Temple of Love

Hey all-
Recently I discovered a wonderful writer who when shes not doing her day job of editing some of my favorite books, writes some great dark Urban Fantasy. Her name is Nerine Dorman and she has a new e book coming out this month. Here is a little bit about Nerine and WHAT SWEET MUSIC THEY MAKE.

Leave a comment below for a chance to win a ebook copy of her latest book.. and enjoy.

tell us a little about yourself.

In short, I'm a grumpy granny Goth who prefers lurking in her Treehaus to venturing forth beneath the blazing African sun. By day I work as a sub-editor and writer at a newspaper publisher. Sometimes they like me enough to send me to exotic destinations like Ireland or Zambia to do a spot of travel writing. For the rest, I'm a published author, a content editor for Lyrical Press and an awful musician who plays an assortment of instruments with varying degrees of sonic horror. Oh, and I like gardening.

How did the idea come about?

To be completely honest... I have no fecking clue with this novella. I sort of did *see* Severin playing rather reluctantly on stage with some blonde with big tits wanting to pounce him. Yeah, I think I started with Severin. And if you look at the cover art, that's pretty much how I imagined him when I wrote. The rest followed naturally--that he was in a situation that was rapidly growing untenable and would have to make some difficult decisions with regard to his future.

So vampires and music?

I'm so not even going to start blaming Rice for this one, but she contributed, as did Poppy Z Brite (actually a large portion of the blame is Mr Poppy's). But vampires and music have been a lifelong interest of mine so it kinda makes sense to combine the two. It doesn't help that I've been writing with Carrie Clevenger, whose Xan Marcelles happens to be a music-loving vampire. Or that one of my Lyrical Press authors, Sonya Clark, has a vampire sidekick with a music fetish in her tales.

I studied music all the way through my primary and high school years, and for a while had been aiming to break into the music industry, but somehow I ended up in the media industry in the print advertising side of things. So yeah, perhaps I'm a bit frustrated, and I live out my dreams by combining some of my favorite things.

do you play any musical instruments?

I started out on piano, all the way through to matric. Played recorder too... then picked up classical guitar in high school, which kind of graduated onto bass guitar when I was seventeen and had pretensions of stardom in an assortment of grunge, goth and black metal bands. A few years ago I got it into my head to buy a piano accordion, but you *really* don't want me to open that box. It sounds like I'm strangling a gaggle of geese.

Best thing I can say at the moment is that I'm tempted to start playing cabaret tunes on my classical with a friend of mine who's got a uke. I've even got a sound engineer friend who's threatening to record us--we're both authors and we think it will be a marvelous promotional gimmick... But it's probably safer that both of us stick to writing that next novel... And no one really wants to hear me sing.

Fav band?

Type O Negative. Hands down. Peter Steele made bass-playing sexy and he was one of my big heroes when I was playing in bands. And his voice... It reduces me to ribbons. After that, Nine Inch Nails, A Pale Horse Named Death and White Zombie. I'm also a big fan of "serious" music. I love JS Bach (especially his fugues), the Kronos Quartet (they're nothing short of brilliant) and Michael Nyman--go look up Where the Bee Dances--as well as Hans Zimmer's soundtracks. If I'm feeling farked in the head, I listen to Diamanda Galas.

whats next for Nerine?

I've got this totally screwy idea to write a "recognizably African" shifter saga because I'm pissed off at a certain foreign publisher that said my work isn't "recognizably African" enough. So I'm going to give them fucking lions and rhinos, with a couple of other weird beasties thrown in for good measure. That's my BIG writing project for this year. I'm still researching it, however.

But I'm also totally stoked that my big release for this year is coming out in May--a novel entitled Inkarna (via Dark Continents Publishing). It involves conflict between members of an ancient Egyptian reincarnation cult.

Knowing me I'll also throw in a few side projects and novellas. Carrie and I have been talking and ideas have been put down... But we're focusing right now on knocking her much-awaited debut novel, Crooked Fang, into shape.

Useful links:

What Sweet Music They Make: http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=484

My other titles at Lyrical Press: http://www.lyricalpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=authors&authors_id=107

My contemporary erotic fiction writing as Therese von Willegen: http://www.bookstrand.com/therese-von-willegen

Collaborations with Carrie Clevenger:

Just My Blood Type: http://www.smashwords.com/dashboard

Blood and Fire: http://www.amazon.com/Blood-and-Fire-ebook/dp/B006SD3F2S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326817184&sr=8-1

Follow me on Twitter @nerinedorman or like my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nerine-Dorman-author/173330419365374

Texas Two-step

THE BLURB:

Bassist and all-round slacker Xan Marcelles spends his nights at a remote tavern in Pinecliffe, Colorado. But there’s something else, he’s also a vampire, and although he reckons he has a handle on this secret, he’s not prepared for the day when people he thinks are the FBI drug him and haul him away. Ashton Kennedy isn’t human anymore and, as a member of a race of beings known simply as Inkarna, exists through the aeons by stealing bodies. At first his mission seems simple enough: break into the stronghold of a rival Inkarna House and liberate an artifact. He doesn’t bank on discovering a vampire, bound and tucked away neatly in a sarcophagus. The two unlikely allies are thrown together in a house of mysteries, and have to battle overwhelming odds against an implacable enemy. The question is, can they overcome their differences long enough to make it out alive, or undead?

Carrie Clevenger and Nerine Dorman team up once again, this time on a paranormal roadshow. What I love about collaboration between these two, is how different their voices are. Clevenger writes Xan Marcelles as a wise cracking asshole with a penchant for whisky. Dorman's Ashton is proper and polite, and swears with a bit of colloquialism attached. Throw these two together and it's one wild ride.

Add one Egyptian artifact, some cultist behavior and a ton of semi automatic weapons, what have you got.. A shit ton of fun that's what...

I'm not usually a fan of dual authors but these two have found a real balance, and the result is made of awesome..

You can purchase this ebook here for the price of a Bud Light..Yep for reals..

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006SD3F2S/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk

A little Night Music

Hey all! I know I have been away for a while..it's been crazy but I am back with a new interview that I hope you will really enjoy! ( ps..sorry for the weird white spot in the middle of the blog..can't make the little $%&&*** go away..)

So recently on Twitter I made the acquaintance of the enigmatic bassist for Crooked Fang Xan Marcelles. He's an interesting guy with plenty of secrets, who likes books, music and whiskey..A lethal combination and my personal kryptonite. He agreed to chat it up here on ye olde blog..so I hope we keep you amused..

S-Welcome Xan, before I get started with the questions why don't you tell us a little about yourself... Don't be shy. Oh and speaking of shy, how about a little bit about your writer Carrie too...

Right on, well my name is Xan Marcelles and I’m a bassist for a little band in Pinecliffe, Colorado called Crooked Fang. I live upstairs in a tavern called Pale Rider. Oh yeah, I’m also a vampire. Kind of always forget to mention that shit. Right now I’m featured in a short little teaser story written between Carrie and Nerine Dorman called Just My Blood Type, (download if you want, hell it’s free: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11810756-just-my-blood-type) but I got a real novel coming out next year where you get to come along with me on a crazy ride through my daily life.

Writer Carrie…oh yeah, Carrie Clevenger. She’s this weird woman that lives in Austin, Texas and came up with the early concept of me back in 2000. Yeah, I’ve been around for awhile, as you can see. Carrie has been featured in a few books and stuff, mostly short stories, and those are all listed up at GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3520560.Carrie_Clevenger She also has a site that has some of her old flash fiction back when she used to drop a new story every Friday: http://www.carrieclevengerstories.com/

Carrie cut her teeth on writing the hard way: By getting her ass handed to her in vicious critique groups. Since she didn’t finish high school, the art of writing was more like a grueling journey towards figuring out how to string words together that made sense and didn’t leave the reader asleep in their chair. Not to mention comma usage. She preferred horror writing but then she got stuck with me, and turns out I fall into the urban fantasy category (which sounds like suburban porn, by the way) so here we are.

S- ok more about you, when were you turned?

You make me sound like cheese. “So Xan, when did you go…bad.” Hush woman, and stop holding your nose. My expiration date isn’t for a long time. 1985 was the year of my demise. What can I say? Her ass looked good in red leather.

S-Your name...what nationality is it? Sounds slightly French...

It’s a stage name, can’t be walking around using my real name, else they’d ask why I wasn’t still back in the ground at the cemetery, you know? My real name is Gabriel Nez. I took my mom’s last name. Navajo, Diné however you want to say it.

S- mine is a stage name too. Luckily it's all legal now..

See, now you have to tell me someday.

S-doubtful

How long have you been a musician? Has it always been the bass?

Funny thing is, I used to work in commercial art. Sure, I fucked around on the bass, but nothing serious until I got dropped as a bloodsucker. Dad was trying to appease me (and keep me out of trouble) so he bought me a guitar. Only it was a bass guitar. I named her Betty. Old black Fender P-Bass. Anyway, after I turned, I was a little busy getting adjusted, for say, hell…twenty years or so? When I finally decided I’d had enough of the freaky business my kind likes dabbling in, I left and needed a job. I found an ad in the paper for a house band start-up. Playing the bass is like riding a bike, you might get rusty, but you’re not gonna forget two chords. Okay, I’m kidding. Anyway, I took that job, moved back to Colorado, (which was the state I died in by the way) moved into Pale Rider, and founded Crooked Fang, a cover band.

S-Ever thought about singing? Front man not your thing?

It’s been on the table once or twice. I don’t have the ego and the what’s it called? Charisma. I’m not flashy or sociable. And I might have a touch of stage fright on top of that. Besides. I love what I do now. I get to be on stage without facing the crowd so much. Focus on the frets and don’t fret.

S-Stage fright really... huh... have you ever looked in a mirror? You got nuthin to be shy about.

It’s not me I’m afraid of, just all those people. You know, getting hungry. Fucking up on stage. Even in a tinyburg like Pinecliffe…

S-Why Pinecliffe? How do you keep yourself busy? Isn't it kind of dull?

I like it dull. I’ve had enough of the fast lane life to last well, a lifetime! Being in a small town means nobody can sneak up on me because word gets around fast. It’s a sleepy place with a beating heart for rock there at Pale Rider. Plus, it’s fucking beautiful. I mean, really. Call it my retirement home.

S- Favorite bands? Why?

Let me give you a list:

Type O Negative – Why? Do you have to ask for these guys? Peter was a genius with music. The whole band had a tongue-in-cheek-and-fuck-you attitude that appeals to me immensely. They never took themselves seriously, never sold out, and neither should we.

Jimi Hendrix – He revolutionized rock and guitar methods and was gone far too soon to even realize his full potential. There’s a song for every mood in his discography. I love Hendrix’s music. Period.

Megadeth – I know, I know. Dave is a lunatic. But back in the day, they played great shit. An offshoot from Metallica, I’d say they stayed the same, whereas Metallica just kind of…got alternative.

Slayer – Duh. Tom Araya is amazing. The music is amazing. I’m amazed every time I spin their disc. Hard-hitting shit that is guaranteed to piss your woman off 90% of the time.

A Pale Horse Named Death – Sal Abruscato branched off from Life of Agony, and before that, Type O Negative (Bloody Kisses) and made an entire fucking album on his own. And it is fucking GOOD. Plus, he’s good to his fans. I’m won.

Nirvana – I arrived late on the Grunge scene, but when I first heard Nirvana, I wanted to know who the hell they were right away. So I get, “oh he’s dead, but yeah, it’s a Seattle band.” Seattle? Get out of here! But really man, Nirvana was dirty, garage band music that speaks right to your cerebral cortex. You’re riveted and buffeted by slashes of angst and self-loathing and loss. And the acoustic set took those songs and flipped them right back to digestible by common public. I bet the teenagers were pissed when Dad started jamming to “On a Plain”.

S- Even being here in Seattle, I never got Nirvana. I guess it's a Goth thing... Like other grunge bands; Alice in Chains and Soundgarden...Just couldn't fathom it...

(Probably because it was in your backyard. Local music has it harder I think.)

Johnny Cash, AKA, Man in Black – If I have to explain why, I’ll kick you myself.

Roy Orbison – I love listening to Orbison. His songs are like echoes of my own past experiences. He was a gentle man, with gentle songs of love and loss, and well I guess I’m showing a pattern here…

Concrete Blonde/Johnette Napolitano – Why do I love their music? It’s real. Johnette is a fucking goddess and she slings a big bass too. So hey, I might have a vested interest. Visually-oriented, great rock. Mankey…dude. He can fucking play.

And this is just a few bands that I love…hell I got a library of ten-thousand songs. Pick your poison. You should’ve specified a genre. Haha.
Just saying, I can go on and on and on and on…

S-Favorite book? Why?

Maya Angelou – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. It deals with racism and the struggles that people of color in general all face. Plus, I really love her voice in that book. It’s unapologetic and gritty enough to jolt you. Some of the stuff that happens in that story is unbelievable. Everyone should read it, I think.

S-If you could sit down for a drink with five historical figures living or dead (and yes they can be musicians) who would they be and why?

Five historical figures, hmm.

1. Jimi Hendrix – Nope, I never met him or even saw a single show. Just to talk to him would reduce me to a jabbering puddle of fanboydom. Even the fucking Pope couldn’t elicit that kind of response from me.
2. Jim Morrison – I want to hear what really happened the night he died.
3. Peter Steele – I want to thank him for enriching so many lives and giving me inspiration in my work.
4. Robert Johnson – I want to know how that deal with the Devil worked out for him. You probably have no idea what I mean, so here’s a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson#Devil_legend
5. Marilyn Monroe – Who the hell wouldn’t want to meet Norma Jean?

S-So tell us....what's next for Xan, what does the future hold?

Well, I got a book coming out in August 2012, (yes I know that’s like forever away, but hey, it’s before the scheduled end of the world) called Crooked Fang. It’s the story of how I figure out that maybe I’m not as dead inside as I think. A series of events stumble over my legs and land my ass in a lot of weird predicaments.

The sequel to Crooked Fang, called Pale Rider, is in production right now. It’s not quite done, but promises to be a little darker than Crooked Fang. Still, it’s a bunch of new lessons I gotta learn in order to make my way in the world. Being a vampire isn’t easy, I know that.

What I didn’t know was how hard it is to stay human.

S-it sure isn't is it?

Understatement of the year. Easier to just be one or the other, for reals.

S-Well Xan I just want to thank you for stopping by my little blog here. Next time I promise to come to Pinecliffe, so we can drink whiskey and talk music like proper folks.

Sure thing, remember we’re closed to the public on Mondays and Tuesdays. And I’m always up for talking about music. Really appreciate the opportunity.

I highly suggest you all following Xan on twitter... @crookedfang....he is highly entertaining, and will school you on music and some other more questionable things. DO IT! You won't be sorry...

Oh yes and don't forget to download that free story, it's a fun read... here is the link again! http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3520560.Carrie_Clevenger

Carrie Clevenger and Nerine Dorman worked together on Just My Blood Type as you might know, but what you may not know, is there’s a new collaboration coming out soon, called Blood and Fire. X

*****************UPDATE***********************************
 you can buy Blood and Fire at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble .. Both Nook and Kindle formats available! It's one wild ride!

ALSO THE MOST EXCITING NEWS*******************************
COMING AUGUST 2012
Xan's book CROOKED FANG now has an awesome cover and blurb and I thought I would share it with you...




Sometimes a vampire's past can bite him in the ass.
 Xan Marcelles--bassist for Crooked Fang, vampire and full-time asshole, is content with his quiet existence in the backwoods of Pinecliffe, Colorado. But life at the Pale Rider tavern is set to become a little more complicated when he gets entangled with a feisty, blue-haired damsel and her abusive soon-to-be ex-boyfriend. To add to his woes, he’s gone from hunter to hunted, and his past returns to haunt him when a phone call draws him back to New Mexico. With the help of friends from his living past, he must get to the bottom of a murder, and figure out where he stands with his lover and his band, all while keeping one step ahead of his enemies. Hiding won’t be easy for him, especially with a mysterious woman dogging him every step of the way. 

Here is the e book cover~

 and here is Xan on the print cover... Nice eh???

Nerine Dorman’s author page: http://www.facebook.com/nerine

Crookedfang’s page: http://www.facebook.com/CrookedFang

Cake me Boyo

*** this is the recipe that you all asked for.. these are the things I changed. I used loaf pans to cook the cake. I also used an Irish whiskey..but you are supposed to use bourbon. I made a simple sugar and whiskey glaze to pour over it.. ask questions if you need to or improvise and post results...

Enjoy Synde

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1½ cups strong brewed coffee

• ½ cup whiskey

• 1½ sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

• 2 cups flour

• 1½ teaspoons baking soda

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 3 large eggs plus one egg white

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325°. Butter a 10-inch springform pan, dust with 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and place on a baking sheet.

2. In a saucepan, whisk together the coffee, whiskey, butter and 3/4 cup cocoa powder over low heat. Whisk in the granulated and brown sugars. Let cool. In a small bowl, toss the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.

3. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, pepper and cloves. Whisk the eggs, egg white and vanilla into the cooled coffee-chocolate mixture. Whisk in the flour mixture. Fold the cocoa-dusted chocolate chips into the batter.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out just slightly moist, about 1 hour. Let cool. Dust with the remaining 1 tablespoon cocoa powder before serving.

Heart Times with Eddie

I am not a huge fan of Grunge. Being from Southern California, it hit us late and I just didn't get it. After it was firmly seated in the annals of music I got into it, but if the truth be told still not a huge fan.

I live in Seattle now, the home of Grunge. I have played pool with Chris Cornell and Stone Gossard without really getting the significance of these two gentlemen.

There is one exception to this: Eddie Vedder. This man is a champion of the people. We aren't friends and I don't know him. I have met him in passing a handful of times, all during very significant times in my life, one more so than the others.

When I was a “youngun” I worked for the Ramones, they were fantastic and horrible times, but even more so horrible has been the passing of all but one of the original members. I attended Johnny Ramone's funeral in LA. It wasn't a shock and there was no love lost between Johnny and I. That however didn't make it any less sad. It was heartbreaking. I didn't cry, for some reason having so many of my previous bosses at the funeral made me uncomfortable, and so I held myself in check.

I returned home to Seattle a few days later, still feeling sad and tense. I work in a bookstore in Seattle and both Eddie and Stone often stopped by to shop. About two weeks after the funeral, Ed came in with his daughter. They were going to see the Curious George movie. I asked him how he was doing and, he shrugged looked at the floor and said “remembering the good times.” You see he and Johnny were very, very close. Then he looked up at me with those penetrating eyes and said, “You were there too, how are you doing?”

I did the exact same thing, looked at the floor and shrugged. “I can't cry,” I whispered. “I want to but I can't”

He hugged me hard and said, “Don't be so hard on yourself.” Then the tears came . . . finally I was able to release the sadness. I didn't sob, in fact the tears ran in silence, but they ran.

He smiled and said, “See you soon,” and he was gone off to see a movie with his child.

I have seen him maybe 3 times since that day in October of 2004. He is always kind.

I owe Eddie a lot for that day.

Vodka and Genetic Engineering

I am pleased to welcome K. M. Ruiz to the blog! She writes fantastic traditional style Sci Fi.. Please welcome her..


bio:
K.M. Ruiz lives in California with a cat or two for company and the occasional earthquake. She earned a B.A. in English (concentration in Creative Writing) and a minor in American Indian Studies from San Francisco State University. She likes her movies loud, her music louder, and when not writing, can be found traveling, looking for new ideas.

Tell us a little about yourself.
Random facts? I can do that! To start with, my taste in movies rivals that of teenage boys—the more explosions and gun fights, the better. I am definitely not a romcom girl. I have five bookcases in my apartment and own more books than anything else, including booze. I’m little, but I’m kind of loud, which either amuses or horrifies my friends, depending on the situation. I used to have 15 piercings on my head; now I only have 12. I had to give up the ones on my face when I changed jobs. I’m currently obsessed with Hawaii Five-0 and White Collar. I have inflicted this obsession on many people in my life and turned them into converts.

Why science fiction?

I grew up reading and watching sci-fi. As much as I love fantasy in all its forms, I love sci-fi a little more. There’s something about the possibilities in that genre that could impact real life which always made me sit back and think, that’s so awesome. Also, spaceships are just cool. I still want one.

How did the idea come about?

Through a mix of my love for comics along with my personal experience with incurable disease, the stigma that comes with it, and the science within the medical field. Kind of a depressing mix, I know.

MIND STORM and TERMINAL POINT deal with the fallout of war and societal segregation based along genetic lines. The overall story has gone through several phases over the years, from super comic book-y in earlier incarnations to the more gritty version that got published. I wanted my characters to have biologically believable powers that had limits. Being a psion in my stories means you’ve got a disease that kills you young if the environment doesn’t kill you first.

Every disease affecting humans today has side-effects and a good many diseases end up killing us. I didn’t want to give any of the characters an easy way out with their powers because not every disease gets cured. In my stories, when a psion uses their powers, it eats away at their own lifespan. I thought it was better if there were severe consequences when it came to using what the disease gave them and what everyone was willing to give up or not give up for their personal goals. Or maybe I’ve just got a cruel streak a mile long when it comes to my characters.

Are you a dog or a cat person?

Cat person. Definitely a cat person. I’ve got two: a neurotic calico who lords over the apartment named Firefly and a sweet, gentle, part Maine Coon named Bones who basically rolls over in abject submission whenever Firefly demands it. Bones is bigger than Firefly but she is definitely the one in charge.

Favorite drink?

Ooooh. Are we talking alcoholic or regular? Because if it’s regular, I subscribe to the religion of coffee on a daily basis. If it’s alcohol, I’m a whiskey and vodka girl, but not at the same time. Give me a nice Irish whiskey any day and I am golden.

If you could sit down with 5 people living or dead who would they be?

If they’re dead, would they come back as zombies? I think I’d have to go with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (because I’m in love with all things space and I’d really love to hear from them in person about their impression of landing on the Moon), Michael Whelan (because I love his art), my grandmother (because I never got the chance to really know her since she died when I was so young), and finally J. J. Abrams (because I would kill for a look at the next Star Trek movie script).

What's next for K.M.?

I’m working on a new novel that I don’t want to say too much about because I don’t want to jinx myself or anything. So, uh, I’ll just say I am continuing my daily writing habit while mainlining coffee to spare everyone else’s sanity.

Thanks so much for letting me stop by!

We are glad to have you!

you can follow K.M on twitter @K.M.Ruiz.

Jupe's Midnite Spook Show

Cemetery Cat Designs is proud to announce an new jewelry line based on Jenn Bennett's
Arcadia Bell series.. here's a little about what Jenn had to say about Jupe and Arcadia.


In Jenn Bennett's Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series, the narrator, Arcadia "Cady" Bell, is a mage who slings drinks at a tiki bar, where the Earthbound demon patrons look like humans with halos (and aren't necessarily the monsters). Cady partners with a demon named Lon, and forges a relationship with his young teenage son, Jupe—a chatty, high-spirited boy who bonds with Cady over classic horror movies like Frankenstein and Creature from the Black Lagoon.

“Do you like classic movies?” Jupe asked me.

“Sure.”

“Ya know which one I’m talking about? Bride of Franken-
stein? Elsa Lanchester had her hair kinda like that. She was
really the Monster’s bride—Frankenstein was the doctor. People
always screw that up.”

--Kindling the Moon

to find out more about Jupe Butler and Kindling the Moon visit...http://www.jennbennett.net