Friday Already?

I'm off to the San Francisco Writers Conference. Read the excellent blogs listed on my blog-roll.

I've got contests ending this weekend (see links on the right) and will be back on Monday with the winners.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Here's a Gratuitous Video of the Day for all the Gerard Butler fans.



And this is wrong in all sorts of ways.

Countdown to "Dollhouse" Premiere; Spook House Valentine

PLEASE NOTE: I will be at the San Francisco Writers Conference all weekend, so the winner of Mario's Acevedo's contest will not be announced until Monday. Also you still have time to enter this contest as well as my contest for 8 books from Hatchett to celebrate African-American History Month. (See info on the right sidebar.)

If you're around San Francisco and want to attend the conference, they now offer daily fees and flat fees to attend one event, so check out their website. Jacqueline Mitchard has just been added as a keynote speaker at lunch on February 14.


AUTHORS & BOOKS

Sharon Ashwood, author of Ravenous, is today's guest at Midnight Brew and talks about her writing and the Dark Forgotten series. "The original concept began during a rambling conversation with a friend. We asked ourselves what would happen if supernatural creatures came out of the closet and tried to get jobs. How about credit cards? What impact would their presence have on our economy? Our legal system?" (Midnight Moon Cafe)

The Midnight Moon Cafe scribes are also having a contest for Sharon Ashwood's Ravenous. The details are right after the interview.

Rachel interviews Kelley Armstrong about her Men of the Otherworld series. "I’ve always called them supernatural thrillers or paranormal suspense. I don’t have any preference re: urban fantasy versus paranormal romance. We write the stories that speak to us. If romance in the driving factor, great. If fantasy or suspense is, that’s great, too. I like all three in mine." (Bitten By Books) There's also a contest for Kelly's books.

Review of A Vampire's Claim by Joey W. Hill. "This is the prequel to Ms. Hill's two previous novels about this Vampire Queen. While it was hard to set my mind in 1950s Australia, I gradually got there and it was definitely worth it." (Fresh Fiction)

Read a summary of and an excerpt from Joey W. Hill's A Vampire's Claim. "Lady Daniela has never taken a full human servant. At two hundred years, she’s always put it off, having a bachelor’s attitude toward bonding with another, even an inferior human."

Review of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dream Warrior. "Any reader who has already read just a handful of the previous Dark Hunter or Dream Hunter books will recognise the formula. Fans of this series, and I include myself in their number, enjoy this formula so the repetition isn’t necessarily the problem..." (Love Vampires)


TELEVISION & THE INTERNETS

I received a nice note (and by that I mean a note filled with unfounded flattery) about an online video dealing with the most important issues of our day: puppets, zombies, monsters, philosophy and Valentine's Day. Watch "Spook House Dave's Bleeding Heart" for yourself and prepare to be amazed!

Article on "Dollhouse," which premieres tomorrow, and Joss Whedon's previous shows and work. "Dollhouse is yet another entry in that pantheon of cult brilliance. Starring Eliza Dushku, the show centers on a state-of-the-art center that offers clients whatever they want. The dolls are people whose minds have been erased and can be imprinted with anything the client wants. If you need an expert negotiator or a munitions expert, that can be arranged. If you want a sexy woman who finds everything about you intoxicating and can also ride a motorcycle, you can have her." (Film.com)

More news on Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse." "He had pitched the show as "Alias meets Quantum Leap" but says the show is ultimately a thriller without the leeway to tell family stories. Eventually, the experiments go awry as Echo [Eliza Dushku] becomes more aware of her role as empty vessel and the FBI tries to unmask the illegal operation." (USA Today)

Interview with Amy Acker (Fred Burkle of "Angel") about her new role as Dr. Saunders in Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse." "I'm there to take care of all the dolls. I seem to be the multi-purpose doctor, since I'm the only one there. I've done some stitches, some Band-Aids and some psychological counseling. It's a fun job because I get to see everybody and do a little of everything. And I feel like I'm there to keep the morality of the Dollhouse in check." (Los Angeles Times)

Variety gives an unenthusiastic review to "Dollhouse," and seems blithely ignorant about the way his shows unfold and the way his audiences grow. The review says, "Even so, attempting to unravel this convoluted package suggests that by the time "Dollhouse" finds itself, there won't be anybody but hard-core Whedon worshippers left to play with." Can we say short-attention-span expectations? We can.


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

Here's a GVD featuring Eliza Dushku as Faith on "Buffy."



Here's another showing how mad, bad and dangerous Faith was.

Ghouls and "Dollhouse"; Joss Whedon

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Review of Cara Lockwood's Every Demon Has His Day (to be released April 2009.) "In this frightfully funny series launcher, Lockwood introduces 'minor prophet' and cafe owner Constance Plyd of Dogwood County, Tex., whose soon-to-be-ex-husband, Jimmy, gets whacked by Yaman, a demon in a black baseball cap assigned to jump-start Constance's second sight." (Publishers Weekly)

Read a summary of Every Demon Has His Day by Cara Lockwood. "In her wildest dreams, Constance Plyd never thought she'd see dead people. Then again, she never thought she'd be hit on by her ex-husband at his own funeral...or be the prime suspect in his murder." (Simon & Schuster)

Kimberly Swan reviews MacGowan's Ghost by Cindy Miles. "Gabe MacGowan wants a stable home in which to raise his young son, and selling Odin’s Thumb Inn and Pub is the only way he sees to accomplish it. The ghostly residents don’t agree, and are scaring off the possible buyers." (Darque Reviews)

Kathy Hurley discusses the distinctions between paranormal and urban fantasy fiction. "Nowadays, the line between urban fantasy and paranormal romance is blurring. Women readers in particular want a kick-ass heroine, but often like a dash of romance thrown into the story." (Genre Bender)


TELEVISION & THE INTERNETS

In-depth interview with Joss Whedon about "Dollhouse" and more. "So the networks are like, we think this premise is hot. Just don't show anything or talk about it. Which can be so disingenuous that it becomes offensive. Obviously it's tough because -- and this is the thing that kept me up nights -- human trafficking in the real world is beyond heinous. What we were trying to do was create a situation in a science-fiction world where people gave themselves up for five years to the idea of, 'I don't care what happens to me. I won't know about it. And as long as I'm not hurt, go with God. It's fine.'" (Salon)

Interview with Dichen Lachman, who plays Sierra, on of the "dolls" in Joss Whedon's upcoming series "Dollhouse." "It's sort of an actor's dream to have a role like this because you are playing a different character every week. And the real truth of that character too. You're not just pretending to be these other people, you are these people. ... It's one of the hardest things but one of the most fun. It's been incredible." (Los Angeles Times)

Comic Con attendees got to see a preview of Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse," starring Eliza Dushku and Tahmoh Penikett. "The clip shown at the panel of the upcoming show, which began with Echo is a counseling session. Next, Echo is on a motorcycle racing down a busy city street against who she believed to be her boyfriend. They end the race at a club where they celebrate the boyfriend’s birthday. (Geeks of Doom)

VW pal Rae Lori, author of Kiss of Ashen Twilight, reviews the new BBC paranormal series "Being Human." "Mitchell wants to separate himself from the bloodlust of the kill so he 'goes on the wagon' and tries to stop feeding from human blood while living a normal life. He still enjoys being a vampire and still there's a 'youngling' he changed years ago who comes around begging for his help, tempting him in a way, back to what he was. "

SciFi Guy shares the new cover art for Laurell K. Hamilton's next book, Divine Misdemeanors.

MOVIES & DVDS

Review of the new paranormal movie, "Push," starring Dakota Fanning, Chris Evans and Camilla Belle. "Push is a sci-fi/thriller about a group of people who have paranormal abilities that allow them to do extraordinary things. Nick (Chris Evans) is a pusher, so he can push things or move things with his mind. Cassie (Dakota Fanning) is a watcher, so she can see the future. Kira (Camilla Belle) is another pusher, who survives an experimental drug that increases her abilities." (McCook Gazette)

Here's another review of "Push." "At first, the whole premise of Push makes you think ‘why hasn’t anyone done this before?’ Well, in various guises, films have been doing it for years. The Matrix, Blade, Wanted and more have exploited the ‘secret war’ story arc. Even using the snazzy nicknames of ‘Pushers’ and ‘Watchers’ is reminiscent of the ‘lycans’ in Underworld." (Entertainment Wise)

Here's a trailer for "Push." Hmm, echoes of Joss Whedon's "Serenity."




GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

I'm going to have to learn how to spell this guy's name without looking at it every time. Tahmoh Penikett. He'll be a regular in Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse."



This is Nathan Fillion week, so here's the trailer for "Serenity" from Joss Whedon. "I aim to misbehave."

The TV Edition: New "Vampire Diaries" & Nathan Fillion Series

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Wicked Melody reviews Charlaine Harris's All Together Dead. " Sookie's character almost grows on you. She always finds herself in the most unpredictable and supernatural twists for someone who hails from contemporary small-town Louisiana. Harris does not disappoint her fans!!" (Wicked Melody's Tavern)

Nice listing and descriptions of new and soon-to-be-released books, including Rachel Caine's Undone. "I'm willing to try this one out and see how I like it. Especially since I don't see another Weather Warden installment on the horizon any time soon." (Genre Books)

Read chapter of Rachel Caine's Undone, her first book in the new Outcast Season series. "It only took one word to destroy me, after millennia of living in peace and security, and the word was No. I knew as I made my answer that it would not come without consequences. Had I known just how vast those would be, and how far they would ripple, I doubt I would have had the courage." (Rachel Caine)

Review of the new shifter book, Shelly Laurenston's The Mane Attraction. "Mitch is a lion shape shifter, who works at a security firm with the groom, a wolf from the Smith pack. His best friend is Sissy, the groom's sister. He is supposed to testify at a murder trial as the only witness and finds out there is a bounty on his head the day of the wedding." (Fresh Fiction)

Read a summary and excerpt from Shelly Laurentson's Here Kitty, Kitty. "Nikolai Vorislav likes his single life just as it is. Simple, relaxing, and quiet. What he doesn't need is some foul-mouthed Texas hellcat living in his house, eating his food, flirting with his idiot brothers, and shooting holes in his home with his granddaddy's gun." (Shelly Laurentson)

Read a summary and the first chapter of Dakota Cassidy's The Accidental Human (March 3, 2009). "When Wanda is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it doesn’t have to be a death sentence. With a werewolf and a vampire for best friends, she has options that most ordinary people wouldn’t." (Dakota Cassidy)

Review of Dead After Dark, an anthology with stories by Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward, Susan Squires, and Dianna Love. "The Story of Son is from a different world to the Black Dagger Brotherhood but there are enough similarities to J.R. Ward’s BDB alpha male heroes that, when combined with her talent for creating romance that pulls on the heart strings, it shouldn’t fail to please most of her existing fans. " (Love Vampires)


TELEVISION

CW will produce "Vampire Diaries" series, based on books by L.J. Smith. "Written by L.J. Smith and originally published in 1993, the book franchise follows a young woman who's torn between two vampire brothers, one good and one evil. " (iF Magazine)

You can read more about L.J. Smith's (aka Lisa Jane Smith's) Vampire Diaries series on her site.

Nathan Fillion's been in a dozen terrific shows ("Serenity," "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, "Slither," "Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long-Blog") and he'll be starring in "Castle," a crime drama on CBS that they describe as "witty." Knowing CBS, they better let Fillion ad lib.

Anyway, you can read the summary: "Castle is a 1 hour witty drama based on a famous crime and horror novelist who helps the NYPD homicide department solve crimes. Richard “Rick” Castle [Nathan Fillion], a rock star of the literary world, is suffering from a case of writers block after killing off the main character in his novels and is struggling to come up with a replacement."

This sounds like a mash-up between "Stark Raving Mad" and "Bones." "Stark Raving Mad" was the short-lived comedy starring Tony Shaloub as an eccentric, best-selling horror author with a writer's block; and "Bones" has an eccentric best-selling author who solves crimes. Obviously, the television work equates literary success with crime-solving ability.

Here's a trailer. Boy, the voice-over dude sounds like his pitching an edgy show -- for a retirement community. That's CBS.



Now this is interesting news! There may be a new member to the "Supernatural" cast. "Is there a third Winchester sibling among us? It certainly would seem so, and Jake Abel (Threshold) is playing him, TVGuide.com has learned exclusively." (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) Here's Jake Abel's filmography. You decide if he's Winchester material.


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

Speaking of Tony Shaloub in "Stark Raving Mad," here with his co-star, the equally fabulous Neil Patrick Harris. I liked Tony as the crazy Ian Stark more than I could ever like his Monk. Sue me.

Interview with Mario Acevedo & Contest for JAILBAIT ZOMBIE

"Action packed and full of fun, brimming with pop culture and chock full of interesting characters this one has something for everyone." - Bookcrossings

"The mean streets have never been meaner--or stranger--and the result is a high-speed, well-crafted romp through the forests of the night." - Booklist


I'm very happy to have my pal, Mario Acevedo, here to talk about his hilarious Felix Gomez novels and discuss his soon-to-be-released book, Jailbait Zombie. Yes, Mario's hot on the zombie trend. His first novel was (2006), followed by The Nymphos of Rocky Flats, followed by X-Rated Blood Suckers, and then The Undead Kama Sutra.

Jailbait Zombie is the fourth book in the series featuring the Iraq War veteran/detective/vampire, Felix Gomez. Because sometimes you need a vampire to solve a perplexing mystery. Mario's a veteran himself, a former Army helicopter pilot, and now he spends his time writing, teaching, and painting.

To learn more about Mario, read my interview with him in November 2007.

Mario will be giving away a copy of his brand new book! To enter, just tell us what your favorite paranormal creature is and why. (You know, like, "Vampires, because I love a man in a cape.") The contest runs through Saturday night, and a winner will be chosen at random.

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MARTA: You’ve got a new Felix Gomez book coming out with the demure title of Jailbait Zombie. Did you just decide to hop on the underage, reanimated corpse bandwagon?

MARIO: No, the underage, reanimated corpse bandwagon hopped on me.

MARTA: So what’s Felix up to these days? How has he changed since first becoming vampirized and conflicted about drinking human blood?

MARIO: Felix has become a connoisseur of human blood but he’s trying hard not to be a hemoglobin snob. He’s working on a feature for Sunset magazine: Summer Picnic Wine-Blood pairings.

MARTA: You cross genres with your stories. Do you consider yourself primarily a mystery/crime writer, an urban fantasy writer, or a humorist?

MARIO: If we need labels, how about supernatural mystery smart ass?

MARTA: What are your plans for the series? Are you working on anything outside the series?

MARIO: I’ve got more ideas for the series. Felix has a lot of work left do in the pursuit of truth, justice, and the vampiric way. As for anything else, I’m fielding proposals and waiting and waiting. Waiting. Waiting some more.

MARTA: You’ve got very intriguing covers and titles. Since you’re also a painter, do you give much input to the covers? Do readers expect more or less hot undead action from the covers and titles?

MARIO: I have 100% input on the cover art. I get to say, I love the cover art 100%. Yes, readers expect hot undead (and live) action because of the covers and titles. But it’s not porn by any means, it’s social commentary. Very artistic social commentary.

MARTA: When you were starting out as a novelist, did you get any advice that you considered bogus and later realized was worthwhile? Or vice versa.

MARIO: All the advice sounded like this: It’s a lot of hard work. You’ll become a nervous wreck. And they were right, unfortunately.

MARTA: You attend a lot of conferences. What’s the attraction? Do you dress up in costumes?

MARIO: No, I never dress up in costume. This red nose and these clown feet are my version of business casual. I love conferences. I like to meet fans and pal around with my fellow drunks, I mean authors.

MARTA: How does a nice, helicopter-flying Army vet become an author?

MARIO: I was never a nice anything. As for my expertise as a helicopter pilot, other pilots had nicknames like Razorblade or Blowtorch. Mine was Fluffy.

How did I become an author? By getting published. How did I get published? By being a writer.

How did I become a writer? By writing a lot and ignoring the voices of practicality and sound financial advice.

MARTA: What’s your TBR pile like?

MARIO: Which TBR pile? The one on my nightstand or the one under my mattress?

Nightstand: Greasing the Piñata by Tim Maleeny. Road Trip of the Living Dead by Mark Henry. The Death Dealer by Heather Graham. Succubus Heat by Richelle Mead.

MARTA: Any predictions for the future of urban fantasy? Will we see more cross-genre books?

MARIO: Urban fantasy will continue to grow. What’s not to like about the adventures of supernatural-vampire-detective-werewolf-shape shifter-bounty hunter-bikini models and their man-skanks?

MARTA: Where can readers learn more about you and your books? Will you be on tour or attending conferences and talking about Jailbait Zombie?

MARIO: Check out my website.

Yes, I’m touring:

The Paranormal Bender Tour: 4 urban fantasy authors, 1 trunk full of undead hookers and were-gigilos. Cherie Priest (Fathom), Mario Acevedo (Jailbait Zombie), Caitlin Kittredge (Second Skin) and Mark Henry (Road Trip of the Living Dead) roll through the west in a kickin' Impala to present water witches, vamps, werewolves, zombies and a whole lotta weird. This irreverent tour features readings from the authors’ latest flights of fancy, prizes, and even special guests. For adult audiences only.

Clark County Library, Jewel Box Theater, Las Vegas, March 11, 7 PM.
Mysterious Galaxy, San Diego, March 13, 7 PM.
Dark Delicacies, Burbank, March 14, 2 PM.
Borderlands, San Francisco, March 15, 7 PM.
Powell's Beaverton, Portland, March 16, 7 PM.

Virginia Festival of the Book, Charlottesville, VA, March 21 (appearing with Kim Harrison).

Romantic Times, Orlando, April 22-26. (No, I won’t be wearing a fairy costume. Maybe ruby slippers.)

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Don't forget to leave a comment and enter the contest for Mario's latest novel!

Watch Mario's way cool book trailer!

Contest Winner & Upcoming Interview & Contest!

Thanks to Catherine Karp for being my guest last week and for contributing a copy of her spooky historical novel, Voices Airy, for a contest. The weiner is:

Donnas

Donnas, please send me an email with your mailing address, so that your prize can be sent to you. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Tomorrow I'll have an interview with Mario Acevedo, author of the hilarious Felix Gomez novels, and a contest for his soon-to-be-released Jailbait Zombie.

Also, in the next few months, I'll have interviews and contests every week with wonderful writers. I'll have a schedule up as soon as I organize things! (I'm still recovering from computer problems.)