Marie Traenor's Serafina & the Silent Vampire & Contest!

Vampires in kilts who don't talk much -- what's not to like? Today, I'm delighted to have Marie Treanor here blogging as Serafina, the heroine of her newest paranormal, Serafina and the Silent Vampire. Marie calls what she writes "sensual romance," and I think we all know that that means: she brings the smexy in a world were people remember to write thank you notes and often wear cravats. Or in this case kilts. Marie's giving away a $10 Amazon gift certificate in a contest, too, so read to the end of the post for entry info.

SUMMARY:

Welcome to Edinburgh's unique psychic investigation agency, Serafina's. Serafina MacBride is psychic - but not strictly honest. While staging a hilarious vampire attack at a client's party, Sera is stunned to encounter a real vampire - annoying, gorgeous and inaudible to everyone but her.

When her client's son is found dead with puncture wounds in his neck, she tracks the silent vampire to his lair. But the amoral and seductive Blair is also on a mission - to find and kill a nest of young vampires who've invaded his territory. Soon Sera is drawn into the bizarre world of the undead, where danger lurks in the shadows along with forbidden sensual delights - and a murderous conspiracy to flood the world with financially astute vampires who talk.

Supported and hindered by Blair's eccentric, undead friends, and by her own motley crew from Serafina's, Sera and Blair uncover surprising truths about each other and about the mysterious Founder from whom all vampires are descended. 

Please welcome today's guest, Serafina!

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Welcome to Serafina’s…

…Edinburgh’s unique psychic investigation agency. Discretion guaranteed.

Using technical as well as psychic techniques, we investigate and resolve all paranormal issues, including unexplained noises and ghostly sightings. We can contact your departed loved ones, encourage troubled spirits to move on, give select psychic readings and provide séances in private or social environments.

We can also help with “normal” problems by paranormal means, such as tracing missing persons or valuable objects. The team at Serafina’s is led by Serafina (Sera) MacBride, an experienced psychic and medium who, although young, has talked to spirits all her life.

Ably supporting Sera are research assistants Jillian Kerr, IT specialist; and history graduate Jack Urquhart.

On contacting Serafina’s, whatever your problem you will instantly be put at your ease by our sympathetic and discreet receptionist, Mrs. Elspeth Duncan.

When required, the team can also draw on the services of security consultant, Thomas Allen, and white witch Melanie Morrow.

Together, we make up Serafina’s, here to help with all your psychic needs.

Well, that’s the official version! Unofficially, things aren’t quite that simple. I’m Sera and I make most of my living ripping off rich people who have more money than sensitivity and more interest in spectacle than specters. But I really do talk to the dead, always have, and I do have visions whether I want them or not. And trust me, frequently I don’t…

On the plus side, I do have superb back-up in Jack and Jilly – no jokes please, it pisses them off and they dislike each other enough as it is. But Jack is a first class researcher in the highest academic tradition, and Jilly can hack into any computer system in the world with the possible exception of the Pentagon, which I won’t let her even try. I only have that say because I’ve known her forever, not because I’m her boss.

And Elspeth, my receptionist, is – well, she’s great, before her lunch time vodka at least, and her heart is definitely in the right place. Tam the Tank, my “security consultant” is a huge out of work actor who moonlights as pub bouncer. And Melanie…well, Mel has her secrets – don’t we all?

Anyhow, we at Serafina’s are just about to embark on a fun new case. Get this: retired finance wiz Ferdinand Bell hired me to catch someone he says is stalking his family. But being the great Bell, it’s not your common or garden stalker. His has to be a vampire stalker. How gullible does he think I am???  EVERYONE knows there’s no such thing as vampires!

Well, old Ferdy’s about to discover that I always take the piss better. Jilly and I are heading up there now to festoon his massive house with garlic and big ugly wooden crosses just in time for his posh party tonight. Oh and we’ve got this hilarious little scene set up with Tam playing a vampire who’s going to “bite” Jack before I rush in and “stake” him and he disappears into smoke!

The beauty of all this is, Bell can’t tell us to naff off without admitting he made up the vampire nonsense in the first place, so whatever happens we get one over on him and get paid. Fab. Did I mention that I love my job?

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Read excerpts from Serafina and the Silent Vampire at Marie's website, and visit Marie's Facebook page. You can also buy the ebook on Amazon.

Marie interviews writers and hosts contests at Marie Traenor's Romantic Theme Party.

BIO: Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy.

Marie has published more than twenty ebooks with small presses, including a former Kindle bestseller, Killing Joe. Blood on Silk: an Awakened by Blood novel, which won the 2011 Hollywood Halloween Book Festival prize for Fantasy, was her New York debut with NAL. Recently, she has also dipped her toe into self-publishing.


CONTEST: To enter the contest for the ebook of Serafina and the Silent Vampire, simply leave a comment for Marie or about the book or about eyebrows. Would you like to hire Serafina to have a psychic reading for you, or to tell you what really happened to your cat Snickers? The contest runs through September 20, and a winner will be chosen at random.


GRATUITOUS VIDEOS OF THE DAY

In honor of Marie, the theme is all things Scottish.




I just want to mention that the husband and the spawn can move each eyebrow independently, but I, alas, lack this talent.