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Lurking Musings

~ Musings of a newly published writer

Lurking Musings

Tag Archives: Paranormal

[Vampire Month] Let’s Talk About Vamps by Elizabeth Morgan

12 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by D.A Lascelles in Musings, Vampire Month

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Ageless Vampire, Bram Stoker, Cranberry Blood, Dracula, Elizabeth Morgan, Immortality, Paranormal, paranormal romance, Romantic vampire, Vampire


So the end of the week is in sight and Elizabeth is back again to wow us with her guest post… here she talks about why she loves vampires so much.Elizabeth Morgan

Let’s talk Vampires and why I think we love them so much.

What is it about these creatures of the night that excites us as readers? Is it their immortality and the idea that they are endless; that they can see how the world changes? That they can experience everything the world will ever have to offer them over time? Is it the fact that age does not touch them? That they will remain young and possibly perfect forever? Is it that they are dangerous? That they are killers and there is a part deep in all of us Vamp lovers that longs for their redemption? Is it their kiss? Bloody, and deadly, yet said to give a form of pleasure that no human could possibly imagine? Is it their allure? The fact that deep down we know they are dangerous, but we yearn for such risks? Is it that we find them romantic? They’re mature and full of knowledge; the fact they are from a different lifetime?

Vampires are ageless, and I don’t mean in the sense that they are the undead and frozen at a particular age. There are myths descending back further than the 14th Century which tell of creatures that prey on the weak and thirst for blood. Every culture in the world has its own brand of Vampires. Thousand – if not more – books have been written on this particular species and a ton of films have been made. No one, despite the ever wavering interest in this particular being, will ever tire of hearing about Vampires, but why? What is it that we love so much about them? I have been a fan of Vampires since I was a child. That infatuation first began when I watched the movie Bram Stokers, Dracula. Now, I can hold my hands up and say that the big appeal was naturally the love story. I’m a sucker – forgive the pun – for love. I’m a huge romantic, and the idea of a man condemning god and turning himself into something so beastly, so evil, simply because he felt betrayed and was grieving for his soul mate . . . Well, be still my heart. We have centuries of heartache and turmoil and undying hope mixed in with that, and hot damn, it’s magical.

When I was a child, Vampires were terrifying, but seemed really cool at the same time; they were like the bad boys and girls, rebels, dangerous, and otherworldly. What kid didn’t imagine possessing powers and getting away with all sorts of kick ass things? Naturally, once I was older I began to see other sides of their appeal. They are flawless, sexual creatures. Who doesn’t love that? Who hasn’t at some point in their life liked the idea of being that appealing, or of having someone that hot and mysterious pay them attention? I’m not afraid to say I have, and on many occasions. Then there is power; they are strong, and fast, and they remain healthy. They are past death; something very appealing for anyone who fears death, or for someone who feels they haven’t had enough time in this life. Vampires move with the ages, they can watch the world climb and falPageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00064]l around them. They can be a part of history. Just think of all those experiences!

Lastly, and probably the most appealing side to these beings, would be the fight for their soul – whether or not you believe they have one. As readers we all want to believe that these dark and sometimes tortured creatures can be saved, and naturally, we want the heroine/hero – heck, sometimes we want to be in their place – to do the saving. We want the vampire to be redeemed, and to have hope, and love, and happiness. We want a happily ever after for these bloodsuckers.

In my opinion Vampires – or rather the paranormal genre in general – is limitless. Each person will have their own idea of what a vampire is, how they should look, how they should act. In my Blood Series my Vampires are the bad guys and they look similar to the guy from Salem’s lot. They have human features, but when they are ready to feed or fight, their hair falls out, their jaws dislocate and their fangs extend to a horrible length. You really wouldn’t want to bump into them. Trust me.

No one’s view of Vampires is wrong. It is interpretation and belief. It is what a person’s imagination creates. As I said earlier there is a variety of different type of Vampires, depending which country they come from. Every writer will create them differently, tell them differently; some have souls, and some don’t. Some look human, but with fangs and others will shift forms. Some Vampires sparkle and some are blue, bald, and completely terrifying, but no matter what form they come in or how handsome or scary they are, we love them. I think the reason for that is because they are an altered, magical, and limitless version of ourselves. They are the impossible. Humans “aren’t” supposed to survive after death; they “aren’t” supposed to live forever, and they “aren’t” supposed to remain ageless. Vampires break the natural code; heck, they break all the rules and they do it with such style.

Whatever the reason may be for why we are fascinated by this particular species, I honestly believe that they will continue to be one of the most – if not the most – written about species in literature.

 

About the Author:

Elizabeth Morgan is a multi-published author of urban fantasy, paranormal, erotic horror, f/f, and contemporary; all with a degree of romance, a dose of action and a hit of sarcasm, sizzle or blood, but you can be sure that no matter what the genre, Elizabeth always manages to give a unique and often humorous spin to her stories.

Like her tagline says; A pick ‘n’ mix genre author. “I’m not greedy. I just like variety.”

And that she does, author of erotic ménage horror, Creak, paranormal erotic horror and UK, US & Australian Amazon best seller (Gay/Lesbian, Fiction, Lesbian), On the Rocks, erotic romance, US, UK & Spanish Amazon bestseller (Erotica Short Story) Truth or Dare? And sweet contemporary romance, UK & US Amazon bestseller (British/Drama & Plays) Stepping Stones.

She also has her hand in self-publishing. Look out for more information on her upcoming releases at her website: www.e-morgan.com

Away from the computer, Elizabeth can be found in the garden trying hard not to kill her plants, dancing around her little cottage with the radio on while she cleans, watching movies or good television programmes – Dr Who? Atlantis? The Musketeers? Heck, yes! – Or curled up with her two cats reading a book.

Where to find Elizabeth Online:

Website: www.e-morgan.com Blog: www.xxxxmyworldxxxx.blogspot.co.uk Twitter: @EMorgan2010 Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/ElizabethMorgan Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.morgan.944 Blood Series Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheBloodSeries?ref=hl Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethm2012/boards/ TSU: https://www.tsu.co/ElizabethMorgan Blog: (Shared with Dianna Hardy): http://notjustastiffupperlip.blogspot.co.uk/

Lurking Miscellany release

02 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by D.A Lascelles in Publicity

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

a collection of short stories, bbw romance, Book Release, D.A Lascelles, Lurking Miscellany, Ninfa Hayes, Paperback, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Waypoint


The release of Lurking Miscellany was on Saturday in Leeds, so now it is time to open up the book to the rest of the world.

The blurb (written for me by the wonderful Ninfa Hayes):

“It’s you!” She stood up and backed away, pointing accusingly at Orchil. “You’re doing this to me! You’re using some form of… of… magic.” What else could explain it? A spell, a curse, an inexplicable phenomenon. Magic!

Orchil laughed. “You really that stupid? I thought you followed the great god, Science? Sit, girl, sit and let me tell you how the trick was done. And that’s a rare thing, a Shaman explaining their magic, so you better listen well!”LurkingMiscellany-lg

An environmental activist with the power to control the elements;

A xeno-anthropologist Gate Tech seeking to learn the secrets of an alien race;

A shape changing fey playing havoc in a nightclub.

These are just some of the characters that live in the shadows of the secret worlds that surround us. Discover their stories in this enthralling anthology. Embrace the lurking miscellany.

If you want to acquire a copy of this collection of short stories you can do so in one of two ways.

First (and quickest) method is to go via Lulu and order a copy from their online shop. The link for this is to be found on my webpage under publications. I have even made it easy for you with a quick and simple buy link that gets you straight there.

The second method is to contact me either through this page (comment below) or on facebook or via my email address (dalascelles-writing@yahoo.co.uk) and ask me for a copy. You can even ask me to sign it for you if you like.
 
It is hoped that there will be more places to buy from soon. Just negotiating the delicate issues of self publication (which is totally new to me at the moment so learning a lot) and working through all possible routes of delivery and format. Hoping for Amazon listing to be available soon, for example. I will keep you all informed as to when a new way to purchase a copy emerges. Will at some point also be considering ebook formats too, though I think that may take a while as I suspect there will have to be a lot of formatting changes to make it work.
 
Also worth knowing that this collection is intended as a taster and also a chance for readers to tell me which story they liked the best. The one that gets the most votes will be developed further as a longer piece of fiction – either as a series of short stories/novellas or a complete novel. Once you have acquired a copy you can cast your vote by contacting me using the methods outlined in the Afterword. You can also post in the comments to this blog post.
 
 

 

[Guest Post] Opposite Attraction by Judy Bagshaw

24 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by D.A Lascelles in Guest posts

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

bagshaw, BBW Anthology project, BBW Romance writers, books, ghost hunter, Ghosts, guest blogging, guest posts, mundania press, Paranormal, paranormal romance, parapsychology, Plus sized heroines, Publication, romantic suspense, writing


My name is Judy Bagshaw, and I am a Canadian author of romance and romantic suspense generally featuring plus-sized heroines. I’ve been published since 1999 and currently have three ebooks available through Fictionwise, two anthologies and a novel with Draumr Publishing, a short story collection and upcoming novel with Pearlsong Press, a short in an anthology with The Wild Rose Press, two novels with Mundania Press and one with their imprint, AweStruck.

A huge thanks to David for inviting me to guest post on his blog. I’m a little new at the whole blogging thing, so can’t promise that I’ll enlighten or amaze. I do hope I’ll interest you enough to consider checking out my upcoming paranormal romance, Opposite Attraction, coming out in ebook from Mundania Press, July 24. (www.mundania.com)

David told you a bit about our project in a recent post. Basically, to recap, several authors banded together to write romance novellas featuring ghosts. Five of us saw it through to completion. We took turns critiquing each other’s work, then did rounds of editing later. We polished them up as best we could, then started looking around for a home.

Finding a home was a five year journey filled with hope, disappointment, doubt, desperation, determination, and finally exaltation. We were thrilled when Mundania Press accepted our anthology for publication. They are releasing each story in ebook format first, giving each author a month to shine on their own, then the stories will be compiled into a print anthology…likely late in the fall.

The title, Opposite Attraction, nicely sums up my story. Serena McKay, my heroine, is a skeptic…someone who has made a career from exposing frauds and con artists in the field of paranormal activity. Carter Shehan, on the other hand, is a bona fide ghost hunter. He believes. And he has spent his adult life trying to find proof of the existence of the here-after and ghostly visitors to this plane. Both have written best selling books in their respective fields, and they have locked horns more than once, both adamant that they are right.

Challenged by Carter on a nationally broadcast television talk show, Serena agrees to spend the weekend with him at the famous “haunted” Shelbourne Manor, now a museum. It’s a ‘fish or cut bait’ situation, and Serena is determined to show Carter up as just one more charlatan, while he is determined to prove to her that ghosts exist.

But of course, as with any good romance story, something unexpected happens, and you’ll have to read the story to find out how it all ends up. Let’s just say that it doesn’t hurt that Carter finds the feisty Serena very attractive. And if Serena were being honest, she would admit to more than a passing interest in the laid back Carter.

I like the idea of bringing opposites together and seeing where fate leads them, and often my heroines and heroes are at odds with each other before finding their way into each other’s heart.

You can read more about my work, including excerpts and reviews, at www.judybagshaw.com

You can also find out more about our little writing group at www.bbwromancewriters.homestead.com

The importance of science in paranormal research

17 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by D.A Lascelles in Guest posts, Musings, Wierdness

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

guest blogging, guest posts, importance of science, News From the Spirit World, Paranormal, paranormal research, parapsychology, recent article, Research, Science, Scientific method, spirit world, Statistics, writing


Over at the News From the Spirit World blog site I have been discussing a recent article in The Guardian regarding scientific methodology in relation to parapsychology.

http://newsfromthespiritworld.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/the-importance-of-science-in-paranormal-research/#more-257

Warning: it contains some discussion of stats and I even mention P values. Those with an allergy to t tests should probably stay away…

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