Blog Archives
That Vampire Edge
Blood Relations follows an ageless vampire who is determined to find the Fountain of Youth to keep his love alive even if his thirst for female blood and her protective mother stand in the way. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The vampire in Blood Relations is a Prince named Eros, after the God of lust, love, and passion. I wanted to create a vampire that showed a different side – that of love for humans – a need not only for their blood but more for their embracing warmth, unlimited love, and deep compassion. Love was the inspiration for this story from the beginning in every way, especially through the eyes of a cold-blooded vampire from a world half-way across the galaxy. I also wanted to show a vampire in a more realistic light with a new human family, full of supportive friends and a story showing people having fun and an abundance of happiness. It’s not all love and happiness as you’ll see, but it is the main theme. It’s a story to take the reader away from the stresses and heartaches of the day. A lot of effort went into adding pieces of cutting-edge science and describing why Eros acts the way he does. Bite scenes for example are realistic and there’s an explanation to why they happen and where. So, the story has great depth and maintains that vampire edge.
In the beginning, Eros arrives on Earth with no memory of his past. He must learn and re-discover his strengths, needs and weaknesses. In this sense, we get to know Eros by following him as he grows. We feel his pains and celebrate his discoveries together.
Eros’s early discoveries teach him about his need for humans. The warm energy they radiate, their love and of course their Oxytocin enriched blood created from the love and happiness in the donor’s brain that he craves. He sees visions of Heaven too. His weaknesses follow similar weaknesses from other vampire stories but they’re also different. For example, the crucifix doesn’t affect him, but our hot yellow sun can turn him to ashes. And being cold-blooded, he comes close to death in the cold and gains needed energy from warmth. This drives him into the arms of his closest female lovers who embrace him. I feel love is the most powerful and universal language throughout the universe. In Blood Relations, I show examples of this love.
Another discovery he makes is how during a bite the venom released into his female donor changes her DNA. From curing most diseases to giving her incredible energy, beauty, and strength. Death was the only thing he could not prevent, and it tore him apart as well as confused him. He didn’t understand why he never died and yet lived to see everyone around him die. Searching for the Fountain of Youth became his obsession. Over time, he created a research center and devoted his life to finding a cure to human aging. Like in real life, aging and dying are things I wish we could stop. Here, I wanted the story to take us down that fictional path.
Eros is an intriguing and well-defined character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
First, making Eros as realistic and as human as possible with unique strengths and weaknesses that made him vulnerable and yet strong were important. I wanted his needs for humans to be more involved and meaningful than just blood. Second, love is always a central driving force between Eros and his female partner. They must have a strong bond and deep trust. The story must show the symbiotic relationship between Eros and his human lovers that’s beneficial to both made even better because Eros is a multi-billionaire vampire capable of so much.
Then there is the ESP experience that’s shared. For example, if a love interest of Eros is ever in danger, Eros would see it through her eyes and come to her rescue if possible and his love interest might see visions of Eros’s past that he can’t remember or explain, such as being a Prince and living in a castle.
Challenges surface when some women donors become lesbian as too much Oxytocin in their brains changes them. They may still love Eros, but the relationship goes through changes. It’s not immediately known what’s going on, but Oxytocin is the power behind the love Eros needs. He must learn to accept these new challenges.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Lots of themes. Love, relationships, heroism, living forever, cures to diseases, care of one another, sharing, kindness, no money worries, free food and entertainment, free insurance, and having great fun are a few. Blood Relations is a story about an alien who is fighting to survive on a hostile planet who falls in love with humans and works to make their human dreams come true as they devote their lives to keep him alive. It really is all fantasy of the best kind full of love and a little lust. A story I hope people enjoy reading and one that will flood their own minds with Oxytocin.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Blood Relations – A New World was first written as a prequel to the original Blood Relations story because I needed to tell the story from the beginning. That prequel grew into what we see now. So, my next book is re-working the original story to include things I added in the prequel. The next book will include a return of the Scorpious, Eros discovering his spaceship and regaining his memory, ghosts, weddings, birth of twins, and an epic battle for Earth between the Scorpious and Eros in space. It will be awesome. My hope is to release this book by the end of 2024 if not sooner.
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Eros is a handsome, ageless, blood-sucking alien who finds refuge on modern-day Earth. Despite coming from an advanced civilization thousands of years ahead of Earth, he falls in love with the charm, compassion, and creativity of humanity. But after outliving his friends and lovers, Eros becomes incensed to find a way to help others live longer—especially after meeting the beautiful and powerful Camellia. And when he hears of the sacred and elusive Fountain of Youth, Eros believes he may be able to keep his love alive for good.
But with Eros’s need for female blood and Camellia’s mortality and protective mother fighting against their union, will Camellia and Eros find a way to be together today, tomorrow, and forever? This epic love story will have readers’ hearts skipping beats and filling with warmth and positivity. Despite its incredible paranormal twists, this love story feels as real and raw as it gets.
The 13th Hour, Again
Private investigator James Hurts, who prides himself on not being bested by any other man, is happy when his former partner Tom Taylor decides to work with him again. Tom’s mother, Amanda, and the vampire Mr. Williams are a happy family, except Hurts does not like Mr. Williams much. Together, after dealing with leprechauns who love nothing more than gold and repairing shoes, they embark on the adventure of saving The Chosen One from vampire children who want to increase their power after sacrificing her on her birthday, Halloween. However, it is the start of coming events that involve vampires, leprechauns, and Satan himself. Can they stop Satan from impregnating a child, or is he too powerful for them?
The 13th Hour, Again, by Alan Zacher is a chilling story that combines mystery, suspense, occult fantasy, and an eerie plot. The author’s writing is smooth, and the dark suspense kept me on edge. From the intelligent and headstrong Amanda to the lonely but goodhearted Hurts, the characters are well-written. Zacher provided great detail so that I was able to clearly imagine what was going on. I thoroughly enjoyed the character of Mr. Williams and would have loved for him to have a bigger presence in the book.
Zacher takes readers on a roller coaster ride with the battles and fights. Just when you think there is no hope, something will happen that changes the course of things in the blink of an eye. These characters are survivors and will not go down without a fight.
The 13th Hour, Again, is a gripping fantasy horror novel that young adults and adults interested in mystery and detective genres would find interesting. The writing style, character development, and the air of mystery maintained throughout the book will keep readers hooked.
Pages: 191 | ASIN : B088JNVKBY
Scarlet Whispers
Vampires and werewolves are walking among us. Whether sipping blood mimosas or serving pancakes, navigating life alongside humans presents new challenges. And then some challenges come exclusively with being immortal. Family ties will be tested, whether blood or coven, as love challenges the norms of supernatural relationships.
Young vampire Anne has been guarding her heart for decades since her love and life were stolen from her by a cruel immortal in the dark alley. But even frozen in immortality, her soul desires to love and for a connection, which she doesn’t believe is possible anymore. So who will succeed in unlocking Anne’s desires? A dashing ancient vampire and an innocent young human are both willing to risk it all to win her affection. But who will succeed? And what would be the cost?
Scarlet Whispers by Abby Farnsworth brings the first installment of a teen-friendly love story featuring popular and ever-captivating themes of supernatural and romance. Unlike many other stories, Anne is not your average dainty heroine who needs rescuing. Instead, she is a vampire willing and able to fight for what she loves. Her friends are equally strong, decisive, and capable, which builds the story around emotional and moral struggles rather than the traditional power dynamics prevalent in romance novels. The book’s ending leaves enough interest and wonder to build the reader’s anticipation for the next book in this fantastic series.
Scarlet Whispers is a gripping paranormal romance story for younger teens. With excellent writing, an original story, and building the plot around strong females, this is sure to be a series that will catch the attention of teen readers and hold their interest for many books to come. A break from the traditional vampire love story, this fantasy novel will stand out and draw in a new generation of readers to the genre.
Pages: 153 | ASIN : B0B2LZ9MVD
Open To The Anguish Of Mortals
Origins: The Blue Dragon Society follows a shape-shifting boy who has to decide if he will fulfill his destiny or let his hate exile him. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
I studied international human rights throughout my collegiate career and had several opportunities to see children and teens from countries and ethnic groups that did not get along. And from a very young age they were taught to hate each other, but there was one moment I saw, which will stay with me for the rest of my days. I was working and living in the single building Manhattan Campus of St. John’s University; it was late night and I was working on reports and I kept hearing children laughing and screaming on the floors below me. There were summer programs happening where students from various countries, countries that did not get along, were learning English. Initially, I thought the students were bullying each other, so I looked over the railing of the terrace where I was working and I was just about to get after at them, when I realized what they were doing – they were playing hide and seek. Hardly any of them could openly communicate with each other because they didn’t share languages, but they were laughing and playing together. They ranged in ages from eight to fourteen and they were just having the time of their lives. It’s been ten years since that happened and I’m getting emotional typing about it now because of how powerful that was to see. With Owen, I wanted to write something that showed if you just take a moment to get to know someone from another culture or ethnic group, you’ll see that we have far more in common than not. Those children bonded over playtime and as Owen grows, he will see that there are far more reasons for us to work together than against one another. This theme will continue into the sequel as well.
Owen faces many moral challenges and experiences of growth in this novel. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
When I initially wrote this story, I knew I wanted a troubled teen as the main character as I wanted to introduce my readers to this world, which will very much continue to grow, through the lenses of someone narrow minded. That way, as his perspective grew through his experiences, my readers would be able to grow into the world with him. I knew I wanted him to be in mourning, but when I initially wrote the first draft, it was his father who had passed, not his mother. Then I had a conversation with fantasy author David Green who mentioned how in fantasy stories, so many characters have a daddy complex in our genre. So I flipped the table; I wanted a young man who was closer with his mother and who lost her. I lost my grandmother who raised me when I was sixteen, and while I genuinely don’t remember much of the year that followed, what I do remember was anguish – feeling lost and feeling angry. The feeling of having my world ripped away from me, so I wanted to put those emotions in Owen and then put him in situations where he’d have to create his own conclusions and make his own choices based on his loss at an early age. While the Blue Dragons are noble in their missions, they are blinded by their intent to pursue the greater good which Owen realizes may lead to more trouble than good. Even though he initially hated humans, through his recent loss Owen’s eyes are far more open to the anguish of mortals than his fellow dragons.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I didn’t want a “simple” good vs evil story. I’ve studied enough international conflicts to know it’s not usually that simple, which is why the story starts with the antagonist. There is no doubt that Anton is the “bad guy,” and while his parents are neglectful and abusive, he is given a choice and his choice has many affects, some of which we haven’t even seen yet.
At its simplest, Origins is a coming of age story where young individuals are finding their place in a world that is bigger than them and deciding if they want to serve others or themselves. This theme of choice will continue into the next installments of the Blue Dragon Society as well.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have a couple of books in the pipeline right now; my business partner and I have a guide for authors entitled, How to Become A Successful Author and Not Loose Your Mind, which is launching mid to late July of 2022. The sequel to Origins, The Road to Dova, will be launching in October of 2022. And I’m currently publishing two episodes a week of an urban fantasy entitled Blood Lords via Kindle’s Vella, which is about a young woman who is being hunted by a corrupted vampire lord.
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The shape-shifting members of the Blue Dragon Kingdom have long intervened when chaos befalls mortals. While he knows this tradition is an integral part of his community, Owen hates humans for killing his mother. But the only way to take his place in his dragon society is to help mortals against a new threat; vampires. If Owen refuses the mission, he will be exiled.
In this dark fantasy tale, will Owen overcome his hatred to help the humans fight vampires, or will he choose exile and the destruction of all humankind?
Blood Thinners
Blood Thinners starts with a great first line that immediately hooks readers and throws them right into the storyline. Detective Mina Summers, the daughter of the leader of the organization known as SHAP (Supernatural Human Accountability Partnership), is just one assignment away from becoming Regional Director for the agency. Should she obtain this position, she will be the youngest one in the agency’s history. There is nothing and no one that will stand in her way. That is at least until she receives her one last assignment.
Detective Summers’s final assignment is to look into a celebrity-endorsed retreat that guarantees weight loss permanently. SHAP finds this claim suspicious, especially in light of the increased number of cases involving rogue vampires randomly making attacks. Mina and her partner Jake are anxious to wrap up this case and move on. However, the Vice President and daughter of Thinner CEO, Carma, might have other ideas.
Mina is the leading lady in this story, and even though she is a bit standoffish, you cannot help but love her character and the character she becomes. Novak does an excellent job of character development, not just with Mina but with all the characters in the book. Sebastian is Mina’s ghost roommate who is obsessed with the movie Titanic. Jake is Mina’s SHAP partner and best friend. He is the level-headed one of the two and tries to keep Mina grounded.
While reading Blood Thinners, I was reminded of the writing style of Lauren Weisberger, i.e., The Devil Wears Prada, and shortly into the book, there is a comparison of the CEO to Miranda. This familiar writing style is engaging, draws readers into the action, and builds attachment to the characters.
Blood Thinners is a fast-paced romantic mystery with LGBTIA+ characters. With excellent and robust world-building, readers will be able to escape into the world created and experience a love story that is heartwarming and heartbreaking.
Pages: 303 | ASIN : B09CK8GHTH
There is More to Dracula Than People Think
Powers of Darkness is more than just a translation of Dracula, it includes sections originally published in the paper but not the novel, as well as historical information. Why was this an important book for you to write?
The simplest explanation is that the translator was given wide latitude to be creative, as long as the story helped sell newspapers. Although a few scenes were left out, including the zookeeper interview and the death of Renfield, this is an adaptation of Dracula with some new characters and plotlines. We know from Dracula that Harker has a hard time maintaining his composure when he’s trapped like an extremely tasty small rodent, but when the madhouse doctor’s thoughts start to race, he is less able to hold himself together.
When I saw that the Icelandic Powers of Darkness was an abbreviated version of the more elaborate Swedish original, I wanted to see how it ended. When it became clear that the story was unique and entertaining on its own, I felt like I had to publish it before the Count’s sympathizers had it suppressed at the publishing houses.
Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
My editors started prodding me about how the text was dripping with racism and misogyny, initially with suggestions to soften the sharp edges and occasionally with comments in the margins indicating their level of cringe. I was surprised at how it managed to come in with even more racism than Dracula.
What were some goals you set for yourself as a writer in this book?
I thought I was trying to clear up some misunderstandings about Count Draculitz. He wasn’t just some creepy, ravenous moral-panic-inspiring predator; he was greasing the palms of English politicians and founding a personality cult promoting fascism twenty years before it became popular.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I do not think I will come across a book from a past century that I have to publish again.
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Powers of Darkness
Powers of Darkness by Bram Stoker, a Swedish adaptation by A—e, is a more detailed account of Tom Harker’s journey to Transylvania to meet with Count Draculitz. This variation on the original classic provides the reader with more detail with some slight deviations from the original text. The editor of this particular retelling, W Trimble, precedes the story with a vast collection of papers. These papers explore the similarities and differences between the original Dracula and the later versions published in Sweden like Mörkrets Makter, or Makt Myrkranna (Powers Of Darkness), published in an Icelandic newspaper in the 1900s, as well as touching on numerous other variations.
Having so much information before the actual story allows the reader to understand why this retelling is different from the original. In addition, these papers touch on important and pertinent themes such as racism and assumptions about Romanians. This is evident from the offset when Tom Harker writes in his journal, “disturbed by the bat and the howling dogs, they stealthily exchanged glances and crossed themselves when they thought I was not looking.” This could be seen as a foreshadowing of the rest of the storyline, but it also assumes this is how people in these areas would behave. This is discussed in detail in the preceding papers.
The adaptation itself is still written in the same style as the original, littered throughout with the well-known imagery of the tale, such as “put her in the coffin” however, it contains some elements such as that of a beast which would have been slightly more shocking at the time it was originally published.
I am a big fan of the text published in England and enjoyed getting a more in-depth tale. This variation is perfect as a literary source, or for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of gothic literature, especially due to the papers contained in the preface. With the change in times, the additions and this version of the story are as exciting as the first Dracula.
Powers of Darkness: the wild translation of Dracula from turn-of-the-century Sweden is a captivating take on the story of Dracula most people know. The added history included gives readers a new look at this classic story. This gothic horror novel will provide readers with more suspense and thrills than the original book.
Pages: 1049 | ASIN : B09RX3877X
LITERARY TITAN 