Book Chick City: October 2009

All Hallow's Eve: Your Scary Stories/Reviews

Saturday, October 31, 2009 | Posted by Book Chick City |

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!

So, do you have your pumpkins? Spiderwebs dangling from the ceiling? Creepy crawlies lining your shelves? I hope so! Let's get into the spirit! A video to get things started (warning: very scary, will make you jump!)

I love Halloween. I love the autumn too with its crisp mornings and brown/yellow leaves that are beginning to fall. I used to really enjoy trick or treating, but I don't think that it's as popular in the UK as it is in the US. I don't know why I called it Trick or Treat as I was never really prepared to trick, I was always preying that they chose treat, which they invariably did. I had lots of Halloween parties as a kid too. Lots of sweets in the form of bugs and paper plates and cups decorated in witches and vampires. But now as an adult I don't celebrate Halloween in the same way. I should change that and throw a huge fancy dress party! That would be so much fun! Did you celebrate Halloween more as a kid, or do you still decorate your house with all things ghoulish?

Did that freak you out or what?!! I made my husband watch it, he doesn't like creepy stuff, and he jumped out of his skin *laughing hysterically*. As for scary stories, I don't really have any. I wish I did. I would love to see a real ghost, well, wouldn't you? My husband says he has - twice! So I will tell you one of his stories...

When he was a teenager, him and his friend were in Norfolk (UK). They had just been to the pub (yes, this makes the story very convincing..) and as they were walking back to their caravan an old lady began to walk towards them. Now they both say she appeared out of nowhere, one minute they were walking along the street alone, the next an old lady was in front of them. As they got closer, they realised that she was not going to move to the side to let them pass and so they moved away from each other, to give her room to walk between them, which she did. Because the old woman looked so old, my husband and his friend looked back in bewilderment to find the old lady had gone. Now my husband is adamant that there was nowhere for her to go. No pubs, no houses, no alleyways. She had literally disappeared!

Do you have any scary stories you would like to share, a review of a book that gave you the heebie-geebies or how do you celebrate Halloween? Maybe you have pics of a fancy dress Halloween party you went to that you would like to share? If you do then write up a post to let us know about it! Mr Linky is below, so add your post! (Please link your actual post url so that it is easier to find!) So, join in the fun!!

Labels: All Hallow's Eve 2009 |

10 comments |

All Hallow's Eve: Giveaway BONANZA & Extra Secret Prize! [NOW CLOSED]

Saturday, October 31, 2009 | Posted by Book Chick City |

Edit Post

Happy Halloween!!

Halloween has finally arrived and so has my Giveaway BONANZA!!! There are three bundles of books to choose from, so there will be three lucky winners. This is what you could win...

BUNDLE 1

BUNDLE 2

BUNDLE 3

I'm sure you will agree that the prizes are pretty awesome. All you have to do for a chance to win is the following:

1. Follow this blog

2. Follow me on twitter (use link on sidebar)

3. Blog and Twitter about this contest, leave both url links with your comment

4. Tell me which bundle of books you would like to win: 1, 2 or 3.

5. Leave your email address so I can contact you easily

This is open WORLDWIDE and ends at 12pm GMT tomorrow (1st Nov) - so you don't have long, enter now! The winner will be announced tomorrow too!

Secret Giveaway - Do you know the word?

In my opening post on the 1st October I mentioned an extra surprise giveaway. This was in the form of a scavenger hunt. All you had to do was keep a look out for letters in some of my posts that were enlarged and highlighted (bold). These letters would eventually make up a Halloween theme word. If you know this word then let me know by leaving a comment. I will then pick a winner.

This is again open WORLDWIDE (aren't I generous!) and will end tomorrow at 12pm GMT 1st Nov). The winner will be announced tomorrow and will get to know their secret prize!

I hope you know the word!

GOOD LUCK!

82 comments |

All Hallow's Eve: Interview & Giveaway with Erica Hayes [NOW CLOSED]

Friday, October 30, 2009 | Posted by Book Chick City |

Edit Post

Erica Hayes is the debut author of Shadowfae, the first book in the Shadowfae Chronicles. Erica has also given me a SIGNED copy of Shadowfae with bookmark to giveaway, so make sure you enter the contest at the end of the interview. I love this pic of Erica - don't you think she's looks cute?!

BCC: Hi Erica, it's so great to have you here.

Erica: Thank you so much for inviting me!

BCC: I absolutely love the Shadowfae cover - did you have any input in the cover design?

Erica: Isn’t it wonderful? I just love these covers! I’m afraid I can’t claim any responsibility, much as I’d wish to. The design people did a lovely job capturing the mood of the series, and the illustrator is Craig White, who’s done a lot of beautiful UF covers: Craig White Illustration

BCC: Can you tell us a little about Shadowfae, without giving too much away?

Erica: My heroine, Jade, is in thrall to a demon for a thousand years — she’s a succubus, who uses her demonic powers to seduce men and send their souls to hell. It isn’t a pleasant job, especially when your demon master is a ruthless ganglord, fighting with his vicious vampire minions for control of a fairy-infested city. After 150 years of loveless relationships and unpleasant assignments, she’s looking for a way out. So when she discovers a forbidden ritual that promises to set her free, she’s thinks she’s got nothing to lose. Of course, she’s wrong.

BCC: Shadowfae is the first book in the series - how many books do you have planned?

Erica: I’m contracted for four so far. I’m just finishing up book 3 this week. The series has an overall arc — it’s to do with the gang war and the demon lord’s fight for his city — but each book has new main characters and a standalone plot. And a romance! I do have a happy ending in each book. A lot of things in these books are dark, but the romances always end on a positive note. Oh, and the stories are pretty steamy. They didn’t put a lingerie-clad vixen on the front for nothing :)

BCC: What was the trigger that gave you the idea for the series?

Erica: Melbourne (where my series is set) has real-life mafia mythology. There was some serious violence going on through the nineties: we had guys murdered in restaurants, on the street, at their kids’ football matches, and it got widespread media coverage. I remember reading about this — there’s a terrific television drama, too — and trying to figure out what on earth was wrong with these people that they had such disregard for life. Once I realised the whole thing must have been caused by warring demons, the rest was easy...

BCC: Shadowglass, the second book in the series, is due out March 2010. (I love this cover more than Shadowfae!). Can you give us a sneak peek as to what it's about?

Erica: It is another awesome cover, isn’t it? Shadowglass is about Ice, a cheeky fairy thief, who falls foul of a sneaky magic mirror that steals away her common sense. She gets into all sorts of trouble trying to reverse the spell, involving vengeful demons and a lovesick fairy serial killer.

BCC: What are you working on now?

Erica: When I’ve finished with book 3 — that’s about a banshee who loses her magical voice — it’s on to book 4, which I believe will involve a blood fairy, poison and a plot to murder a vampire ganglord...

BCC: Have you always been interested in fairies and the paranormal?

Erica: I’m kind of a paranormal sceptic — I don’t always buy into woo-woo stories in real life. But I love reading about the paranormal. I used to scare myself silly with vampire tales and ghost stories as a little girl, and I always loved the kind of fairy tale where a naughty leprechaun would trick a hapless farmer into digging up his field of carrots in search of illusory gold, ha ha! I liked the impish fairies, rather than the Disney ones.

BCC: What kind of books do you like to read?

Erica: Anything I’ve got time for! I love urban fantasy, of course, and paranormal romance. I also like a bit of crime and historical fiction. And Stephen King, naturally. Who doesn’t like the King?

BCC: How do you research your novels?

Erica: Out of my head, to start with. I have this mad, trivia-stuffed brain. Even I’m not sure how I know most of this rubbish. My husband calls it ‘knowing stuff about things’, as in, ‘Ask my wife, she knows stuff about things’. And then I move on to the net. These days, I’ve done most of the fantasy world-building for this series, so I mostly research locations — I spent half an hour searching the net this afternoon for a breakfast café on the river in Melbourne — and things like weapons and combat, which I’ve got no expertise in.

BCC: What do you enjoy most about writing?

Erica: Everything! It’s the perfect day job. I love the world inside my head and I’m grateful for the luxury of spending time there. And I love the craft, too, word selection and creating just the right mood or colour or scene. I suppose my favourite part is typing THE END at the conclusion of my first drafts. I always throw a little party in my head when that happens. Dancing around the room has been observed :)

BCC: Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.

Erica: And thank you for having me!

If you want to know more about Erica then you can visit her here:

Website | Blog | Twitter

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Okay, onto the CONTEST!!!!

For the chance to win the copy of SHADOWFAE, along with the lovely little bookmark, all you have to do is the following:

1. Follow this blog

2. Follow me on twitter (use link on sidebar)

3. Tweet/blog about giveaway. Please leave link in the comments section, including an email address.

This contest is open WORLDWIDE! Contest ends 31st October (Halloween - that's tomorrow!). Winners will be announced 1st Nov!

GOOD LUCK!!

Labels: All Hallow's Eve 2009, Author Interviews, Erica Hayes, Giveaways |

60 comments |

All Hallow's Eve: Interview & Giveaway with Jeanne Stein [NOW CLOSED]

Thursday, October 29, 2009 | Posted by Book Chick City |

Edit Post

Today I welcome Jeanne Stein, author of the fab Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles. There are five books in the series so far and you have the chance to win one book in the series, along with collectable book magnets and pens! So make sure you enter the contest at the end of the interview!

BCC: Hi Jeanne! It's great to have you here on Book Chick City and part of my All Hallows Eve event.

JS: Thanks for inviting me!

BCC: How long did it take to fully create the character Anna Strong? She sure is a kick-arse girlie!

JS: I think I’ve been developing Anna all my writing life. She has been the protagonist in just about every book I’ve ever written. The difference is when I decided to make her a vampire, it all came together. Here we had a woman who was a bounty hunter so you know she’s no wilting flower. She was kick-ass as a human. She’s kick=ass as a vampire. She was sexually aggressive as a human. She’s sexually aggressive as a vampire. But she’s also loyal, loving and has a strong moral compass. She’s a good person at heart.

BCC: Your fifth book in the Anna Strong series, Retribution, was released this August. Can you tell my readers a bit about it, without giving too much away?

JS: In Retribution, Anna faces an old foe, the black witch Belinda Burke. Belinda has cast a spell on Anna’s friend, Culebra, and when Daniel Frey tries to help, both their lives are put in danger. But Belinda is up to more than revenge. She’s discovered a way to use vampire blood in an anti-ageing cream that rejuvenates human women in a remarkable way. Unfortunately, it has side effects and the method Burke uses to extract the blood is right out of a textbook on medieval torture. This story also features a character from my story in Many Bloody Returns, the good witch Sophie.

BCC: How long does it take you to write a novel?

JS: Ideally, I’d like nine months to write a book. I usually get between five and six months. The publishing schedule determines deadlines.

BCC: What are your favourite genres to read?

JS: I read a lot of Urban Fantasy, as you might guess. There’s a reason it’s the fastest growing genre in the business. There are so many wonderful writers and intriguing characters being introduced all the time, my TBR pile just keeps growing.

BCC: Do you have a favourite time of day or place you like to write?

JS: I write in the mornings usually. Early. Between six and eleven am. And I have a great writing space. I have my computers and reference books and all my favorite things around me. It’s like having an office—when I’m there, I’m there to work.

BCC: What influenced you to write within the Urban Fantasy genre?

JS: Freedom. In Urban Fantasy I can combine elements of mystery and thrillers and paranormal and romance in any way I want.

BCC: What was the trigger behind the Anna Strong series?

JS: Probably a combination of loving the vampire genre, loving Buffy and Angel, and realizing the character I’d been carrying around in my head for years was perfect for this kind of series.

BCC: What are you working on now?

JS: Just finished and turned in the sixth book in the series, Chosen, and am beginning work on the seventh. I’m also working on a novella featuring Anna that will introduce some back story I haven’t been able to work into the books.

BCC: Have you any plans to write a novel outside of the Anna Strong series?

JS: I’m hoping to be able to get the go-ahead for a project I’m working on with a co-author, Susan Smith. We are developing an idea for a novel set in World War I. Angels and demons. It will be very different from what I’ve done so far.

BCC: What are you reading at the moment?

JS: At Comic Con this year I met Darcre Stoker (yes, a relative of Bram Stoker.) He and co-author Ian Holt are writing a sequel to the original Dracula. I was lucky enough to get an advanced reading copy so that’s what I’m reading now.

Thanks Jeanne! If you would like to know more about Jeanne and her books then head on over to her website: www.jeannestein.com

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Okay, onto the CONTEST!!!!

For the chance to win one book from the series (winners choice), along with these lovely book magnets and pens.

All you have to do is the following:

1. Follow this blog

2. Follow me on twitter (use link on sidebar)

3. Leave a comment letting me know which book from the series you would like to win and also your email address.

This contest is open WORLDWIDE! Contest ends 31st October. Winners will be announced 1st Nov!

GOOD LUCK!!

Labels: All Hallow's Eve 2009, Author Interviews, Giveaways, Jeanne Stein |

63 comments |

All Hallow's Eve: Chat, Live Q&A & Giveaway with Georgia Evans [NOW CLOSED]

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | Posted by Book Chick City |

Edit Post

Today I welcome Georgia Evans (aka Rosemary Laurey), author of the WW2 paranormal series. There are three books in the series so far and you have the chance to win a SIGNED copy of book one, Bloody Good. So make sure you enter the contest at the end of the interview! Georgia will also be around all day to answer your questions, so fire away!

BCC: Hi Georgia, welcome to Book Chick City, it's a pleasure to have you here. What made you decide to write a WW2 story with Vampires as the Nazis? This is quite a unique take on the genre.

GE: The idea came up after a brainstorming between myself and my editor. She wanted a WW2 book and suggested the vamps as the villains. German spies seemed the perfect answer.

BCC: Why did you choose to change the main protagonist with each book?

GE: I planned a trilogy but wanted a different central couple in each story. Also there was so many people I had a generous cast to deal with.

BCC: Have you always been interested in the paranormal?

GE: To be honest, no. I started working on my first vamp book in 1998 and got hooked!

BCC: What are you working on at the moment?

GE: Another WW2 book - this one set in Vichy France in the spring of 1941 that has vampires - including Jude Clarendon from the Bloody books - and another paranormal, a contemporary with Devon Pixies and shape shifting bears in the deeps of the Virginia mountains.

BCC: Do you find it difficult to write such explicit love scenes? I must admit I did blush at times!

GE: Actually I find them fun. After all, if two people, in good health, are attracted to each other and have strong feelings, it pretty much come naturally to them. Especially in a time of war with the ever awareness you could be dead in the morning. I think there is a strong sense of snatching what happiness you can.

BCC: Where and when to you like to write?

GE: I have a work room upstairs next door to the bedroom. Always write there. Editing I usually do in the kitchen.

BCC: Have you had a ghostly encounter or a scary experience that you can share with us?

GE: Not exactly scary but we have someone in our house. I don't talk about her very much as it tends to upset her, but she had made herself very apparent at times. Mind you she did once unlock a door and set the burglar alarm off - that did scare the willies out of me. But she never did it again, I think she realised how it freaked me out. I called out the cops thinking someone was in the house!

BCC: How do you celebrate Halloween?

GE: I give out candy to the children who come around.

Thanks Georgia!

Georgia will be answering your questions today, so please leave your questions in the comments section.

You can read my review of Bloody Good HERE

If you would like to know more about the WW2 paranormal series then visit the website: www.brytewood.co.uk

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Okay, onto the CONTEST!!!!

For the chance to win a SIGNED copy of Bloody Good, all you have to do is the following:

1. Follow this blog

2. Follow me on twitter (use link on sidebar)

3. Leave your email address with your question - no question, no entry.

This contest is open WORLDWIDE! Contest ends 31st October. Winners will be announced 1st Nov!

GOOD LUCK!!

Labels: All Hallow's Eve 2009, Author Interviews, Georgia Evans, Giveaways |

58 comments |

All Hallow's Eve Book Review: The Reformed Vampire Support Group by Catherine Jinks

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 | Posted by Book Chick City |

Edit Post

Title: The Reformed Vampire Support Group

Author: Catherine Jinks

Genre: Supernatural

Reading Age: Young Adult

Publisher: Quercus

Publication Date:

Paperback: 355 pages

Rating: 7/10

Summary (back cover)

Fifteen-year-old Nina has been a vampire since 1973, and she's hated every day of it. It has really cramped her style and social life - and it's boring. Plus, she has to wear wrap-around shades 24/7 and she can't get a decent hair-cut. But things take a turn for the worse when a member of her therapy group is killed by an unknown vampire slayer.

Threatened with extinction, she and her fellow vampires set out to hunt down the culprit - and soon find themselves caught up in a dangerous quest full of guns, thugs and a very sexy werewolf. Perhaps there's more to being a bona fide vampire after all...

Review:

This book is very different from the usual vampire novel in that the vampires are neither beautiful, sexy supernatural beings or complete monsters. Instead they are pasty, skinny, sickly vampires with no supernatural powers and who have to feed off Guinea Pigs and wear sunglasses so their eyes don't hemorrhage, even in artificial light.

I wasn't sure if I liked this take on the vampire or not. I usually enjoy reading about the sexy vamp or the cruel vamp. However, as I read through the chapters I began to like the characters and this original vampire story. It's quirky, humorous and quite witty. The characters are a completely odd bunch and argue with each other like a normal family. Of course, they're not family, but members of a therapy group that they all attend every Tuesday night. But you get the sense that they are close, even if they are mightily grumpy and think they hate each other.

This is definitely a fun read. It especially picks up when Nina, Dave and Father Ramon travel to cobar to find the slayer that killed a member of their therapy group. When they get there they find a lot more than they bargained for - enter the sexy young werewolf and two nasty thugs with guns...

Verdict:

I did find the structure of the book a little odd. It opens up with Nina narrating in the third person only to switch to the first person after a couple of pages. At the end of the book it leaves you with the notion that the entire story was written by Nina as a memoir but there was no indication of this at the beginning of the book. In fact at the start we were hearing Nina's thoughts on her novel (as she writes vampires novels). It wasn't confusing, just unnecessary. It felt as though the author didn't know how to begin or end the book. However, the middle section was great and I enjoyed it a lot.

Thank you to Quercus for sending me this book for review.