when he goes to see her in Brussels for the birth. He’s also worried about her. Her first baby died hours after birth and no one will breathe easy until the baby is born and is healthy.

As the relationship progresses, Kamilah convinces Gabriel to take an extra week off work and fly to her home in Turkey for a get away at her family’s mountain cottage. Once they arrive in Turkey and before they even get to the cottage, the strange happenings seem to increase. During the same time, Liz is tormented by odd noises and apparent break ins at her dorm room. She doesn’t know how, but is convinced that Kamilah has something to do with it. It isn’t long before Gabriel starts to really wonder about Kamilah and her intent. Some of Gabriel’s belongings come up missing but as they are the only people in the cottage, there are only so many explanations. The nightmares get worse, his health is seemingly going down hill for no reason and Kamilah acts weirder as time goes by. It is as if she is trying to corrupt his very soul for no other reason than she can. He finally consults a local woman who is known to be a witch. Only then does he get an explanation for the evil he sees around Kamilah that threatens not only him but his sister Elana and her baby. He only has to escape Kamilah in time to save them all.

Dark and twisty, Dark Lullaby is like a bad dream come to life and I was very intrigued by the superstition and folklore involved in this book. While I thought the plot drug on in places, it was a chilling story that put me in mind of Dean Koontz or early Stephen King with a splash of Rosemary’s Baby thrown in for good measure. This is a definite buy if you enjoy being creeped out.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press (2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593749074
• ISBN-13: 978-1593749071

To purchase a print copy of Dark Lullaby click here.

To purchase an electronic copy of Dark Lullaby click here.

To visit the author’s website go here.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Can a tapestry really tell the tale of a man’s battle with his dragon side? Can it really have been transported through time to preserve it? Can men actually have a dragon side? Apparently so.

Channon MacRae has been fascinated by the Dragon Tapestry and the mystery of it her entire life and Sebastian is a dragon hunter, thief and a… dragon. One moment happily engaging in a one night stand in twenty-first century Virginia the next in Pre Norman invasion Saxon England, Channon finds herself thrust into the middle of the age long conflict between the Arcadians and the Katagaria. With dragons trying to kill her, symbols appearing on her for seemingly no reason, a culture that doesn’t have indoor plumbing, and a man who not only stole the tapestry she spent her life studying, but is the person it is based on; Channon’s life definitely just got a whole lot more interesting.

The first introduction of the Katagaria and the Aracadians into the Dark-Hunter world, Dragonswan was originally Sherrilyn Kenyon’s contribution to the anthology Tapestry (other authors Lynn Kurland, Karen Marie Moning and Madeline Hunter). Later reprinted as a single short story Dragonswan tells the tale of a exiled Arcadian drakos and the woman he finds himself mated to. This story is a quick fun read (as most anthology stories are) without a ton of depth, but provides the first glimpse at the Arcadian and Katagaria races that play key roles in later stories in this series.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Jove (September 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515140791
• ISBN-13: 978-0515140798

To purchase a print copy of Dragonswan click here.

Books in the Dark Hunters series in the order they should be read:
Fantasy Lover
Dragonswan
Night Pleasures
Night Embrace
Dance with the Devil
Kiss of the Night
Night Play
Seize the Night
Sins of the Night
Unleash the Night
Dark Side of the Moon
Devil May Cry
Acheron
One Silent Night - Scheduled for release November 2008
The Dark-Hunter Companion - A must have for readers of the series

To visit the author’s website go here.

(4 votes, average: 4 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Part One:
Looking for a companion to share the nights of her endless existence, Lily Fontaine is captivated when she sees the musician and singer Vallon Paige for the first time. He reminds her of her lost love Vincent de Leone in an uncanny way and is unique in his own right to boot. Quickly infatuated with each other, their romance is put on hold be the reappearance of Lily’s maker, the vampire Angelo Milonne. Though she had thought he had abandoned her the night he made her vampire, Lily soon learns that Angelo has been following her for many years and suspects he had something to do with Vincent’s disappearance in 1912. With threats from Angelo, new vampires thrown into the mix, and history to resolve, Lily will have a chance to rediscover lost love and maybe lose it again.

Part Two:
Having sworn off men after giving birth to her son Skye at fifteen, Jaidyn Pierce is finally starting to regret that course of action when her son (now nine) heads to Orlando on summer break with his best friend and she is left alone with only her aunt and a mysterious dream lover for company. When her aunt and son (out of the mouths of babes and all that) encourage her to make some friends, well her son said that, her aunt told her to get laid, Jaid sets out to the bar where she works nights as a bartender. There she meets Luca (vampire met in part one) who bears a striking resemblance to her dream lover. When Luca informs her that he is a vampire and his been following her to protect her from Angelo (also from part one), she is more than a bit shocked. Add in a unknown ancestor who has been keeping tabs on them for years, demons intent on killing them, Guardians intent on killing the demons, and the possibility of a long-term relationship with Luca and Jaid is well on her way to becoming immersed in the supernatural world.

This novel was all stops and starts for me, I would really get into it for a bit and then it would crawl along at some points. I’m usually all for longer stories, but I have to say in this case I would have liked it to have been shorter and faster paced. I liked some of the vampire’s back stories, Aurelia’s was interesting and in her case I would have liked it to have been less condensed and Luca’s was well told, I also loved the bit at the end with Angelo and hope to see a sequel featuring him. Jae Knight has some interesting ideas (her taste in fashion and motorcycles rocks!) and though these stories were not well plotted or told, I could definitely see her producing some very interesting tales as she grows as a writer.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Phaze Publishing
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: 978-1-59426-879-3

To purchase an electronic copy of From the Shadows click here.

To visit the author’s website go here.

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...

Tiger’s Eye, the second book in the Bride’s Inn series, is a fast, fun, steamy read. Miranda Hollander is at Bride’s Inn for an extended stay to recover from a personal tragedy. Jake Hunter arrives in the middle of the night during a snowstorm and is mistaken for the Inn’s new handyman. The night of his arrival they accidentally end up sharing the same bed, which begins their tale of love, argument, working through past losses and, most importantly, classic animal attraction.

Last week I reviewed the first book in this series, Lady in White, and rated it quite low. This story has many things in common with that book, so it surprised me that I had such a positive reaction to it. Tiger’s Eye is about 40 pages longer than Lady in White and I think that this gave Catherine Chernow extra time for character development, a chance to plant clues early on for later danger, and allowed her to make better use of the Inn’s resident ghost. Whatever the reason, I feel that Tiger’s Eye is a much better book.

Chernow still relies too heavily on romance genre clichés and may have a few other areas for improvement, but for the most part I was too caught up in the story to zero in on its problems. That’s how it should be. The sex scenes are hot –including spanking done right – and the story has a satisfying ending. I’m looking forward to reading the next two books in the series.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Resplendence Publishing
  
• Book Length: Short Story
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: N/A
  

To purchase an electronic copy of Tiger’s Eye click here.

Books in the Bride’s Inn series in the order they should be read:
Lady In White
Tiger’s Eye
Magic Man
Ghost Seeker

To visit the author’s website go here.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Almost a year ago, Joanne Stuart’s best friend Christian Clarke disappeared from the very forest that Joanne is in now. It took her this long to bring herself to come here after Christian went missing. She finds Christian’s compass, one that she gave him, in the woods. Opening it and seeing a picture of the two of them taped to the inside, Joanne realizes that Christian had feelings for her but never told her. It took till he went missing for Joanne to realize that she loved him too, but now it’s too late. Or is it? Something is following her through the woods and when she spots Christian, she faints.

The previous year, Christian had been bitten and turned by the werewolf Cain. He staged his disappearance and lived in his isolated cabin in the woods because he didn’t feel like he had control over his blood lust and didn’t want to risk harming Joanne. Cain is angered that Christian refuses to join his pack and is always hunting him. With Joanne in the forest, however, Christian must confront the pack to save her from Cain. Not only does he have to fight for their lives, but he will have to risk rejection when he tells her the truth about what he is.

While the basis of this story was good, it just didn’t ring true to me. Even though some of the pack members that he fought had been turned after him making them weaker, the fights seemed to come too easy for him. The two main characters interacted well but it all came together a little too neatly for my taste. I’ve read other things by Aline de Chevigny and enjoyed them and will continue to read her writing, but this one just wasn’t for me.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
  
• Book Length: Short
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: 978-1-60435-036-4

To purchase a copy of Bare Bones click here.

To visit the author’s website go here.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Dina O’Reilley’s Aunt Caitlin had always told her that when she met her one, she would know him as the green man. When she finds a plastic encased four leaf clover in her soup at a restaurant on St. Patrick’s Day, she calls her waiter over to complain. With it being St. Patrick’s Day, he’s dressed all in green and has the most gorgeous green eyes she’s ever seen. Connor O’Connor is the owner of the Luck Of The Irish restaurant and is stunned when Dina shows him the clover. According to family legend, the clover appears to the first born of each generation to signify that person’s one and only. Whomever the one is has to accept that particular O’Connor willingly. If not, that family member will live their life out alone. Connor’s uncle Devlin was rejected by his one and has turned into a lonely and bitter man. He only married because he got a woman pregnant but she died in childbirth. Devlin’s son Pietro has always been jealous of Connor and is as bitter as his father.

When their hands touch, Connor and Dina find themselves in the Land Of The Mist. A place for the chosen couples to decide their future, it is someplace where only they exist. As Connor and Dina have accepted each other, they take advantage of the privacy to get to know each other better. The next morning they awake to find themselves in Connor’s bed. Dina has mysteriously acquired a clover shaped diamond engagement ring and they both have matching clover tattoos on their hips. They are rudely intruded upon by Pietro though. He is angry and claims that Dina is rightfully his as Connor stole Dina from him at the restaurant. He thinks that Connor is only the oldest by default since his father’s one rejected him. They are also confronted by Dina’s Aunt Caitlin and even though they have accepted each other, they find they need the acceptance of Caitlin as well as Pietro.

This was a short but very engaging story. I was a little taken aback by Dina’s instant acceptance of Connor but came to understand it the more I read. The characters were extremely easy to like and the flow of the story was very smooth. There is a definite potential for another book although I don’t know if one has been written or is planned. I hope so and look forward to reading it if it is written.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press
  
• Book Length: Novella
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: 978-1-60168-034-1

To purchase a copy of Luck of the Irish click here.

To visit the author’s website go here.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Sebastian Wroth is a vampire that was turned against his will – by his own brothers. For centuries he has led a lonely existence, keeping to himself and hating the creature he is. When death comes to him in the form of a mystical being, he accepts his fate, if not hungers for it. Before the death blow comes his heart starts beating again, and he recognizes the newcomer for what she is – his Bride; the one woman that can make him whole once again. Now Sebastian will stop at nothing to claim her, even if that means entering the Talisman’s Hie - a legendary scavenger hunt involving the creatures of the Lore.

Kaderin the Cold Hearted, an immortal Valkyrie, has lived without emotion of any kind for a millennium. After watching her two sisters die by the hands of a vampire she had allowed to live, she now hunts their kind unmercifully. Living without emotions was a blessing given by an unknown source, and the gift has dulled the misery of losing her sisters. When she comes upon Sebastian her emotions slam her, coming back with a vengeance. If there is one creature her family can never accept, it is a vampire, and she is right on board, hating their kind as much as any Valkyrie.

When Kaderine arrives at the assembly gathering at Riora’s temple she learns that the prize for winning this Hie is Thrane’s Key. Thrane’s Key will give the winner the ability to go back in time twice, giving her ample opportunity to save her sisters from their fate. Having won the Hie five times in a row, she has more than enough confidence that she can do so again. When Sebastian enters the Hie she does not know if she should be enraged or thrilled. He alone has done what no other has been able to do – make her feel again. With her sister’s fate on the line the last thing she needs to feel is compassion or love, yet she finds those very emotions pulling at her whenever she is around Sebastian. When he begins winning for her, she realizes her life is about to change forever.

No Rest for the Wicked is the second full-length novel in the Immortals After Dark series. Filled with twists and turns, heat and passion, love and sacrifice, this book delves into everything a good paranormal romance should be. I laughed, I cried – I wished the book never ended. Cole creates a world you can touch with vivid descriptions and endearing characters.

I’m giving No Rest For The Wicked a 5 tombstone rating. It kept me entertained and flipping pages like a madwoman. No rest indeed…once you pick this book up you will not want to put it down.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Star; 1 edition (October 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416509887
• ISBN-13: 978-1416509882

To purchase a print copy of No Rest for the Wicked click here.

To purchase a Kindle copy of No Rest for the Wicked click here.

Books in The Immortals After Dark series in the order in which they should be read:
Playing Easy to Get
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night
Dark Needs at Night’s Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King - Scheduled for release January 2009

To visit the author’s website go here.

(5 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...

Ciara Griffin is a recovering con artist determined to go straight. She gets a job at a local radio station and is told that all the DJs are vampires. At first she thinks it’s a joke but a close encounter with a pair of fangs changes her mind. She comes to find out that she was chosen for the job specifically because of her somewhat shady past. The general manager wants her to come up with a marketing ploy that will save the station from being sold to a communications conglomerate that is determined to turn WMMP into just another cookie cutter Top 40 station.

Each vampire DJ plays the music of their era on their shows. This allows them to stay connected to their time while reading the news and the weather connects them to present day. This, along with their obsessive- compulsive behaviors, keeps them sane. Without the station, the vampires would “fade”. After getting to know the vampires, and especially the cute 90s grunge-rocker Shane, Ciara is determined to find a way to save the station. She comes up with the idea of “hiding in plain sight”. She proposes that they change the station call letters to WVMP and tell everyone that the DJs are vampires. While people certainly won’t believe that vampires exist, it will intrigue people and make the DJs overnight celebrities. But some vampires are not too thrilled with this campaign and they will do anything to protect their secret.

Jeri Smith-Ready has created a heroine who has flaws and struggles with right and wrong, which is a refreshing change from the sweetness and light heroines of the past. She writes with humor and passion and gives her vampires distinct personalities, which make the reader, want to discover more about each of them. I am very excited to report that this is the first of a series. The second book, Bad to the Bone, will be released May 1, 2009 and I cannot wait to read it. I was especially thrilled to discover that Jeri is a local author and that the town that this story takes place in is actually somewhere that I used to live. “Wicked Game” is a huge hit!!

Book Excerpt: “Newbie marketing intern Ciara Griffin lands a job at WMMP, a station threatened with being sold to Skyware, a giant communications conglomerate, unless ad revenue picks up. A former con artist with a canny way with people, Ciara soon learns that the DJs are undead and specialists in the musical eras in which they were turned into vampires. One of them, Shane McAllister (turned in 1995), is really hot and dangerously tempting. In order to attract more listeners, Ciara promotes a new marketing strategy and the Sherwood, Md., station becomes 94.3 WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock and Roll, exploiting the fang factor (which no listener takes seriously) for profit. It works, until an ancient vampire cult wants to pull the plug. Also playing in is The Control, an equally ancient paramilitary group created to protect good vampires and kill bad ones. Smith-Ready’s musical references are spot on, as is her take on corporate radio’s creeping airwave hegemony. Add in the irrepressible Ciara, who grew up in a family of grifters, and the results rock.”

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket; 1st Pocket Books Trade Pbk. Ed edition (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141655176X
• ISBN-13: 978-1416551768

To purchase a print copy of Wicked Game click here.

Books in this series in the order they should be read:
Wicked Game
Bad to the Bone

To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

 Loading ...