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.

             

December Update

Merry Christmas, Fire Enthusiasts. How have you been? I've missed you.

Well, what can I tell you? Very little has changed. My day job continues to impede all things. There's still hope that it will change, but God knows when. I won't bore you with those details.

So, where have I been? I've been writing. I'm working on Dance on Fire 3. It has a proper name, but I'm going to hold that information until the end. It is the continuing adventures of Nathaniel and the Lopez family.

Once again I found myself outlining more than the book before. I had a 25 page paragraph outline with both general and specific content, outlining the entire book. Once I was pleased with the story, leaving myself enough space to have some unexpected surprises, I began the first draft.

I have been writing mostly in the mornings before work, with extended sessions happening on weekends and any time I can possibly sneak it in. I currently sit at over 20k words and have barely cracked my outline. We'll see whether that means anything or not. My first thought is it could be the longest work I've ever written (something larger than 113k words); however, it may simply even out once I get to the end. What ever happens, you'll be the first to know.

Getting the Seeing Ghosts paperback published has been a bit of a pain, but we're at the end of that process. We had some issues with cover art which caused delays, but I should be receiving the final proof copy this week. This is my first time working with CreateSpace, so I'll let you know how that goes at a later date. Demand will drive how quickly I begin working on producing Dance on Fire and Flash Point. Since my crossover vampire series takes place in my real life home town, I plan to spend a lot of time working the local angle. Stay tuned.

So that's what's been up with me. It's December, and my favorite time of year. Unfortunately, it's way too warm here in central California, and feels strange to be decorating for Christmas. It doesn't get that cold here where we live, but long sleeved shirts is all I've needed so far - and it's really sunny. So weird! I trust it will cool down before the holidays are past. I even grew my beard out. I haven't done that in 2-3 years thanks to that original author photo I started with that had me sporting one. I was so sick of looking at that picture! *laughs*

You should hear from me before Christmas, but just in case, I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. *hugs*

We'll talk soon.

Dance on Fire 2 Teaser

Hello, Fire Enthusiasts. How have you been? I'm well. I survived last week, which was our stressful yearly audit for food safety at the day job. I hear we did very well. For those who recall me talking about the left knee, it continues to improve. I have been getting great workouts in, 4-6 days a week. I have lost 14 lbs or so and feel great. I eat more fruit, watch my portions and drink light beer. *grins* If I overdue it over a weekend (Food, not alcohol), I know how long I have to run in order to burn off those calories.

Now, many of you may have noticed that I haven't been promoting much of Dance on Fire, nor has much been said about Flashpoint, it's sequel. There have been some bumps in the road, but those appear to be over. 'Nuff said! I will tell you that it shouldn't be long now. It's in that spirit that I would like to offer you this teaser of the forthcoming novel. This will be edited once more before it's published, but it's pretty close. Many thanks for all who have continued to ask for the next book. Now, allow me to quickly set it up...

It is about five years later since the events of Dance on Fire. Michael Lopez is now the Chief of Police. He has started his workday just as he always does. He gets to work and turns on his computer to find a note from Nathaniel. The vampire has moved away to a place of solitude and introspection, hoping to find out whether there might yet be a place for him in God's plans. Being a creature of the dead, he had assumed there was not.

            As soon as his Hotmail account had downloaded, something three mails down in his inbox on the left side of the screen jumped to his attention. The width was not long enough to see the entire message, but he understood the gist of it.

            Facebook. New message from NathanielL...

            The look on the chief’s face that presented itself there upon reading the line was neither a frown nor a look of glee. It was one of interest to be sure. Without pause, Michael opened another window and logged into his Facebook account. As it downloaded, the chief took a glance toward the open door and into the hallway beyond. He felt a pang of guilt as he waited. All but the cadets and Community Service Officers had access to the internet in the Police Department, and yes, he would be upset to find that his officers and detectives spent department time and resources fooling around on networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter or even the new Google Plus, just as he was doing now. He continued anyway.

            When the page came up, a snapshot of he, Barbara, Jerod, Robbie and Rebekah posing merrily before Snow White’s castle at Disneyland taken this past Christmas stared back at him. It was a ten month old picture, and although the twins looked as if they were a full two years older by now and Jerod had begun shaving, he loved it because it was a beautiful time that he did not want to take for granted.

            He moved his mouse to the top left corner of the page and clicked the Messages Icon. He then went to the new message and opened it. The tiny photo at the top left hand corner of the message was not a face but a vista of what appeared to be a tranquil water garden somewhere. He guessed what it was because he had visited it once before, although then it had been in the middle of the night, and it had been a rushed visit.

            Michael, how is everybody? I trust all are well. I am well. I still struggle at times with demons, as you well know, but for the most part things are going well for me here. Tell Barbara to continue praying. Her prayers have been extremely effectual. It takes me forever to use this contraption, but I have the time. That is a joke. Was it amusing? How is the town? Quiet? I hope so. How is Mark doing? I fear his relationship with Vanessa cannot stand, but I would not want him to know about this. What of their child? Thank you for the photographs that Barbara sent to me. They just arrived. I believe that I was the one who asked for a remote location, is that right? Another joke. The photographs are glorious to behold and I do so often. Jerod reminds me of you. Do I detect a shadow of growth on the young man’s face? It is very faint, but please do not tell him that I said this. Tell him I cannot even look upon his face by candlelight because his dark beard blinds me. Joke#3. How do the young ones like school? I am particularly intrigued to hear how they do there. They have such spirit, those two. I do not wish to take up too much of your time. The monks tease me that I take so long at the computer. They say that they could rewrite whole books of the Bible by dipping a feather into an inkwell and writing on parchment before I could but answer one tiny e-mail. They are extremely fortunate that I do not believe in shedding human blood or else they would not be so cruel to me. Joke#5. Very well, my friend. Blessings to both you and your family. Nathaniel L.

            Joke number 6, Michael thought as he reread the message one last time before closing it and logging out of the Facebook page. Nathaniel used an additional “L” at the end of his user name as if his full name had been Nathaniel Lopez and he was their eldest child and away at college. Michael shook his head with a grin as he closed down the internet and reached for some police reports and duty logs that needed his approval and final signatures. He planned to reply to the message before he went home for the day. He had time. After all, it was 8:30 am and the vampire would not be up for another thirteen hours or so.


We'll talk soon.

Dance on Fire: Flashpoint

Greetings and salutations, Fire Enthusiasts. I hope this post finds you doing well, whenever it is that you find it. I know how many posts are vying for your attention each week, so I certainly appreciate you stopping by.

Thanks to all of those Romance Enthusiasts (and even closeted ones, like me) who visited last week, and my thanks to all of the returning Horror Enthusiasts who left scratching their collective heads. I’m just like all of you, aren’t I? We’re all multi-faceted and not easy to pigeonhole. I do read and write horror, but neither exclusively. I like my classic rock and heavy metal, but also appreciate most other types of music.

Speaking of music, it was such a damn shame to see the passing of Whitney Houston over the weekend. If only, if only, if only... *sigh* Such a talent!

The Update:

Many of you in the real and virtually world have been asking when you can expect to see the release of my second novel. I come before you today bringing some news, although not yet concrete information. What I can tell you is this, it is still entitled, Flashpoint. It hasn’t been decided whether it should come with a badge that signifies that it is “A Dance on Fire Novel”, although I do believe that it should. What do you guys think? I was originally thinking “The Dance on Fire Chronicles”, but have drifted away from that. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recall thinking there was something that I did like very much; however, I can't recall it now. If you’ve got a solution to this, I would love to see it.

My faithful publisher is hard at work on the edits at the time that I pen this post. The plan is to have the editing completed by the end of March, at the very latest. If we can all meet this deadline, then we should have both the e-book and softcover by the third weekend in May. Why is this date important, you ask? Those who have read Dance on Fire will recall that it is the weekend for the Kingsburg Swedish Festival, a real event which I use in the plot of my novel. Although I have attended the festival many times, last year was the first where I actually had a booth. I sold about thirty copies that weekend, if memory serves. I could look it up but am far too lazy now. *grins*

We do have a working cover which I am not yet prepared to share with you, but it should be soon. We’ll probably be tweaking it just a bit, but we’ll see.

The synopsis:

Five years after the death of their only child Tiffany, Steve and Angie Rosen receive an unexpected guest to their Morro Bay, California home: their daughter. She comes with a tale of having suffered a terrible head wound in the fire that took their Kingsburg home, causing her loss of memory and migraine headaches that force her to hide from daylight in order to prevent. Tiffany's reemergence is treated like Manna from Heaven; however, her story is only half true. Tiffany is a vampire and their daughter in name only. She sleeps during the day and hunts for human blood during the night, and has come back to enact a twisted revenge upon those who ruined the plans of her master, the notorious vampire, Vincent. And she is not alone.

Five years after the terrible events that reshaped the Swedish Village, Kingsburg lies unsuspecting as five vampires descend upon her with a great evil in their black hearts.

Five years after old wounds have finally healed and the old fires were thought extinguished, Police Chief Michael Lopez and Officer Mark Jackson and their families find themselves surrounded when fires blaze anew. The good vampire, Nathaniel, has pledged his service to these people, but he is no longer among them. He lives high in the Oregon Mountains near the California border, seeking whether God might have a place in His kingdom yet for him.

When Nathaniel discovers that Tiffany has returned, will he be too late to stop her? And will his desire to protect his friends destroy what God has begun in him?

It will all begin with a Flashpoint.


Okay, so there it is. What do you think, my friends, fellow writers and peers? For those of you who have blessed me by reading Dance on Fire, what do you think of this?

If you have any suggestions for the blurb, cover, badge, etc., I would love to hear it.

As to the status of the first book, it continues to garner very good reviews. Last time I looked, it was still the fourth Highest-Rated Horror novel at Smashwords. My thanks to all of you for making it so.

We'll talk soon.