HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING VAMPIRE WRITER'S RETREAT IN 2011, HOPE TO SEE YOU IN 2012!

A Vampire Christmas Shopping – Greetings From Sabrina Strong

A Vampire Christmas Shopping – Greetings From Sabrina Strong

VAMPIRE'S TRILL NOW AVAILABLE!

A pox upon me, I've neglected to up date here. Vampire's Trill, my second book in the Sabrina Strong Series, is now in eBook form at Smashwords and soon on Amazon!

I've waited, it seems, all year to be able to say this! I'm so excited about this book. I'm sure those of you who have read Vampire Ascending will love this one too. I've been told by my editor that it out-does the first one in every aspect. Their description says it all:

Lorelei Bell has created another unique and mesmerizing mystery masterwork that tops its prequel, Vampire Ascending, in drama, fast-paced action, love, passion, heartache, and devastation. New friends, new adventures, shocking revelations, and harrowing experiences make for riveting reading in this second installment of the Sabrina Strong Series.

Sabrina learns more details - through Vasyl's recounting of his human and vampire life - of what her role as a sibyl means and how the past and the future will come together. She finally learns what role Vasyl has played in his search for the next sibyl and why she is so tremendously important.

As Sabrina's partner, Dante, puts himself at risk to help all of mankind, Sabrina learns why newcomer, Bill Gannon, is so interested in her, and she works to protect Bjorn Tremayne from losing it all. Sabrina's past catches up to her, and she discovers that not everyone is, or was, what she thought. New characters, some kind and trustworthy, and some not, contribute to a captivating story line, and Sabrina finds herself on a journey she never thought possible.

There's Just Something About a Good Book Cover...

That will catch the eye of your potential readers.  The above is the one chosen for the second in series of the Sabrina Strong stories. When I was sent another one, earlier in the summer, I rejected it. I told my publisher that it was too bright and it really didn't give a sense of what might be happening in the book. I gave him some ideas to work with. I'm fortunate that my publisher agreed with me and was willing to work with me.

I've posted about this now on Lorelei's Muse and now at my writing journal--which for some reason people have been joining up to follow. I didn't think anyone would be interested in it.

Anyway, I'm excited about this cover as I've already gotten a handfull of great comments about it. The edits are nearly finished on their end, and I get them next to approve or what have you.

As I posted, I'm so glad I'm not doing the insane NaNo thing. Right now it is almost 4pm. I've been up since 4 am. That's when we get up to get ready for our day. We've had to run into the store for some things. I was already dragging by the time we got out of there. I'm dead now, and want to take a nice hot bath and forget about the week--not that it was a bad week. On the contrary, it was rather good with some unexpected benefits--some of which I hope will move things in the right direction.

I'm still trying to work out the kinks in the short story. As I've admitted I'm not a short story writer. I'm not sure if what I wind up with will find its way into publication. When and if it happens I'll announce it. I need to work on that this weekend. I would rather work on something that might pay me something in return. I don't like doing work for nothing. In the past I have written and have been paid--not much, but it was worth seeing my by line under the title (be it a poem, short story or an article), get at least one copy and a check to spend however I want.

Working at a maddening pace for the hell of it isn't my idea of fun. Right now I need to go relax in the tub. then I'll get myself a glass of wine and wind down with husband in our kitchen and veg.

Have a great weekend. That's what I intend on doing.

Lorelei's Muse: COFFIN HOP!

Lorelei's Muse: COFFIN HOP!: I'm very excited about the Coffin Hop! It's the first blog hop I have ever been a part of. A bunch of horror fiction writers are particip...

"Count Dracula & His Vampire Brides"

My husband and I went shopping today, and I found a fantastic DVD deal of 20 vampire movies for only $5 at K-Mart. I had to have this. I recognized only one of the featured films--Nosferatu--but the stars of these classics had me sold: Bela Lugosi, Vincint Price, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, to name a few, in these movies I'd never heard of, but they sound great.

I think I was lucky as a teenager to be able to stay up late to watch the old Dracula movies when they came on, and of course, the Lee-Cushing duo of Dracula vs. van Helsing are simply one of the staples of my Dracula movie diet.

This offering, "Count Dracula and His Vampire Brides" never made it to the American TV becasue of brief, yet repeated nudity--a woman on an altar. Set in modern England, it is quite British. Police investigate the murder of a man who was sent in to spy, and his accusations of several up-standing men involved in some Satanic rituals have them consult Van Helsing (but, of course!).

I have to say, the new twist on the Dracula/Van Helsing story was fresh to me. Dracula was his old horrible self, hording his vampire women chained up in a crypt-like basement of a mansion (the one where the devil worshipers gathered). I'm not sure why they were chained up, but the scene where they attack Van Helsing's granddaughter was pretty good. I loved the fangs they used in these Hammer movies. And Dracula could not have been more sexy (for 1974), in one scene where he comes into a room where a woman is kept, and she is very much anticipating his moves on her.

The story basically is that Dracula has enslaved a bio-chemist to develope a very fast-acting, deadly strain of the bubonic plague to destroy the human race. Cushing (Van Helsing), realizes it is his secret desire to erradicate all of the human race and to go down in a Armagedon-style glory. Of course our modern-day, chain-smoking Van Helsing must stop him--seeing that he is the modern generation of his great-grandfather--and the clock is ticking away to midnight when this deadly strain is to be unleashed.

I liked this one. Christopher Lee at least spoke his lines and was somewhat more convinicingly diabolical. His eyes turned red too. I think I was told that he somehow had to irritate them--possibly with salt?--in order to get this look. The things they did for their rolls even in the '70's. The effects were pretty cool at the end.

Hammer Films churned these out one after the other. This one may have been one of the last, as it was filmed in 1974. If you find this one, it's worth the buy. I recommend "Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride".

Happy Halloween!

The Girl Has Pink Slippers

Hello all.

I've been neglecting the blogs I keep. They are sorry little puppies a little hungry for attention.

Well, today I hit 80,716 words, and 214 pages, and am working on chapter 23 in Crimson, my fourth Sabrina Strong book in series.

The title to this post is the very first thing I jotted down in a notebook I was using to keep such things in. I had this character in my head and she had pink slippers on.

My entries look like disjointed notes. Having nothing to do with each other, if you didn't know what it was all about. I do. If someone found this they'd go "huh?"

Not all the things I've jotted in here is used. Usually it is, but not always. I discard it. That is why a notebook is kept.

I began this fourth novel in July. I thought I was moving along pretty quickly, considering I worked 5 days a week--back in the summer, but now I have Mondays off. And it helps me get something done.

I've been having a time of it, however, since I've invented two of my worst villains. I don't know how this will come across, but one is a child molester. I, of course, will make sure that my heros stop my villains in time. But I've been worried about this the whole time I've written it.

Have you ever written a very bad, or evil person and worried how people will think of you/your book?

Something In Me Snapped Today . . .

and I knew what it was I wanted to write next.

You ever have those moments where you think about a possible next book. Yeah, I could do this, it sounds really good. But it's still undeveloped. Which is where I was after this weekend.

Oh, I'm not done with the fourth book in the Sabrina Strong series. I do want to begin my mystery series--I hope to this winter, after I get somethings figured out for it.

And there's another one nipping at my heals, and I keep on pushing it back as well. Probably will never get written, unless I win big money and don't have to work for a living.

And then, there I was minding my own business, and it jumped me. The idea. And it wasn't even an idea it was a sentence and then another and it kept coming and I said, "Oh. My. God! That's it! That's what I need to work on next.

The idea came to me as I pondered actually going ahead with this NaNoWriMo in November. I kept thinking "what are you thinking? With everything you need to do, and with a second book coming out at some point in the fall, where the hell are you going to have time to write 50K words in 30 days?"

No. No. And double-NO!!!

I'm not the kind who can just start typing and not look at my mistakes and go back over them. Can't. Sorry. Just not in me.

And why would I want to try and do this in 30 days when I can do it in 60, or 90 days?

But anyway, when I looked further into this NaNoWriMo, I realized there is no real prize. Oh. Yeah, you get to post the little do-dad on your blog that says you went through hell, made your family all go through hell while you sat at the computer or whatever and hammered out something that probably looks like a manuscript that went through the garbage disposal. Oh, but December is when you can go through it.

B.S. If I want to write something that means something to me, I will write it and I don't need no contest to make me do it. Thus, I won't be there, even though my picture is there. Don't bother coming around seeing if I'm there I'm not there.

The reason is, is because this story began in my head NOW. Not two, three or four weeks from now.

Here is the first sentenses of the work:

The beatings stopped after my mother died. I don't know why.

Lorelei's Muse: The Promised Scene

Lorelei's Muse: The Promised Scene: Something happened yesterday with the end of my post. I had the scene all prettied up for you and somehow it did a magic act and disappeared...

Dance on Fire: Barbara, Nathaniel & the Underwear Challenge

Dance on Fire: Barbara, Nathaniel & the Underwear Challenge

Lorelei's Muse: LORELEI'S BIRTHDAY BASH & GIVE AWAY!!!!

Lorelei's Muse: LORELEI'S BIRTHDAY BASH & GIVE AWAY!!!!: Hello! You made it! Welcome! Join us in the celebration! Here's a party hat and we're about to cut the cake. Mingle and make yourself comfor...

Lorelei's Muse: GIVE AWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!

Lorelei's Muse: GIVE AWAY ANNOUNCEMENT!: Okay, so this girl is turning a year older, and I decided I would have a little party for those of you who follow, and/or are fans of my vam...

Legend In The Making



Lorelei Bell is author of
new vampire novel,
Vampire Ascending

Maybe it began with Buffy--which I absolutely love. I don't know, but all of a sudden there is a glut on the market of vampire novels that have a heroine in it, who is almost always a kick-ass lady, equipped with a black belt, knowledgeable in all other sorts of nasty fighting tricks, maybe they have some sort of unusual talents, thus can kick the shit out of all vampires and demons and whatnot, and be fearless in their endeavors.

Ho-hum. I'm neither afraid for her, nor can I actually relate to her.

What I have never liked about this sort of book is when I open up and read about a woman who is stalking vampires, or demons, she has either a special gun, or uses her fists to do the job. I once read that the character broke off the heal of her boot in order to drive it through a vampire's heart. Well, nice to have the money to go out and buy another pair of shoes! But also, she winds up walking lop-sided because the 3 or 4" heal is missing on one boot. That's neither realistic, nor does it make me say, "You Go Girl!" The rough and tumble girl gets very old, very quickly for me. Okay, she kicks ass. I get it. What makes her vulnerable? What makes her likable? Why do I care about her???

I can never relate to that sort of woman and this is why. Once upon a time I tried taking a Marshal arts class, and I hated it and after the second class I quit. I was afraid I'd get hurt. It just didn't work for me. So, I have no experience whatsoever in such things, and am not about to start, since I'm closing in on retirement age, and I'm not going to fake it either, just to get readers.


So, if you have been hanging out at my other blog, or my facebook page, and twitter (where I'll post this most assuredly), I'm just saying that if you have not read Vampire Ascending, and wonder about it, you will find out quickly that Sabrina has issues like all the rest of us. She has money, and boy friend issues, she isn't exactly afraid of her own shadow, but she isn't about to let the vampire have the upper hand, and smarts, in my estimation, win out. 

For instance, Sabrina isn't ready to accept that--in my later books, beginning with the second one especially--that she is a sibyl and part of her job is to kill vampires, demons, and even nephilim. I didn't want her to come out swinging. She actually likes a few of the vampires, werewolves, and even a demon or two. I wanted this to be a Legend In The Making.



the original kick-ass vampire slayer



What I've done is brought every reader in at ground level. Get to know who Sabrina is--a touch clairvoyant--and she has to solve several mysteries and crimes by using her talent as a clairvoyant. There's plenty of action, don't get me wrong. The scene where she goes into a nest of rogue vampires to find her friend--who she loves--and has nothing more than a water pistol filled with holy water is, to me, being overly brave, but I've built up her reasons as to why. Plus, she is hopeful that the vampire magnate, Tremayne, who has hired her likes her enough to come and save her cute little tush. Which he does--and on a Harley (any red-blooded ex-Viking would do this, wouldn't he?). What happens after that . . . well, you'll just have to read it to find out. 

I'm currently working on book 4. Book 3 is in first draft. I'm merely working on #4 because it playing out in my head. But I've signed contract for the second book, Vampire's Trill, and it has a September release. Thus The Legend In The Making continues.

Lorelei's Muse: A BOOK GIVE AWAY!

Lorelei's Muse: A BOOK GIVE AWAY!: "I usually do Hunks Thursday, but I've something more important to do today. My friend Heather McCorkle is having a fantastic give away!!! ..."

Film & Book News

Johnny Depp will go from being a vampire to hunting them as he works on the remake of The Night Stalker.

And tell me you are suprised as I am on this: Stephen King's son, Joe Hill, is about to pen his own vampire novel. You can check this out for more details here:

This is not going to be anything like Twilght. I think he'd rather stick pins in his eyes.

Stephen King's son, Joe Hill--okay is this his pen name or what?--is not a fan of the modern vampire novels. He wants to write something that hasn't got sexy vampires or romantic ones that get all sappy and doesn't even want to bite the girl he fancies. He says—and I quote-- “Sexy vampires are like sexy leeches. Really? REALLY?!”

Anyway, although I had no idea King had a son who was now a writer. I'm just wondering if he didn't get his writing style from the old man, and maybe his agent as well (yes, that was a snarky remark, so sue me!) Hopefully he doesn't write literary like his mother, Tabitha. But I highly doubt it.

I didn't care for Tabitha King's writing style, and couldn't get through half the book I'd checked out. I took it back to the library unable to trudge through any more. I don't care for “literary” works where I need a dictionary on my lap to look up $10 words. Hopefully their son's writing style is more a chip off his father's--horror—which I'm betting it is.

I will be checking this out. I read King's vampire novel 'Salems Lot, a couple of times.But when it was made into a film the movie sucked, but the book still stands as one of my favorite vampire novels of modern times.

Anyway, I'm not really surprised Hill wasn't all that crazy about the Twilight series and the twinkling vampires who never seemed all that dangerous to me.

And one last note, th movie, Bite Marks is going to be out on DVD this November. You can see a teaser trailer here:

  

"Now To Taste The Rest Of You" . . . from my WIP

Alucard and Sabrina are on the ball room dance floor. I promised this a few days back. Just a peek at a portion of my 3rd book. Keep in mind, Sabrina is on another world...

~*~

We twirled across the floor while I counted in my head . . . one, two, three . . . one, two, three. . . twirl, step . . .

Alucard's lips curled slightly, and I saw a brow arch as he leaned slightly toward me and inhaled.

“Ah, I could grow accustom to this.”

“To what?”

“Come now, Sabrina, surely you jest? You've danced with three men now. Jett is to be married, Skrlock isn't interested in women, but I am very interested. In you.”

“Skrlock is gay?” I blurted, surprised.

Alucard made a little shake of his head, eyes blinking at me. “I beg your pardon?”

“Never mind,” I said, realizing I used a slang word from my world that he couldn't understand. “What are you getting at?”

“We all know that Drakulya has asked you to become his Blood Dame, and you refused him. You're being here tonight suggests that you are offering yourself.”

I stopped dead. “I'm doing no such thing!” My hands went to my waist. At once I felt the corset pinch me suddenly from my movements in the stomach. Scrunching my face in sudden pain, my hand went to my middle. Maybe I'd eaten too much? I wanted to find a place to cut the damned thing off.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“Nothing a knife wouldn't take care of.” I couldn't believe women wore these damned things.

“Do you feel faint? May I . . .”

The lightheaded feeling washed over me without warning. I lost my equilibrium and things around me moved oddly. I saw two of everything. This was weird.

Without warning, I tipped toward the floor. Catching me, Alucard took me in his arms and swept me through the dance floor. I heard chuckles, saw faces darting looks at me. I had to guess this happens all the time; women fainting.

Everything went black as we moved through hallways, and then up a sweeping stairs.

When I opened my eyes I was prone, I knew I was in a bed. The room was semi dark, with candlelight, and a fireplace glowing off to the side. I felt something wet slicking along the top of my foot. It tickled. What the hell? My mind wanted to place a dog licking my foot—which was bare, and I was trying to figure out how my shoes had come to be off.

I felt it again, as I came more fully awake, and jerked my foot—the one that was being licked.

A sly chuckle met my stunned ears. “You have delicious feet,” Alucard said.

I realized I was still suffering from whatever drug he had put in the drink I so unwisely chose to drink—stupid, Sabrina, stupid!--I tried to martial my motor skills to jerk my foot away, but then realized with molasses speed, that he held it in one hand. I rose my head enough to look down and met his steel gaze as he licked my toes. I dub thee Asshole.

His mouth opened, and white fangs slid from his dark mouth. A spike of fear tingled around my skull, and then, as he held my gaze, a sudden surge of delicious desire settled deep in my groin. Oh, shit! He was able to enthrall me. Why wasn't the ring working?

My confusion was completely interrupted by the sting of his bite on my tender ankle.

I screamed, initially, as a moment of terror pulled through me, and then was cauterized and became a scream of pleasure. The orgasm throbbed through me and I found myself in a delightful delirium from it.

In one of those Uber-vampire moves, he was suddenly on top of me. I couldn't help my surprised screech.

He laughed as he settled on top of me. “You are as delicious tasting as I thought you'd be. I'll make a fortune from your blood.”

I moved my right hand, wanting to shove the power of the ring in his face before he could get any further with his plans—which I remember seeing in my vision earlier—finding that it was covered by the yards of material of my dress.

As if realizing what I was doing, he caught my hand under the material and held it down. “Oh, no. You'll not be using your magic on me, my dear.” He brought his knees up to hold the dress' material in place and ran his free hands up my sides, then cupped my breasts. He was clearly pleased with my curves. His fingernails raked the flesh (of my breast), and I felt him grab the front of the dress.

“Now to taste the rest of you.”

copyright 2011 by Lorelei Bell

My Characters Suck

Well, the vampires do, at least.

I've just renamed a few of my characters in the third book. I had to give them some name to work with, and now that I've found some better names to give some of them I have done so. I used my Find and Replace in Edits to change the names of two characters. I had one named Verdilak. It was a cool name, but I had too many characters' names that began with a V. Vasyl is one, and even though Drakulya is called Drakulya, his other name is Vlad. Too many V's, see? So I re-named him Skrlock. A strange, but memorable name. I tried different spellings:

Scurlock

Scirlock

Scerlock

Then I thought, why put a vowel in there at all? and why not a k instead of a c ?

So I got Skrlock.

And I still couldn't keep from holding on to the name Jett for the main male character. It just fits him. However I had to rename the blood broker of Arabella's from Raven to Alucard. I also changed his looks, and personality, and whole character, really.

The other day I saw this dude walking down the street. Just the back of him, his long hair flopping over his back, it came to about his shoulder blades. The color is hard to explain, but it was like he had equal amounts of gray running throughout his darker hair creating a new, unusual color. I never saw his face, which was fine, but his hair, unfettered, and tall and trim caught my writer's interest, and thought he'd make a perfect vampire. I guessed he was in his 40's. I was hoping to see him again while driving the bus, but didn't. Maybe I will another time, this summer while I'm driving across town.

So, seeing this dude I was able to go back and decide on honing the description of one character that looked just too much like Jett. I felt I had to because I decided to do a scene with Alucard today. Struggling to get Sabrina into a place where she would be poised for the final segment: The Climax of the book.

I like what I came up with for Alucard, and where he fits in this. And this climax scene is burned in my head, and although I want to get to it, I'm working toward it instead. I could just write it, and get it over with, get it done and out of my system. But I've got a week off coming up and want to give myself that time to work on it then. I hope by July something I'll have the first draft of this third book done.

Plus I came across the description of an Astral Vampire, and found that it fit perfectly for a character that has to change drastically, in this book. I'm sort of excited about having found it, because it was on a sheet I'd printed out months ago, and I just came across it. Having worried about what this character would become, after all the things that go on, which I can't even discuss because I'm not ready to write anything about it, what with the second book, Vampire's Trill about to come out this summer.

Well that's all for this update.

The Life of a Novice Writer: A Book Review: Lorelei Bell's, Vampire Acsending

The Life of a Novice Writer: A Book Review: Lorelei Bell's, Vampire Acsending

Notice something Different?

I went from this as my header to . . .

This:

Like???

I went snooping around in photobucket this afternoon. They sure have some great stuff there. Some of it moves and some of it doesn't.

I found a great haunted, spooky castle there:

And I really liked this graveyard. . .

Sort of peaceful. I want to lie down and take a nap there. Not permanately, though.

And this last picture makes me think of the female vampire character in my next Sabrina Strong Series.




This is Ilona Tremayne, a psychic vampire. But she does have fangs, sort of looks nasty like this one does:

Ilona Tremayne singlehandedly--with help of her underlings--kills several vampires in my first book Vampire Ascending.

You'll want to know how, before you read the second book, Vampire's Trill, because Sabrina gets to meet this bitch from hell. She really, really doesn't want to either.

Come to think of it, I wouldn't either. Would you?

The Sibyl and the Legend of the Dagger of Delphi

The word sibyl comes from the Latin/Greek sibylla, meaning prophetess.

Sibyline Oracles typically predicted disasters.

The sibyl is sometimes confused with the Pythia who was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, who did make prophecies, but many times was wrong and they didn't trust her after a while—according to some sources.

The difference between the sibyl and the Pyhthia were that the Pythia usually speaks in a frenzied state and in another voice, while the sibyl spoke intelligently and in her own voice.

From Collier's Encyclopedia: “SIBYL the name given by the Greeks and Romans to a prophetess inspired by Apollo or by some other deity. There were several sibyls in antiquity, of whom one, Herophile, prophesied the Trojan War. The most famous sibyl was the Cumaean, whose cavern at Cumae near Naples was excavated in 1932; in Vergil's Aeneid, she prophsied Aenea's future and guided him to the underworld. According to one tradition, Apollo offered this sibyl as many years of life as she had grains of sand in her hand. Having failed to ask also for continuing youth, however, she shriveled up until she was a tiny creature in a jar, whereupon, like Tithonus, she repented of her wish. Collections of the prophecies of the sibyls were know as the Sibylline Books. The Cumaean Sibyl offered to sell King Tarquin nine of these books. When he refused she burned three and offered six at the same price. Again he refused, and she burned three more, offering the remaining three at the same price. These the king purchased. Other books were later added to the collection, which the Romans consulted in time of emergency.”

The Pythia was directly possessed of the god while seated on the sacred tripod. The sibyl was inspired by the god.

Legend of the Dagger of Delphi

When the Sibyl of Delphi died, she was buried with her dagger, it is believed that some how her soul was drawn into the dagger. At some point between her death and the first century, The Dagger of Delphi was thought to have been lost forever, until a farmer found the ruins of her grave after discovering a cave in the Pyrenees. He returned with an oil lamp to the cave. After walking about a hundred feet in he discovered prehistoric paintings of animals. But further in, and down another corridor, he found a smaller cave. Here he discovered a small grave, inside it a wooden box, and a manuscript written on papyrus.

Not understanding the writing, or what he had found he decided to take both the manuscript and the box to monks who lived nearby in the mountains.

Of course the monks did not realize what they had until later on, one monk deciphered the writings and realized they had discovered one of the Sibylline Books.

This was the book of the Sibyl of Delphi whose other task in life, aside from a written account of her predictions and prophecies, depicted her tasks of ridding the earth of Nephilim (the off-spring of the Fallen Angels, or Watchers), as well as vampires and demons—who are related down through the ages through the line of Lilith.

It was not more than two months that the monastery was burnt, and all the monks were murdered. No one knew precisely what happened to the dagger or the manuscript, until thirty years later, it showed up in the hands of another monk by the name of Eusebius. If it were not for Eusebius, who came into possession of the Dagger of Delphi, the way of the sibyl would be lost forever, and the Nephilim would take over the world.

However, that is only the beginning of the story. It was not until the current millennium that another sibyl was born to rid the world of the terrifying creatures known as Nephilim. And the new struggle was begun.

Return for more hints, tidbits, scenes and background information for the Sabrina Strong Series in the second book "Vampire's Trill" ~ to come out later this year!!!

Once Upon A Time . . .

I dreamed of having a book published.

Now that I have, it is work trying to get people to notice it, and then buy it. But, it seems to be working out okay. Vampire Ascending has only been out for not quite five months.

And I just got my second royalty check, which was nice. And I've already spent it--in my head, that is.

I've this "wish" list. You know the one. It goes something like this:

New desk

lap top

office chair (nicer than the rickety one I have now)

lamp--possibly a floor lamp

rug--cool designs maybe from B.B.&B. or Kohls?

wire mesh waste basket

clock

Now, the top three things I can't afford right now. But hope to eventually. The desk is top priority this year. I think eventually I'll be able to buy the one I've been wanting in Office Max--unless they quit making it by the time I do get the money!!!

Lorelei's Muse: Embrace the Vampire Within

Lorelei's Muse: Embrace the Vampire Within: "Are you, or someone you know a Vampire? Well, okay, don't laugh. I don't mean the kind that is immortal, or that explodes into dust when s..."

Night Time Thoughts

My husband and I are having our kitchen remodeled--we live in a county forest preserve-owned house--and tomorrow they will come in and demolish it floor to ceiling. We, of course, spent the last week moving everything out of the room and setting things up in other rooms. Odd to have the refrigerator in the dinning room. But after a couple of days of thinking you need to go into the kitchen to get the milk and whatever, and there it was staring at you--this big hulk of a thing you just walked past--you figure it out. Coffee maker and microwave are now in the living room on the kitchen table and an old Lane end table that once was in my parents house. Cozy. Food is stored in ice chests--easier to get in and out of. And we've bought paper places, plastic spoons, forks and knives for when we can't do dishes. This late afternoon we sat in the empty shell of what is the kitchen, reminiscing of our first days in this very old--over 100 years--house about 17 years ago this month. Sitting in lawn chairs, drinking beer and watching nature outside the windows while the temperatures today got to 81, but now as clouds filter in, we've dropped significantly. Hopeful that if we get any rain it will not be stormy. Today I was a guest on Fangtastic Books. There is a contest running there up until Tuesday to win my eBook. This is the first time I have done the contest thing. I wasn't sure how to go about this, but my publisher kindly offered to do this give away as a promotional. Wish I'd asked about this before. Well, that's okay. I have been over there at Fangtastic Books responding to comments from those who are interested in Vampire Ascending. Some feel it sounds very different--which it is, I assure you!--and some agree with the things I said about vampires. I LOVE VAMPIRES! Or, couldn't you tell? And I had fun responding to the comments left by everyone. What? I get to do it again tomorrow? And Tuesday? Cool. A winner will be announced on Wedesday. So, the evening has turned softer, with clouds and promise of rain. But that's okay. I'm fine with everything right now. I have to recall where I was about 5 or so years ago, struggling with trying to get published. Here I am, having a give away contest for a book I've written and published. I never thought it would be possible to get here after 30 some years of trying to do this. Well, that's for my not giving up. So, tonight we look forward to the new kitchen that will eventually emerge from the "ashes" of the old. It will be renewed. And our spirits are lifted because we've asked for this seven or eight years ago. They didn't have the budget for it, now they do. I wish I could post before and after photos, but that's okay. Take it from me the old kitchen will be forgotten, save for the pictures we took with the cell phone to look at at some time later on.

Something from my 3rd novel

(apologies ahead of time, this begins and ends abruptly--but enjoy)

The sound of equipage approach made us turn toward the front gates again. Two magnificent white horses drawing it. I remembered it from when my night had begun, and I'd ridden in it to be brought back here.

“That must be Jett returning from his evening with Penelope.

“Let's not let them see us,” I said moving away from the front of the house.

“Why?” Drachen said, joining me in the cover of low bushes.

“Because I really don't want to have a confrontation.” We crouched down and waited as the carriage drew up, stopped and paused. No one got out, but I could hear voices from inside. They sounded like they were arguing, which pleased me to no end.

“This may take some time,” Drachen said low to me.

“That's alright,” I said. “By the way, do you like her?”

“Who? Penelope?”

“Yes.”

“She's alright, I guess. It's Jett who needs to like her, not me.” We both chuckled. “I also can't read her mind. Which is strange.”

I looked at him. “Really? You too? I can't get anything from her either.”

“Yes. Very strange,” he agreed.

“So, do you think she's a bitch?” I asked.

I heard him snort lightly. “Unequivocally. Yes.”

“Good.”

“You?”

“Oh, I hate her guts,” I said and then snorted. It came out really gruff. Hell. I was shifting a little further into my creature. I could feel the slightest shiver of excitement go through me from head to toe. I felt both agitated and excited. I'd made my kill—such as it was, and now I wanted to mate; I was horny as hell—more so than before. I needed to get away from Drachen. I didn't want Drachen near me at this point; I didn't want him near me. It was as though I were choosing an alpha to be with and Drachen wasn't one. Jett was an alpha. Older, huskier, more worldly, and I felt he would be able to handle anything I dished out.

Finally the carriage rode off, leaving Jett standing on the cobblestone drive waving to it as it drove out of the gates.

Drachen was first to step out into the open, and sidled up to Jett.

“I thought she would never leave,” Jett sighed.

“Me too,” Drachen said. “Have a good evening?”

Jett shrugged. “I've had better. We quarreled nearly the whole time.”

Drachen chuckled. “You'll make a cute couple.”

“If you're trying to get on my good side, you're doing a bad job of it.”

Drachen chuckled again.

I stepped out of cover, unable to hold back a sudden snarl. I felt shivers going through me. The change into my creature had paused, or stopped completely. Possibly it was the difference in worlds. I wasn't sure, but my mind had not shifted to the animal, just as my body had not. Although I felt my teeth had become longer, sharper, as had the horrific claws at the ends of my fingers.

Both men turned toward me to gaze at my appearance in the moonlight. Did I look strange? I wasn't sure.

“Sabrina?” Jett said, a little surprised. “What are you doing out here?”

“Oh, we were on a killing mission,” Drachen said. “She dispatched a few more Dreadfuls.”

“Truly?”

“I've got to say, she's very quick with that dagger,” Drachen said.

“Drachen, go inside. Now.” I growled.

Both men exchanged startled looks.

“She's a werewolf, by the way,” Drachen said. “Apparently, she wants you, cousin.” He slapped him on the back. “I'll be inside, if you should need me. Or need patching after.” Drachen chuckled, trudging toward the doors and slipped inside.

Jett stood looking at me for a few more heartbeats.

“Are you alright?” he wondered.

“Not alright,” I said with a slightly raspier voice.

“Can I help you . . . in any way?”

“Oh, yeah. You can help me.”

He stepped a little closer and stopped a few paces from me. “The last time I showed interest, you threw me.”

“I won't throw you this time,” I promised. “But I warn you, I might hurt you.”

He laughed and held out his hands. “You can't hurt me any more than I am already.”

“I didn't mean emotionally. I meant physically. I might bite you. I might cut you.” I held up my claw-tipped hands. I eyed them. Hell, I might hurt myself with them.

He stepped closer, taking in the claws. He reached out and placed a finger beneath the first three, and I clenched them slightly, almost like a bird on a twig. Our eyes met. His were black gems in the night, glimmering in the lights beneath the porte-cohere.

“Hmm,” his voice went up with a curious note. “That might be just what I need after tonight. Something to get my mind off it all, in fact.”

I let him step closer, and felt his overwhelming aura hit me. We stared at one another for a full minute. He was probably measuring my aura as well. I'm sure it had changed, or at least was ratcheted up quite a bit with my were-animal.

“Shall we go inside?” he wondered, gesturing toward the palace doors.

“No. I'd prefer we didn't.” Turning, I moved swiftly away, following a brick pathway—the same one I had earlier in the day—back into the gardens. I heard his heavier footfalls follow me as I padded along on lithe feet, enjoying a bit of a chase. But I didn't run. I didn't need to. I turned to look back at him over my shoulder. Stopping unsure, he stared after me. I shrugged off my coat and tossed it on the ground and moved along and then paused at the opening of the formal garden to find him trailing along behind me, pausing only when I paused.

Smiling, I half-turned, and pulled off my shirt, revealing my white, lacy bra. I saw his brows lift with peeked interest. I draped the shirt on a hedge, and strode into the garden. Once inside I pulled off my boots, one at a time, tossing one into the mint, the next one I let drop over my shoulder, like crumbs to follow. While I did a walking strip-tease, Jett appeared in the aperture of the garden where the arbor made an arched opening. Moving forward, his foot connected with one of my discarded boots. He looked down, then back up at me. I was currently peeling off my pants. I had his full attention now as I let my pants drop onto a rock wall, and stepped behind it, hiding myself from view.

I waited for him to enter this portion of the garden. When he did I stood proudly, tilting my head back slightly, allowing him an unobstructed view. “You want to remove the rest yourself?” I asked in a challenge.

“I might at that,” he said and closed the distance between us. His hands went to the clasp on that elegant black velvet cloak he wore. It slithered off his shoulders like a black waterfall.

I remained still watching to see what he would do next, doing my best to not rush into this. My desires coming to a crescendo I wanted to enjoy the moment, but I also couldn't wait all night; I'd waited long enough for my alpha to show. I clenched my fists, digging my nails—claws—into my palms trying to hold back from charging at him, and rip his clothes off. I actually wanted to bite him in places he might not like. Or, maybe he wouldn't mind so much.

“I'll feed off your life force, you know?” he said almost as a warning.

“I've got so much going through me, I think I've enough to spare,” I said with a shrug.

He looked around for a soft spot of ground. Choosing one, he spread the cloak out on clipped grass. I moved with him to the spot, and just when I wasn't sure how to intrigue him further, he grabbed me around the waist and hauled me against himself and smothered my lips with his. His kiss demanding; I kissed right back with enough force to make electricity as our mouths and tongues became like frantic animals trying to mate. Copyright 2011 Lorelei Bell