Tag: Vampires

Flash: Pets (Another One, Reginald?)

Erin Penn

Photo by Chewy on Unsplash

“Another one, Reginald?” Veronica eyed the animal hesitating in the doorway, watching their conversation. “They die so quickly. You are just going to get heartbroken again.”

“What can I say? I get lonely.” Reginald signaled for the creature to come over. It sat beside him on its haunches, and he petted the hair. “She’s a good one, just like her mother and grandmother.”

“A werewolf would at least be useful.” The blonde vampire shook her head. “Humans are just decorative yippy things.”

(words 82, first published 3/28/2022)

Pets for Vampires Series (Order of Creation)

  1. Pets: Another One, Reginald? (5/17/2020)
  2. Veronica Visits (Pets 2) (6/7/2020)
  3. Still See His Teeth (Pets 3) (11/29/2020)
  4. Hair of Dog (Pets for Vampires 4) (12/6/2020)

Author Spotlight: Michael G. Williams

Erin Penn

Amazon Cover

Around the time I wrote the Author Spotlight on Michael G. Williams back in 2017, my publisher asked me if I knew Mr. Williams and would be interested in editing a book by him. Seems the boss had picked up the series which I discussed in the blog post, plus would be publishing the last of the series. If I was available, he would assign it to me.

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, OMG, OMG!!!! Squeal!

After I calmed down, I worded a reply – deleted that one as being way too fangirl – did another after I calmed down again. Finally I managed something along the lines of: “I have enjoyed his work and believe I can fit another book into my schedule.” Hit send on the email, then finger out and take a sip of tea. So professional. While quivering in excitement.

One book turned into two, then three, and now I am his go-to editor at Falstaff. (He does get some of his short work published elsewhere.)

My mantra when editing his work is “Don’t pull a J.K. Rowlings with Mr. Williams.” I want his work to be the best possible, which means he must get edited completely. Unlike Ms. Rowlings, whose books clearly had editing slack off as her editors changed into fans, I had to remain an editor. No matter how much of a fan I am.

And if I stay good, I get to see his work before anyone else!

That’s a big incentive to stay on the straight and narrow red editing line.

This year Falstaff Books put out three of his novels/novellas.

First one happened back in January 2019, A Fall in Autumn. In fact, it was Falstaff’s first publication of the year as well as the first book in a science fiction series about a detective. It’s amazing! The central conceit of the SF aspect is organic manipulation, not the typical military and spaceship story.

Second happened in June, Nobody Gets Out Alive, concluded the Withrow Chronicles. (I.touched.it. I.got.to.make.this.series.better.) The final cross-genre for the vampire series was War Chronicles. I had to dig deep to remember what I knew about the tropes of that genre, but I truly feel that the conclusion delivers on the promise of the series. Not an easy thing to do for a five-book opus.

Amazon Cover

Third, and last one, published this year, Through the Doors of Oblivion, the first of a new series in the Quincy Harker/Shadow Council universe. This is perhaps his best story yet, mixing in so many of his passions. Mr. Williams love of San Francisco bleeds through every page. In fact, most of my editing felt like: “Pull back. This scene doesn’t fit this story right now. I know you love it, but save it for later books.” This time the urban fantasy focuses on witches vs. a demon, with a lot of the City by the Bay history thrown in.

Each book published this year had a different focus, a different sub-genre, and yet his author’s voice dances throughout even as the series voice and character voices adjust. He is an amazing writer.

And I get to edit him! (squeal, hands clapping)

Read his stuff. Give him a reason to complete the next book of the Fall in Autumn and the Servant/Sovereign series. I can’t wait to see them.

You can follow him at: http://www.robustmcmanlypants.org/perishables/

Other Cool Blogs: Magical Words 8/1/2011

Erin Penn

Strahd on Nightmare – From the Internet Hive Mind

Making the Foil – a good Villain

Jim Butcher dropped by Magical Words in 2011. He explained that while a story can survive a boring hero, it cannot survive a boring villain.

What makes a good villain?

  1. Motivation
  2. Power
  3. Admirable Qualities
  4. Individuality

Want to know more. Go to the Magical Words post, because rephrasing the words of a master is an exercise in futility. Of course, the comments were equally awesome so be sure to read those as well. How to Build a Villain by Jim Butcher.

***

My Comments on Villain Creation

Attending my book club a couple months ago, the other members said “Hey, we want to play Ravenloft. You DM. Here!” Suddenly I was holding the Curse of Strahd and needed to put something together in a week. It’s been a slow game thus far with only four hours available to game per week since some members are parents. The “per week” is more like every other week because of everyone’s commitments. I seem to be one of the “free-est” of the lot, and that is saying something.

Anyway, Count Strahd von Zarovich is a villain to end all villains in the D&D world. Not because he is a tank or a Swiss army knife of magic, but because he is a master manipulator. He knows his power base and uses it like a filleting knife. His motivations include leadership and love, which are admirable qualities. But his individuality includes being bored. He knows he is playing with fire by bringing adventurers to his lands, but the best entertainment is when you got some skin on the line.

I’ve been trying to figure out the hook of how he is going to corrupt THIS particular party and finally figured it out today. He is going to hire them, something already set in motion. But not just hire them for a single mission like he has already done, but to shape them to becoming the County Sheriff and his cronies. They will become the law, dealing out all the horror for him, and bringing a new wave of terror to the land.

Most of the players are noobs, except for one. Every now and again the experienced one gets a meta moment, looks at me like “I can’t believe you are doing this and getting away with it.” If I get that look, even as his character agrees to become Sheriff, it will be awesome. That moment is several sessions away, but I think I can do it. Or, more accurately, Strahd – because he is a villain. Wizards of the Coast got this big-bad right.

Flash: Hidden from the Surface

Erin Penn

Image courtesy of alexisdc. at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Rating: Mature

“Not ready yet, my dear.”

Cheyanne glanced over her shoulder in annoyance at the vampire lord who bought her body and soul, but not her spirit. “I would be if your brother didn’t keep unzipping the dress.”

“Garrett.” Clayton admonished, a touch of exasperation lacing his voice.

“I can’t help it, Clay,” the ghost formed between the woman and the silver-backed mirror. “This body should never be covered up. Especially these bazongas.” He reached for the large breasts the loose dress top revealed, the dark brown tips drawing into points as his cold presence brushed against them.

“While I agree with the sentiment, our guest and I are expected at a gala within the hour.” The younger brother approached the warlock-kin’s back and grasped the zipper, sliding it up her back.

Rather than keep eye contact, Cheyanne turned back to the mirror where her master remained invisible. Garrett hadn’t fully formed, so she could focus past him. Knocking his insubstantial hands out of the way, she pulled the top into place as the fabric tightened with the closure. She worked hard to appear resolutely angry when the ninety-year-old vampire raised her hair to kiss the back of her neck, and the ghost, who had died in his teens, continued to play with her nipples through the beaded fabric.

One day she would kill her father for enslaving her, and maybe when she raised him from the dead with her rapidly developing necromantic powers, she would thank him for selling her to the brothers.

(words 253; first published 2/24/2019)

Author Spotlight: Elisa Hansen

Erin Penn

Book Cover from Amazon

Editing can be a long journey, and I started the journey with Elisa Hansen over a year ago when I first read her “The Company of Death” and told my boss at Falstaff Publishing I wanted the book. During that time we did a minor rewrite, a couple other editing passes, brought on new staff at the publisher, and dealt with bottlenecks in getting books out the doors into hands. Also during that time I got to know Elisa Hansen as a person. And she is a pretty awesome person.

On one hand, she is a vlogger about Vampires of all sorts. Check out her youtube channel “The Maven of the Eventide”. Wonderfully camping, she explores books and movies on this long-running vlog (four years and counting). If it has fangs, it is fang-tastic for her channel. (Also includes her announcement about this book.)

On another hand, she is a mother of a soon-to-be expanding family. Her present spawn is adorable in his madness, and I think present-parasite-soon-to-be-outside-body shall be equally entertaining in her ability to tear through the house faster than the progenitors. 

A third hand is devoted to her writing career, with the publication of her second book this week and working on other vlogs.

Want to get to know this awesome lady too? Her website is here. And her patreon is here. If you are into vampires and camp, I highly recommend her vlog. If you just want to dive into an urban fantasy about Death (not humor-oriented), check out her book on Amazon (and other outlets).