Vampires on the Big Screen, Vampires on the Small Screen

Read a review of Tate Hallaway's Dead If I Do. "Meeting the future in-laws for the first time is always going to be stressful but when you’re a vampire and your undead zombie ex-girlfriend crashes (literally) the party you’ve got to know that you’re not going to make a good first impression!" (Love Vampires)

Read an evisceration of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. "Before the legions of angry Twilight defenders descend, hurling invective and claiming that someone who has not read the books cannot dare to criticize them, be aware that each one of the books has been read, cover to cover. And the books deserve every bit of legitimate criticism they receive." (Examiner)

Anna Paquin, who plays Sookie Stackhouse in "True Blood," balks at the comparison to "Twilight." "It wouldn't be appropriate for teenagers to be watching our show. I wouldn't have been allowed to." (E! Online) So moralizes 26-year-old Paquin, who dates her co-star, divorced, father of two, 39-year-old Stephen Moyer.

Review of the new season of HBO's "True Blood." "Though [Alan] Ball is willing to acknowledge that the series can be a metaphor for anyone who feels like an outsider (and he wisely continues to feed the meter, this year with legalizing vampire-human marriage), it's important not to lose sight of what 'True Blood' really is: a vampire soap opera filled with hot sex, scary thrills and buckets of blood." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Megan Fox may take on the roll of the please-don't-do-this new "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" movie. "Now Fox is probably the most in demand female actor in the world at the moment and is currently attached to a million projects so you can all take it as you want but you have to admit she is sexy and can manage action scenes so she'd be a great choice and definately the sort of name the Buffy Fanboys would love to play the Vampire Slayer." (CineFOOLS) That's great, but Joss Whedon isn't attached to this project and all things Buffy come from Joss. Without Joss, it will be another campy, disposable movie, like the first one.

Speaking of teenager and vampires, here's the new extended preview for the upcoming "The Vampire Diaries." It seems to be about a vampire who notices a hawt teenage girl so he enrolls in her school to seduce her. No, that isn't pervy, sick and highly illegal -- it's romantic, because he's dead! The lead actor looks kinda of like Xander, but his eyebrows are more significant.



New stills and a description from "Blood: The Last Vampire" are out. The movie will be released on July 10. "On the surface, Saya is a stunning 16-year-old girl, but that youthful exterior hides the tormented soul of a 400-year-old 'halfling'. Born to a human father and a vampire mother, she has for centuries been a loner, obsessed with using her samurai skills to rid the world of vampires, all the while knowing that she herself can survive only on blood like those she hunts." (Dread) Hm, I wonder if she sees a really hawt teenage boy and enrolls in high school just to seduce him.



GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

There is no one like Hugh. Without Hugh, the sun don't shine.



Okay, I think I'm going to watch more Hugh Jackman movies, so if you have any recommendations that don't include Nicole Kidman, please tell me. I did see the first "X-Men," which should count for something. I also watched SEVERAL EXCITING MINUTES of "Van Helsing." He wore a leather cape, or something, and scary vampires flew around. I highly recommend this film to all.

"The Listener"; DARKNESS BURNING; & Hugh Jackman Again

Mess o' contests: I've got several contests running, so be sure to check the sidebar at the right for links.

Speaking of contests, Chloe Neill is giving away two copies of her new book, Some Girls Bite, at her website.

I was delighted to come across this review for my third novel, The Bride of Casa Dracula: "I decided to start it this morning with my cup of tea, and as the morning progressed I kept telling myself, just one more chapter, until there I was at lunch time still wearing my bathrobe!" The review website is Dirty, Sexy Books and there's lots of good stuff here and a cool layout.

Kimberly Swan is hosting a contest for three sets of three books in the Marked series by S.J. Day. "That includes the books released to date, Eve of Darkness and Eve of Destruction, as well as the upcoming release of Eve of Chaos. Three sets, the first three releases in each!" (Darque Reviews)

Review of Darkness Burning by Delilah Devlin. "Because of what he is, a born vampire destined to be destroyed by the undead Revenants ruling the coven, Alex Broussard is hiding in plain sight as an investigator in the devastated city of New Orleans." (Fresh Fiction)

You can read an excerpt of Darkness Burning by Delilah Devlin on her site. "Being an uncrowned prince of the Undead might get you laid but doesn’t win you friends. Instead, you stay on the down low, hiding in plain sight from enemies who’ll kill you just because you exist. Not an easy task when you still have a duty to protect the innocent and demolish the misbehaving."

Read about Cheyenne McCray's new book, Demons Not Included, including an excerpt. "Meet Nyx. This half-human, half–Drow private eye investigates paranormal crimes by day and is an elite Tracker of demons by night. She prefers working solo—and playing rough." (MacMillan)

Here's an essay discussing black vampires in popular media. "Four book authors top the list for putting the black vampire on center stage: Anne Rice, Jewelle Gomez, L.A. Banks, and Octavia Butler." (Examiner)

Read a commentary on why Bella Swan of "Twilight" is a loozer compared to Sookie Stackhouse of "True Blood." "In a long history of girl-meets-blood-sucker fantasies, these two fictional women have taken the spotlight in the resurgence of vampire obsession." Kudos to MSNBC for only being seven or eight months behind this discussion.


NEW PARANORMAL SERIES: I discovered some show called "The Listener" last week. Yeah, it's one of those titles that's way too easy to forget and when you see it, you think, whoa, not Dr. Phil again. Shockingly, it has nothing to do with quack therapy. It's a Canadian series about a hawt paramedic who can read minds. I know! Craig Olejnik plays Toby Logan who runs around in his cool uniform saving lives and hitting on a superhawt emergency room doc, who's all like, "You never pay attention to anything I say," and he's like, "I'll make more time for you."

The character is always illegally opening doors and stuff. So, basically, it has all the elements of a worthwhile series. Hawt guy in a uniform saying oot and aboot? Check. Racing around with a siren? Check. Mind-reading? Check. Breaking into places? Check.

Read an interview with Craig Olejnik aboot his character in "The Listener." "He doesn't run any quicker, he isn't any stronger than anyone else. He can't go to bed without these images in his head. And he's driven to act upon them morally, ethically, and he wants to help these people out of these situations."

The actor talks a little about the series here.




GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

For Hugh Jackman fans, and who isn't one?





I've posted this before, but I need to get off YouTube and to work.

Giveaway of THE STRAIN by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan

I've got a contest today for The Strain, a new vampire novel from acclaimed director Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, author of Prince of Thieves and The Standoff. This is the first in a trilogy of terror!

You can read the publisher's description: "A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac, when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All communication channels have gone quiet. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Eph Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds makes his blood run cold."

No doubt, Dr. Eph finds the carnage that happens now that airlines are charging customers for bathroom visits and aisle seats. But I digress.

Del Toro is the director of "Pan's Labyrinth," "Cronos," "Hellboy I," "Hellboy II," "A Very Special Hellboy Christmas," and "Blade II." Okay, I may have made one of those up. But I'm reminded of what Bobcat Goldthwait said when he was asked why anyone made "Police Academy V": "We felt there were unanswered questions in 'Police Academy IV.'" Yes, I should talk since I'm writing a series. But I digress.

HOW TO WIN THE BOOK: I've been thinking all philosophically lately about website design lately, sort of the way I think about Chaos Theory or if pink and orange can ever be successfully combined, or if I'll ever teach my dog how to say "arugula." To enter the contest, simply leave a comment telling us your favorite website or blog for book info. It can be an author's site, a review site, a bookseller, a blogger, whatever. The contest runs through Wednesday night, June 17.

I prefer sites that are frequently updated and don't have annoying design. Less is more, except when it's not.

Speaking of blogs, I just noticed that author Rae Lori has a new one called Paranormal Romantics with fellow scribes Anna Nicholas, H. Hali Steele, Rebecca Royce, and Sandra Sookoo. Sandra's blogging today about the appeal of villians: "My topic today is about the villains. The low-down dirty, I-can’t-believe-they-said-that, the people we love to hate bad guys/girls that can make or break a story. Yeah, them."


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY:

An exception to the "less is more" credo is man-rain. More man-rain is better than less man-rain. Here's some "Lord of the Rings" man-rain from PizzaSliceProduction.



Sometimes the man-rain has a distinct Euro-smoothie vibe, such as this from Tamumaco5.



DonnaKat's GVD shows just how thrilling man-rain can is, especially when it comes with leather accessories.

Some Girls Bite; Contest for Witch Fire; Japanese Vampires

Sidhe Vicious Reviews has a guest blog from Chloe Neill and a contest for her just released, Some Girls Bite. "As a reader, I like 'thick' stories, undercurrents, lots of points of interest. These kinds of stories seem more real to me. Think about it—you might have relationship troubles, but you also have a job to deal with, a family, a home, financial concerns, etc. Why should it be any different in the world of the supernatural?"

I like the cover of this book because the model looks like Alyson Hannigan, one of my faves, who played Willow in "Buffy" and now plays Lily in "How I Met Your Mother."

And more contests! Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos is having a contest for a signed copy of Anya Best's Witch Fire. The contest ends Thursday.

Wendy's Minding Spot reviews Hex in High Heels by Linda Wisdom. "In this sexy, funny paranormal romance by bestselling author Linda Wisdom, it's all beautiful witch Blair Fitzpatrick can do to keep a lid on her talent for revenge spells, but things are about to get a lot more complicated..."

Vampire Wire regulars know how I'm utterly devoted to the idea that more men dress like pirates and vampires. My ideal is menswear that embraces both pirate and vampire themes. You can imagine my excitement upon reading that there's an auction in London that includes Christopher Lee's Dracula cape, Tim Curry's "Muppet's Treasure Island" coat, and iconic costumes from "Dr. Who," and Harry Potter and James Bond films.

"The highest estimate is for the Dracula cape. It was only identified by Lee two years ago after becoming lost in the cavernous Angels warehouse, which has eight miles of clothing rails, in Hendon. Soon after Dracula was made in 1958 the garment was accidentally mixed up with other capes and hired out, without fanfare, to producers looking to dress extras in medieval or nativity scenes." (London Evening Standard)

Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series, is kicking the social networking habit. "It was a lot of fun while it lasted, and I really miss the early days when I could hang out with people online." (E! Online)

Speaking of "Twilight," you've lost your chance to get a place on the Alaskan cruise featuring cast members because it's sold-out. "Cruise events include a costume ball, a Q&A session with Twilight actors, game night featuring 'Cullen Family Feud,' and of course, movie viewings." (Black Book)

Question: what does "Twilight" have in common with Japanese vampire movies? Answer: Cam Gigandet. "'Twilight' villain Cam Gigandet will make the leap onto the paneled page with a starring role in 'Priest' based on the TokyoPop comic book series, says The Hollywood Reporter — and he’s taking his blood-sucking sensibilities with him." (MTV News)

Note to Graphic Designer: step away from the Photoshop and we'll forget this whole thing ever happened.
Note to Costume Designer: Please stop dressing Anna Paquin in your Grammy's old clothes.

Read Entertainment Weekly's interview with Stephen Moyer, who plays Bill Compton in HBO's fried-chicken vampire show, "True Blood." "I play this vampire hero who’s trying to be decent and do decent things...And he loves Sookie so much that sometimes he goes too far for her.”

Series director Alan Ball says that the actor "expertly walks the line between monstrous, noble, and vulnerable. He’s wildly romantic and appealing, and I am not at all surprised by the rabid intensity of Bill love from the fans.” Uh, I guess Ball didn't see the results of the Ultimate Hawt Vampire Poll, in which Eric Northman (played by Alexander Skarsgard) was voted five times hawter than Bill Compton.Fangoria has the new poster and a description of the Japanese vampire film, "Vampire Girl Vs. Frankenstein." (I'm betting on the vampire girl beating the tar out of Frankie.) "A teenaged vampire girl named Monami (Yukie Kawamura) tries to win over her high school crush by converting him into a vampire via tainted Valentine’s Day chocolate. " Personally, I've found that guys totally resent being poisoned. Your experiences may be different.


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

In which Vampire Wire continues honoring the our shared dream that one day it will be raining men, hallelujah. This tribute to the men of "The X-Files" is by Meredith33333.



GSBohn provides historically accurate evidence that man-rain has occurred ever since the days of gladiators.



Diamond1973 shows why things get slippery when wet.

Interview & Book Giveaway with K. Celeste Bryan

My guest today is K. Celeste Bryan, aka Kat, author of Where The Rain Is Made, a time-traveling historical. She's answered my questions about the book, and she's very generously giving away TWO COPIES in a contest.

Patricia Altner of Patricia's Vampire Notes reviewed the novel and says:

"While the novel Where The Rain Is Made has a lot of passion, it also has a gripping, original plot not to mention well wrought characters. Ethan Gray is a time wanderer chosen by the Sacred Council of the modern world to take the knowledge he has gained in his studies of the Cheyenne and return to the mid 1800s when his people faced so much danger from the whites and had suffered so much at their hands."

The publisher's summary uses the word "savage" like it's on sale two-for-one at the racial stereotypes store -- authors have no control over these things -- so I'll summarize the story myself. Ethan Gray, a museum curator, is also a time-traveler. In the persona of Meko, a Cheyenne warrior, he leads the fierce Dog Soldiers. When Meko falls in love with a captive, Francesca Duvall, he's faced with multiple problems. Does he abandon his life in the present, or does he abandon the woman he loves? Francesca loves Meko, but how will she feel about the academic Ethan?

To enter the contest for one of two copies of the book leave a comment telling us what time period and place you find interesting for a time-travel book. I know I've been thinking about San Francisco's racuous and dangerous Barbary Coast for a story. The contest runs through Sunday night and winners will be chosen in a random drawing.

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MARTA: Hi, Kat, and congratulations on the release of Where the Rain is Made. Can you tell us a little about the story?

KAT: I’d love to and thank you for having me today. Where The Rain Is Made really turned out to be a book of my heart. For some reason my youngest son became very fascinated with the Cheyenne Dog Soldiers when he was 12. We spent countless hours in the library reading everything we could about them. Several years later, my head was filled with information about their way of life, their customs and beliefs. What better way to put it to use than to write a book about their tumultuous, violent era. Thus, Where The Rain Is Made was spawned.

Many people have commented about the fascinating history, which I think is wonderful. If readers can walk away with new knowledge about a topic, I think the author has fulfilled a purpose. And, of course, many have asked about the title and where it came from. The Native Americans didn’t have a word for heaven, but at times called it the place where the rain is made. I thought it was particularly fitting since time-travel is also incorporated into the novel . . . and shapeshifting.

Where The Rain Is Made has received numerous five-star reviews, so I’m very pleased about that. You can read all of them on my blog or at my Author Home.

MARTA: Why do you think readers find time travel stories so appealing?

KAT: Because it’s something we’re not supposed to be able to obtain, and I think readers have an innate curiosity about distant realms and intriguing pasts. The fascinating thing about books is that we can travel anywhere by merely turning the pages. To be able to travel into the past or into the future adds another element, an escape scenario if you will. And again, they’re introduced to foreign worlds, whether it’s Scotland or a sci-fi futuristic.

MARTA: What’s the most interesting thing you found out in your historical research for the novel?

KAT: How very tragic the life of the plains tribes was. I remember reading a true life account from a journalist who was present when all the tribes came together to sign the last treaty. The Native American really had no choice; it was either sign or be wiped out by the Government. According to the newspaper, the Dog Soldiers rode in dressed in all their finery. Their bodies were painted in the colors of war, as were their horses. Snake rattles and war shields glistened beneath the hot sun. They weren’t there to cause trouble, but rather to make a statement that they would fight to the death, until the last Dog Soldier was wiped from the earth. This, of course, is what ultimately happened. I found that admirable if not beyond courageous.

MARTA: Answer quick – dogs or cats, margaritas or wine spritzers, bank robbery or illegal gambling, Gerard Butler in “P.S. I Love You,” or Gerard Butler in “Dracula 2000”?

KAT: Dogs and cats – one of my weaknesses. Wine spritzers and illegal gambling. Gerard Butler in “P.S. I Love You.” I’m a romantic at heart, although I love romance with the element of paranormal.

MARTA: What’s next for you and where can readers find out more about you and your writing?

KAT: I would love to write a sequel to Where The Rain Is Made, and many reviewers/readers have asked me to. Now if I can just find the time. I also write for New Concepts Publishing and under another name for Phaze Books, Noble Romance, Ravenous Romance and the Dark Roast Press. Now you know what I do with the majority of my time.

You can find me on the web under K. Celeste Bryan and Kat's Kwips & Rants, my author blog. Please stop by and enter my contest to win free books or follow me on my blog to find out what I have coming out next.

MARTA: Thanks for being a guest at Vampire Wire!

KAT: Thank you for having me. I love your blog, the design, layout and content.

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Watch a trailer for Where The Rain Is Made:



If you'd like to enter the contest for two copies, leave a comment telling us what historical time/place you'd like to see in a novel.

Weiner Alert!

I waited for over two weeks and sent out multiple announcements to the weiner of the Ultimate Hawtest Vampire Poll & Contest. However, I got no response, so I decided to randomly pull another winner's name from the entries.

Congratulations, VERONICA_CURE! You've won the terrific Kitty Norville werewolf series by Carrie Vaughn. This great prize is being very generously donated by Hachette Books.

Please send me an email, marta AT martaacosta DOT com, with your mailing address so your prize can be sent to you.