Jennifer’s Random Musings

So, how is everyone enjoying the blog party?

I am sure you all are dying to know more about my other wonderful guests of honor, The Impalers, so without further ado let me introduce them…

Ren D’Antoni- Guitar, Vocals (Real name Sonny Kane)
Born in Life: 1785
Born in Death: 1815
The illegitimate son of an English Duke and an Italian Opera singer, Ren aspired to be a composer, but died on the cusp of fame. Frustrated, he’s restless and quick to stir trouble in the band. 

Johnny Malone- Drummer (Real name Greg Hampton)
Born in Life: 1895
Born in Death: 1930
The son of Irish immigrants, Johnny grew up on the streets of Chicago, running with gangsters in the twenties.  Now a homeowner, he spends his down time as an active member of the Council for the Preservation of the Purity of Blood. 

Drake- Bass (Real name Brian B)
Born in Life: 1721
Born in Death: 1755
Sent to the colonies in lieu of Debtor’s Prison, Drake took to the high seas as a pirate running rum.  Now he drinks the blood of alcoholics and runs a side business as a tattoo artist. 

Wyatt Axelrod- Guitar (Real name Tim Perry)
Born in Life: 1850
Born in Death: 1888
A former sheriff who died in a shoot out, Wyatt keeps the peace in the band, and has a crush on the mortal waitress at the club.  It’s his suggestion to take the band on the road for a tour of vampire friendly venues. 

David Foster- Guitar, Vocals (Real name Craig Stegall)
Born in Life: 1945
Born in Death: 1969
An insomniac who is always up for a good party, David was acquaintances with Kelsey Columbia in NYC in the sixties.  The newest member of the band and the youngest vampire, David has a penchant for lava lamps and bad-ass vampire chicks. 

Vittorio Ridgewood- Keyboard (Real name Michael Todd)
Born in Life: 1793
Born in Death: 1815
Former band member and Ren’s half-brother, Vittorio is the legitimate child of an Italian opera singer and the fifth son of an English Earl. Classically trained on the piano and the violin, Vittorio is drawn to the overt seediness of Bourbon Street in the search to escape his past.
*Vittorio is a former member, but will be featured in a Brava single title by Kathy 

You can find pics and video of the guys in action plus learn more about The Impalers and their alter egos at their website:  
 www.vampireband.com

Also, be sure to check out their blog:
vampireband.blogspot.com

These guys sound great!  So tell me readers, what do you think of The Impalers?  Pretty cool idea, huh?

Wonder if we can convince them to play some more songs on stage for us…hmmm….off to sample some more punch (and flirt with the undead )!

Have fun everyone!
And check back tomorrow when I have a very special blog that I am sooo excited about!

Remember to comment below for a chance to win a Party Favor Pack from me complete with Halloween goodies, a plastic Goth-tini glass, and author promo items!  Details can be found here.  Also, don’t forget to enter the Get Impaled! Scavenger Hunt found on Sunday’s post!

You all having fun yet? 

The party is getting good and this time I dragged Kathy off the dance floor today to answer some questions…man, those authors sure know how to have a good time… 

Please tell us about your latest release. 
My latest release is My Sister Is A Werewolf, which was released in July 2007.  It’s about Elizabeth Young, the last sibling of my “Fangs” series.   She’s a werewolf with a slight problem.  She’s in heat.  And her hero is Jensen Adler, a mortal veterinarian. This book also introduces the readers to The Impalers.  

The reissue of Fangs For The Memories also just came out last month.  That is the first in the “Fangs” series, featuring Rhys Young, a vampire with amnesia.  

What inspired the story?
Well, I’d already written the first three of the Young siblings, Rhys in Fangs For The Memories, Christian in Fangs But No Fangs and Sebastian in I Only Have Fangs For You.   It just seemed natural Elizabeth would get her own story.  Although unlike her brothers, who are all vampires, she appeared in my mind as a werewolf.   It’s so like her to mix it up on me.   

How was it making the transition from contemporaries to paranormals?  Or had you always planned to write a paranormal? 
I actually made the transition the other way.  I know that sounds weird since my first published books were contemporaries, but I was actually writing my vampires first.   They just didn’t sell first. (Me:  Well, I am glad you didn’t give up on them…I am sure there are many out there who feel the same way) 

Can you tell us more about the paranormals you have written? 
I’ve written the vampire brothers, which I listed above.  And Elizabeth.   I’m currently working on paranormals set in New Orleans, based around the vampire band, The Impalers.   They are humorous but emotional too. (Me: A nice combo!) 

Any other genre you would like to write? 
I’d really like to try out historicals.   I’m an avid reader of historical romance.   It’s what I mainly read, so I’d love to attempt one.  I’d also like to go darker within the paranormal genre.  Erin’s new series has really encouraged me to look at that side of my writing too.  

What do you hope readers get out of your books? 
I hope I entertain.  I hope that the emotion I’m feeling about my characters translates to the page, thus translates to the reader.   I want my stories to be fun and emotional with characters you can truly like and want to know more about.     

What is your favorite part of writing the paranormals?  Least favorite?  
I love the freedom of writing fantastical characters.  I also love placing paranormal creatures into this world and seeing how they adapt.   I guess what I like least is tying together all the loose ends at the end of the book.  And that isn’t really my least favorite part, it’s just the hardest.  

Any plans to return to contemporaries? 
I’d love to go back to contemporaries, but as of right now, I’m not sure when or if I’ll be doing that.   Hopefully. 

So, what is a typical day in the life of the glamorous Kathy Love like?
Oh, geez.  I get my daughter up and ready for school.  We debate what she’s going to wear for a good ten minutes–she’s five and a fashion victim already.   Once she’s out the door, after debating what she’s taking for lunch, I try to force myself to work out.  Sometimes that works, sometimes that doesn’t.   Then I write.  I actually leave my house to write, because I’m terrible about letting other things distract me at home.   So I write in Starbucks a lot.  Then I talked to Erin.  We rarely miss a day without at least one chat.   Then Emily (my fashion and food connoisseur) arrives home and we do family stuff.  Then I usually try to write some more after she’s asleep.   Not glamorous in the least. (Me:  Sure it is…sounds a lot more fun than my life!) 

How long have you been a writer? 
I started writing stories to entertain my friends in junior high.  I wrote a lot with my dear friend, Julie Cohen, who is also an author now, writing for Mills and Boon and Little Black Dress.   I then stopped writing through most of my twenties, only to decide it was truly what I wanted to do.  I sold my first book in September of 2002.  

How many books have you written? 
I’ve written nine books and one novella.  I’m in awe of Erin. (Me:  I think we all are…but you are no slouch either!!) 

What advice would you give to aspiring writers? 
I agree with Erin, read!  A lot.  And write.   Don’t just think about writing, do it!  And submit!  And keep submitting.  I also know I wouldn’t be published without my local chapter of Romance Writers of America.   They provided me with the info I needed to get my manuscripts polished and to the right editors. 

What is next for you? 
Any Way You Want It, the first of the Bourbon Street vampires will be out in January 2008.  This book features Ren D’Antoni, the lead singer of The Impalers.   Although he wasn’t always in a cover band.  He was once a classical composer on the cusp of great fame.  He was fun to write. :)   (Me:  Ooooh, I can’t wait to read this one!) 

When Kathy isn’t tearing up the dance floor and indulging crazy…err…devoted fans like me with blog parties, she can be found online at the following websites…check them out for more info on Kathy and her fabulous books!
www.readkathylove.com
www.myspace.com/readkathylove
www.vampireband.com 

I’ll let Kathy go back to partying, but tell me, readers, have you read one of her books?  If not, visit her site and tell me one that catches your eye? 

Remember to comment below for a chance to win a Party Favor Pack from me complete with Halloween goodies, a plastic Goth-tini glass, and author promo items!  Details can be found here.  Also, don’t forget to enter the Get Impaled! Scavenger Hunt found on Sunday’s post!

WooHoo!  I hope everyone is having a good time! 

So I managed to drag Erin off the dance floor to answer a few questions…okay, more than a few… 

Please tell us about your latest release.
My latest release is MY IMMORTAL, the story of Damien du Bourg, a demon slave, and Marley Turner, who is determined not to fall for his seductive charm. 

What inspired the story?
My love of history and the richness of the Louisiana setting.  I wanted to tell a darker story, with a more complex plot than I had tackled before.  

How was it making the transition from contemporaries to paranormals?  Or had you always planned to write a paranormal?
I always wanted to write a paranormal.  MY IMMORTAL was a book I started five years ago, but the market wasn’t there at the time.   I love contemporaries too, they’re just different.  Like writing night and day.   

Can you tell us more about the paranormals you have written?
I’ve written four vampire books in the Vegas Vampire series, which are more comedic paranormals.  The next and last book in the series, SUCKER BET, will be out in January of 2008.   Then MY IMMORTAL has kicked off a darker paranormal series featuring each of the seven deadly sins.  MY IMMORTAL is lust, while the next book, FALLEN, will feature gluttony (addiction).   FALLEN will be a May 2008 release. (Me:  Those sound sinfully delicious!  Okay, bad joke…blame the party punch!  Rumor is someone spiked it!  ) 

What is your favorite part of writing the paranormals?  Least favorite?
My favorite part is that I can do whatever I want in a paranormal.  My least favorite is that there’s usually a very heavy conflict to resolve.   Someone is usually human and someone isn’t, and that’s a big obstacle to a happily ever after. 

Any other genre you would like to write?
No, now that I’ve done comedy, darker paranormals, and YA (under the name Erin Lynn), I’m good for awhile. <g> 

What do you hope readers get out of your books?
I hope they’ll be entertained and enjoy the journey of the story.  I want them to laugh at my comedies and maybe catch their breath at my darker stories.  

Any plans to return to contemporaries?
Yes!  Look for a new sexy contemporary series from me in late 2008 featuring race car drivers.  (Me:  Oooh, I can’t wait for those!) 

So what is a typical day in the life of the fabulous Erin McCarthy like?
It’s exciting stuff.  I eat, I write, I work out, I shower, I eat, I write, I talk to Kathy on the phone.  Then the kids get home and I do the mom thing.  At night I check email.  That’s pretty much it for Monday through Friday.  : )

How long have you been a writer?
Since first grade when I wrote my first novel featuring a budding witch. (Me:  See, you knew paranormals would be big even when you were a kid…LOL)  I sold my first book in 2002. 

How many books have you written?
14 books and 11 novellas. 

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Read, read, read in the genre you’re interested in.  Study the market.  Join Romance Writers of America.  Submit your work to publishers over and over.  You have to be persistent if you want to succeed in this business.  

What is next for you?
I’m repeating myself here <g> (Me: that’s okay…we don’t mind) but SUCKER BET will be out in January 2008 and FALLEN in May 2008.

When Erin isn’t indulging the whims of a rabid…err…avid fan (me) with a blog party she can be found online at the following sites…check them out for more info on Erin and her wonderful books! 

www.erinmccarthy.net
 www.erinlynnbooks.com 
www.vampireband.com 

I’ll let Erin go back to partying now…So tell me readers, have you ever read one of Erin’s books? If not, visit one of her sites and tell me one that catches your eye. 

Remember to comment below for a chance to win a Party Favor Pack from me complete with Halloween goodies, a plastic Goth-tini glass, and author promo items!  Details can be found here.  Also, don’t forget to enter the Get Impaled! Scavenger Hunt found on Sunday’s post!

Okay, so what’s a party without a little fun and a giveaway or two! 

Kathy Love and Erin McCarthy donated some wonderful prizes! 

Four lucky winners will win one of the following:
Prize 1:  a copy of My Immortal by Erin McCarthy
Prize 2:  My Sister Is a Werewolf by Kathy Love
Prize 3:  A reissue of Fangs for the Memories by Kathy Love
Prize 4:  The Impalers CD 

To win one of these great prizes from Kathy or Erin, you’ll have to enter the Get Impaled! Scavenger Hunt!
Just send the answers to the following questions to jennifersrandommusings @ gmail.com (without the spaces) with “Get Impaled!” in the subject line! 

PLEASE DO NOT POST THE ANSWERS HERE!!!!!

Get Impaled! Scavenger Hunt Questions
1.  According to Erin’s site, what is the title of Book 4 in the Vegas Vampire series?
2.  In the blurb for My Immortal on Erin’s site, Damien’s plantation sits on the outskirts of what city?
3.  What is the name of the Lusty Pirate featured in the online serialization on The Impalers website?
4.  According to The Impalers website, when does a vampire’s day begin?
5.  According to the blurb for Fangs But No Fangs on Kathy’s Book Page, “There’s nothing uglier than a vampire singing” what?
6.  Name one of Kathy’s muses featured on her site. 

All answers can be found be found on either Erin’s, Kathy’s, or The Impalers’ websites.
(Click on their names to get their sites)
Winners will be chosen from all correct entries received by 11:59 EST, November 2, 2007 and announced here on the blog November 3, 2007 so please check back to see if you won!
One entry per person for the Scavenger Hunt!  Please read the contest rules as well! 

*** 

But wait, that is not all…

Starting tomorrow, for each day you visit and leave a comment this week (October 29-November 2) on the party posts, you will be entered to win a Party Favor Pack from me complete with Halloween goodies, a plastic “Goth-tini” glass, and author promo items! 
One winner will be randomly selected from each day’s commenters for a total of FIVE winners.  So visit each day and leave your comments for FIVE chances to win!
You will have until Friday 11:59 EST, November 2, 2007 to leave your comments on all the posts for the week. 

So you see, you have NINE chances to win this week!!!

All winners will be announced on Saturday’s Blog Post! Don’t forget to check back then to see if you won! 

Have fun and good luck everyone!

LET’S PARTY!!!

Crank up the music and break out those dancing shoes! 
It is time for the Get Impaled! Party! 

This started out as a crazy idea I had when I was cruising around on The Impalers website  and blog and turned into something that has been a lot of fun to plan!   

I want to thank Erin, Kathy, and The Impalers for agreeing to be my guests (and not thinking I had lost my mind)!   They have been very kind to me and have been a tremendous help even though they are very busy!  I really appreciate it!

***

I’d like to give a warm welcome to the guests of honor at my party! 

Erin McCarthy:
USA Today Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book to Kensington Brava through author Lori Foster’s website contest in 2002, much to her continued amazement.  Twenty-six books later, Erin is entertaining readers with her sassy, sexy tales of contemporary and paranormal romance.  Her first dark paranormal series focusing on the seven deadly sins will debut in September of 2007, and in her spare time she has ventured into the Young Adult market under the name Erin Lynn. 

Kathy Love:
Kathy started writing romances when she was in junior high. The heroines were her friends and the heroes were guys you may have heard of such as the Beatles, the Monkees, even the New Kids on the Block and Guns and Roses.  So it’s not surprising years later, she is working on stories with musicians as heroes.  Of course now the heroes are not just rockers, but they are vampires too.  Her newest series, includes The Impalers, a vampire rock group.  The first of which, titled Any Way You Want It, will be out in January 2008. And before these vampires, she also wrote her “Fangs” series about three vampire brothers and their werewolf sister.  She also wrote her “Stepp sisters” series, contemporaries based on not your average romance heroine.  

The Impalers:
The Impalers are the brainchild of bestselling authors Erin McCarthy and Kathy Love. While in New Orleans for a writers’ conference, and inspired by the live music playing up and down Bourbon Street, they formulated the unusual plan of creating a “real” vampire band.
Written into both of their books, the authors visualized a fictional band hiding their vampirism in plain sight by using The Impalers as a stage persona. Even better if the fictional band was actually based on real musicians currently playing in New Orleans.
They are musicians.  They are immortal.  They are The Impalers. 

***

The blog party will be going on all week, October 28-November 3!

I hope that everyone will visit each day for plenty of fun and a surprise or two! 

Check back later today when I announce how to win one of the wonderful prizes!!!!!  Believe me, you don’t want to miss that!

Don’t be shy!  Invite your friends!  Let’s party!

First I want to congratulate the winner of this weeks Spotlight on… post giveaway: Stacia Helpman (comment #3) 

Congratulations, you won a copy of Because of a Boy by Anna DeStefano in a cute little bag with goodies from me! 
Please contact me with your mailing address at jennifersrandommusings @ gmail.com (without the spaces) by next Saturday, Nov. 3 or a new winner will be chosen

Congrats to the winner of the ebook copy of Haunting Melody by Flo Fitzpatrick from Friday’s post: tami (comment #2)

Please send me your e-mail addy to jennifersrandommusings @ gmail.com (without the spaces) by next Saturday, Nov. 3 or a new winner will be chosen!

On to today’s Saturday Surprise! 

Today’s surprise is an announcement…starting tomorrow and lasting all next week I shall interrupt the regularly-scheduled programming because……

…..I am having a blog party…and not just any blog party…

a Get Impaled! Party!

Join me as the talented authors Erin McCarthy and Kathy Love and the fictional vampire band The Impalers are my guests for a week of fun!

There will be interviews, giveaways, and a few surprises! 

So visit each day for something new!  And invite your friends to stop by because the more the merrier!

October 28-November 3 here on Jennifer’s Random Musings!

What started out as a crazy idea in my head has turned into a lot of fun to plan (at least for me) so I hope you enjoy it and visit!

Flo Fitzpatrick 

Author Flo Fitzpatrick was kind enough to take the time to write a guest blog for my readers (and donate a prize to one lucky one…so keep reading). Without further ado, here it is… 

Taking Risks

A brief intro.  I’m Flo Fitzpatrick and I write “romantic suspense/mystery with humor and some splashes of paranormal.” (Four books to date.) Jennifer was kind enough to invite me to blog after we “met” through an online loop of authors and readers.  I’m also a choreographer and performer, although the performing is more singing than dancing now.

When I started musing, “What should I blog about?” a conversation from ten months ago flashed into my head.  I’d been chatting after a meeting of my local RWA chapter with two very delightful ladies.  We were discussing an upcoming conference and I asked them if they were going to try and get an appointment with an editor or agent.  Identical sheepish looks crossed their faces when they stated, “no.”  I asked why not and was told that they’d had appointments the year before.  They been quite successful because the editors had asked to see the full manuscript they’d been pitching.  The problem was they didn’t have a full manuscript to send.  They’d never finished writing.  A year had passed and the “book” still languished somewhere on a computer.

Fast forward to the last few weeks I’ve been living in Manhattan.  I keep meeting people who ask me what I do and when I say “I’m a writer” they get excited and respond, “Me too!”  We talk about what we write (mystery, sci-fic, women’s fiction, romance - it runs the gamut.)  They ask if I’m published.  I reply, “Yes - you?”  The answer always seems like Yogi Berra’s famous, “déjà vu all over again.”  ”Well, I haven’t finished anything yet.”  Or “I haven’t sent anything out.”

Apparently there’s a huge fear of taking risks out in the world today.  Painters don’t finish the painting.  Writers don’t finish the story or play.  Sculptors leave an arm or two on the floor.  I’m not a psychologist but I can only surmise that a lot of this is fear of rejection or failure.   So, for anyone interested, I’ve been working in fields notorious for rejections and I’d like to state for the record “Rejections don’t kill you.”  Yes, they may make you head for the nearest carton of Double Chocolate Rocky Road, but it’s a pretty sure bet you’ll survive.

I personally think it’s hard to grow as a person unless you take risks.  Not necessarily deep sea diving for buried treasure or bungee jumping into the Grand Canyon (unless you’re a Criss Angel and have an idea of what you’re doing!) but getting back to finishing - or starting something you’ve dreamed about doing for years -  then why not just take that risk?   Sure, there’s a possibility that the book won’t be published, the painting won’t become part of an exhibition, but if you think you can handle rejection - or success - then give it a go.

Finish that novel or play or even short story - and send it out.  Finish that canvas or mold that piece of marble.  Whatever your passion is, don’t be afraid to take a risk.  If absolutely nothing else, you can be proud that you finished - something half the world doesn’t do. 

Thanks, Jennifer, for letting me muse about risks today! 

Thank YOU, Flo, for being a guest!  This was a wonderful and inspiring post!  I know I definitely need to take more risks.

Flo Fitzpatrick’s latest literary enterprise is a risk - it’s an “E-book” which is a new venture for her in publishing.  Haunting Melody can be found at www.cerridwenpress.com  Flo is also a partner with Athena Critique Services.  Check out the weekly writing tips (no risk!) at www.athenacrits.com.  And for a peek at first chapters of Flo’s previous books, her web site is www.flofitzpatrick.com   

Available now at www.cerridwenpress.com 

This giveaway is going to be a quickie giveaway! 
One lucky reader will win an ebook copy of Haunting Melody from Flo. 
To enter just leave a comment below, but hurry this contest ends at NOON EST, Saturday October 27!  The winner will be announced some time Saturday! 
Comment as many times as you like, but only one entry per person will be counted! 
Please read the contest rules before entering! 

So tell me, do you take risks?