An Army of Vampires

Season's Greetings, Fire Enthusiasts. I hope the season finds you well, and well taken care of. I'm doing fine. I'm still working crazy hours for the most part, although not nearly as bad as in times past. As I pen this post, I am enjoying the last of my Thanksgiving break: four days away from the day job. I'm already looking forward to taking two weeks off at Christmas... 

In between everything, I have been hard at work on my latest work in progress. I'm working toward finishing draft three of Dance on Fire 3. You may have already seen the title as well as the cover. I'm not actively promoting it yet, but haven't exactly been secretive about it, either.

I'm aiming for a very early 2015 release, and then hope to spend the year promoting it as well as all of my novels. I don't have any plans to start writing the next thing, but we'll see. I say that because 2014 has been my best year so far. I'm still working on making a dent into the on-line markets, but in the mean time have been doing really well at home. I live in a small town and have had many opportunities for events. Considering I have set my novels either here in town or in the general area, I feel I have a built-in demographic that I need to continue to focus on. That's what I have been doing and it seems to be paying off so far.

So, while I'm hard at work on the new book, I've got a very short excerpt for you.

Where are we?

In Dance on Fire, we met the vampire Nathaniel. He saved a family from the notorious vampire Vincent, but somehow that family may have saved him. Believing himself to be forever excluded by the kingdom of God, the Christian wife and mother he meets is not convinced. The result is the vampire begins an incredible journey of self-discovery as he seeks whether God may have a use for him.

In Dance on Fire: Flash Point, we find Nathaniel living among monks in the mountains of Oregon. God has not spoken to him, but Nathaniel continues to seek his face in the hopes that he will. When five vampires descend upon his extended family, seeking a terrible revenge, Nathaniel races to save them before it's too late. In the novel, we find that the devil himself is alive and well, and none too pleased that one of his creations is seeking God.

In the next chapter, we find Satan has been plotting to end Nathaniel once and for all. He has set the trap and planned his scheme perfectly. He need only to flip the switch. And flip it he does.

In the following excerpt, a new vampire visits Nathaniel. Is she friend or foe? We must wait and see. She shows up at the monastery with advanced warning... 

Nathaniel stared at Marie, but said nothing.

Marie, for her part stared back, and seemed to wait for him. “What are you thinking, Nathaniel?” she finally asked. She didn’t approach.

“I am wondering what your presence here means,” he said. “As honored as I am to meet you in person, I worry you have not come alone.”

Marie breathed deeply. “You’re right to worry. I have only come with attendants, but vampires are indeed on their way here.”

“How many?” Nathaniel asked.

“All.”

“All?” he repeated.

“All of them,” she said. “They’re all coming.”

Nathaniel sighed and looked off into the distance. He saw the same view he’d seen for a decade, but it no longer appeared to be anything else but a shade. A shade that once pulled would reveal an army sent to utterly destroy everything that he considered good.

“Why have they come to destroy me?” he asked, approaching. “What have I done?”

“I don’t know,” she said.

“That is no answer, Marie. Forgive me, but I think you do know. You are under no obligation to tell me, but I pray you will. What have I done? What have these men behind me done? We have been here many years and have been nothing but honorable to anyone we meet. For the most part we simply are, worshipping God in our way, searching for His guidance and glory. What have we done to offend you?”

“It isn’t me you have offended,” Marie found herself saying. “It is Satan who comes against you.”

Nathaniel sighed. “I should have guessed. Why will he not just leave me alone?”

“You have met him then?” she asked.

“Yes. He came here once and killed everyone. I am haunted by the smell of the dead. Not a day goes by that I do not recall burying my brothers.”

Marie seemed to hold her tongue.

“Yet he comes with an army of vampires?” Nathaniel asked, contemplating what was being foretold to him. “Why do my kind rise up against me, my Queen? And why have you come to warn me?”

“That is a good question, and one I am uncertain of,” she answered.

Nathaniel waited, but although he thought he had a great many questions to ask of her, none seemed to come save one.

“How much time do we have?”

"Perhaps a day," Marie said simply.

So there you have it. I'm going to get back to work, so I can get this thing released. If you have yet to read book one, please follow this link and pick up a copy. The e-book is available at amazon for 99 cents, and is getting good reviews. I hope you'll give it a chance. It's a crossover, so you'll get a good mix of horror as well as Biblical themes. I promise not to hit you over the head with any one of those.

I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year.

We'll talk soon.

             

The Devil is Alive and Well

“What is that?” Luis asked, trying to compose himself while his body seemed bent on bringing up the remaining undigested contents of his stomach.

“One of our brothers,” Nathaniel stood and said.

“What?” Luis managed to ask. “But how? Who?”

“I am uncertain.”

Nathaniel was out of sorts. He was as confused as he had ever been in his life, going back all the way to his home in Cimpulung, Romania. The object at his feet was clearly a burned human form, and one of the monks of the monastery. How he had been dispatched was unclear. There was no wind about them, though the monastery was high in the mountains. It was as if everything was dead - human, animal, plant, atmosphere – everything.

“What’s that other terrible odor?” Luis asked.

“Sulfur,” Nathaniel answered. And then he began to wonder.

“Sulfur?”

“Yes. It used to be called brimstone.”

Greetings, Fire Enthusiasts. *glances around, sighs* Still summer, huh?

This is the traditional end of summer weekend, and how I wish it were Halloween already. At least then the heat would be long gone. If you enjoy summer then I hope the season finds you enjoying all that is left. Me? Not so much. That's central California for ya'. *grins*

I led off with a snippet of book 2 in my Dance on Fire crossover vampire series. The series that begs the question whether a vampire can be used by God. It's not a Christian novel, necessarily, but it does ask those questions and plays along those lines. The reviews have been good for Dance on Fire and Dance on Fire: Flash Point. I'm sitting on book 3 at the moment, patiently awaiting word from my betas as to how I'm doing so far. I've actually heard from one of them already, and she couldn't be happier. She says it's my best so far. That's always great to hear. It does have a title that I am not yet ready to reveal. The amazing Maria Zannini is also whipping up her cover magic at the moment. I'm still taking my time and hoping for an early 2015 release. We'll see... 

Cautiously, they walked inside the monastery. The sound of the door opening and closing behind them was loud. The monastery, which had always been a place of quiet reflection, now reminded Nathaniel of a crypt.

He would soon hate himself for having thought so.

When they turned a corner they stumbled upon two more smoldering heaps of human remains. In the candlelight they could make out more of the details, but it did nothing but succeed in making them further sickened in both stomach and heart—and for good reason. Not only did Nathaniel fully expect to see more of these, but now he was certain that Luis might be the last of his brothers left alive.

At the end of the corridor, there was another.

They walked through a doorway and were met by yet another. Luis covered his nose with both hands. They began to walk faster now. Their footfalls echoed harshly against the stone and wood building.

Outside the sanctuary, they found another. They had to slide it out of their way in order to open the door. When they did, they found precisely what they expected to find. The place was filled with rolled up charred remains. In the light of the sanctuary, the smoke and heat could be seen wafting off.

“My God!” Luis whispered.

“No, it isn’t.”

At the front of the sanctuary was a figure. At first glance, he appeared to be a tall man with a medium build, although he stood with his back to them, his hands clasped behind him. “I know you’re not referring to me,” he laughed. “But I appreciate the sentiment.”

The man wore slacks and a dress jacket. His dark hair was slicked back. The candlelight reflected off gold jewelry on several of his fingers as well as his left wrist.

“You know,” he continued, but still didn’t turn around to face them. “There’s something about this architecture that I’ve always liked. I don’t know what it is. I guess it’s familiar.”

“Whatever happens,” Nathaniel instructed. “Do not speak.”

Luis turned as if to ask why, but Nathaniel gave him a sharp look. He turned back just as the figure before them turned. He was still holding his hands behind his back.

“That’s right, dear Luis. Don’t speak. Truth be told, none of your brothers said anything either and it didn’t save them. Who’s to say what may happen?”

The reason I'm offering up what happens at the end of book 2 is because it is a fantastic tease as to what will be the entirety of book 3. Satan is not pleased that there is a vampire seeking God and thwarting his plans at seemingly every turn. It gets under his skin, as it were. And he will not put up with that...

“What do you want?” Nathaniel asked.

“What do I want,” the figure mimicked. “Hmm? I wonder. No, wait. I know. I want you to stay out of my affairs!” With those words, he swatted a smoldering ball of remains that was on the pew beside him. It rolled along the pew and collided with another, causing both to fall onto the wood floor. “I want you to quit killing my creations! How’s that? Is that clear enough for you to understand?”

“I have only become involved when it had to do with my friends.”

“Not true,” he said, and his voice was suddenly lacking the vile anger of just a few moments before. “When you leaped through that nursery window and interfered with my son, they were not yet your friends.”

Nathaniel saw Luis out of the corner of his eye. The man looked awestruck, but he couldn’t worry about that now. It was obvious, however, that Luis knew who this was.

The devil walked up the center aisle and stood before them in all of his twenty-first century splendor. He was impeccably dressed in a double-breasted grey suit, grey slacks and black Italian dress shoes. He removed his hands from behind his back and clasped them before him.

“So,” he said. “You boys have done well: four vampires dead. And let’s not forget about Angie.”

Nathaniel said nothing.

The devil looked away as if remembering something. “Make that five vampires. I forgot about Mark.”

The devil tried to tempt Nathaniel into reacting negatively. He wasn’t taking the bait.

“I mean, those were your bite marks on his neck, right?” he sarcastically asked.

“Yes,” Nathaniel answered through clenched teeth.

“I’m sorry,” the devil asked. “What was that?”

“Just what is it that you want, Devil?” Nathaniel asked, trying to get the conversation away from that nerve that the devil had begun to scratch.

The devil straightened up his posture. “I really don’t like that name,” he said. “I prefer Satan. You may call me that.”

Nathaniel said nothing. He knew enough about the devil from what he had read in the Bible to know that he needed to speak as little as possible. Anything more and he risked getting drawn into something that this evil force might be able to use against him, or risk becoming angered such that all of his control might be lost. As it was, things were tenuous at best.

And Satan knew that.

“What may I call you, is the question.” The Devil walked up to Nathaniel and didn’t stop until he had come before him, nearly touching his nose with his own. “I created vampires. You are a vampire. I imagine that you won’t quibble with this. That must make you my son. What do you say?”

So there you have it. I took a break from the series and these characters I have known so long when I wrote Seeing Ghosts. I was pretty burned out. It was such a wonderful break that I came back to my series, renewed. I wrote 143k words in four months. Soon I will take another pass at it before sending it off to my fantastic editor, Natalie G. Owens. If you have yet to sink your teeth into the books, I hope you'll take a look at them and give them a chance. Perhaps you'll like them enough to get caught up before Satan steps out of the shadows and attacks the vampire Nathaniel and his extended family with all that he has up his diabolical sleeve. Get the e-book that starts it off for only 99 cents.

Have a great September.

We'll talk soon.

The Reviews Are In

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. It's practically mid-November as I pen this post. Are we ready for the holidays? Are you a fan? I am. Definitely. You most likely will not find me on-line much the day after Thanksgiving because I will be decorating. Yeah, some horror writer, huh? You would have thought that Halloween was more my time of the year, but it isn't. No. I am all about Christmas music; decorative lights, both inside and out; drinking my coffee out of Christmas mugs; etc. Last year, my regular followers may recall how I was sick for two weeks. Hopefully this year will be different and I will be able to enjoy the time. I hope you will, too.

I’ve been doing a lot of promotion of late, since I have the second book in my Dance on Fire series just out and have been posting several teasers. I will be doing more of this as I attempt to convince thriller, suspense, paranormal and horror fans to come along for this ride. This week, I thought I would let some of my reviews do the talking…
 

“This truly was a spectacular read… The first thing that struck me about this book was the author’s prose. It’s beautiful, almost poetic, but not overly done. It has a wonderful flow and rich descriptions that will draw the reader in, immersing them in mood and setting. You won’t find one-dimensional characters here. Not only did I enjoy reading about each one, but I cared what happened to them. Dance on Fire is a mysterious page-turner that moves along at a fast pace. This story is a well-balanced blend of horror and suspense, and though it’s referred to as a Christian crossover, the religious undertones were subtle enough that they won’t encroach or offend those with…different views.” – Adriana Noir, Author of Requiem: Book of the Fallen.

“I cannot wait for the next book from James Garcia Jr. This book may have taken him 20 years to write, but it was well worth the time he put into it. I cannot recommend this book enough. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.” – Author Lisa McCourt Hollar.

“What Author James Garcia has done is he’s taken two genres: horror and crime and blended them magnificently. It reads like a cop thriller yet has the special excitement that one can only find in a horror novel. Fans of both genres will be glued! I don’t want to give too much of the story away but I liked that the two vampires had a relationship as well as a past history which makes their depiction all the more interesting. I guess what I liked best of all was the theme of good and evil, and the inclusion of God in this well-written story. Too many times I feel this vital ingredient of good vs. evil is left out of many vampire novels. This is fast paced and tense. I liked the time element that the author uses because it tightens the pace even more. Lastly let me commend author James Garcia, because in his adept hands he has made this thoroughly engrossing novel an exceptional read.” – Carole Gill, Author of The House on Blackstone Moor.

“I loved how the author has you immediately pulled into the story. Though a good sized book…there is a wonderful pace to it which keeps you reading, drawing you into the story with every word. You’ll find yourself quickly immersed in the story…The plot is superbly written. I loved how it also took the form of a mystery while you follow the detectives trying to solve the bizarre murders. You won’t be disappointed in the growing tension which builds up to a dramatic climax. Don’t let the genre titles of horror or Christian put you off, if you love vampire stories, you’ll enjoy this book!” Jen Wylie, Author of Sweet Light.

“From the very outset I enjoyed this book. I liked everything that I read. As a writer myself, I would not have changed anything. I particularly loved the start. You do not need to be told that this guy is bad news. From there on it never lets up, and keeps you wanting to read right up the ending. Well thought out and well crafted. I look forward to more.” – Mathew Bridle, Author of Emun of Mor. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed Dance on Fire and found it totally absorbing, a terrific distraction from my ordinary life. The plot was skillfully developed and strung together with such grace, I wasn't really sure what was going to happen in the end until the conclusion. Garcia teases the reader in a variety of directions, and, like any good mystery, although you search for clues, nothing is revealed until the end. I liked the treatment of the vampire as both light and dark, and this book dealt with both sides believably.”  - Angela Love

“I originally was drawn to this book simply based on its setting. What I found, however, was that this author brings such a depth to his characters and a unique perspective to the storyline, it makes it difficult to find a stopping point! I loved the way he weaves vastly different genres together so harmoniously that, rather than being ridiculous, leaves you thinking outside the box. I can't WAIT for the sequel! – Trish Barbarick

“Mr. Garcia has taken the oft over-drafted "Vampire" story to a new level. I was enthralled with the storyline and characters. Being somewhat familiar with Kingsburg, I found myself drawn even deeper into the action as I could picture myself at the exact locations. The bridge between vampirism and Christianity was an intriguing twist in the book and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every page. I certainly look forward to the sequel and future works by James.” – Glenn Murphy

“I love what James Garcia, Jr. has done with Dance on Fire. The characters are drawn with depth and substance. Garcia has a gift for dialogue that “shows” more than “tells” the reader about the characters. I was also struck by the imaginative storyline which builds tension to the dramatic, bittersweet climax. Garcia mixes a horror thriller with deep suggestions about the nature of grace and providence and leaves you thinking about these concepts long after the book is finished.” – Pastor Ed Esaki, Kingsburg, Ca.

“Characters with substance that get inside your head and don't let go. A literary ride that was exciting and enjoyable. A must for lovers of the Vampire genre, anyone who has ever spent a day or more in Kingsburg, California, and those who just love a good book.” – Micheal Graham

“The book was captivating. I was drawn into the characters. Even within their mundane lives that were soon to be turned upside down, they had depth to them that really pulled you into their world. The scenes were very detailed as well: some of which you wish there would be more left to the imagination. But it wouldn't be a horror story if it didn't have the gory details. Great read! Looking forward to the sequel.” Cassia Pabis

“This book (is)…very different, very detailed and leaves nothing on the table, and Vampire enthusiasts will not be disappointed. The book brings Christianity and Vampires on a collision course and I loved it. The one trait I look for in a character or characters is determination. And Nathaniel and Vincent fill the pages with this purpose and the author does it brilliantly and not many can web together multiply themes and emotions. Garcia did it beautifully.” – Vince Considine, Author of the forthcoming horror thriller, Unable.

“I really got into this book because of the characters, they were well developed and believable. The action is intense and relentless. An epic tale of good vs. evil. I don't want to put any spoilers out there, but a "couple" of the characters had me baffled and I am hoping to read the sequel very soon to see what happens. Well done! I can't wait for book 2!” – Erik Gustafson, Author of Fall Leaves and the Black Dragon.

“What a pleasant, pleasant surprise. I truly enjoyed this book. James gave vampires an entirely different view to me. I immediately fell in love with Nathaniel; captured as a child, imprisoned and then turned against his will. His life changes the day he saves Barbara & her babies’ lives. This story not only showed how evil & despicable a vampire could be, but how wonderful, God worthy people they also are. You have drama, mystery, horror…just intense suspense, plus spirituality - nothing over the top - but just enough to make the story work really, really well. Highly recommended - will be thoroughly enjoyed.” – Liz Cabrejos

"Many thanks to all who have posted reviews. Everything helps. For those who are reading my work and will be posting reviews in the not-too-distant future, allow me to thank you in advance.

We'll talk soon.

At Long Last...Amazon (Free Event)

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. Hey, it's mid-week! What am I doing posting again? Well, I'll tell you. It's been a long strange trip...




Many of you have been with me since January 2010. I thank you and everyone else who has climbed aboard since then for your visits, encouragement and, in a great many cases, friendships like I have never known. We may not have grown up, attended school or worked together; however, you and I share something that family, friends and co-workers have never been able to understand. We have a love for telling stories and a storehouse full of stories to tell.


As most of you are aware I lost my small publisher recently, as she closed up shop quite unexpectedly. I had that pity-party for a day and then converted that wasted energy into action. I contacted a few of you about joining your small presses or publishing homes, but in the end decided to go it alone. Please forgive me if I wasted your time. I didn't think I had the time or knowledge to go it alone, but so many offered support and so much of themselves that I realized that it was only fear that was holding me back.


Putting your advice and encouragement to good use, I (reluctantly) stepped away from the blogs and social networks, and entered the proverbial writer's cave where I began line editing my debut novel, Dance on Fire. For those who have read it already, I thank you. I found those errors and took the polish to every sentence and have, I think, made that baby shine. I apologize for not having done that the first time. I thought I had. *sigh* I'm still learning, and endeavor to do a much better job with every subsequent release.


The novel had been on every site except Amazon. When the publisher closed it came down everywhere. Now its back, better than ever, and firmly ensconced on Amazon's KDP Select Program. The link at the top right hand of my blog is working again and will take you right to it.




If you're new here and are unfamiliar with my book, it is a PG-13 read about two vampires who know one another and are not exactly pleased about that. They meet in modern day Central California in my real-life hometown of Kingsburg, leaving quite the body count. It is a crossover, combining the best of "edge of your seat" horror and suspense with Christian themes. I did my best to toe that middle ground and hope you find it to be a wonderfully fresh combination.




Those of you who know me on the social networks may have already seen an invitation to this weekend's free event. If not, allow me to invite you now. This weekend, August 4th and 5th, I am launching my arrival on Amazon with a free event. Let me also thank you in advance for picking up your copy, replacing your old version with this new one and for sharing this news wherever you can. You guys are great that way, so I thank you well in advance.


What's next? I have heard back from some betas on Dance on Fire: Flash Point. I will quickly turn my attention there. We have been working on the cover. Once I line edit that bad boy, I will be having it professionally edited for release before the end of the year. It seems I have been promising this for a very long time. I plan to rectify this very soon.


Once again, many thanks for your friendship, encouragement and support.


We'll talk soon.