Hello! *waves*

Babylonia Jones came to me by mistake or should I say it was by fate. I was at a conference and was walking past a table when I noticed this drawing on a flyer of a statuesque African-American woman with a city back drop and with guns strapped to her. I did a double take, backed up and grabbed the flyer. Later, when I got home I set the flyer on my nightstand and kinda forgot about her. Then one day she called to me again. I picked up the flyer and thought about who she was and what she was about. Ideas just started coming to me. I knew she was a paranormal, but I had no idea which one.

I later sent the picture to some author friends, told them her back story and had them help me brainstorm some ideas. Thus, Babylonia Delilah Jones was born.

Babylonia Jones has never fit in the human world. She can do things that regular people can’t. Her mother had always taught her to hide who she was for fear that someone from the government would come to take her away. When Babylonia found Amelia, her best friend who also happens to be a Vampire, she thinks that she has finally found her place in the world. Unfortunately the paranormals think she too human and don’t really accept her either.

Babylonia will do anything to fit in the paranormal world known as The Undercity. As a PI, that means taking the jobs that the other PI’s won’t. In the first book of the series, Babylonia has to follow after one of the most powerful Vampires in The Undercity to see if he has the Guiciai Talisman, which was stolen from a Witch. Babylonia finds herself in a world of trouble because, Zaid, the Vampire really doesn’t appreciate being followed and Tina, her employer isn’t what she claims to be.

The Undercity Chronicles of Babylonia Jones, P.I.
The Guicai Talisman

Here’s an excerpt:

Zaid finally sauntered out of the club.

There he is.

He looked the same as he did on the previous nights I’d watched him; tall, about six-foot-two, nice sleek body covered in an expensive suit that I guessed was tailored to fit only him. He was lean, but by no means skinny. His shoulders were broad and the few times I’d seen him without a jacket I noticed he had well-defined muscles in his arms and pecs. The cinched belt around his narrow waist highlighted a flat stomach and showed off a nicely formed ass—yes, on a couple of occasions, while I was cataloguing his looks, I did let my eyes linger on his ass, which was a very nice one, round and firm. The kind of ass a girl could take a nice bite out of.

My mouth salivated at the thought of doing just that. Not a for real bite, but a nice little playful nip. I’m sure he’d appreciate that. To hear Melia tell it, Vampires were into some pretty kinky stuff.

I shook my head.

Get your mind out the gutter and back on the target Baby D.

I snapped back to attention and put my hormones in check. Raging hormones plagued me ever since I took this job, but it’s an expected hazard. Vampires had something in their makeup that made women and men want to fall at their feet. Dealing with Vampires isn’t like how it’s portrayed in the Hollywood movies, where terrorized people run kicking and screaming away from them. No. In reality people go to them willingly.

Case in point, there were two creamy-skinned blondes, one on each of Zaid’s arms. Arm in arm, they walked along the red carpet that led to valet parking. To me the women looked like the cookie cutter versions of the women he’d taken home last night and the night before that; they were all pale, tall, blonde, gorgeous and wore tight clothes. These two had on dresses so short I could see the bottom of their butts hanging out as they walked.

“Have some pride ladies,” I muttered to myself. “Didn’t your momma ever tell you that your dress should be longer than your vagina?”

Zaid stopped at the curb and looked from left to right. I didn’t bother ducking past the rim of the cement rooftop barrier. Even with his great eyesight he couldn’t see me nestled on the rooftop more than a block from where he was, scoping him out with my high-powered binoculars. And, even with his sensitive hearing, he definitely couldn’t hear me talking to myself. There were too many other distractions between us for him to even get a lock on my location. Plus, he didn’t know he was being watched anyway—why would he be looking for me?

He was probably trying to figure out if any Witches were in the area. Vampires could sniff out Witches and, while they weren’t scared of them, usually tried to avoid them. And if he did have Tina’s talisman I’m sure he wanted to steer clear of her.

Zaid lifted his chin and turned his head in my direction. He then closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and shuddered on an exhale.

What the hell is that all about?

He opened his eyes and if I didn’t know any better I’d think he was looking right at me.

Impossible.

Amazon US | iTunes | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | ARE | AmazonUK | AmazonCanada

About the Author

A. M. Griffin is a wife who rarely cooks, mother of three, dog owner (and sometimes dog owned), a daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She’s a hard worker whose two favorite outlets are reading and writing. She enjoys reading everything from mystery novels to historical romances and of course fantasy romance. She is a believer in the unbelievable, open to all possibilities from mermaids in our oceans and seas, angels in the skies and intelligent life forms in distant galaxies.

Where you can find me:
Website: https://www.amgriffinbooks.com/
Subscribe to my Amazon page 
Email: amgriffinbooks@gmail.com
Like me at:
www.facebook.com/amgriffinbooks
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/amgriffinbooks
Follow me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AMGriffinbooks
Follow me on Instagram: amgriffinbooks
Subscribe my newsletter for updates giveaways: https://eepurl.com/TZzXv

Saturday at about 1:00 a.m. I typed “The End” on my most recent project. All day it was as if the sun shone for the first time in months. I had been in the “writing cave,” as authors often say, and kept my head down, completely in the dark about anything going on around me.

We work hard to get what we want, don’t we? We put everything else aside and concentrate on our goals. But when we meet them…ooooh, when we meet them, the sun shines again and life bustles around us.

Big hot pink and white azalea blossoms are blooming here now. Last week it was the tiny wine-colored redbud trees. Everywhere I look there’s new life. It’s as if we’re offered a new beginning every spring. And coming out of my writing cave, this beautiful new beginning couldn’t come at a better time.

In the third book of my Descended of Dragons series, fiery redhead Stella Stonewall learns of an ancient curse that, if lifted, could alter the course of history. It could offer an entire race of people a new beginning.

Like shifters, dragons, and snark? Read an excerpt of the hot new fantasy romance / paranormal here: https://www.jencranebooks.com/blog/book-3-excerpt-1

A Bitter Betrayal
Stella Stonewall exposed her scaly side to save the man she loves, the soulful and sexy Ewan Bristol. But her troubles have only just begun. A treacherous betrayal at the hands of a trusted confidante leaves her running for her life.

An Impossible Choice
An unlikely savior offers Stella a way out, but it means leaving everything—and everyone—behind. Can she give up the only home, the only friends she’s ever known to save herself?

A Chance to Have It All
Stella learns of an ancient curse that, if lifted, could change everything. To alter the course of history she must trust her former lover Rowan Gresham, and she must trust the machinations of fate: that she may be the key to it all.

Betrayal Foretold

Betrayal Foretold is a fast-paced, emotional ride through the mesmerizing world of Thayer. This third book in the Descended of Dragons series, a new adult fantasy romance, is a can’t-put-it-down story of loss and self-invention, of survival, and of the selfless pursuit to secure the happiness of friends.

Pre-order Betrayal Foretold
Amazon US: https://amzn.com/B01D2BPH4W
Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/BFBandN
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1093813799
Kobo: https://bit.ly/BFKobo

Find Jen Crane online
Website: www.JenCraneBooks.com
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/JenCraneBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenCraneBooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jencranebooks/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/JenCraneBooks/
Tumblr: https://jencranebooks.tumblr.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZVviuC4ivjhiuJTI1XnwbA
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/JenCrane

Romance readers are AMAZING!  And . . . so is Habitat For Humanity, a charity that I love supporting and volunteering for.  So, I thought, why not pair the two and help a deserving family receive a home?  And, the Diana Cosby’s Romance Reader’s Build A Habitat For Humanity Home fundraiser was born.

I contacted Habitat For Humanity office in Grayson County, Texas, where I’ve had the honor of helping with several builds and spoke with Laurie Mealy, Executive Director.  She embraced the project, and was thrilled at the thought of pairing romance readers, who love stories where heroes and heroines overcome challenges to make their dreams come true, with making the dream of a home for a deserving family a reality.

How it works:

As readers send contributions to Habitat for Humanity of Grayson County, a bar beneath the home  on the upper right side of the homepage on their website will fill in, with total donations to date listed below.  The goal is to fund an entire home – $55,000.  Donations can be sent via PayPal by ‘clicking’ on the house, which takes you to the donation page, or by mailing a check or money order to:

Habitat for Humanity of Grayson County
901 N. Grand Avenue
P.O. Box 2725
Sherman, TX 75091

I kicked off the challenge by donating $200.  As I write this, we’ve raised $7,524.  I have total faith that romance readers together are an unstoppable force, and as the stories they love, they will leave a deserving family with a happy ending.

My sincere thanks to everyone for helping make an incredible difference in a deserving family’s life.  For when they walk into a Habitat For Humanity house, it’s more thank mortar and wood, but a place where  they can call home.

God bless,

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com

About the Author

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense.  Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series are translated in five languages.  Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world.  With the release of the third book in The Oath Trilogy and the e Box Set of the MacGruder Brothers series, she is now preparing for the release of the first book in The Forbidden Series, Forbidden Legacy, on 16 August 2016!

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

www.dianacosby.com

Lots of us dreamed of growing up to be princesses. With a little help from Disney, we twirled through our girlish play dates in lacy dresses and plastic heels and pretended to be Cinderella, Ariel, Snow White, and Belle.

As adults, some of us still enjoy dressing up for costume parties. Whether you’re one of those people or not, we have this is common: We never grow out of our dreams to experience our own special Happily Ever Afters.

In my upcoming release – Designed For You – the first scene in the story is a job interview. Interior Designer Jillian Lang must decide if the smoking hot Holland Sparks who walks into her office without an appointment is too good to be true. At first, she’s afraid he might even be connected to her cyber stalker.

Give the choice, would you hire Prince Charming to work for you? Even though he doesn’t need the money? What if he’s the best candidate for the job? With the most experience. And the most relevant skills. Would you be willing to swallow your concerns and risk hiring a man you need more than he needs you? Or would you rather spend your time training a fresh, gum-chewing college grad?

This is the decision Jillian has to make in Chapter #1. And that’s just the first few minutes of the heart-pounding suspenseful ride she must take in search of her Happily Ever After.

Join us for the Designed For You journey, book one in an all new series. For a limited time, you can reserve your copy for 99 cents (almost a 70% discount from normal price after release day).

Happy reading!

Jo

Designed for You
For You Series, Book #1
Coming – April 19, 2016

Despite a string of personal tragedies and setbacks, Jillian Lang’s interior design company is an enormous success. If she doesn’t count the cyber stalker who hounds her daily…

Knowing she can’t keep up with her fast-growing list of bids and contracts without help, she reluctantly breaks her number one personal rule of “don’t depend on anyone” and hires an office manager. Not only does Holland Sparks do an incredible job of running Lang Interiors, he provides a much-needed buffer between her and the cyber stalker, while steadily chipping away at a thousand barriers she’s put up to keep men out.

When the stalker suddenly moves his game from the cyber world to the real world, Jillian discovers no one in her immediate circle is exactly who or what he claims to be. Not her landlord. Not even her two brothers.

Will Holland be the one man she can turn to, or will his own secrets be reason enough to scrap her designs on the man of her dreams?

Excerpt:

I know who you are.

Jillian Lang’s insides froze as she read the email with its dreaded XX signature. She was tempted to run to the front door of Lang Interiors to make sure she’d locked it after closing time.

“Of course you know who I am!” She threw her arms up at the computer screen. “Any moron with Internet access can find my company website.” And exact street address. Her hands shook as she returned them to the keyboard.

More than likely, it was just some junior high prankster. Still, it unnerved her to receive the cryptic email message day after day. Who was sending it and why?

She shook her head at the screen. Should she report her stalker to the police? Would they even care? They had bigger fish to fry investigating the daily burglaries and muggings that plagued the city. Probably earn her little more than a good chuckle from them if she complained about someone who simply claimed to know her identity. The emails were creepy and obnoxious but hardly criminal.

She punched a few keys and carefully filed the email, hating how powerless she was to do anything about it.

Jillian preferred being in control. Climbing her own mountains. Putting out her own fires. Unfortunately, the emails from XX weren’t the only thing testing her patience today. She was in the process of hiring her first employee.

Another thread of her precious control tore loose with a nearly audible snap. Depending on others inevitably led to problems, at least in her experience; but she needed the help too badly these days to hold off the inevitable any longer.

She kicked her favorite strappy silver heels beneath her desk and shrugged out of her pumpkin-hued blazer. Nearly seven o’clock already. An hour past closing time, despite all the work that had piled up while she’d interviewed candidates. She unfastened her all-business bun and shook out her honey-blonde waves. A mother of a cramp knifed its way across her shoulder blades. She stood and placed her hands on her hips, threw her shoulders back, and stretched, eyes closed.

“Hello?” the smooth baritone resonated through her system, jolting her back to her uptown storefront office.

Her eyes flew open to regard the owner of the voice. A haze of fear clouded her vision. She blinked to clear it. Guess I didn’t lock the front door after all. “Hello. Ah…we’re closed for the day, sir.” She reached for the button under her desk, the one she’d stretched her budget to install a few weeks ago. A button that connected her one-woman office to the security firm her two brothers claimed was the best in St. Louis.

“No problem.” The man held up both hands, a gesture of full surrender that made her pause before pushing the button. “If you’re willing to give me an appointment, I’ll be happy to come back at a better time.”

He was tall. Certainly was no stranger to the gym, not with the way his shoulders and chest stretched the crisp creases of his shirt or the way his stone-colored slacks hung on his hips. But was he dangerous?

She nodded, forcing herself to swallow the golf ball-sized lump of misgiving clogging her throat. “Just give me a moment, and I’ll pull up my calendar.” She gave herself a mental high-five for keeping her voice from trembling and studied him from beneath her lashes while she fumbled with her keyboard.

Not a client or subcontractor, yet he seemed to fit the general ambiance of her design studio. A perfect blend of mod and complexity, much like the infinity art print displayed to his left—a single splash of color against the white walls and minimalistic white couch that comprised her tiny waiting area.

Dark hair waved its way down to the collar of his navy dress shirt in a style she instantly dubbed as touchable. It was slightly tousled as if he deliberately avoided appearing too slicked up but not tousled enough to dent his air of sophistication. His fair complexion hinted at a life that didn’t include a great deal of time outdoors, or he wore plenty of sunscreen when he did.

She swallowed again, forcing her thoughts back to her crammed schedule. “How does tomorrow sound? Noon sharp.”

“Perfect.” The wrinkles at the corners of his eyes indicated he was accustomed to smiling. It should have put her at ease. Instead, his smile along with his faint Northern accent stirred a fresh swarm of butterflies in her midsection. Scandinavian, perhaps?

“Your name, sir?”

She might be a little rusty on the dating scene, but interest lighted the man’s gray eyes. His gaze travelled across her face, dipped briefly lower, and returned to look her in the eye.

“Holland Sparks.”

She quickly straightened her shoulders, feeling exposed in her scooped white tank top with its lacy neckline and spaghetti straps. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to discard her blazer.

“What sort of appointment can we set up for you, Mr. Sparks? Renovation, addition, landscaping?” She pasted on what she hoped was her best professional smile, warm enough to appear welcoming without coming across as desperate. Not the kind of smile that begged a customer to buy something so she could afford her next meal. She hoped that category of smiles was far behind her. For good.

His gaze leisurely roved the room and returned to hers, glinting with unspoken questions.

She hoped speaking in plurals would give him the impression she possessed another employee or two on the payroll. But he if was up to no good, there was always the emergency call button within reach.

“Actually, I was sitting in the coffee shop across the street, scanning the local news when I ran across your advertisement.”

My help-wanted ad? Jillian straightened her spine and clasped her hands in front of her. Though preposterous, his statement was firmly planted in safe territory.

He shrugged an apology. “Figured it would take longer to dial your number than to walk over here.”

“You’re, ah…applying to be my office manager?” Her voice rose to a higher pitch than she intended. She cleared her throat. He hadn’t simply lost his way to the modeling agency down the street?

“Yes.” He offered a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. It made her think of frivolous things like bathing in sunshine and dancing in the rain—sensations her dazed mind was beginning to vaguely identify as his unique brand of magnetism. Administrative duties aside, holy Batman! With a hunk of burning man-candy like him running her office, women would form a line to sign up for remodeling projects whether they needed them or not.

BUY & TBR LINKS (Please Complete The Ones You Use Feel Free To Add Others)

AMAZON KINDLE US – https://amzn.com/B01AU8SEAO
AMAZON KINDLE CA –  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01AU8SEAO
AMAZON KINDLE UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01AU8SEAO
BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/designed-for-you-jo-grafford/1123296144?ean=2940152837261#productInfoTabs
ITUNES – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/designed-for-you/id1077543099?ls=1&mt=11
KOBO – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/designed-for-you

About the Author

An award-winning author from St. Louis, Missouri, Jo has served as a corporate trainer, junior college finance instructor, and high school business teacher. Along the way, she discovered the only thing she enjoys as much as teaching is writing. Especially writing romance!

In her stories, the stakes are always high and there’s nothing her heroes won’t risk for the brilliant, sassy women they love.

A typical day finds her with her laptop balanced on her knees, a caffeinated beverage within reach, and a cat snoozing nearby who dreams of taking over the world.

Jo writes across the genres and is presently writing three series:

• For You Series – heart pounding contemporary romantic suspense
• Lost Colony Series – the epic historical saga of the Lost Colonists of Roanoke Island
• Vikings Saga – a collection of fantasy novellas

When Jo’s not writing romance, she’s reading it. She adores alpha males, strong-minded women, humorous sidekicks, diversity, Vikings, dashing lords, vampires, zombies, cyborgs…you get the idea.

She loves to stay in touch with readers on Facebook, Twitter, BookBub, and Amazon. Plus you can read free chapters of all her books on Wattpad. To receive a free copy of one of her bestselling stories, visit JoGrafford.com to sign up for her newsletter.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS (Please Complete The Ones You Use Feel Free To Add Others)

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE –  https://www.amazon.com/Jo-Grafford/e/B00G56XKS2/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
WEBSITE / BLOG – www.JoGrafford.com
FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/JoGraffordAuthor
TWITTER – www.twitter.com/JoGrafford
GOOGLE+ – https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JoGrafford/posts
PINTEREST – https://de.pinterest.com/JoGrafford/
GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360736.Jo_Grafford
OTHERS – WattPad – https://www.wattpad.com/user/JoGrafford

When I wrote the first book in The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, SNAP: The World Unfolds, five years ago I had thoughts the Chronicles would be a trilogy.

Why a trilogy? I don’t know. Trilogies seem to be a popular, finite number, like Twilight. After the second book, SNAP: New Talent, I knew I fallen under the spell of the Kandeskys and had to tell the stories of how they came to be. So the third and fourth books, Plague: A Love Story and Danube: A Tale of Murder are novellas centered on two of the main vampires, Baron Stefan Kandesky and Jean-Louis.

I’d left the protagonist and Jean-Louis’ love interest, Maxie, in a nasty cliffhanger in book two so I had to get her out and safe. After that…it just grew.

I didn’t set out to write a series about vampires. I was a mystery writer and had seven books plotted out in the Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries.

But those Kandesky men! They really got into my blood! I was hooked on them, as were my fans. As I was writing the second, then the third, of the mysteries, I’d get notes on facebook, “When’s the next Kandesky book coming out?” And, in truth, I love living in the world of the Kandeskys. Oceans of money, European living and travel, jewels and designer clothes, surrounded by celebrities. It’s heady stuff and was becoming an addiction.

Amy Hobbes, my small-town newspaper editor is interesting, smart and clever. She has a sexy love interest in San Francisco, Phillipe, a Quebecois, but so far she’s travelled to Monterey…not Paris.

In February, I published the ninth book of The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, SNAP: I, Vampire.

Nine! Is that the end of the series? I don’t think so. Another of the Kandesky men, Nik, is moving in, has charmed the pants off Maxie’s assistant, Jazz, and asked her to marry him. It means not only marriage but being turned into a vampire. Can Jazz do it? I don’t know yet, she hasn’t told me, but book ten is looming.

I don’t know how many books will ultimately be in The Kandesky Vampires Chronicles. The combination of sex, money and danger is a lure that I can’t ignore, my readers and fans will have to say “Enough, already”.  Hope they don’t say that for a while!

About the Author

Michele Drier was born in Santa Cruz and is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home.  During her career in journalism—as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers—she won awards for producing investigative series.

Her Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries are Edited for Death, (called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review), Labeled for Death and Delta for Death.

Her paranormal romance series, SNAP: The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, has received “must read” reviews from the Paranormal Romance Guild and was the best paranormal vampire series of 2014. The series is SNAP: The World Unfolds, SNAP: New Talent, Plague: A Love Story, Danube: A Tale of Murder, SNAP: Love for Blood, SNAP: Happily Ever After?, SNAP: White Nights,  SNAP: All That Jazz, SNAP: I, Vampire .

Visit her webpage, www.micheledrier.com

facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier or her Amazon author page, https://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G/

Author Erzabet Bishop presents the story “Hedging Her Bets” from this wonderful book set!

Alpha Fever: 22 Sizzling Contemporary and Paranormal Romance Stories

(Alpha Heat & Alpha Fever)

Freebie Alert!

A Gift from us

to you!

22 Sizzling Contemporary and Paranormal Romance Stories

 The Authors

“Hedging Her Bets”

From 

Alpha Fever 

by Erzabet Bishop

“One chance is all it takes.”

 

Alpha Fever: Hedging Her Bets

Erzabet Bishop is an award winning author who loves to write naughty stories. She is the author of Lipstick, Dinner Date, Crave, The Science of Lust, Arcane Imaginarium: Spirit Board, Holidays in Hell, Mallory’s Mark (upcoming 2016),The Devil’s Due (upcoming 2016), Charity Benshaw’s Enchanted Paddle Emporium (upcoming 2016), Sigil Fire, Glitter Lust (upcoming 2016), Written on Skin, Club Beam, Pomegranate, A Red Dress for Christmas, The Black Magic Café, Fantasies in Red, Sweet Seductions: The Erzabet Bishop Collection, Holiday Cruise, Fetish Fair, Temptation Resorts: Jess, Temptation Resorts: Marnie, Taming the Beast, The Erotic Pagans Series: Beltane Fires, Samhain Shadows and Yuletide Temptation along with being a contributor to many anthologies. Erzabet has been a finalist in the GCLS awards for 2014 and 2015. She lives in Texas with her husband, furry children and can often be found lurking in local bookstores. She loves to bake, make naughty crochet projects and watch monster movies. When she isn’t writing, she loves to review music and books.

Enter to Win

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join The FB Release Event

https://www.facebook.com/events/1550937308568399/

Join The Book Blog Tour
https://goo.gl/forms/j5qzGEx6w8

https://naughtynightspress.com

 

UPDATE: The winner is…Wulfie!

* * * * *

When I was growing up, vampires weren’t pretty, sparkly-in-the-sun beings. They were dark and evil creatures steeped in European mythology. They were inspired by the Strigoi, Vlad the Impaler and Bram Stoker’s Dracula among others.

The vampires I knew of fed on the blood of hapless victims and slept in coffins. They were walking corpses that preyed on the living intent on death and destruction. Interesting for sure. Lovable? Nope.

I’m picky about what appeals to me when it comes to bloodsuckers. Some of my favorites in modern fiction include Louis and Claudia (Interview with a Vampire), Xan Marcelles (Crooked Fang) and Eli (Let the Right One In). These vampires all represent beautifully that essential struggle in balancing the monster they’ve become with what’s left of their humanity. They’re likable despite what they are. They invoke emotion and feeling which is essential to any good character but is especially effective with vampire characterization where you’re taking something that is inherently bad and making it into something people can relate to and even see a little of themselves in.

My vampires don’t shine like diamonds when exposed to daylight and, in fact, will burn up like a sparkler on the Fourth of July. They fight, love and fuck like humans but are always battling the monster that lurks just below the surface. Sometimes they win that fight and sometimes they don’t.

Some say vampires have had their day and are out of fashion. I call bullshit. In my opinion, vampires will always be relevant in fiction. As an author, you have creative license to build your world however you like. It’s up to you to lay down your lore and make it believable and engaging. At the end of the day, or night, vampires can be written any number of ways as long as their journey is a real one.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, subscribe to my newsletter here https://eepurl.com/bPAbOL and then tell me who your favorite vampire is! I’ll pick a random winner from the comments on March 27, 2016.

If you like vampires, check out my new release Love Voodoo.

After a chance tarot card reading in a New Orleans voodoo shop, vampire Luca is intrigued by Collette, an alluring woman with an uncanny intuition. Getting intimately involved with a human is the last thing Luca has in mind, but Collette wins his trust and their friendship grows into something deeper. When Luca’s clan learns that he has asked Collette to perform a spell to bind his psychotic sire, a deadly chain of events unravels that will change their lives.

Love Voodoo is available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CO27BZI

Alyssa Breck is an award winning author of horror/urban fantasy, paranormal romance and erotic fiction. She grew up reading Stephen King and V.C. Andrews. The Shining changed her life and sparked a love of all things scary, spooky and spine-chilling. Add some romance to that and she found her niche weaving paranormal and erotic romance stories. Alyssa hangs her hat in the South with her family of humans and fur-babies.

You can learn more about Alyssa by visiting her website www.AlyssaBreck.com and by following her on Twitter @AlyssaBreck and Facebook.