The cool thing about hanging with writers is sometimes you hear a concept when it’s barely more than a twinkle in someone’s eye. From the first moment I learned about Kate Pearce’s Tudor Vampires, I was hooked. It wasn’t a surprise at all when a publisher snatched it up — especially considering that Kate already had a strong historical romance fan base from her “Simply” series, which I’ve also followed.
I’ve always been intrigued by the stories of the wives of Henry VIII. Most particularly, the Tower of London ghost stories about the ones who were executed there. There’s enough passion, mystery, and yes, a bit of gore and horror, to keep anyone morbidly fascinated. So when I heard of Kate’s paranormal twist on the tale, I had one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments.
Before I go more into the Kiss of the Rose, I wanted to take the opportunity to say that Kate is one of those authors I aspire to emulate. She’s open, genuine, and friendly. Earnest about her craft and is successful simply because she keeps on writing the best book she can over and over. The rest seems to come naturally.
Kate gave me the best advice I heard at RWA conference this year. Since I’ve achieved PAN status (Published Author Network), I attended the PAN only workshops which were geared toward the business side of publishing. “It can drive you crazy,” Kate said, referring to the stream of depressing market news about lower sales and uncertainty in the wake of digital publishing. But she imparted her wisdom to me, “Just be nice to everyone.”
I think that’s the key and finally — advice that’s easy to follow. I’m going out at lunchtime to buy Kiss of the Rose, the first book in the Tudor Vampire chronicles which releases officially today. Kate Pearce never lets me down when it comes to compelling characters and fluid storytelling and I’m excited to see where she takes the story in her first historical paranormal.
The Tudor Vampire Chronicles: Kiss of the Rose
First in a sexy new series that takes a bite out of the court of King Henry VIII
Desperate to defeat King Richard III and gain the English crown, Henry Tudor made a pact with the Druids that bound him and his heirs to the Druid’s deadly struggle against the Vampires. Ever since, the Llewellyns, an ancient Vampire slaying family, have been in the permanent employ of the monarchy.
Now Henry VIII is on the throne, and his father’s bargain has almost been forgotten. Until corpses drained of blood start turning up in the most inappropriate of places, including the king’s bedchamber. But are these people the victims of the Vampires-or of the Druids?
To save the king from a nameless assassin, Rosalind Llewellyn, Vampire hunter extraordinaire, must form an uneasy alliance with a known Druid slayer. Sir Christopher Ellis hails from a family that has protected the Vampires for centuries, yet Rosalind has no choice but to rely on his help. And with her life threatened and her loyalty tested, Rosalind may even have to acknowledge the unthinkable. This sworn enemy may be her soul mate.
Excerpt Monday was started by two lovely writers: Bria Quinlan and Alexia Reed. Visit the other links for some interesting reads from unpublished and published alike and if you’d like to join up for next month, take a look at the main site: The Excerpt Monday blog.
I had told myself I’d abstain from Excerpt Monday since it was so close to conference, but old habits die hard! For this month, I’m posting a rough draft of a snippet from a historical paranormal series which I’m calling The Soul Stealers. The Sorcerer’s Daughter is Book 1. This would be part of Book 4: The White Snake Demoness.
I’m not sure if this scene will make the final cut. I’m working on putting the ideas together.
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Huo Long only caught a glimpse of the two women as they left the inn that morning. The young girl held a bamboo parasol over her mistress’ face to shield her from the sunlight. Even shielded in that way, it was the mistress that held his attention.
She wore white, pure white as if in mourning. But the silk of her gown flowed about her, wholly unlike the coarse drape of sackcloth. They walked across the courtyard and every eye followed them. Two women, unescorted and alone. That was strange enough.
He was still thinking of the women much later that morning after they left. A group of men gathered in the alley beside the inn to confer in hushed tones. Huo Long leaned close to the wall of the tea room. Their voices drifted through the open patio.
“Who was she?” they asked. And, “Where was she going?”
It was more than curiosity that had these men brewing. The lady traveled with a satchel of riches, they said. Gold and precious jade. She must have been a wealthy widow, relocating after her husband’s death.
His stomach knotted with disgust. It was too easy to find ill-will and foul spirit in this world. He didn’t need to look to demonkind for such evil. Men were too willing to turn their own weaknesses on each other.
He tossed several copper coins onto the table and took to the bustling morning streets of Hangzhou. The gang had scattered throughout the crowd. Huo Long was able to identify one man here, another figure there as he wove through the foot traffic. He tracked the men through the market until they disappeared into the wooded park surrounding the West Lake.
The two woman were likely expecting a peaceful morning, visiting the pagodas and bridges of the lake. Huo Long moved his hand near his sword as he stepped into the shade of the park. The trees pushed back the clamor of the city and the area grew still and quiet. Dense grass muted his footsteps. He listened for voices through the thicket.
To his surprise, there was no sound, no movement as he wandered deeper. He emerged at the shore of the lake and saw the woman in white. She stood serene and graceful, with the sunlight glittering over the water behind her. Her attendant was nowhere to be seen.
He came closer and was about to inquire if she was alright. Then he saw the bodies strewn around them. They lay lifeless in the grass, unmarked A trickle of blood ran from one man’s mouth. Huo Long had been trailing them by less than twenty paces.
A green snake slithered by his foot in the grass and he jumped backward, but the lady in white remained still as the creature undulated toward her. She smiled brightly, the beauty of the smile grotesque given the circumstances. His heart pumped faster with an emotion he couldn’t place.
“Oh, he’s come to rescue us. How heroic!” Her eyes glowed like polished jade. “And handsome too.”
The grass at his feet came alive with snakes, writhing one atop another, moving en masse toward the woman in white.
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More excerpts:
I haven’t screened all of these myself, so please heed the ratings. These excerpts may contain content not typical of my site.
Excerpt Monday was started by two lovely writers: Bria Quinlan and Alexia Reed. Visit the other links for some interesting reads from unpublished and published alike and if you’d like to join up for next month, take a look at the main site: The Excerpt Monday blog.
The Sorcerer’s Daughter is a historical fantasy centered around five swordsmen in the Emperor’s secret service who’ve been tasked with fighting demons and evil spirits. This is Book One in what I’m currently calling The Soul Stealers.
I had to admit some similarities to Tsui Hark’s Age of Vampires…but only on the surface.
Tai Shen sensed the sudden emptiness in the clearing. The gui were gone. He sheathed his sword to silence the lost souls that whirled around him. They fell away with a mournful sigh.
Song Yi lowered the ritual sword. Her hand trembled. “It was worse tonight.”
Her lips were pale. The mourning veil had fallen away to reveal a cascade of black hair tied back with a single ribbon. A moment ago she had been like a warrior goddess, but now Tai Shen only saw the girl, grieving and frightened. How had she faced these demons alone?
“Was that the leader?” she asked.
“Demons don’t have a leader.”
The stillness was unsettled. Once again, too quiet. As if the insects and birds and natural creatures of the night knew to stay away. Tai Shen swept his gaze over the woods. Something was wrong.
Jin approached, frowning. Like every expression from Jin, is spoke of a thousand thoughts behind it. “The guiguai all disappeared.”
“They never went away until dawn…” Song Yi’s voice trailed away. She rushed back to the cabin.
They reached the door to find her standing beside the bamboo mat. The talismans smoldered upon the walls. The mat lay empty.
She bowed her head. “I should never have left.”
A thin layer of sand had been laid over the floor. Taoist symbols were traced into the dirt, radiating outward like a spider’s web. A trail of footprints disrupted the markings.
One set led away from the mat. None led to it.
***
Song Yi grabbed the lantern, ignoring the swordsmen as the called after her. She would search the entire mountainside for Father if she had to. She would lay him to rest.
The smell of rotting meat tainted the air and her stomach lurched. The previous nights, she’d hidden away inside the cabin, praying that the talismans, the chanting, the mirror wards would hold the gui back. She’d considered that these beings were only waking nightmares, coming at night, living only in her mind. But they were real. She had seen how them swarm and attack. Had seen how the swords cut through them. Demon flesh melted into black sludge in the grass at her feet. She held her breath and pushed forward, but someone grabbed hold of her arm.
It was the one called Tai Shen. Up close, he seemed massive, foreboding. She tensed beneath the force of his grip. No one ever touched her like that.
“We need to get back inside,” he said. He appeared almost apologetic as she shook her arm free.
“Father is out there.”
“They’re coming again.”
The air churned like dark water around them and the unnatural hum in her ears grew louder until her head throbbed. A chill crept over her skin. He was right.
They escaped to the cabin, behind the talismans and mirror wards. Behind the screen of fragrant incense, meant to attract benevolent spirits. Tai Shen dragged the door shut and stood guard by the window.
He drew back the curtain with two fingers, sword still in hand. “I can see them.”
She and Father had lived in one room where all the humble necessities of life had been packed; furnace, bed mats, small, tight shelves that held their few belongings. The intrustion of the two strangers shrunk the space even smaller. A curtain could be drawn to separate the altar from the rest of the cabin. She wanted to do so now and block out the sight of the barren mat where her father had lain cold and still.
“I must go after him.” Her heart pounded and her palms grew damp around the wooden sword. Yet she forced herself to continue. “They’ll tear him apart.”
Is it that time again? Time flies when you’re on deadline! Well, um, self-imposed deadline that is.
Excerpt Monday was started by two lovely writers: Bria Quinlan and Alexia Reed. It revolves around a group of unpublished and published authors who post their excerpts once a month on a Monday. More are always welcome!Visit the other links for some interesting reads and if you’d like to join up for next month, take a look at the main site: The Excerpt Monday blog.
November brings us the opening to a series that I’m hoping to be able to flesh out once Across the Silk Road is done. You can see by the less than sparkly title, that this is still in pre-production. It’s my first attempt to plot a historical paranormal series revolving around five swordsmen in secret service to the Emperor.
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The Middle Kingdom, 9th century
Over the last rise there was silence. Tai Shen expected the sounds of the night to surround them out in this wooded area; the whirring of summer crickets or the coo of an owl. His hand trailed to his weapon, and his sword brother Jin mirrored the gesture.
“Do you sense anything?”
Jin grew still, breathing slowly in and out, before shaking his head. He remained tense however, poised for danger. Tai Shen didn’t comprehend the ethereal forces that Jin sought. Their shifu referred to it as a subtle light.
The outline of a cabin stood ahead. The scent of camphor and sandalwood grew stronger as they approached until it hung in the air like a veil. A strip of paper hung on either side of the doorway, displaying the spider-like brushstrokes of an incantation.
The Taoist master Yang had retreated to this remote stretch of forest nearly a decade ago, losing himself in isolation like so many seekers of the Way. But Tai Shen needed the help of a master now, a true sorcerer who could call the spirits and bend heaven and earth.
A sliver of light seeped out from around the door. Tai Shen peered through the opening. An elderly man lay still upon a mat at the center of the room. Too still.
Tai Shen felt his throat close tight. His insides ground to dust. Master Yang was dead.
A woman in mourning robe of bleached sackcloth knelt beside him. She balanced a writing tablet in her lap and held the calligraphy brush between her first and second fingers. Her brush danced down the strip of paper in one fluid stroke.
“It’s Song Yi,” Jin whispered.
The sorcerer’s daughter.
Song Yi finished the final stroke before glancing up. A white veil framed her fine-boned face. Her eyes were swollen and rimmed with red, but any tears had long gone dry. “So the demon hunters are finally here.”
They were intruding and adding insult to the trespass by spying. Tai Shen pushed the door open to pay his respects properly. His blood went to ice.
Hundreds of talismans covered the walls, ground to the ceiling. Cinnabar ink stained the yellow paper like blood.
“They come for him every night.” Desperation crept into her voice. “They want him, I know it. I can barely hold them back.”
Had she been taken by madness? “Who comes for him?”
The night breeze began to howl behind him. Jin gripped his arm.
“Guǐguài,” she whispered.
Demonkind. The paper talismans on the walls burst into flame.
Exceprt Monday Participants: Note: I have not personally screened these excerpts and they may contain material that is not typical of my blog. Please heed the ratings when browsing the excerpts.
I’ve been tossing around what to do next and my CP helped me find my way — which is why it’s important to have partners that are good at the things you suck at. For me it’s coming up with ideas and where to put commas.
So I wondered if I should leave medieval China, try something else. Something maybe more “marketable” in case this China thing doesn’t work. But I just couldn’t. So if anything, I’m going deeper into the wuxia genre that inspired me by adding paranormal elements.
It’s quite exciting! The supernatural is so prominently woven into Chinese history and culture that I practically feel like I’m still researching a historical rather than worldbuilding for a paranormal romance. There are major texts on the supernatural and a city that is well known to contain the gate to the underworld. I mean, so well known that there’s practically nothing mysterious about it. I’ll have to change that in my book. And it’ll have all the things I love — swords, honor, melodramatic characters – LOL.
I’m trying to learn something new by brainstorming a series. All my previous stories were related, but standalone. Plotting a series you need to think of the series arc as well as each story arc. It’s quite fascinating. I don’t have what I call the “Big Bad” nailed down yet, so things are still pretty loose.
But I do have nearly all five couples mapped out. I realize that I don’t start with character sketches or outlines or even worldbuilding. I start by matchmaking. I figure out the hero and the heroine and gauge if there’s enough conflict and chemistry for them to carry a book. I don’t know much about them other than whether they’ll spark. I guess that’s why at the heart of it, I write romance.
Oh, a hint? Tao sorcery, exorcism swords…a Secret Service team that works for the Emperor (inspired by my research for Unusual Historicals). I think I can start writing by this weekend. Giddy!
One of my guilty pleasures is making book trailers. I know I should be writing instead, but they’re so much fun when you’re trying to get everything just right.
I had the pleasure of beta reading a historical paranormal romance for one of my writing buddies, Inez Kelley. I was so excited by the book, that I had to make a trailer for her upcoming September release.
Some of the book trailers out there suck and some are the mega-expensive ones with live actors and special effects. Umm….mine’s somewhere in between. And, I have to say, I think it’s pretty darn cool.
Shout out to Kevin MacLeod who offers awesome musical compositions that he makes freely available. (Apology for spelling his name wrong in the credits — trying to fix that.) I’m hoping I can request something for a trailer of my own someday…Enjoy!
