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Monday, March 31, 2014

The first issue of Scifi/Fantasy/Paranormal Ezine is live! #Scifi #Fantasy #ASMSG


ASMSG Scifi/Fantasy/Paranormal Emagazine March 2014!

ASMSG brings you the best of Indie fiction, articles, reviews, giveaways and freebies. 
Become lost in other worlds as you find treasures of Indie fiction.



Like what you’ve seen of ASMSG? Find ASMSG authors and bloggers here:
ASMSG SFP Emagazine on Wordpress:

ASMSG SFP Articles and tweets at the Social Media Hub:

ASMSG SFP Facebook fanpage:


Friday, March 28, 2014

THE NIGHTLIFE LONDON is touring JUNE 1-15, Sign up for a FREE copy! #UrbanFantasy #ASMSG



THE NIGHTLIFE LONDON
FREE to tour hosts!







Blurb:

The Nightlife Series is violent, sexy, and occasionally violently sexy.

Vampires Aaron and Michelle prowl the dark, gritty, strip clubs and back alleys of London on the hunt for Michael Jamison, the man who stole Michelle's blood and left her for dead. To assist them, Aaron’s new master, Urvashi, calls in favors from her friends, Russian mercenary werewolves.

Wolves Katya and Ivan, hunters adept at killing rogue vampires, set aside their animosity for Aaron and Michelle to stop Jamison from murdering another woman  he already has one bloodless victim lying in the morgue.

Jamison, ex-special forces, feels his enemies closing in, but he won’t go down without a fight and like Aaron and Michelle, he also has powerful friends.

Experience the violent, sensual underbelly of Nightlife London, as Aaron and Michelle mix up a wicked blend of sex, chaos, mayhem, and vengeance.


The Nightlife Series novels are Adult Paranormal Romance ~ Urban Fantasy Thriller:

#1 THE NIGHTLIFE NEW YORK
#2 THE NIGHTLIFE LAS VEGAS
#3 THE NIGHTLIFE PARIS
#4 BLOOD SLAVE
#5 THE NIGHTLIFE LONDON
#6 THE NIGHTLIFE SERIES OMNIBUS (Books 1-4)

Sign up for the Tour via 



Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Random Vampire Smuttery Part 2: PINTEREST #Vampires #Smexy #ASMSG

Vampire
Come on baby light my fire....

I thought deviantart had some serious vampire smuttery going on. Then, a few days ago, I blew several hours surfing Pinterest and found a treasure trove of vampire baddassary (vampire porn if you will). 

I started my own little stash, my go-to spot for vampire awesomesauce and inspiration:  


Let me share a little bit with you here on my blog - there's already a smuttery warning tag, so, you know what to expect:

Vampires
Blood really brings out the worst in some girls.


Blood remains for those who awakened from their past lives as the more relevant of non-human species to humanity, from vampires to elves.
Keep the blood flowing, and maybe she'll remove the rest of her clothes.

Vampires
No collection of vampire smuttery would be complete without some lesbian action.

vampires
Revenge of the vampire lesbian menage a trois,
vampire smuttery at its very best.

Until next time, when I blow another evening surfing through wondrous realms of macabre depravity on Pinterest. I got a feeling I have only scratched the surface thus far.

:)

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Would you say I have a plethora of Monsters? #Vampires #Weres #ASMSG



I originally posted this in MODERN GOOD READS, but I thought I should revive the subject, because I am planning a novel series that will involve a number of different supernatural entities.


https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1293966-would-you-say-i-have-a-plethora-of-monsters



The Monster Squad includes everything but the kitchen sink
There's a line in "Three Amigos" where the infamous bandito El Guapo says to his flunkie, after a string of pinatas is revealed for his birthday party, "Would you say I have a plethora of pinatas?"


I laugh at it every time. 


In the world of Urban Fantasy, we seem to have tons of books filled with every monster imaginable: witches, warlocks, wizards, vamps, weres, fairies, and all the dark fantasy creatures you can shake a stick at. 

Vampires, weres, and witches - oh my!




Do readers really want a book filled with every monster conceivable? Is it too much? Overkill?


Would you say I have a plethora of monsters? 


Speak up readers, would you prefer one or two types of supernatural creatures, or do you want the whole gamut with supporting cast? 


My first comment was:



I have read a gazillion different explanations for how different races of creatures/monsters came to be. Everything from evolution to aliens to versions of creation and all things in-between.


The explanations are fascinating when done properly.


But I do question the need to bring in a large cast of monsters right out the gate in a novel. I think it might be more readily accepted if it took several novels to build that world a piece at a time.


Charlaine Harris is a good example of that. She built her world over the course of many novels. It took easily 4-5 books before we had a clear view of all the supernaturals slipping between the cracks of normal society. 

Later in the conversation, this was my thoughts:



Style has a lot to do with it. And subtlety. Even the legendary Jim Butcher has 4-5 info dumps in order to acclimatize the reader to his intricate world with all these various supernatural people/things/magics going on.


I suspect Jim's editors probably slim his material down to the point that some subtlety is lost. Takes time to work in world building step by step. If editors don't want to give you that time in exchange for maintaining pacing, then you end up with an infodump scene to bring the readers up to speed.


The author who I respect most for bringing me into his worlds full of infinitely weird and horrific creatures/events is Dean Koontz. The man is a master at subtle world building. You never even feel it. Virtually no infodumps whatsoever. All of a sudden you find yourself deeply immersed in his strange macabre world, no clue how he brought you there. 


So, readers, writers, Urban Fantasy enthusiasts, speak up. What is your opinion on the monster menagerie?


Friday, March 21, 2014

THE BONE CHURCH ~ Signed Copy #Giveaway via Goodreads #Espionage #WWII #ASMSG


A WWII Spy-Thriller Novel







In the surreal and paranoid underworld of wartime Prague, fugitive lovers Felix Andel and Magdalena Ruza make some dubious alliances – with a mysterious Roman Catholic cardinal, a reckless sculptor intent on making a big political statement, and a gypsy with a risky sex life. As one by one their chances for fleeing the country collapse, the two join a plot to assassinate Hitler’s nefarious Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda, Josef Goebbels. 

But the assassination attempt goes wildly wrong, propelling the lovers in separate directions. 

Felix’s destiny is sealed at the Bone Church, a mystical pilgrimage site on the outskirts of Prague, while Magdalena is thrust even deeper into the bowels of a city that betrayed her and a homeland soon to be swallowed by the Soviets. As they emerge from the shadowy fog of World War II, and stagger into the foul haze of the Cold War, Felix and Magdalena must confront the past, and a dangerous, uncertain future.


Victoria Dougherty Bio

author photo
Victoria Dougherty has for nearly twenty years distinguished herself as a master storyteller, writing fiction, drama, speeches, essays, and television news segments/video scripts.

In Prague, Ms. Dougherty co-founded the acclaimed Black Box Theater, translating, producing and acting to sold-out audiences in several Czech plays – from Vaclav Havel’s riveting “Protest” to the unintentionally hilarious communist propaganda play “Karhan’s Men.” Black Box Theater was profiled in feature articles in USA Today, International Herald Tribune, and numerous European publications.
Currently, Ms. Dougherty lives with her family in Charlottesville, VA, and has recently completed a series of thematically linked Cold War spy thrillers. She is represented by Josh Getzler of Hannigan Salky & Getzler.



Thursday, March 20, 2014

THE DRACULA CHRONICLES ~ Follow the tale of the man who became the monster #Dracula #ASMSG


SHANE KP O’NEILL – THE DRACULA CHRONICLES.
Once read, never forgotten.

EXPERIENCE THE ULTIMATE BATTLE OF GOOD VERSUS EVIL. THE BATTLE FOR SOULS HAS BEGUN.

The Dracula Chronicles is a new and exciting series adding a fresh dimension to the Dracula legend, which combines the real historical Vlad Dracula with a new and different version of Dracula the vampire. The series has been released in two arcs, one that follows Dracula the man and the other following Dracula the vampire. It is written in a style that is both literary and cinematic, that places you there in the thick of the action always.

The books are historical novels of Gothic horror; religious corruption; political intrigue; tragedy; war; dark paranormal fantasy; and deep romance. The premise is built around Creation and the divide in Heaven that results from Lucifer's jealousy of the creation of man. This leads to the First Great War of the Angels and Lucifer's eventual expulsion from Heaven with all those who sided with him. The annihilation of the angels continues, but rather than destroy Lucifer, God agrees to a truce. By its terms, Lucifer can contest the soul of every living being as long as he does not interfere with their free will. Should he control more souls than God at any time, he can ascend again to Heaven and cast God and the angels out. He would then have a free hand to destroy all mankind.

Lucifer turns man against God with ease. God responds by sending his prophets one after another to bring man back to the path of righteousness. It seems to be merely delaying the inevitable and in one last effort to thwart Lucifer, God sends his son made man. In giving his life on the Cross, Jesus wipes away man's sins. This leaves Lucifer back to where he was at the beginning and means he has to start again. The Catholic Church is born on that fateful day in Jerusalem as Christ's church on the earth. Lucifer then believes if he can destroy this great icon of God, he can turn man against God once more. He searches for over a millennium for the one who can lead his assault on God. The Crusades give him renewed hope, and he is sure the conflict between Christian and Moslem will provide the one he seeks. When this does not materialise, he turns his attention to the Balkan region where this conflict is renewed with Ottoman expansion into eastern Europe. He finally identifies the second son of Vlad Dracul as the one he can manipulate into achieving his ends. God has prepared for this event, and in the very moment that Vlad Dracula draws his first breath, so does another child sired by Dracul, though born to a gypsy woman. This child, Andrei, is blessed by the angels and bestowed with great powers as a balance to the evil about to be unleashed upon the world.

THE VLAD DRACULA ARC.

The Vlad Dracula arc.. Books #1 to #5. Set in the 15th Century Balkans, this arc brings to life in its entirety the world in which the real historical Vlad Dracula lived. It follows his loves; his triumphs; his many great tragedies; the betrayals he endures; and his great struggle to survive his many perils and secure the autonomy of his sovereign nation, Wallachia, which is sandwiched between the mighty Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires. The books introduce you to all the great players of the period, their political machinations, and their great conflicts set within the battle between Christianity and Islam. They follow Lucifer and his schemes to manipulate the young Vlad Dracula into seeing through his great plan. Replete with references that are Biblical and drawn from the writings of the Kabbalah, The Dracula Chronicles also introduce a new vision of Hell and take you on a journey you will never forget.

THE BOUND BY BLOOD ARC.

The Bound By Blood arc.. Books #6 to #10. This arc begins with Dracula’s last great battle at Snagov in 1476. Despite winning yet another great victory, his enemies mortally wound him with arrows. He orders his men to take him to the chapel at the nearby monastery so he can die on holy ground. To his great chagrin, it is Lucifer who comes to claim his soul. The Dark One speaks of his great vision, and of how he has chosen Dracula as his instrument to bring down the Catholic Church. He bites into Dracula’s neck and then gives him his own blood to drink. In doing so, he creates a monster, superhuman and immortal, who can live through the ages and help him win the battle for souls.

Into the 16th Century, wherever the Catholic Church is harmed or loses its influence, Dracula is there behind the scenes to propagate it all. He involves himself with Machiavelli; Martin Luther; in the Italian wars between France and Spain; the Borgias; Henry VIII and the Tudor dynasty; and many more.

At the same time his brother, Andrei, takes up the fight against him and arms the Church with the knowledge of how to counter him. In resurrecting Dracula’s legitimate brother, Radu, from the dead so as to exact retribution against him, Dracula and Lucifer have unleashed a powerful enemy who has joined the battle against them.

PREQUEL – THE LAMB OF GOD.








This is a prequel to For Whom The Bell Tolls and the entire The Dracula Chronicles series. It offers a taste of what is to come, giving the background of the concept, the Crucifixion, and the night of the births of Vlad and Andrei.

If you subscribe to my blog, link below, I will send you a free download of this prequel. You can also hear an audio version, narrated by myself, on my website and on my YouTube channel.

BOOK #1 – FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS.






“A war rages on around us every day. The struggle to save all mankind. The ultimate evil.”

All is well in Heaven until God creates man. Lucifer’s jealousy leads to the First Great War of the Angels. Hundreds of thousands of years on, the feud simmers beneath the surface. It plots the course of history as we know it today. Both sides manipulate the major players through the centuries to seek an advantage over the other.

The battle for souls has raged since the truce that followed the First Great War. God has struck the ultimate blow and sacrifice to gain the advantage, and defeat Lucifer. As Lucifer stands at the foot of the Cross that drains the last ounce of life from Christ and eradicates man's sins, he realises that his work must begin anew.
In time, he comes to understand that his only chance to win this battle will be to destroy the institution of the Catholic Church to turn man against God. He searches for more than a millennium for the candidate to see his plan through to an end, and finally discovers the one that can cast that final blow.

On a cold night in December, 1431 in Sighisoara, an old gypsy woman delivers a prophecy to the great Vlad Dracul. She tells him he is about to sire two sons, one an angel and the other a devil.

He returns to his fortress just as his wife bears him a son, whom he names Vlad. In the very same moment across the country on the border between Transylvania and Hungary, a gypsy girl gives birth to another son, Andrei. The die is cast. The twin souls are born. The young Vlad Dracula becomes the instrument of the forces of Darkness. To balance this, the baby Andrei is blessed by the angels and bestowed with awesome powers.

This is their story.

AMAZON REVIEWS – FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS.

“I never thought a man could be capable of writing with such sensitivity and emotion.”

"Beautifully written with great story lines, the author does not hold back in his descriptions of many brutal acts of violence (save for a very long and tastefully done sex scene)."

"The relationships between father and son, the son and his captors and the individual characterisations are way beyond what a fantasy/paranormal book might offer. The writing is of literary class."

"FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS differs from Shane K.P. O’Neill’s BOUND BY BLOOD sagas in that it takes place years prior to Dracula’s vampiric existence, but this in no way diminishes the power and intensity of its read. Events unfold with the depth of a historical epic."

BOOK #2 – THE PATH TO DECAY.  (Release date March 20, 2014).







“The path we walk, is the path to decay. The only way to live, is to die.”

The great Vlad Dracul is dead, fallen in battle, and his throne gone. His son, the young Vlad Dracula, is consumed with grief and a need for revenge. All alone in the world, he keeps his promise and returns to Anatolia. There, he takes a commission in the Ottoman army. On the fields outside Kosovo Polje in Serbia, he is handed his first opportunity to strike back against the men who killed his father.

He has grown into the ultimate fighting machine, and is feared by one and all. This path to decay, as described by his father, is the one he chooses to follow. Lucifer guides and watches over Dracula, but also deepens his hold over him. As time passes, though, his enemies build in every quarter, and they strive to bring him down.

With nowhere left to turn, how will Dracula avenge his family? How can he hope to win back his throne? As he faces one tragedy after another, these events mould him into the man who will be spoken of for centuries to come. A man who lets nothing stand in his way in his pursuit for revenge, and the throne that was his father’s.



PREQUEL – BIRTH OF THE MONSTER.






This is the prequel to Bound By Blood, and the vampire arc. It takes you to Dracula’s last triumph on the battlefield, and his last moments as a mortal man. While he lies dying in the chapel of the monastery at Snagov, Lucifer comes to claim his soul. The Dark One speaks of his vision in destroying the Catholic Church in his quest to win the battle for souls, and creates Dracula the vampire.

BOOK #6 – BOUND BY BLOOD.






A new edition of this and the next book is currently with my copy editors, and will be released and re-launched with new covers in the summer.

“A war rages on around us every day. The struggle to save all mankind. The ultimate evil.”

As his moment of death looms Dracula suffers the ultimate betrayal. The champion of the Catholic faith in Eastern Europe realises it is Lucifer who is coming to claim him. However, Lucifer does not want his soul.
Instead he bites into Dracula’s neck and then offers his own blood to drink. Dracula suffers his mortal death, but he re-awakens. Immortalised with Lucifer’s blood coursing through his veins, the two are bound by blood for eternity. Lucifer has groomed him for this day and lays out the task before him.

Dracula is to destroy the institution of that which he has championed for so long. By bringing down the Catholic Church he can undo the Crucifixion and turn man against God once more. If he succeeds then Lucifer will ascend again to Heaven and signal the end for all mankind.

AMAZON REVIEWS - BOUND BY BLOOD.

“This story is a powerful and sweeping epic. The language, the settings, the characters...they all exude Classic.”

“If you are looking for a vampire novel that is rich in detail, with historical facts, legends and folklore weaved in and splashes of gore and a bit of romance, this is for you.”

“This book will stimulate your imagination as it entertains you. Bound By Blood is among the best vampire novels I have read.”

THE AUTHOR.




The author developed a fascination with Dracula from an early age. Like many others he was enthralled by Christopher Lee's portrayal of him on the big screen. It was in his late teens that he discovered Dracula the man and the love affair began from there. An avid lover of history, he studied the period in which the real historical Vlad Dracula lived, 15th Century Balkan, for many years. It followed from there then that with his love of writing he would always choose Dracula as his subject.  He built a concept and premise where he could accommodate both Dracula the vampire and Dracula the man.

Away from writing, the author has a wide range of interests. He reads a lot of books from a wide variety of authors, though his main interest lies in the horror genre.  His love of books is matched only by his love of the countryside and of course, his family.  As an added note, he has lived and travelled all over the world. He has a love for all things historical, with a particular fascination for medieval Europe. Anywhere he travels, he likes to search out locations with an historical interest and will always hunt for the ruins of an old castle before heading to the beach.

Stalk Shane here:

Amazon


Website


Blog


Twitter

@ShaneKPONeill

Goodreads


Youtube


Facebook




Wednesday, March 19, 2014

THE VAMPIRE ROMANCE EVENT OF 2014! By @vdanann #Vampires #Romance #ASMSG


Your favorite vampire authors come together for a day of vampire romance, chat, features, and book discounts!



4:00 pm J.S. Scott www.facebook.com/authorjsscott
4:30 pm S.C. Stephens https://www.facebook.com/SCStephensAuthor
5:00 pm Felicity Heaton www.facebook.com/felicityheaton
5:30 pm Sharon Hamilton www.facebook.com/SharonHamiltonAuthor
6:00 pm Teresa Treadway Gabelman www.facebook.com/TGabelman
6:30 pm Eve Langlais www.facebook.com/eve.langlais.98
7:00 pm Kym Grosso www.facebook.com/KymGrossoBooks
7:30 pm C.j. Ellisson www.facebook.com/C.J.EllissonFanPage
8:00 pm Victoria Danann www.facebook.com/vdanann
8:30 pm Erica Stevens www.facebook.com/ericastevens679
9:00 pm Travis Luedke www.facebook.com/TWLuedke
9:30 pm Vampire Romance Authors... If you weren't a featured author, you can still participate. You are welcome to post your book covers and promote your books here on the event page after 9:30.



SPONSORED and SUPPORTED by PNR Radio with Arial Burnz (I Sci-Fi, Horror, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, true Story etc etc Authors, Lovers Vampire Novels). https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pnr-radio-celebrities-news/id828094403?mt=2 and http://www.arialburnz.com/
SPONSORED IN PART BY http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/
Supported by NOVEL AFTER THOUGHTS...https://www.facebook.com/groups/1410007289241956/
Want to know how you can support or sponsor us? Contact blackswanjunkie@gmail.com


Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Here Is What I Know (Self-Publishing Lessons Reblogged) #Pubtalk #Selfpublishing #ASMSG


Here's a phenomenal blog post from one of my all-time favorite bloggers, JA Konrath, which I have syndicated. 

The Original POST: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2014/03/heres-what-i-know.html

Here is what I know:

Be self-aware.

Be deliberate.

Don't be a pinhead.

Publishing is a business. Writing is an art. You may not enjoy the business, but you definitely should enjoy the art.

This is a marathon, not a sprint.

Read the contract before you sign it. Twice. Three times. Then have your lawyer read it.

The secret to happiness is what you give, not what you get.

No one owes you a living.

Success may involve talent and hard work, but it always involves luck. Talent and hard work may improve your luck.

Ebooks are forever. Forever is a long time to get noticed.

There's a word for a writer who never gives up... published.

Denial is a powerful opiate.

Be kind, be generous, be helpful, and be careful.

If you're selling eggs, don't piss off your chickens.

When you're learning how to walk, you don't take classes. You don't read how-to books. You don't pay experts to help you, or do it for you. You just keep falling until you learn on your own.

Before you make the key, study the lock.

People would rather fight to the death to defend their beliefs than consider changing their minds.

It's about what you have to offer, not what you have to sell.

A sense of entitlement is never acceptable. No one deserves anything.

What are the last ten books you bought, and what made you buy them? Use those techniques to sell your books to other people. Do what works on you.

Hard work trumps talent. Persistence trumps inspiration. Humility trumps ego.

Praise is like candy. We love it, but it isn't good for us. You can only improve by being told what's wrong.

Your book is your child. You can't recognize its shortcomings, any more than a proud parent could consider their child dumb and ugly.

The experts don't know everything, and they might not know what's right for you.

Fate is a future you didn't try hard enough to change.

Anyone looking for you can find you. Get them to find you when they're looking for something else.

Less expectations, more work.

Life gives you wonderful opportunities to conquer fears, learn skills, and master techniques. ""I don't want to" isn't synonymous with "I can't".

People seek out two things: information and entertainment. Offer them freely, and they'll come to you.

The Internet isn't temporary. What you post today can lead people to you decades from now.

If writing is your profession, act professional.

Stop Googling yourself.

No one said it would be fair, fun, or easy. But it can be worthwhile.

We're all in the same boat. Start rowing.

If you can quit, quit. If you can't quit, stop complaining--this is what you chose.

There are a lot of things that happen beyond your control. Your goals should be within your control.

Write when you can. Finish what your start. Edit what you finish. Self-publish. Repeat.

The most successful people on the planet have one thing in common: nothing can stop them. Don't expect to reach your goals without sacrificing things that are important to you.

Being your own best advocate is about understanding how people react to you.

Fake confidence, and real confidence follows.

Maybe you can't win. But you sure as hell can try.

Don't write crap.

Always have two hands reaching out. One, for your next goal. The other, to help people get to where you're at.

If you can't be smart or funny, be brief.

Don't ever say anything online that you wouldn't say in person.

If you're not in love with the sound of your own voice, how can you expect anyone else to ever be?

Knowing you're not original is the first step in becoming unique.

People aren't carved out of marble. We're all works in progress. The trick is to define ourselves, rather than let outside influences define us.

Don't prioritize the mundane.

Writers are essential. Readers are essential. Publishers are not.

Stop thinking if. Start thinking how.

The more you fail, the closer you are to success. If you don't have success, you haven't failed enough.

Envy, jealousy, guilt, regret, shame, and worry are all useless emotions. Focus on love, patience, tolerance, and forgiveness.

There should only be a few people in your life whose opinion matters. The opinions of everyone else do not.

One of the greatest journeys in life is overcoming insecurity and learning to truly not give a shit.

If you're reading this blog, you aren't writing. Get back to work.

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