- Master of Ecstasy (Mackenzie Vampires, Book 1)
- Night Bites (Mackenzie Vampires, Book 2)
- A Taste of Darkness (Mackenzie Vampires, Book 3)
- One Bite Stand (MacKenzie Vampires, Book 4)
FROM STEPHENIE
April 21, 2009
There are a lot of things I should be doing updates on—for example, how awesome and successful the Book Babe event was, and how cool it was to meet all the other authors and hang out with them a little bit, and how much I appreciated all the tremendous support from the fans—but instead of commenting on happy things (which I admit I should have done a week ago; I was waiting for things to slow down for a day, silly me!), I’m commenting on ridiculous internet rumors so that my publicist’s day will be just a little bit better.
I am not being sued. No one has contacted me or my publisher to inform either of us that I’m being sued. I never had a roommate named Heidi. There is no professor in the BYU English department named Dr. Peter Benton (though there is a character on ER by that name). And most of all, I began writing Twilight exactly the way I’ve told people in countless interviews and events for the past six years: I had a cool dream, I wrote it down, writing it down was really fun, so I kept writing until I had a whole book.
The sad thing about this silly situation is that so many legitimate news outlets reported it without doing any research at all to determine if there was any truth to the story. And at least two of these facts are really, really easy to confirm. Particularly, the one about the BYU professor. A simple on-line search can give you that information. Also, a quick call to my publisher would have cleared up the whole lawsuit story. (Kudos to the fansites who did their due diligence and debunked this rumor days ago.)
I guess the moral of the story is that—big surprise—you can’t believe everything you read on the internet. Seems like it’s April Fool’s Day every day on-line. So no worries, the filming of New Moon continues uninterrupted. And, to end this on a bright note, the filming of New Moon continues to be awesome. It’s all so beautiful! Chris Weitz is brilliant. Kristen, Rob, and Taylor are beyond words. I have gotten choked up more than once on set due to their amazing performances. I can’t wait to see it all put together!
Steph
Go to Source
Book Review – Secret Life of a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks
Secret Life of a Vampire (Love at Stake, Book 6)
Ahhhh a quick trip back to my sweet gentle, vampires, and what a pleasant jaunt it was! After the intense, angst ridden, tumultuous world of Adrian Phoenix (which I love – don’t get me wrong), it was a comfort to get back to the love stories of Kerrelyn Sparks.
While her novels always have an element of danger, with fierce enemies, she always indulges us with a personal tour into a new (yet familiar) love story about an unconventional couple.
In this novel, we explore the past and present, of the son of the original “Casanova”, named Giacomo di Venezia. Noble, old fashioned, and staggeringly sexy, he has experienced three crucial heartbreaks in his short (only 200+ years) life. Despite being captivated by a beautiful red-headed human police officer (Lara), he fears getting too close, for his secret is sure to repulse her.
Her attraction to him compels her to continually seek him out (she convinces herself that it is in the name of the law – due to his strange abilities at mind control), but she finds herself uncontrollably charmed by him (despite his inability to use his powers on her – she is able to unconsciously block him).
A funny part where Jack and Lara first meet (he was at a disruptive “bachelor party”), and she and her partner Harvey were sent to investigate. The vampires are trying to mind-control the two police officers, but are only successful at mind controlling her partner, Harvey – in this instance he is doing everything they tell him to, which is bewildering Lara:
I’ve tried controlling her, but it doesn’t work, Laszlo told him mentally.
I know, Jack answered. She was every Vamp’s worst nightmare. A beautiful woman who could not be controlled.
Perhaps she has psychic power, Laszlo continued. Or she could suffer from some sort of mental defect that’s blocking our power.
“Did your mother drop you on your head when you were a baby?” Jack asked.
Harvey sniffed. “Yes she did.”
“Not you,” Jack muttered.
As a police officer, she works on a case where females (similar in appearance to her) are disappearing off college campuses, and with “Jack’s” help, they uncover a serial “kidnapper” pattern that seems to suggest that the evil Vampires are behind this.
In the typical Kerrelyn Sparks “Love at Stake” arrangement, we are brought down a path of discovery, desire, friendship, danger, angst and wherever all that leads to…
One of my favorite scenes was when he teleported her from New York to Italy for a few hours of downtime *sigh*
She rested her head on his shoulder. “The stars are lovely, but I wish there was more light. When does the sun rise?”
“Too soon.” he nuzzled her neck. They had less than three hours before he’d have to teleport them back to New York City. He couldn’t risk falling into his death-sleep in front of her. “This is a good time to be here. The city is quiet. All you can hear is the lapping of water against the buildings and the occasional hoot of an owl.”
She folded her arms over his. “I’ve always wanted to see Venice. Thank You.”
“Bellissima, we have barely begun.” Jack pointed in the distance. “Do you see the light on the water? That is our gondola, coming to pick us up.”
“This is so cool.” Lara turned towards him, smiling. “Thank you for dragging me here against my will.”
Although it was similar to her past tales in this series, (lot’s of silly innuendos) I liked this one. Jack was believable. There was lot’s of witty repertoire (in particular, his reaction on page 325 had me giggling). I felt at ease, and wore a silly grin to the very end.
5 STARS!!
Adrian Phoenix – The Maker’s Song Reading Order
About the series:
HIS NAME IS DANTE.
Dark. Talented. Beautiful. Star of the rock band Inferno. Rumored owner of the hot New Orleans nightspot Club Hell. Born of the Blood, then broken by an evil beyond imagination.HIS PAST IS A MYSTERY.
F.B.I. Special Agent Heather Wallace has been tracking a sadistic serial murderer known as the Cross Country Killer, and the trail has led her to New Orleans, Club Hell, and Dante. But the dangerously attractive musician not only resists her investigation, he claims to be “nightkind”: in other words, a vampire. Digging into his past for answers reveals little. A juvenile record a mile long. No social security number. No known birth date. In and out of foster homes for most of his life before being taken in by a man named Lucien DeNoir, who appears to guard mysteries of his own.HIS FUTURE IS CHAOS.
What Heather does know about Dante is that something links him to the killer — and she’s pretty sure that link makes him the CCK’s next target. Heather must unravel the truth about this sensual, complicated, vulnerable young man — who, she begins to believe, may indeed be a vampire — in order to finally bring a killer to justice. But Dante’s past holds a shocking, dangerous secret, and once it is revealed not even Heather will be able to protect him from his destiny….
- A Rush of Wings: Book One of The Maker’s Song
- In the Blood (Book two of The Maker’s Song)
- Beneath the Skin: Book Three of The Maker’s Song
- Sacrament (a free short e-story featuring Silver – she blogged about it on October 2010)
- Etched in Bone (The Maker’s Song)
- On Midnight Wings: Book Five of The Maker’s Song
- PALE BLUE FLAMES (book 6 of The Maker’s Song) – expected release TBA
Book Review – In The Blood by Adrian Phoenix
In the Blood (The Maker’s Song Book 2)
Upon concluding this book, I felt slightly melancholy, knowing that it would be at least a year before I could continue this gripping story. There are so many separate stories that all combine and revolve around one sole, yet very important Vampire.
The second installment of the series continues with a more in-depth look into Dante’s horrible childhood, his fragile spirit, and his own personal angst. As a born vampire, his childhood consisted of living in an FBI controlled experiment that psychologically induced “kidnapped” children into becoming psychopaths and serial killers (at the hands of a rogue FBI division, headed by a Vampire and evil psychiatrist) via the means of torture, beatings, taking the toys and killing the loved ones that these particular children loved.
Dante as an adult has no true memories of his past (only horrifying fragmented images). Although his memory was blocked by the agency when he was released into society, certain memories, or keywords and names can cause him excruciating headaches, nosebleeds and seizures, and those that love and protect him are anguished by his frequent torment.
Despite being an incensed and anguished artist, the stunningly beautiful Dante practically exudes an angelic radiance that we come to realize, is due to his being “half angel” (his father is one of the “Fallen”).
Here is an excerpt from the book, when “Lucien” is being held captive in the Heaven’s (in an attempt to protect and hide Dante) and speaking with another Fallen angel who has suddenly heard Dante’s “song” (when Dante unwittingly uses his angelic powers, on earth, his essence radiates from him like a song to the Heavens)
“His name is Dante, a born vampire,” Lucien said. “He’s twenty-three years old, and he doesn’t understand what he is.”
Lilith’s eyes widened. “He’s just a child! How could you leave him alone?” She frowned. “Did you say born vampire? Fola Fior? But how can he be a Maker?”
“He’s my son,” Lucien said quietly.
We come to realize that he is a “maker” (or creawdwr), and a destroyer, and this becomes the most confusing part (at least for me) of the book. It explores the story of the Heavens, God, Angels, and the Fallen, and a whole storyline that I had a hard time completely following. Perhaps due to my Catholic upbringing, I found myself cringing somewhat at where the tale ventured, as I think, in this rendition, God (Yahweh) died, and the angels (including Gabriel and the other Fallen) are looking for a new leader/creator. Essentially, I am assuming, they need a new God, and the song of a creator on earth (Dante) is being heard from the Heavens. Lucien (Dante’s father and Fallen Angel who was once close to Yahweh) is trying to keep the angels from finding him. From what I gathered, if they discover him, they will “bind” him (I am assuming bind him to the Heaven’s) and use (and essentially) overwhelm him as their leader.
Guard him from the Fallen, llygad. They will use him without mercy.
As a whole, I love the rest of the story. However, I have a hard time allowing myself to surrender to a theoretical (even if fictitious) version of Heaven, so I think my mind was subconsciously blocking parts of this segment of the tale.
All cringing aside, the story does have an “earthly” aspect to it also, and we have enemies of all sorts (the rogue FBI division has decided to terminate EVERYONE involved in the experiments, and anyone who was involved in the serial killer investigation from the last book). Danger, is at every turn, enemies appear in many disguises, and whether human, or paranormal, or even angel (some are power-hungry), Dante and loved ones are threatened.
The romance manifests itself more prominently in book two, and while again is not the core of the story, it is an important part. Don’t forget, in Dante’s past, he has lost everything he has ever loved. While he loves wholly, he fears for those that he loves.
Why you denying your heart?
He met his reflection’s dark-eyed and dilated gaze. “Can’t trust it.”
Heather, despite having her own issues to deal with (the threat of “termination” by the FBI if she doesn’t submit to their plans for her), also devotes herself, in this installment, to protecting Dante’s “innocence”. Despite his revolting memories of himself, she sees past his fears, and works to help him fight his real enemies, and his own personal demons.
Without a word, he grasped her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers, their palms pushing together-a balance, a promise.
Beautifully described, the eerie imagery left me breathless!
Does the book end on a happy note? My lips are sealed! Do I want more? OH YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Check out the Series Reading Order: Adrian Phoenix – The Maker’s Song Reading Order
4 stars
