Music for Vampires and the People Who Love Them

FRIDAY'S FRIVOLITY

There's still time to enter the my contest at Kimberly Swan's Darque Reviews. It runs through tomorrow at midnight.

Thanks and thanks to Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos, who sent me a wonderful compilation of songs with vampy themes!

I think my favorite is the spare, melancholic "Devil Town," the Bright Eyes cover of Daniel Johnston's song.

"All my friends were vampires
I didn't know they were vampires
It turns out I was a vampire myself in the devil town."

Here's the list, if you want to get the songs for yourself.

• "Born in Blood" - Andy Martinez
• "First Blood" - The Chrysler
• "Your Blood" - Destroyer
• "Blood" - Ben Weaver
• "Devil Town" - Bright Eyes
• "Vampire Blues" - Mercury Rev
• "Oh, the Vampyre" - A.A. Bondy
• "Vampire Life" - The Catholic Comb
• "Vampyre" - Pete Yorn
• "Vampire Girl" - Jonathan Richman
• "Clap If You Love Vampires" - Gooding
• "I'm a Vampire" - Future Bible Heroes
• "Vampire" - People in Planes
• "Night of the Vampire" - Roky Erickson
• "Spirit of a Vampire" - The Go Betweens
• "Vampire Love" - Ash
• "Vampire Erotica" - Inkubus Sukkubus
• "Love Soaked in Blood" - Peel
• "Bleeding Love" - Mystery Jets

Thanks, Chris, for putting together the Vampire Life compilation! I'm listening to it while I'm writing.

Here's a "Twilight" tribute set to "Devil Town."





Also, I watched "Supernatural" last night, and I just have to say that all the fist-fights with angels seemed a little pathetic. Maybe it's because I love Milton's "Paradise Lost," but I always envision battles among the warring angels to be on a grander scale than just bashing heavenly souls into brick walls.

My favorite line was when Castiel (Misha Collins) said deadpan, "Uriel has the best sense of humor in the garrison."

That said, I was pretty happy when Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) took action to stop Alastair, overacted to complete annoyance by Christopher Heyerdahl, from talking in that bizarre accent.

Here's a video of Heyerdahl talking about how he likes playing with language. The funny thing is that his natural voice and manner is delightful, and that's how I think evil really works: it entices. "Supernatural" would have been more interesting if Alastair was a charming demon.




GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

Here's a vampy new video by KnightVision1288 that's very heavy on the biting. The song has: a rockin beat, disco drum machine, sampling from a Latin hymn, Donna Summers-esque sighs and moans, and an overlay of French lyrics. I know -- it's such a total mess that you've got to love it.

Angel's Blood, Vampire Secrets, & Dean Winchester

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Thanks to PopinFresh, we now have more information about Lyn Benedict, aka Lane Robins, the author of the soon-to-be released Sins and Shadows. "I'm a huge UF fan, love the mixture of mystery and magic, so when I wanted a change of pace from historical-styled fantasy, I thought I'd tell my own." (Popin's Lair) Thanks for helping illuminate us, Popin!

Review of Nalini Singh's Angel's Blood. "Elena Devereaux is a vampire hunter. She's what is known as hunter-born and so it's not just her job. It's her calling. She could no more walk away from it than she could sprout wings and fly. Elena belongs to the Hunter's Guild and, as such, is hired out to those willing to pay to have an expert hunt, capture, and/or kill rogue vampires. " (Angieville)

Read an excerpt from Nalini Singh's Angel's Blood. "Elena’s instincts were screaming at her to grab the knife in her boot, do some damage and get the hell out, but she forced herself to stay in place. The truth was, she wouldn’t make it more than two feet before Raphael broke every single bone in her body."

Take a guess on what the next urban fantasy hit will be. "Specialist shops have seen an influx of new readers come through their doors for another fix of vampires, werewolves, ghosts, witches and so on, as long as they can find material full of one-liners, romance and characters to fall for." (Star Store)

Midnight Brew interviews and has a contest with Grace Draven, author of Wyvern and The Undying King. "I've always loved both fantasy and romance and wanted to see more romance in fantasy and more fantasy in romance. When the paranormal genre hit it big, I cheered, both as a reader and a writer." (Midnight Moon Cafe)

Read chapter one of Charlaine Harris's Dead and Gone. "We’ve been secretly filming Devon Dawn, who’s been a vampire only for a decade, as she gets dressed for a night on the town. Look at that outfit! It’s all wrong for her!”




MOVIES & DVDS

Everyone totally hates "Lesbian Vampire Killers," which seemed like such a good idea. "Phil Claydon’s instantly forgettable lad’s mag farce Lesbian Vampire Killers is an appalling waste of a perfectly decent title. " (The Times, London) I guess this means there won't be a Hunky Zombie Surf Studs sequel.

If you need to be edified, and who doesn't, rent or buy "Vampire Secrets." "Produced by HISTORY, this 90-minute documentary covers the gamut of vampire origins in folklore, fiction and history along with a look at how the vampire evolved from a bloodsucking beast into a romantic archetype..." (In Utah This Week)

Vampires and zombies go together like peanut butter and chocolate. Bobby and Chris Crosby's vamp-zombie comic book, Last Blood, has been optioned as a feature film. "Still, as cool as the comic may be--and it is indeed cool--it can't compare to seeing vampires beat down zombies on the big screen." (AMC)

"Blood: The Last Vampire" now has a U.S. distributor. "Chris Nahon's live-action adaptation opens in Japan on May 28th and in the UK on June 12th." (Shock Till You Drop)


TELEVISION & THE INTERNETS

Interview with Eliza Dushku, who stars as Echo in Joss Whedon's new series (and you should be watching or recording it) "Dollhouse." "When I started doing Buffy, I wore what they put me in, and they put me in leather pants and long sleeves because I was doing stunts and fight scenes. So it wasn’t like I was showing tons of skin, but my character, Faith, became a sex symbol. " (The Insider)


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

Okay, Shell, this is for you. Who knew that a video with a guy like Dean Winchester, who rocks out, would work with a Britney song?

Dance of the Magical Trolls & Sam Winchester

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Enter Kimberly Swan's contest for a copy of my novel, Happy Hour at Casa Dracula. (Darque Reviews)

You know, I can't find any author website for Lyn Benedict, or info about Sins and Shadows (above), which comes out next month. Anyway, it comes out in April and it's about magic or something. Maybe trolls. Magical trolls. Magical dancing trolls who are both devastating and dangerous. Maybe not. I'm just guessing here. The cover's kind of cool, though. If you know Benedict's website, please tell me.

Review of Blood Memories by Barb Handee. "Eleisha Clevon has been alive since the mid-nineteen century ever since she was turned into a vampire by Julian Ashton who wanted her to take care of his crazed father, William, who he also changed into a vampire." (Fresh Fiction)

Enter a contest for a signed copy of Dead After Dark, an anthology with stories by Susan Squires, Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward, and Diana Love. (Susan Squires)

Review of Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells. "...he first novel in the Sabina Kane urban fantasy trilogy. It is also the debut novel for author Jaye Wells, who gets her writing career off to a cracking start with this near perfect example of urban fantasy fiction." (Love Vampires)

Review of Stay the Night by Lynn Viehl. "When she is writing action and plot, Viehl is one of the best, with a sarcastic edge that never runs into the snarky." (The Good, The Bad, The Unread)

Blog to Watch: Fang-tastic Books is author Roxanne Rhodes' review and writing blog. Besides book reviews, she offers fiction samples and interviews. Books receive a fang rating, and every Monday is vampire-inspired poetry Monday.



MOVIES & DVDS

Interview with Rachelle Lafevre about her role as Victoria in "Twilight." "The thing that I liked watching about Rob and Kristen was the same thing I love about the books...It is not all about romance. They bicker. They get frustrated with each other.” (Fresno Bee)

Yikes, "Lesbian Vampire Killers" gets trashed. "On one level, ‘Lesbian Vampire Killers’ is just pitiful playground humour that assumes that face-pulling, swearing and the occasional flash of boob will compensate for a complete absence of actual jokes." (Time Out)


TELEVISION & THE INTERNETS

Review of the script for the TV adaptation of L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries. "...still pretty boilerplate teen (or vampire) stuff. From the opening teaser (two people get killed after stopping to help a man they hit on an old country road) to the emo star-crossed lovers (gorgeous outsider picks the nice girl despite the beauties throwing themselves at him) to the good guy who wants to protect the girl he loves from his bad guy past, there's nothing here you haven't seen before (and done better)." (The Futon Critic)


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

These are for all those fans of Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester in "Supernatural."

Vampire Lure Neck Cream, My Book Contest, Martha Jones

AUTHORS & BOOKS

I'm guest blogging today and giving away a copy of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula at Kimberly Swan's Darque Reviews. "I should have had 'Vampire Writer' and 'I Heart Dracula' tattooed on my forehead and embroidered on the back of a black satin cape that I could wear to the grocery store and book events." Come by and say hello so I won't feel pathetic and lonely!

Review of Helen Scott Taylor's The Magic Knot. "What Rose doesn’t know is that she has ancient fairy blood, that she is the last female in her line, and the only one who can rescue her people." (Romance Studio)

Enter a contest for Helen Scott Taylor's The Magic Knot and more books over at Coffee Time Romance. Answer questions after reading an excerpt to win a signed copy.

Read a summary of and an excerpt from Kimberly Frost's Would-Be Witch. "The family magic seems to have skipped Tammy Jo Trask. All she gets in the way of the supernatural are a few untimely visits from the long dead, smart-mouthed family ghost, Edie."

Read an excerpt from Lora Leigh's new Breed novel, Coyote's Mate. "A petition for separation from a mate had never occurred, not once in the eleven years that the breeds had known of mating heat and suffered through it. "

Review of Kerrelyn Sparks' Secret Life of a Vampire. "Lara Boucher's entire life revolved around the fact that she's a cop in New York City. But when she's called to check out a noisy party complaint at the Plaza Hotel, her life takes an abrupt detour." (Fresh Fiction)


HOW TO TEMPT EDWARD CULLEN

Magdalena Bassett, who produces a line of products from Blue Moon organic lavender farm in Oregon, wrote to me about her Vampire Lure Neck Cream. The description says, "Our farm, located about an hour from Forks, is famous for fragrant lavender, which is said to attract vampires. We have not seen any, but we don't roam our farm after dark."

So the farm is called Blue Moon and lavender attracts vampires? I'm getting ideas for my next Casa Dracula book!


TELEVISION & THE INTERNETS

"Supernatural" reveals secrets about Dean. "Castiel and Uriel have captured Alastair and ask Dean to question him so they can stop the murders. Sam is concerned Dean can't handle the job but Dean agrees to do it." (Ace Showbiz) Okay, am I the only one that thinks that the actor who plays Alastair is really chewing up the scenery? Bring it down a notch, babe, and lose the weird accent.



Joss Whedon says his new series, "Dollhouse," starring Eliza Dushku, will improve now that he's fulfilled Fox's stuupid demands that it be dumbed down for the first few episodes. "For me, the question isn't just whether a show is enjoyable, but whether it's more than the sum of its fun, whether it truly touches, surprises or connects with you." (WIS News)


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

This song is so hokey that I'm almost embarrassed to post this tribute to this tribute to the Doctor and Martha Jones of "Dr. Who." Almost.



Okay, I tried to watch that video and couldn't. The song is awful. Martha Jones deserves better. So here's another video for her.

Dayhunter, Vampire Hedgehog, "Twilight" Special Edition

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Here's the cover of Jocelyn Drake's upcoming Dark Days novel, Dayhunter, which will be released in April 2009. You can read a summary of this book and an excerpt from her first Dark Days novel, Nighwalker. "For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker -- an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed..."

Anna's Book Blog has posted a great new review of my first novel, Happy Hour at Casa Dracula. "Our heroine Milagro gets herself into some interesting situations, most times hilarious. I love her sense of humor. Happy Hour was a fun, laugh out loud, entertaining read." Now that warms the cockles of my heart!

Read an excerpt from L.A. Banks' new book in her Vampire Huntress series, The Thirteenth. "The Armageddon is here, the Neteru Guardian team is backed into a corner--incorrectly blamed for an act of terrorism commited by the dark side."

Review of Anya Bast's Witch Heart. "There is one thing I have come to depend on with these Elemental Witches novels from Bast: I will always be entertained. There is always something unique, something that is more than meets the eye, and something that is just plain fun to read." (The Good, The Bad, The Unread)

Review of The Insider's Guide to the BDB by J.R. Ward. "The book opens with a lovely novella that illuminates the relationship between the vampire couple Bella and Zsadist after the birth of their child." (Suite 101) Zsadist. And that is why I will never read these books -- because those names are meant seriously and not in the whoa!-we-had-a-pitcher-of-margaritas-and-I-thought-it-would-be-hilarious way.

Review of Skarlet by Thomas Emson. "Skarlet gets off to a slow but compelling start as Jake Lawton, nightclub bouncer and disgraced ex-soldier, finds himself embroiled in a plot to raise a vampire army and overthrow the order of the state." (Love Vampires)

Bitten By Books has a contest and ten winners will receive Dakota Cassidy's new book, The Accidental Human.


MOVIES & DVDS

A special edition of the "Twilight" DVD will be released on a special date. "So Summit Entertainment has turned the DVD release into a big deal as well. The official release will be at 12:01 a.m. Saturday (late Friday night); Walmart, Borders and Hot Topic are among the chains making the DVD available at that time. (Check with your local store for participation plans.)" (Ohio.com)

Interview with Kristin Stewart, who plays Bella Swan in "Twilight" and the upcoming "New Moon." "A lot more introduced, like the world of the werewolves is coming alive. The second movie is much more quaint. Edward [Robert Pattinson] leaves her, which is interesting, considering since the first movie is based on their devotion to each other." (Los Angeles Times) Uhm, someone please give Stewart a dictionary so she can look up quaint.

Review of John Carpenter's crapulastic "Vampires" DVD. "The plot itself is re-recycled, the dialog consists of more ham than a Christmas dinner, and the acting, for the most part is stiff and unnatural." (Fangoria)


TELEVISION & THE INTERNETS

Review of Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse," starring Eliza Dushku. "The show is – as of right now – the weakest of Whedon’s programs. That said it is still on the verge of being purely great. The little touches Whedon uses to flesh out his characters and worlds are slowly coming to light, especially in relation to the goings on in the Dollhouse itself."

Interview with Ray Wise, who plays an uber-tan and very snarky Satan in "Reaper," and hopes to play Dracula someday. "Yes, always, since I was a kid. I have a first edition of Bram stoker's Dracula, and I read that book as a ten, eleven year old and became enthralled with the whole mythology of the Dracula character. I enjoyed the Hammer films, and even some of the later Draculas -- Frank Langella's and a few others -- but I have never really thought that they captured the Stoker book completely enough." (The Trades)

Three-column blog: A few people have asked me where I got the template for my three-column blog. I tried several sites and templates with no success until I found Three-Column Blogger. The site has instructions that are easy enough for even the most tech-impaired to use. If you're looking for some chic backgrounds and designs, I like The Cutest Blog on the Block.


OTHER:

Artist Elise Towle Snow has some charming cards available, including this one called Vampire Hedgehog. I think this conveys quite pithily the sometimes great abyss between desire and reality. Yes, we dream of being vampires, but are cursed with being small, weak, and suspiciously rodential. (Those closest to me know that my life's dream is to write an entire novel in sonnet form based on the hedgehog.) Hope you enjoy Elise's work!


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

Someone (Shell, not that I'm naming names) accused me of being obsessed with Richard Armitage. I take exception to this accusation. Just because a person feels the need to promote men wearing black pleather and guyliner, which improves life for all of us, does not mean she is obsessed with Richard Armitage.



Here's a fanvid for "Burn Notice." There are a few curses at the beginning of the song, so don't play it loud in your office.

Congratulations, Contest Weiners!

Thanks to everyone who entered my recent contest, with your genius suggestions of mashing up different stories and characters. Like peanut butter and chocolate, some of your ideas were inspired. Others, not so much, and I'm still suffering from RachelfromNJ's suggestion that the "Real World" be combined with "One Life to Live" and VampyNurse's idea to mix "Strawberry Shortcake" with anything. (Although "Strawberry Shortcake" and "Night of the Living Dead" might work.)

The weiners of the random drawing are:

QUILTING READER, who wants to see "House" mashed with "South Park." You win Larissa Ione's Desire Unchained, one of her Demonica series.

RAVEN99, who'd like to see "True Blood" and "Gray's Anatomy" together. You win Carolyn Jewell's My Wicked Enemy.

CECILE, who thinks Indiana Jones would kick up the action of Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series, wins Eve Silver's Demon's Hunger.

Weiners, please email your mailing addresses to me (marta at martaacosta dot com) so I can send your prizes.

I hope to have another contest this week, but you never know.

SAPHYRESS: I'm still hoping to hear from you about Mario Acevedo's Jailbait Zombie contest. I never received your email with your address and your prize is still waiting!