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Loading ...Please vote for BITTEN by BOOKS in the P&E BEST Review site for last year and spread the word here http://critters.org/predpoll/reviewsite.shtml
Remember, you HAVE to verify your vote via the email link they send you for it to count. 
Your votes have helped us win 3 years in a row, lets make it 4!
Thank you so much for a wonderful 2011 and 2012 is going to be a banner year for us here at Bitten by Books!
Hey Everybody!
It doesn’t happen very often, but today they have let me out of the dungeon to play over at John Ottinger’s blog Grasping for the Wind. I will be giving away a sparkly prize and talking about something pretty funny. Come on over and chat with me and leave a comment to be entered!
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PLEASE NOTE: The contest for the FREE Kim Harrington books is now closed. The winners will be drawn at a later date and contacted via email. Comments are closed.
Welcome honored readers and guests of all kinds! We are excited to offer up TWO copies of Clarity by Kim Harrington for FREE this week!
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Once again you have given us the amazing honor of being the Number ONE review site in the Preditors and Editors awards poll for last year and for the third year running. We couldn’t have made it this far in our blogging journey without each and every one of you beside us. Encouraging us and pushing us to greater heights. So, once again on behalf of the entire Bitten by Books team Thank You!
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Hi everybody!
The “Best of 2010″ Preditors & Editors is here again and almost over. We would like to ask for your support in the form of your votes before voting ends this week on Wednesday!!
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As many of you have heard by now, one of our beloved urban fantasy authors, Jennifer Rardin, passed away suddenly last Monday. Her passing was a shock to our tight-knit community and spread very quickly. I want to say, yes I knew Jennifer well, but that would not be the truth. I knew pieces of her, and the pieces of her I knew, I loved. (more…)
Good morning ladies and germs! I have managed to pull together another Kindle Freebie and not so Freebie list. Only the criminally insane wouldn’t check out the list below. I SLAVED over it for hours. No joke. Amazon added new free titles in the Kindle store and took a bunch away. I scoured the amazon site for some freebies and a found a few pre-order freebies, snatch those bitches lovelies right up if you are interested, they won’t stay long and they were WELL hidden, but you will find them on my list. (more…)
So, it looks like Amazon added new free titles in the Kindle store and took some away. I scoured the amazon site for some freebies. You will find them below. The biggest change is the new low pricing on the Kindle, another “addition” to the Kindle family with the inception (really it’s a deception it has been here all along, hint, it’s what we had before 3G folks) of the WiFi only Kindle for $139.00 bucks. Also, the new Kindle 3 is launching at the end of August. What does that mean to you and I? Well, if your K2 is fine, nothing. If you want to buy one right this instant? You are SOL! AND they are sold out. (more…)
So, it looks like Amazon added 44 new free titles in the Kindle store, all short stories or novellas from publishers Ellora’s Cave and Cerridwen Press. All are romance, with some degree of poonannery erotica, so be sure to read the descriptions on the Amazon page. Now before you CRY and say you don’t have an e-reader you can download (more…)
PLEASE NOTE: The contest portion of this book chat is now over. Please join us for today’s live chat here: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=20048
Hello Readers!
First thing is first, the Bag O’ Swag winner from the last chat is Giada M.! Giada, please email me at racoo.smith at gmail.com (no spaces) with your name and address so we can send your goody bag out. 
Welcome to our Weekend Book Chat.
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Do you shop for Halloween gifts and decorations each year? I have been cruising around looking at a TON of online gift guides this fall for my favorite holiday, which also happens to be my anniversary!
Here’s a button to take you to the Barnes & Noble guide.
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Seasons come and go here at Bitten by Books, and reviewers flow in and out with the tides of their lives. The site has grown to a point that we need more eyes and hands, so we are opening up a limited amount of reviewer spots to experienced reviewers over the age of 18. Only FIVE spots are open. (more…)
Well, look out Kindle 2 and Sony Digital, here comes Barnes & Noble with what they are claiming to be the world’s largest eBook store. Pretty big shoes to fill, but it looks like it is being done. So, what will it cost you to actually have a device to read these eBooks on? Zero, nothing, nada, zip, zilch! If you are reading this post, you have what it takes to read eBooks! That right there is a savings of $299.00 and some change.
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Wicked by Any Other Name
Imagine if you will the panoramic views of the mountains and the lovely environment of Moonstone Lake. Home to Stasi and Blair the town witches. Witches that were also cast out from witch school with their life long friend Jazz Tremain. Even though they are powerful witches, they keep to themselves and create a fairly strong barrier around the town to keep it safe and quiet. Each of them runs their own specialty store catering to the locals and the thriving tourist trade. Staci’s specialty is lingere. Then one day out of the blue, things start to take a turn for the worse. Stasi is being sued by an angry customer for supposedly ruining her marriage (to her 4th husband) by using “black” witchcraft.
Things only take a turn for the worse from there. Trevor Barnes the sexiest wizard to every practice law is heading up the case against Stasi in Wizard’s Court. To make matters worse, there is some kind of evil entity enshrouding Moonstone Lake which only adds fuel to the brewing witch hunt and the all to real fire.
Wicked by Any Other Name
While I enjoyed this romp through Stasi’s life and the fun times with her perverted gargoyle Horrace. I also appreciated this reminder of how important it is to maintain balance in our core values. To honor and respect one another no matter what our religious beliefs and ideals may be. The storyline is face paced, and exciting. The romantic entanglements are enchanting to say the least. I am really looking forward to the next installment of this amazing series.
Check out this fun presentation Linda put together to give you a sneak peak into her amazing story! Just click the middle of the pictures and it will open in a new window.
Book Stats:
To purchase a print copy of Wicked by Any Other Name click here
Books in this series in the order they should be read:
50 Ways to Hex Your Lover
Hex Appeal
Wicked by Any Other Name
Visit the author’s website by going here.
Visit the author’s blog by going here.
The Witch’s Grave
The thing I really enjoy about this series is that outside of being really well written and a great read, the characters have depth and are interesting. They grow with each installment, and leave the reader anticipating what could possibly come next.
Again we find Ophelia in the thick of a murder investigation, only this time, it looks as if they may actually be targeting her, and her dream man. The adventure starts out by her relating a series of, shall we say erotic dreams about a gorgeous hunk of a man to her best friend Darcy. Imagine her surprise when she actually meets him at a fund raising event for the library at a local winery. They are instantly attracted to one another, but before they can take their relationship further than a first sweet kiss, a gunman shoots her beau to be.
As she races against the clock to find the killer, she begins to have another set of dreams that appear to be some kind of flash back to another time. This aspect of the story really added another interesting layer and depth that was thoroughly enjoyable. It is nice to see Ophelia start to trust and use her powers more as well.
Will Ophelia finally get her happily ever after? Or will it be snatched away in the blink of an eye? Whether or not you have read one or all of the Ophelia and Abby series, you will be sure to enjoy The Witch’s Grave
Book Stats:
To purchase a print copy of The Witch’s Grave click here
Books in the Ophelia and Abby series in the order they should be read:
Witch Way to Murder
Charmed to Death
The Trouble with Witches
Witch Hunt
The Witch Is Dead
The Witch’s Grave
To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.
A big welcome to our readers today! Be sure to read to the end of the interview to find out how to WIN the the great prize being offered up. The contest runs until 11:59 pm Eastern time 1/23/09. Open to readers worldwide!
NOTE: this is not a fixed time event, the post just goes live at 8:00 am PST. You can stop by any time during the day or evening and leave your questions and comments.
Interview:
Hi Rachel!
Welcome to Bitten by Books, we are excited to have you here today!
I would like to thank you taking the time to join us for the question and answer session with our readers. It has been very interesting to get to know more about you and what makes you tick as a writer! Readers, if you haven’t done so already please stop by and get your copy of Rachel’s upcoming release Pride
BBB: What do you find the most challenging aspect of writing?
RV: Getting it right. The stories themselves usually flow pretty quickly (Though when they don’t, it’s torture!), but polishing them is real work. I tend to agonize over word choice, because nuance really matters. A sentence needs to do more than simply make sense. It needs to contribute to the story, maintain the tone of the writing, and it also needs to sound good. An awkward sentence will stick out, and will interrupt the flow of the story.
BBB: What is the most rewarding aspect of writing for you?
RV: Hearing that someone enjoyed my book. A few nice words from a reader (or an agent, editor, or colleague) can make a huge difference to a writer. Most of us are pretty introverted, and not exactly swimming in self confidence, and I always find that compliments put me in the mood to work. To make the book better, and earn those future compliments.
BBB: What or who was your muse that got you started writing?
RV: Um… I don’t know that I had a muse, or even a specific inspiration. Just a character who wanted to be heard, and a story that wanted to be told. The words themselves have always been inspiration enough for me.
BBB: What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle
RV: I think the biggest benefit to any electronic reader is volume. You can carry many, many times as many books on a Kindle
BBB: What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?
RV: I honestly don’t know. I know that royalty rates are different for my electronic copies, but I also know that the proportion of ebooks to print books that I’ve sold is very small. And I’ve also heard from lots of readers who bought both the e-version and the print version, and that’s always nice to hear.
BBB: Do you consider your work more paranormal romance or urban fantasy?
RV: I consider my Shifters series to be urban fantasy. I know it’s sometimes shelved in romance, but since there’s no guarantee of a happily-ever-after, and since the story is driven by plot and character arcs, rather than emotional arcs, it’s hard for me to think of it as a true romance. That said, however, I’m thrilled to have caught the attention of so many romance readers, and I hope they like the story enough to forgive the sometimes non-traditional endings.
BBB: When did you become interested in the YA series that you are working on?
RV: November 3, 2007. Yes, I know the exact date. I was a couple of books ahead of my publisher and they didn’t want me to go ahead and write the next one until they’d had a chance to approve the proposal. So someone suggested I try writing a young adult. So I brainstormed several ideas, and My Soul to Take is the one I couldn’t get out of my head. And I loved writing it, as well as the sequels!
BBB: Can you tell us what your next release (s) will be? And do you have stand alone titles forthcoming? And of course we would love to know how many more books are scheduled in the Shifter series!
RV: Yes! Pride
As for the Shifter series, Faythe’s story ends in book six, and I’ve been setting that book up from the beginning. I don’t currently have any stand-alone titles in the works, but I have no objection to writing a stand-alone in the Shifters world, from another character’s perspective. If the demand for such a book exists.
BBB: How many books are you planning in the Soul Screaming series and can you tell us a bit about the premise of the books?
RV: I’m currently contracted for three books in the Soul Screamers series, and they’re all already written. I would really love to write four more, but since My Soul to Take is co-launching the new line, we’ll have to wait for the numbers to come in, to see if there’s demand for more.
As for the premise…
Kaylee Cavanaugh is a high school junior who thinks she’s losing her mind when she’s struck by the grim certainty that someone near her is going to die—and by the irresistible urge to shriek at an ear-drum-bursting pitch in response. But as it turns out, she’s not crazy, people are dying, and Kaylee has what it takes to stop the one responsible—if she’s willing to pay the price…
BBB: Would you ever consider writing books in the same world as the Shifter series from other character’s points of view besides Faythe’s?
RV: Yes. (See earlier answer…)
BBB: what made her decide to pick werecats and why are they all the same color?
RV: I picked cats because I knew I wanted to write about shapeshifters, but I didn’t have anything to add to the existing werewolf stories (other than their extinction). And I love cats. They’re affectionate, but on their own terms. They’re also stealthy, slinky, fierce when riled, territorial, and in some cases dependent upon a family group. The stories grew from there.
As for why they’re black, there’s an entire series of mysterious big black cat sightings, all over the US and in several other countries, including the UK. The mythology was already there. I simply posed my own “what if.”
Also, black fur blends into the shadows more easily. And since there aren’t actually any solid black cats (there are only melanistic leopards and jaguars), I got to make up a lot of the details, based on what works best for my world.
BBB: How do you keep track of your characters and world building?
RV: I haven’t had much trouble with the world building so far, except for keeping straight which cats belong to which Pride as the series progresses. But keeping the minor characters straight in two concurrent series that have three or more books each is getting a little tricky. I use spreadsheets that contain the characters name, age, species, physical characteristics, and distinguishing marks. I also use series-wide timelines, so I can easily reference years and events, if necessary.
BBB: What is your favorite paranormal fiction book of all time?
RV: This is probably pushing the limits of what you’d call paranormal, but my favorite would either be Swan Song
BBB: What do you like to do in between all the time you spend writing?
RV: I mostly watch movies and play Rock Band
BBB: What did you do before you became a writer? Do you write full time?
RV: I do write full time. More than full time. Between 12 and 14 hours a day, most days, if you count all the work-related stuff, like promo, reader mail, moderating my discussion group, etc…. Before that, I had a brief stint as a high school English teacher. Before that was college.
BBB: Hairy scary Werewolf or Zombie? If you HAD to become one of these creatures, which one and why?
RV: Werewolf, no doubt. I like zombie movies, but I’ve read Happy Hour of the Damned
BBB: Do you have any pearls of wisdom you would like to share with our readers here today?
RV: Ha! If I had pearls of wisdom, I’d be using them myself. Or wearing them. Whichever is more appropriate.
Seriously, though, be nice to people. That’s it. That’s as deep as I get. But I truly mean it.
Readers, learn more about Rachel Vincent here:
Read reviews of her work here.
To visit the author’s website go here.
To visit the author’s blog go here.
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Questions and Contest: Now, I am going to open up the internet floor so to speak and let our readers ask Rachel some questions. Feel free to post as many questions or comments as you like. She will be popping in and out today and tomorrow to answer them.
Readers, here’s how to enter the contest. You can do ONE or ALL of these things, and each one will give you additional entries at a chance to win. One lucky participant will win a signed copy of Pride
Please note, the prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be absolutely no substitutions or changes the prize is non-transferable. If you don’t want the prize being offered, please don’t enter the contest. If you ever win an electronic copy of a book, please note that it is ILLEGAL to forward, give away or copy it in anyway once you receive it. Doing so violates copyright. If we find out that it has been done, you will no longer be eligible to win any of our contests.
1. Ask Rachel some questions. Ask as many questions as you like, you can also start a stimulating discussion about today’s topic.
2. SUBSCRIBE to the Bitten by Books newsletter here on the right hand side of the site. This is for new subscribers only.
3. Post the link to the interview here today (http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=3963) at another blog, website, Myspace, Ning Group, Facebook, Yahoo Group (any group where it is appropriate) and you will be given TEN additional entries for a chance to win for every link you post. BUT you MUST come back here to this interview and post those links in one response here in this thread. The more places you post the event, the more entries you get, so spread the word! NOTE: if you post multiple links here, your post will not show up right away. If you don’t see it, don’t keep posting it, we WILL approve your entry later on in the day. Good for 10 entries per place you post the link to this event.
4. Purchase copies of Rachel’s awesome books TODAY or TOMORROW and send us a copy of the receipt VIA email (sorry no faxes) for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces) for TWENTY additional entries. You get TWENTY entries for each one you purchase. Not valid on past purchases. Click these links below to buy her most recent books.
Books in this series in the order they should be read:
Stray
Rogue
Pride
Or buy ANYTHING from Amazon today by using the Amazon search box to your right hand side on our site. We will know if you used the box to search and buy, so please be sure to use it or your entries won’t count. Send me a copy of the receipt VIA email (sorry no faxes) for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces). Good for 20 entries per item purchased.
5. Add us as your friend on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bittenbybooks
Add us as your friend on Facebook: http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=614064436
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BittenbyBooks
Be sure to mention that you are friending us for this contest so we know to enter you! Good for 5 entries per place you friend us.
6. Stumble, Digg or share the post with any social networking sites. There is a button right at the end of this post that says “Share” that you can use. Good for 5 entries.
7. Twitter and ask your friends to re-tweet the URL for this event: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=3963. Good for 10 entries.
8. Add Rachel’s blog to your blog roll or links page: http://urbanfantasy.blogspot.com/ Good for 5 entries for each one you add.
9. Add Bitten by Books to your blog roll or links page: http://bittenbybooks.com if you leave our link up permanently you will always be entered into our contests automatically. Just be sure to stop by each contest we hold and leave the link to where it is so we can give you your entry! Good for 10 entries.
10. Email ALL of your friends and invite them to come by today! If your fiends come and post here and say you sent them, they get TWO entries and you get FOUR entries! They have to tell us who you are so we know who to give the entries to. You can invite as many people as you want and get all the extra entries!
11. Join the The Blood Bank the Bitten by Books Community! here: http://bittenbybooks.ning.com/ then come back here and tell us your username. Be sure to post something about yourself on your blog there. Good for 10 entries
GENERAL CONTEST INFORMATION:
The contests end on 1/23/09 at 3:00 pm EST and the winner will be contacted the following week. You will receive your prize directly from the author. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning.
IMPORTANT CONTEST RULES:
1. If you aren’t interested in receiving the prize, offered please do not enter the contest.
2. You have THREE days from the day the I contact you to claim your prize by sending your name/mailing address to me. Failure to contact me will forfeit your prize. BBB can at that time, choose either to re- award the prize to another entrant or not.
3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. We have the option to re-award it or not.
4. Contest is open to readers worldwide. Please NO PO Boxes. The prize is shipped directly from the author.
5. Bitten by Books is in NO way responsible for the prizes being offered in any of the contests. If for some reason a contributor does not honor their prize, there is nothing we can or will do about it. We are not worried that this will happen, but we want to be very clear that WE are not offering these prizes, the contributor is and it is their responsibility to fulfill their prize obligations.
6. These rules are subject to change or be modified without prior written notice.
7. Contest is void where prohibited.
8. By entering this contest you are agreeing to our terms of entry.
A big welcome to our readers today! Be sure to read to the end of the interview to find out how to WIN the the great prize being offered up. The contest runs until 11:59 pm Eastern time 1/21/09. Open to readers worldwide!
NOTE: this is not a fixed time event, the post just goes live at 8:00 am PST. You can stop by any time during the day or evening and leave your questions and comments.
Interview:
Hi Stacey!
Welcome to Bitten by Books, we are excited to have you here today!
I would like to thank you taking the time to join us for the question and answer session with our readers. It has been very interesting to get to know more about you and what makes you tick as a writer! Readers, if you haven’t done so already please stop by and get your copy of Stacey’s latest release You Are So Undead To Me
BBB: What do you find the most challenging aspect of writing?
SJ: Letting go. I always find something I want to change. It’s so hard to just send those words out there into the world and know I’m done and there are no more corrections to be made.
BBB: What is the most rewarding aspect of writing for you?
SJ: That I made something. It’s like knitting a sweater except, instead of keeping someone warm, I provide them with entertainment. It’s almost as good. Better if you live in a warm climate where you wouldn’t use a sweater anyway.
BBB: What or who was your muse that got you started writing?
SJ: I’ve written since I knew how to make my letters. Really, five or six years old. I just loved books, all books, and wanted to make things for people to read.
BBB: What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle
SJ: Obvious, right? Decrease of paper waste. But then, we have to hope that Kindle
BBB: What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?
SJ: I have no idea. I try not to think about things that have numbers involved. Also, long term consequences make me gassy. No, not really, I never get gas, I’m a southern woman but…I don’t know. It’s hard to say how things will go down. I love ebooks, but I also NEED print books. I can’t take electronics into the bath.
BBB: Okay all of us here at BBB want to know how the new baby is doing!
SJ: He is a preshush little smushy cheeked piece of fabulous, of course! But he hasn’t slept through the night–or more than four hours at a stretch–since we brought him home from the hospital ten weeks ago. I’m running on caffeine and adrenaline at this point. Thank goodness Santa brought me lots of chocolate and a Wii fit to keep my endorphins pumping.
BBB: Rumor has it that you write under several pen names, is that true? What have you published under those other names?
SJ: I’ve published fairly graphic adult romance and slightly less graphic historical urban fantasy romance under two other pen names, neither of which pens things appropriate for the Young Adult audience. That’s why I keep my YA separate from my other writing. Not to be condescending to my teen readers, but I did a lot of soul searching and I decided this was the best way to handle my very different work. My fourteen year old would be freaked to read my other stuff right now. In five years, she might feel differently, but for now the other stuff isn’t appropriate for her. That’s my decision as a mom and as a writer.
BBB: Can you tell us what your next release (s) will be? And do you have stand alone titles forthcoming?
SJ: I’ve got “Undead Much” coming in early 2010 from Razorbill. It’s the sequel to You Are So Undead To Me
BBB: Word on the street says you have a theatre background, is that true and if so what is your most memorable or favorite role that you have ever played?
SJ: It is true. I graduated with honors from Ithaca College with a B.F.A. in Acting. Probably my favorite role was Rita in “Prelude to a Kiss” at Santa Clarita Rep. It was such a fun script and so sweet. I wasn’t a big fan of the movie, but the stage version is one of the most wonderfully romantic things I’ve ever read.
BBB: Would you ever consider returning to the stage and is there a dream part that you have always wanted to play?
SJ: I don’t know if I’ll ever make it back to the stage. I’m so busy and theater takes a lot of time, especially at night when I like to be sleeping now that I have young children. But I do miss it (though I don’t miss eating Ramen noodles every day because I can’t afford anything else, lol). As far as a dream role, I’d love to play the lead in “How I learned to Drive” by Paula Vogel. It’s a funny, moving, disturbing, Pulitzer Prize winning play. Challenging and meaningful stuff.
BBB: What led to your interest in zombies?
SJ: They have always creeped me out, but also given me the giggles, ever since I was tiny and caught part of Night of the Living Dead
BBB: How do you keep track of your characters and world building?
SJ: When I’m building a world it becomes so real in my mind that I usually don’t need a ton of notes. I just live there while I’m writing that book. That said, I do read and reread my first draft several times before I send it to my editor, just to make sure I’ve sewn up all the holes.
BBB: What is your favorite paranormal fiction book of all time?
SJ: Ugh! I only get to choose one. Geez…I guess the early Anita Blake novels by Laurel K. Hamilton. It was the first urban fantasy I ever read and hooked me on the genre immediately.
BBB: What do you like to do in between all the time you spend writing?
SJ: I love to work out and drink red wine. Not at the same time, of course. (Both are good for the heart, however, so it might not be a bad idea if someone wanted to give it a try.) I also love traveling with my husband and my kids, watching 30Rock reruns on Netflix, photographing my family, and scrapbooking–badly. (I am the world’s worst scrapbooker but I am weirdly addicted to it all the same. Stickers..ooo..so sticky they are.)
BBB: What did you do before you became a writer? Do you write full time?
SJ: I was an actor, then a full time mom. Now I write full time and mom full time…at the same time.
BBB: How do you find the time to write with four children?
SJ: Um…blergh…ugh…I don’t know. I just make it happen somehow. This interview is being typed frantically in the fifteen minutes before I have to go make supper and my four year old has already asked me ten times how much longer it is until he gets to eat pizza and the baby is crying because he likes Mama to hold him and walk him around the house instead of Dad. (Today anyway. Yesterday Dad was the favorite. He is so playing us in his conniving infant fashion!).
BBB: Do you have any pearls of wisdom you would like to share with our readers here today?
SJ: Don’t put off until tomorrow what you could do today…unless it is cleaning the toilet.
Thanks BBB! You rock, hope to be back soon!!
Readers Learn More About Stacey Jay here:
Read reviews of her work here.
To visit the author’s website go here.
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Questions and Contest: Now, I am going to open up the internet floor so to speak and let our readers ask Stacey some questions. Feel free to post as many questions or comments as you like. He will be popping in and out today and tomorrow to answer them.
Readers, here’s how to enter the contest. You can do ONE or ALL of these things, and each one will give you additional entries at a chance to win. One lucky participant will win a “Your Are So Undead To Me” T-shirt (size M,L or XL adult.) T-shirt is not open to our international readers, so if the reader is overseas or the size too large or small for the t-shirt, they can choose a $10.00 Amazon.com Gift Card
Please note, the prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be absolutely no substitutions or changes the prize is non-transferable. If you don’t want the prize being offered, please don’t enter the contest. If you ever win an electronic copy of a book, please note that it is ILLEGAL to forward, give away or copy it in anyway once you receive it. Doing so violates copyright. If we find out that it has been done, you will no longer be eligible to win any of our contests.
1. Ask Stacey some questions. Ask as many questions as you like, you can also start a stimulating discussion about today’s topic.
2. SUBSCRIBE to the Bitten by Books newsletter here on the right hand side of the site. This is for new subscribers only.
3. Post the link to the interview here today (http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=3915) at another blog, website, Myspace, Ning Group, Facebook, Yahoo Group (any group where it is appropriate) and you will be given TEN additional entries for a chance to win for every link you post. BUT you MUST come back here to this interview and post those links in one response here in this thread. The more places you post the event, the more entries you get, so spread the word! NOTE: if you post multiple links here, your post will not show up right away. If you don’t see it, don’t keep posting it, we WILL approve your entry later on in the day. Good for 10 entries per place you post the link to this event.
4. Purchase copies of Stacey’s awesome books TODAY or TOMORROW and send us a copy of the receipt VIA email (sorry no faxes) for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces) for TWENTY additional entries. You get TWENTY entries for each one you purchase. Not valid on past purchases. Click these links below to buy his most recent books.
Or buy ANYTHING from Amazon today by using the Amazon search box to your right hand side on our site. We will know if you used the box to search and buy, so please be sure to use it or your entries won’t count. Send me a copy of the receipt VIA email (sorry no faxes) for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces). Good for 20 entries per item purchased.
5. Add us as your friend on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bittenbybooks
Add us as your friend on Facebook: http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=614064436
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BittenbyBooks
Be sure to mention that you are friending us for this contest so we know to enter you! Good for 5 entries per place you friend us.
6. Stumble, Digg or share the post with any social networking sites. There is a button right at the end of this post that says “Share” that you can use. Good for 5 entries.
7. Twitter and ask your friends to re-tweet the URL for this event: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=3915. Good for 10 entries.
8. Add Stacey’s website to your blog roll or links page: http://www.staceyjay.com/ Good for 5 entries for each one you add.
9. Add Bitten by Books to your blog roll or links page: http://bittenbybooks.com if you leave our link up permanently you will always be entered into our contests automatically. Just be sure to stop by each contest we hold and leave the link to where it is so we can give you your entry! Good for 10 entries.
10. Email ALL of your friends and invite them to come by today! If your fiends come and post here and say you sent them, they get TWO entries and you get FOUR entries! They have to tell us who you are so we know who to give the entries to. You can invite as many people as you want and get all the extra entries!
11. Join the The Blood Bank the Bitten by Books Community! here: http://bittenbybooks.ning.com/ then come back here and tell us your username. Be sure to post something about yourself on your blog there. Good for 10 entries
GENERAL CONTEST INFORMATION:
The contests end on 1/21/09 at 3:00 pm EST and the winner will be contacted the following week. You will receive your prize directly from the author. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning.
IMPORTANT CONTEST RULES:
1. If you aren’t interested in receiving the prize, offered please do not enter the contest.
2. You have THREE days from the day the I contact you to claim your prize by sending your name/mailing address to me. Failure to contact me will forfeit your prize. BBB can at that time, choose either to re- award the prize to another entrant or not.
3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. We have the option to re-award it or not.
4. Contest is open to readers worldwide. The prize is shipped directly from the author.
5. Bitten by Books is in NO way responsible for the prizes being offered in any of the contests. If for some reason a contributor does not honor their prize, there is nothing we can or will do about it. We are not worried that this will happen, but we want to be very clear that WE are not offering these prizes, the contributor is and it is their responsibility to fulfill their prize obligations.
6. These rules are subject to change or be modified without prior written notice.
7. Contest is void where prohibited.
8. By entering this contest you are agreeing to our terms of entry.
Bitten by Books is excited to welcome author Lynda Hilburn today as our featured Guest Blogger! She will be talking with you today and answering questions. Check out the contest at the end of this post! You could win one of the the amazing prizes she is offering up today!
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Thanks so much for having me here today! Bitten by Books is a wonderful community!
Scene from The Vampire Shrink
“Hello, Alan.” A familiar voice enveloped me, velvet in my ears.
Alan rose from his seat. “Devereux, please join us. It’s nice to see you again.”
Devereux sat next to me in the booth, lifted my hand and kissed it. He cocked his head then gave a slow blink of his turquoise eyes. “Hello. I am Devereux, the owner of this establishment.”
The touch of his lips on my hand caused a strong reaction in several parts of my body. I couldn’t sort through my emotions fast enough to say anything, so I was relieved when Alan spoke.
“This is Kismet Knight, she’s a local psychologist. I’ve been consulting with her about the missing girl.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you,” Devereux said out loud, while whispering in my mind, “I am very happy to see you again. Alan does not need to know that we have already met.”
I just stared at him and nodded, because I was overcome by a desire to crawl into his lap and cover his mouth with mine. And until I was sure I wasn’t going to make a fool of myself, I sat very still.
What is it about Devereux? Why do I turn into a hormonal teenager whenever I’m near him? Is it chemical? Do his pheromones communicate with mine in some mysterious way? Is he a master hypnotist? Or am I just dazzled by the obvious?
No doubt about it, he was a gorgeous man. A work of art. Something about his face made me want to touch him, to run my fingers over his pale skin and through his long, silky hair. I shifted my head and tried to avoid his sparkling eyes, not because I feared he’d entrance me, but because I was afraid of what he might see in mine.
******
Since my first book The Vampire Shrink
I’ve been a vampire fan since I first read Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Most of the early vampire books I read were of the horror variety: Festering, cadaverous, hygiene-challenged bloodsuckers who crawled out of graves to steal children and drag them back to their filthy lairs in fog-shrouded cemeteries. Hideous, terrifying, long-fingered, dark visions from my worst nightmares — walking corpses. What fun.
In 1979, the Frank Langella version of Dracula
Did we find a bloodsucking fiend arousing? What was up with that?
Over the years, I’ve thought about this issue a lot. Not only as a reader and author of vampire books, but as a psychotherapist. You wouldn’t believe how many women share dreams and fantasies of vampires in therapy (and what great book material!).
Here are a few of the reasons we love vampires:
Vampires are the quintessential bad boys of the preternatural universe.
They break the rules, have little – if any – regard for human laws/morals, and don’t even try to be politically correct. They’re the dark, brooding figures hiding in the shadows and we love projecting our secret, forbidden fantasies onto them. Unlike the “normal” men we know, vampires won’t sit around drinking beer and watching television. They’re adventurous. And dangerous – in every way. Imagine James Dean with fangs. Or, Captain Jack Sparrow rising from his coffin.
Vampires need our very blood to live.
What could be more intimate (especially combined with sex) than the lure of someone who can’t exist without the blood flowing in our veins? In many vampire mythologies, the very act of sucking blood causes a body sensation (for the suckee) more powerful than the most vivid orgasm. Who wouldn’t want that? Where can I sign up?
Vampires can grant us immortality.
Afraid of death? Most humans are. Fall under the spell of a vampire, take his blood, and live forever – or for a long time, at the very least. Worried about keeping your body in shape? Never fear. You’ll never gain another pound and will be eternally young (depending on your age at turning). Existence won’t become boring for at least a century or two, right?
Vampires are extraordinary.
This one is my favorite. The vampires I love in movies and books (and my own vampire hero, Devereux) are brilliant. They’ve used their long lives to gain wisdom and knowledge. They’re usually gorgeous, and have bodies to die for. And, while they have flaws and psychological baggage from their human years, they seek understanding and awareness of themselves and the universe at large (it’s a good thing there are psychologists to work with these tortured creatures!).
Vampires have stamina.
Endless sex? Enough said.
So, what other reasons can you think of? Why do you love them? What makes them different from other paranormal individuals?
Readers learn more about Lynda Hilburn here:
http://www.lyndahilburnauthor.com
http://paranormalityuniverse.blogspot.com
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Questions and Contest: Now, I am going to open up the internet floor so to speak and let our readers ask Lynda some questions. Feel free to post as many questions or comments as you like. She will be popping in and out today and tomorrow to answer them.
Readers, here’s how to enter the contest. You can do ONE or ALL of these things, and each one will give you additional entries at a chance to win. Two lucky participants will win a prize. One prize is a signed copy of one of Lynda’s books (winner’s choice), and the other prize is a $20.00 Amazon.com Gift Card
Please note, the prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be absolutely no substitutions or changes the prize is non-transferable. If you don’t want the prize being offered, please don’t enter the contest. If you ever win an electronic copy of a book, please note that it is ILLEGAL to forward, give away or copy it in anyway once you receive it. Doing so violates copyright. If we find out that it has been done, you will no longer be eligible to win any of our contests.
1. Ask Lynda some questions. Ask as many questions as you like, you can also start a stimulating discussion about today’s topic.
2. SUBSCRIBE to the Bitten by Books newsletter here on the right hand side of the site. This is for new subscribers only.
3. Post the link to the interview here today (http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=3930) at another blog, website, Myspace, Ning Group, Facebook, Yahoo Group (any group where it is appropriate) and you will be given TEN additional entries for a chance to win for every link you post. BUT you MUST come back here to this interview and post those links in one response here in this thread. The more places you post the event, the more entries you get, so spread the word! NOTE: if you post multiple links here, your post will not show up right away. If you don’t see it, don’t keep posting it, we WILL approve your entry later on in the day. Good for 10 entries per place you post the link to this event.
4. Purchase copies of Lynda’s awesome books TODAY or TOMORROW and send us a copy of the receipt VIA email (sorry no faxes) for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces) for TWENTY additional entries. You get TWENTY entries for each one you purchase. Not valid on past purchases. Click these links below to buy her most recent books.
The Vampire Shrink
Dark Harvest
Or buy ANYTHING from Amazon today by using the Amazon search box to your right hand side on our site. We will know if you used the box to search and buy, so please be sure to use it or your entries won’t count. Send me a copy of the receipt VIA email (sorry no faxes) for your purchase to: racoo.smith @ gmail.com (no spaces). Good for 20 entries per item purchased.
5. Add us as your friend on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/bittenbybooks
Add us as your friend on Facebook: http://www.new.facebook.com/profile.php?id=614064436
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BittenbyBooks
Be sure to mention that you are friending us for this contest so we know to enter you! Good for 5 entries per place you friend us.
6. Stumble, Digg or share the post with any social networking sites. There is a button right at the end of this post that says “Share” that you can use. Good for 5 entries.
7. Twitter and ask your friends to re-tweet the URL for this event: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=3930. Good for 10 entries.
8. Add Lynda’s blog to your blog roll or links page: http://paranormalityuniverse.blogspot.com Good for 5 entries for each place you add it.
9. Add Bitten by Books to your blog roll or links page: http://bittenbybooks.com if you leave our link up permanently you will always be entered into our contests automatically. Just be sure to stop by each contest we hold and leave the link to where it is so we can give you your entry! Good for 10 entries.
10. Email ALL of your friends and invite them to come by today! If your fiends come and post here and say you sent them, they get TWO entries and you get FOUR entries! They have to tell us who you are so we know who to give the entries to. You can invite as many people as you want and get all the extra entries!
11. Join the The Blood Bank the Bitten by Books Community! here: http://bittenbybooks.ning.com/ then come back here and tell us your username. Be sure to post something about yourself on your blog there. Good for 10 entries
GENERAL CONTEST INFORMATION:
The contests end on 1/22/09 at 3:00 pm EST and the winner will be contacted the following week. You will receive your prize directly from the author. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR FIRST AND THE INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME as well as a valid email where we can contact you. REMEMBER the more things you do, the more entries, the greater the chances of winning.
IMPORTANT CONTEST RULES:
1. If you aren’t interested in receiving the prize, offered please do not enter the contest.
2. You have THREE days from the day the I contact you to claim your prize by sending your name/mailing address to me. Failure to contact me will forfeit your prize. BBB can at that time, choose either to re- award the prize to another entrant or not.
3. The prize stated IS the prize you will receive, there will be no substitutions, trades or changes. No exceptions. Please do not ask. If for some reason you do not wish to claim your prize, please let me know as soon as possible. We have the option to re-award it or not.
4. Contest is open to readers worldwide. The prize is shipped directly from the author.
5. Bitten by Books is in NO way responsible for the prizes being offered in any of the contests. If for some reason a contributor does not honor their prize, there is nothing we can or will do about it. We are not worried that this will happen, but we want to be very clear that WE are not offering these prizes, the contributor is and it is their responsibility to fulfill their prize obligations.
6. These rules are subject to change or be modified without prior written notice.
7. Contest is void where prohibited.
8. By entering this contest you are agreeing to our terms of entry.
