The Lessons of Twilight or Avoidable Mistakes in Vampire Fiction

In the world of vampire fiction, there are several names that loom large.  There's Dracula.  There's Anne Rice.  There's Sookie Stackhouse.  And, of course, there's Twilight. 

In writing She Dies at the End, one of my goals was for it to be the anti-Twilight.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I read all the Twilight books.  They are page turners.  There's no denying that they're fun.  But there are some things about them that really bother me. 

First, I shall complain about the romance.  Edward emotionally abuses Bella.  He's incredibly controlling, and her worship of him is disturbing.  Her total nervous breakdown after he leaves her paints a terrible picture to young girls of what it means love someone and of how you process your feelings after it goes bad.  This is one reason that November goes through a failed romance in Book 1 of my series.  I wanted to show that a girl can be sad about a first love gone wrong but still stand up for herself and move on.  I also wanted to acknowledge the fundamental creep factor of an ancient vampire going after a teenage girl.  The power dynamics of that are really unacceptable, no matter how much you try to gloss it over by saying that he's a virgin or that she's his one true love.  

The vampire-human romantic situations in my book are portrayed as sketchy because they are, in fact, sketchy.

Another thing that irritates me about Twilight is the lack of diversity in the main cast.  You do have Native American werewolves, but otherwise, it's white people as far as the eye can see.  The only Black dude has a handful of pages and then dies.  Why are all the Cullens white?  There is no reason for that.  Representation matters.  When the default race for every character is white, that sends a strong, negative message to people of color, especially young people.  I deliberately create my characters to reflect the diversity of the world around me, here in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I think that makes my books more interesting and sends a positive message to all readers.

Finally, there's the total lack of any consequences for bad decisions.  In the Twilight series, Bella knows that if she becomes a vampire, she is likely to kill someone.  Her vampire friends tell her this over and over again.  Some of the Cullens even take bets on how high the body count will be.  And yet, Bella wants to become one anyway, so she can be with Edward forever and never get old.  And instead of having to face the consequences of what is fundamentally a selfish decision, she's conveniently such a special vampire snowflake that she can resist her urge for human blood with no mistakes.  I find that to be an unsatisfying cop-out, one I try to avoid in She Lights Up the Dark.  

My mixed feelings about Twilight have definitely informed my writing, and serve as an example of how helpful it can be to read within your genre.  It helps you to see the elements you love as well as those that are more problematic.  I will likely never have the level of success achieved by Stephanie Meyer, but I'm proud of the story I've created.  I think it is enjoyable, interesting, and socially conscious.  I hope you'll agree.

Read more about my vampires, fairies, and werewolves in She Dies at the End, She Lights Up the Dark, and She Marches Through Fire.

New November Snow Trailers

As you may have noticed, I recently updated the covers for my November Snow novels.  For the sake of consistency, I wanted to update my trailers to match.  Check out the spiffy new trailers for She Dies at the End, She Lights Up the Dark, and She Marches Through Fire.

New November Snow Covers

You may have noticed the little makeover I've given my November Snow series of paranormal fantasy novels.  Thanks to Eeva Lancaster over at The Book Khaleesi, my favorite doomed psychic has a new look for the new year.

I just love the colors on this one!  There is an innocence about it, which seems appropriate as November enters a new and dangerous world.  It also has a bit of a romantic feel, which makes sense to me because there is something very seductive about the supernatural powers and individuals she encounters in Book 1.

This one communicates heat and danger as November copes with all the changes to her existence.  I love how the background reflects the Gothic feel of the church where she hides at the start of the book, and the way it looks like she is heading into danger.

I love the regal power this one communicates, as November strides into danger with her head held high.  The details of the scepter and the trees correspond so well to the story.

All in all, I'm pretty thrilled with the new look.  Hopefully a few new readers will be enticed to leap into the story.  Happy reading!

November Snow Celebrates Read Self-Published Month

I've been participating in a wonderful event all month long. Read Self-Published Month celebrates the creative work being done by indie authors in all genres. Led by Zach Chopchinski, we are enjoying events galore, including this blog tour, giveaways, read-alongs, and Facebook takeovers.

And it's not too late for you to get in on the fun! Join the Facebook group for Read Self-Published month and discover a wealth of talent producing amazing work outside the traditional publishing system. Tomorrow, the blog tour continues with Lucy Felthouse, a U.K. writer of erotic and romance fiction.




Today, I'm sharing a short excerpt from the first novel in my November Snow Series, She Dies at the End. I recently completed the series with the release of my third novel, She Marches Through Fire. I want to give you a taste of my writing style. My protagonist, November Snow, is an eighteen-year-old carnival psychic who winds up in the middle of some very dangerous and supernatural shenanigans. I like to think of it as vampire fiction for the intellectual. ;-)  If you'd like to hear me read all of Chapter 1, click here.


From She Dies at the End (November Snow Book 1), Chapter 1

She watched them bury her again.

Four people stand in a garden. The short redhead, an impatient fireplug, has a dusty shovel in his large hands. His wide shoulders stretch his clothes. A tiny teenager with caramel skin stands beside him and places a hand on his arm, her tunic marred by drops of blood. A tall waif stands apart, distraught, shaking; blue tears fall from her eyes, eyes the same shade of electric blue as her hair. Closest to the grave is the bloody businessman: his dark suit stained darker still with blood, his white shirt ruined, his shoes dusty, his designer tie twisted, now turned more noose than accessory.

His face is stone. His eyes scream. His fangs catch the light. A girl is dead because she tried to help him. His girl is dead, just like the ones before.

Her corpse waits patiently, cradled in the gnarled roots of an old tree. Blood has soaked through her blue silk dress. It stains her mouth, covering the blue tinge of death. The businessman bends down and kisses her forehead. He lifts her up, leaps gracefully into the grave, and places her carefully into her resting place. Her dark blue eyes are still open, but she doesn’t look frightened. She looks relieved. He closes them gently, touches her cheek. A drop of blood wells in his eye, rolls down his cheek, falls silently onto her dark hair, evidence of his grief: her killer's grief.


She watched them bury her again.


***

November Snow awoke with the certainty that she’d overslept and promptly bashed her head against the bottom of her table. That was the one drawback to her little nest, but she’d take a sleeping bag on the ground and a knot on her head any day. It was far preferable to sleeping in her mother’s trailer and the consequent possibility of waking up to sounds she'd rather not hear. It was rather cozy, actually, along the lines of a blanket fort.

The girl crawled out into the dim light inside her tent and began to prepare for another day of work. She jumped to her feet; a quick glance at her watch confirmed that she had better hustle. Her oversleeping was no surprise, really, after the previous night’s shenanigans. She sighed inwardly and ran her hands through her long black hair, yanking out the worst of the tangles and steeling herself to face the day.

Her first task was to wash off the previous day’s dust and sweat, which she did with a quickness as the shower in her mom’s motor-coach lacked hot water. What I wouldn't give for a scalding hot bath, she thought. Pulling on her thrift store jeans and t-shirt, she caught brief glimpses of their former owners. Detergent could wash away many things, but not the imprints of those who'd previously worn the clothes. Thankfully, such visions tended to fade with time as she made her the items her own, but the first few days in someone else’s castoffs were always a real headache. She then attempted to wake her mother from her stupor, which this morning was a futile effort. Not that I'm surprised. The next job was breakfast.

She walked quickly down the midway toward the food stands. She grabbed an apple from Sally’s candy apple counter. Most everyone was busy preparing their games and rides for the influx of marks soon to ensue. Her few friends greeted her. More, however, crossed themselves, called her a freak under their breath, and kept on working.



Here's the blurb:

Bronze medalist in the Reader's Favorite Book Awards
Finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards
Short-listed in the Chanticleer Paranormal Awards
Finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Second Place for the Rave Reviews Book Club Book of the Year

November Snow has seen her own burial a thousand times. It is the only thing she knows about her future.

In a war amongst vampires and fairies, a small advantage can mean the difference between victory and defeat. And a psychic who can peer across the globe, unspool the past, and probe the future is more than a small advantage. Everyone wants to use her for his own ends: the ancient king, the black sheep, the dutiful son, the lost boy.

But November Snow wants things, too, before death comes for her. She wants purpose. She wants friendship. She wants love. She wants happiness. She wants respect. And she will not settle for less.

Pulled into the midst of a royal family feud centuries in the making, she must forge her own path through violence, betrayal, first loves, and mortal peril as she struggles to come to terms with her gift and her destiny, even as she knows this for certain:

She dies at the end.


I hope you'll give my books, as well as those of the other participating authors, a try.  You can read She Dies at the End for only $0.99.  Happy reading!

Favorite Moments in the November Snow Series

As the release day for She Marches Through Fire fast approaches, I’ve found myself thinking back over the series, recalling some of my favorite moments.  Some are moments of triumph or catharsis.  Others are scenes that, while dark, were a heck of a lot of fun to write.  I thought I would share some of my favorite scenes with you, in no particular order.  There may be some spoilers for books 1 and 2 below, so perhaps you should avert your eyes if you aren’t caught up on my supernatural oeuvre.

1) November’s Visions

I have a lot of appreciation for November's visions.  After all, the first book is built around her only vision of her own future.  They are fun to write, I think, because they are so visual and descriptive.  Which of November’s visions is your favorite?  Mine are probably the burial visions.

2) November Meeting Luka

The moment in the back half of She Dies at the End when November finally comes face to face with Luka is pretty epic, if I do say so myself.  After lurking in the shadows and looming over the action for hundreds of pages, there he finally is, in all his gleeful, sociopathic glory.  He is a villain who likes to speak, and to speak well.  His dialogue, in general, is probably the most enjoyable thing to write in the whole series.

3) November saving Nigel from the Werewolves

In She Lights Up the Dark, November and Nigel have an unfortunate run-in with some hostile lycanthropes.  In order to save Nigel, November manages to teleport herself across town to get a weapon.  This is her first time accessing that particular power.  I enjoy scenes when November grows into her abilities, using them in a new way in order to save the day in the nick of time.

4) The Battle Scene at Luka’s Arizona Fortress

Writing the rescue/battle scene toward the end of She Dies at the End was great fun.  It felt quite cinematic to me.  I am very much influenced by film, and I prefer action, heist, and comic book movies to chick flicks.  In addition, the chance to finally release the tension of the captivity chapters comes as a relief, as a writer and as a reader.

5) The Capitol Attack

I do like the climax of She Lights Up the Dark, in spite of the heartbreaking death contained therein.   (You know what I’m talking about.)  Watching November manage to kick butt and foil evil plans is always satisfying.  And I do love to spring a surprise.  I also like the fact that things don’t go exactly according to plan for our heroes.  People make mistakes, and there are negative consequences.  The other thing I like about that chapter is the revelation of the supernatural world.  I knew when I started the series that I wanted the ordinary and the supernatural worlds to collide in the second book, so to get to that point was satisfying for me.

Now, I would love to review my favorite moments in She Marches Through Fire, but I don’t want to spoil your fun.  We’ll have to wait to discuss them once you’ve had a chance to read it.  You have pre-ordered it, right?  Well, then, what are you waiting for?

Before you go, what are your favorite scenes in the November Snow Series?

She Lights Up the Dark Blog Tour

I am bouncing all over the internet for the next week, as She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2) makes its debut on April 19.  These lovely ladies, all brilliant writers themselves, are being kind enough to host me on their blogs.  Please visit all the stops on my tour, and feel free to leave comments and questions. Some will be interviews, others essays.  Some are written from the point of view of some of your favorite characters.  Check back here each day for the day's direct link, and don't miss any of the fun!

Saturday, April 16

Fionna Guillaume

Sunday, April 17

Aditi Chopra

Monday, April 18

Odelia Floris

Tuesday, April 19

Jolie Mason

Wednesday, April 20

Pandora Spocks

Thursday, April 21

Patient Lee

Friday, April 22

Corrissa James

Saturday, April 23

Eeva Lancaster

Settings: Oakland, California

I love Oakland. I used to teach high school in the Oakland district, and I go to church in Oakland every Sunday. So, when it came time to write my new novel, She Lights Up the Dark, I wanted to set part of it in my favorite Bay Area metropolis.

Oakland gets a bad rap, but it is such a vital, energetic, interesting place. The scenes I set there all take place in the Uptown and Lake Merritt areas, in and around one of the city's historic churches. The particular church on which I based the unnamed location in my book had its heyday in the decade after the 1906 earthquake. In my novel, the church provides both literal and symbolic sanctuary for characters who find themselves in a great deal of trouble with nowhere else to go. Time is a very fluid thing for the vampires and fairies that populate my books, especially for the psychic main character, November Snow. I thus fancied the notion of using an historic location, a place that looks ancient and permanent but is actually ever-changing.

See if you can figure out which Oakland landmark November's church is based upon. You can leave your guess in the comments. And if you have the money and inclination to give something to a welcoming, progressive church working to serve its community, I know for a fact that they wouldn't turn down a check. ;-)

Vampires? In my Livermore?

Several chapters of my new novel, She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2), are set in lovely Livermore, California, where I happen to reside.

I enjoy setting my paranormal adventures in local places for a number of reasons.  For one thing, when writing, it is much easier to use locations with which you are familiar.  The references come across much more naturally than when you're using street names or locations you dug up on the internet.  I also love the incongruity of writing a story in which vampires are running around doing crazy things in locations I see and visit on a daily or weekly basis.  I feel as though I know a secret every time I walk into Espresso Rosetta or take my kid to Les Knott Park.

And then there's the fact that Livermore is an awesome little city, and I feel it deserves to be more well-known than it is.  We have beautiful landscapes, parks, and open spaces.  We have science and ranching, industry and vineyards, arts and sports, all in one town.  We have a welcoming population that is ever-increasing its diversity.  It's a pretty great place-- way more interesting than Forks. ;-)

If you ever have the good fortune to be in my adopted hometown, see if you can track down the locations you'll be reading about in She Lights Up the Dark, and post the photos on my Facebook page.  Speaking of which, have you pre-ordered your copy yet?  Tick-tock: April 19 will be here before you know it!

Music to Read and Write By

Writer and musicians live to evoke emotion.  When I'm in the process of writing a book, I often notice songs that possess the same feelings being experienced by the characters about whom I'm writing that day.  So, as I go along, I gradually build up a playlist that goes with the book.  I did this with the my first book, She Dies at the End (click here for the playlist), as well as with the upcoming sequel, She Lights Up the Dark.

You can find the Spotify playlist for She Lights Up the Dark here.  It is quite an eclectic mix.  I'm going to highlight a few of my favorite selections and how they tie to the book.

"Twisted Little Man" by Michael Sheehy is creepy warning of a song, with overtones of desperation and longing for redemption.  It always makes me think of Ilyn and Luka and their strange relationships with November.  I first heard it while watching Deadwood, where it was used during the ending credits one episode, and fans of that show will remember how well it applied to Al and the Sheriff alike.

Regina Spektor's "Apres Moi" calls to mind November's strength and her need to just keep fighting no matter how tired she gets.

"Me, Myself and I" from G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha is the anthem of someone who just feels like saying goodbye to love and to friends and going it alone instead.  I think we all feel that way sometimes.  One of the new characters in the novel has a history of disappearing and trying to sever connections.  Fair warning: there is a lot of swearing in this one.

Joni Mitchell's iconic "Both Sides Now" makes me think of Ilyn, who has seen it all and then some.

In case you don't have Spotify but you still want to listen, here is the complete list of tracks, in no particular order:

Me, Myself, & I by G-Eazy and Bebe Rexha
It's Too Late by Wild Belle
Astronauts by Rachel Platten
Mr. Midnight by The Devil Makes Three
Straightline by Pete Bernhard
Graveyard by The Devil Makes Three
The Bullet by The Devil Makes Three
Ne Me Quitte Pas by Regina Spektor
Two Birds by Regina Spektor
Apres Moi by Regina Spektor
Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan
Mr. Tambourine Man covered by Judy Collins
Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell
Paper Bag by Fiona Apple
Waiting Around to Die by The Be Good Tanyas
Twisted Little Man by Michael Sheehy
Broken Arrows by Avicii
Can't Catch Me by Avicii
Dark Eyes covered by Dawn Landes
Hands to Myself by Selena Gomez
Adore by Jasmine Thompson
Learn to Love by W. Darling
Fast Car - Radio Edit by Jonas Blue, Dakota
Ex's and Oh's by Elle King
Run Run Run by Celeste Buckingham


I'll let you guys try to figure out the ties between this music and my characters and their experiences.  I'm sure you'll come up with some that I missed.  Download the playlist and pre-order your copy of She Lights Up the Dark, and you'll be all ready to listen as you read on April 19.

Trailer Time: Watch my trailer and read my tips

Today, I'm excited to share with you the trailer I've created for my upcoming release, She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2), available now for pre-order on Amazon Kindle.  Here she is:

I'd be ever so grateful if you took a moment to watch, like, comment, and share.

I had some trepidation about trying to create this trailer, and I had a few false starts until I hit upon the idea of letting November herself explain her situation.  As you can probably guess, things are looking rather dire in book 2.  I had a great time choosing photos and coming up with the music.  I thought I'd pass on some tips gleaned from what I learned along the way.

1) Always be ready to snap a photo

Smartphones are great for the indie writer.  They allow us to record inspiration wherever we find it.  Most of the photos I use for my marketing come from my snapshots. whenerver I see something beautiful or ugly or interesting that could represent an aspect of my characters and their journeys, I grab it.  This gives me a ready-made pool of material for when it's time to put marketing material, including trailers, together.

2) Find a stock photo source you like

Sometimes your own pictures aren't enough.  Find a source for stock photography that you like and that is easy to use.  I love Canva, because they are inexpensive and a one-stop shop for desiging.  Which brings me to . . .

3) Find design software you like

You need a way to crop and filter and otherwise mess with images.  Picmonkey and Canva are my favorite.  Canva is awesome.  I use it almost every day.  It's free for your own images.  Stock images are only $1.  They save all your previous projects.  Their customer service is amazing.

4) Find audio software you like

If you want to do your own narration or music, you need a way to edit it.  I love Audacity.  It's free, open source, and easy to use.  You do have to download a plugin to export mp3 files, but if I could figure it out, you can, too.

5) Find movie software you like

I use Microsoft Movie Maker, which I know makes me kind of lame, but for the casual, inexperienced user, it's simple and easy to figure out.  And it was already on my computer, so it won.

6) Find a free or cheap source of audio

There are a lot of public domain songs out there.  Just do some digging, and you'll probably find something that works.  You can start with freepd.com.

7) Have fun with it

Making a trailer is a creative endeavor, just like writing is.  If you're not having fun, then pay someone else to do it.  Life's too short.

The Importance of Pre-Orders for the Indie Author

My new book, She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2) will be released on April 19th and is available for pre-order on Amazon!  If you have any intention of reading the sequel to She Dies at the End, I beg of thee, go ahead and pre-order your copy today.  If any of your friends read it along with you, please take a moment to let them know about pre-ordering Book 2.

Why does this matter?  Becoming visible as an independent writer is exceedingly difficult.  There are just so many books out there.  The wonderful thing about pre-orders is that those sales get posted all at once on the day of release.  This can help the book soar, at least temporarily, to the top of the new release and bestseller lists on Amazon.  And that, in turn, can help new readers to discover and take a chance on a writer they've never heard of, like yours truly.

So, if you enjoyed She Dies at the End, pre-ordering the sequel is one of the best things you can do to help other readers discover the series and to help me continue to be able to write.  Besides, you don't want to be the last to read it and get spoiled by everyone else wanting to discuss all the twists and turns, do you?  I thought not.  ;-)

Alliance Blog Hop: A Peek Inside She Lights Up the Dark

Today I'm participating in a Blog Hop with the Alliance of Self-Published Authors, organized by the inimitable Jolie Mason.  This group is chock full of talent!  I encourage all my readers to check out these fine independent writers.  I'm sharing with you an excerpt from my current work in progress, She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2), followed by a short synopsis. If you haven't yet read Book 1 of the series, you can download a copy of She Dies at the End today. She Lights Up the Dark will be released on April 19 on Amazon Kindle. It's already available for pre-order.

Excerpt

She saw the bloody tears on her face as she turned to look at herself in the cracked mirror hanging on the bathroom door.  In the fairy light, her eyes were the otherworldly eyes of a demon, swirling galaxies of stars around a blue-hot flame.  They were the same eyes she'd had for thousands of years, life after life after life.  They were not the eyes of a single young girl, frightened and lonely.  They were the eyes of queens and warriors, soothsayers and witches, werewolves and fairies and humans, babes and maids and mothers and crones, their lives piled high, one on top of the other.  

She looked at herself and felt the weight of it all, and she did not buckle beneath it.  She squared her shoulders and wiped the tears away.  She met her own unearthly eyes.

I will prevail.  One way or another, in this life or the next, I will turn all your plans to ruin.

I will lay waste to your towers.  I will scatter your armies.

I will destroy you, Luka.

She smiled.

Synopsis

A frightening vision stalks November, even in her grave . . . and things go severely sideways just as soon as she claws her way out of it.

Continuing the story begun in the well-received paranormal romp She Dies at the End, She Lights Up the Dark finds November Snow struggling to adjust to her new life as a vampire with none of the support she'd expected.  Her nemesis, Luka, has plotted to isolate November and scatter her allies as he executes his plan to bring human society under his control.  Her loneliness leads her to become emotionally entangled with a charming but likely untrustworthy fellow vampire.

When danger flares, November discovers that her psychic gift has expanded in a powerful and perilous fashion.  Coerced into close company with her enemy, she fights to master her power and to uncover the secrets that may help her to save both her friends and the human world from being crushed under Luka’s boot.  November is determined to stop Luka as his plan builds toward an unknown and deadly climax, but she may find that lighting up the dark comes with a high price to pay.

This books contains violence, some sexual content, and occasional profanity.

Happy reading, everyone!

Everyday inspiration: the making of a cover

I want to tell you guys a little bit about how I created the cover for my upcoming release She Lights Up the Dark (November Snow Book 2).

I knew before I started designing that I wanted something involving a bright light in the sky.  I needed it to be reminiscent of the sun, but not close off the possibility of a different source for the light.  I started glancing through stock photos on Canva, my go-to for all design needs.  I just couldn't find the right picture.

Then, a minor miracle occurred.  I was biking with my son to school early one morning, and the sun was rising through the fog.  It was bright, but partially obscured.  I whipped out my phone and took this picture:

From that starting point, I began playing with filters, cropping, rotating, brightness, transparency, etc.  Eventually, I wound up with this:

But it wasn't quite right.  It needed something more.  It needed a November.  So I started going through all the Canva stock photos of woman's faces.  I probably tried a half-dozen and rejected them before I found the perfect one.  I tried a few different versions and tested them out on my friends.  This, to me, is a crucial step.  You don't necessarily have to take their advice if you have a strong feelings about an artistic decision, but you need another set of eyes to help you gauge a reader's reaction.  After much trial and error, this was the result:

I'm pretty pleased with it.  I hope you are, too.  It's amazing how randomly inspiration can strike.  One minute, you're taking your kid to school with no idea what to do for your next book cover.  The next, you're having a blast turning a hastily snapped phone photo into something special.  Keep your eyes open, everyone.  You never know when inspiration will strike.