Archive for January, 2025
Welcome to the January 2025 issue of my newsletter, “News from the Crypt,” and please visit Carter’s Crypt, devoted to my horror, fantasy, and paranormal romance work, especially focusing on vampires and shapeshifting beasties. If you have a particular fondness for vampires, check out the chronology of my series in the link labeled “Vanishing Breed Vampire Universe.”
Also, check out the multi-author Alien Romances Blog
To subscribe to this monthly newsletter, please e-mail me at MLCVamp@aol.com, and I will add you to the list.
For other web links of possible interest, please scroll to the end.
Happy New Year!
N. N. Light’s Book Heaven gave my new Christmas novella, “A Ghost in the Green Bestiary,” a fantastic 5-plus-star review. The reviewer comments, “There’s a sublime gothic vibe to the narration, making it impossible to put down. The world-building is immersive and captured my imagination. The characters, though, are what make ‘A Ghost in the Green Bestiary’ an unputdownable read.”
Ghost in the Green Bestiary Review
Continuing the holiday theme, we have an excerpt from “Little Cat Feet,” my YA fantasy Christmas story, based on the legend that animals can talk on Christmas Eve. The protagonist, Lauren, has run away from home and is trying to get to her grandmother’s house. She has just rescued a stray cat from a pair of cruel boys. The story is in my collection LOVE AMONG THE MONSTERS, which can be found here:
And here:
This month I interview Pam Binder, a multi-genre author who has written books in the “Christmas in the Castle” series and other fiction for the Wild Rose Press (as well as other publishers).
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Interview with Pam Binder:
What inspired you to become a writer?
Very easy question. My maternal grandmother inspired me to become a writer. She was a poet, and when I wrote to her, she would also send the letters back edited. I know that might sound harsh, especially when this started happening when I was seven, but it was a wonderful way for us to connect. She encouraged me to not just write about events in my day, but make them sound interesting and fun.
What genres do you work in?
I enjoy writing in many genres. I am published in Time Travel, Romance, Fantasy, Romantasy Young Adult, Contemporary Romance, Historical which includes, western, Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Regency.
Do you outline, “wing it,” or something in between?
I use a type of outline. I use the scene headings from Blake Snyder’s, Save the Cat, and Christopher Vogler’s A Hero’s Journey. Then I write a scene for each beat. When that is finished I expand my story.
What have been the major influences on your work (favorite authors or whatever)?
I read my first romance novel when I was in the fourth grade. My folks bought a house with a library, and the owner had left all of her books. Her book collection were novels written from the 1940’s. One of the books I selected was Forever Amber, by Kathleen Winsor. Forever Amber is a novel that tells the story of Amber St. Clare, an orphaned young woman who rises from poverty to become a courtesan in the court of King Charles II in 17th century England. Along the way, she has numerous lovers, including a nobleman, a soldier, and the king himself, while keeping her love for the one man she can never have. It was a beautifully written book that was turned into a movie. When my mother discovered I had read the book, the only thing she said was – “Do you have any questions?” I think I loved my mother even more that day. She did not believe in censoring books. From that day forward, I was hooked on historical romances. I even named my first heroine Amber.
Please tell us about your “Christmas in the Castle” novels.
The Christmas in the Castle novels, Christmas Proposal and Christmas Secrets, were fun novels to write. Of course, I made life challenging for my heroes and heroines, but they were strong and could handle a few bumps in the road.
What kinds of research do you do for your historical fiction?
I conduct extensive research. The stories I write take place in cities and countries I’ve visited, which gives me a real sense of place. I also have a room I’ve turned into my home library. The sections cover, the United States, Scotland, England, Ireland, and a few countries in Europe. I have books on weapons and costumes from different time periods, histories of the countries, legends, political and religious trends throughout history, and much more. I know people go on line for their research, but you need to be careful and always check your sources. I believe in books.
How does the process of writing for the shared-world “Haunting of Pinedale High” series work?
I was very lucky and the process with The Wild Rose Press was smooth. They had a clear vision for the series. When I received the contract for Raven Spirit, I was told that my book would be released second. With that in mind, authors under contract met via email to discuss their books. Each of our plots were different. The constant was the location, and a few reoccurring characters. If we mentioned any of these reoccurring characters, we needed to make sure they were described the same in each story. These characters did not have to be main characters.
Tell us about some of the writing workshops you present.
Great question. I teach two 9- month workshops, but I am considering breaking them out into shorter sessions. The first is WRITE YOUR STORY. In this series you will write at least two scenes per class. You have the opportunity to turn in three pages per week that I will review as well as consult with you on your scenes. At the end of WRITE YOUR STORY you will have a finished draft. The second class is called EDIT YOUR STORY, and is designed to help you edit and polish your draft.
What is your latest or next-forthcoming book?
My latest book is Christmas Secrets, which was released on December 11.
What are you working on now?
I am working on both another Christmas Regency, as well as a Romantasy. Look for both in 2025.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Never give up. A keynote speaker at a conference asked this question which I never forgot. “Do you know the difference between a published and unpublished author?” He paused and then said, “The published author never gave up.”
What is the URL of your website? What about other internet presence?
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Some Books I’ve Read Lately:
ARILINN, by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Deborah J. Ross (mainly the latter, given that Bradley died in 1999). An attractive hardback with a full-color illustration printed directly on the cover instead of a dust jacket. I enjoyed this novel more than most other recent releases in the Darkover series; I was especially pleased that it doesn’t take place in the post-WORLD WRECKER era (my least favorite) but in a much earlier period. It’s set before the Ages of Chaos, at a time when Comyn alliances and the Tower system as we know them in books such as THE BLOODY SUN and HERITAGE OF HASTUR are just beginning to develop in a recognizable form. The story concludes with the founding of Arilinn Tower after a sequence of personally and politically traumatic events spanning many years. Ross does an admirable job of holding the reader’s interest over such a long period in the characters’ lives as they undergo drastic changes. Protagonist Leora Hastur, almost fifteen at the beginning of the story, discovers her laran (psychic gifts) unusually late, with a severe bout of “threshold sickness.” Her gifted older half-sister, daughter of their father’s deceased first wife, nurses Leora through the ordeal and helps her begin to control her powers. A feud with a neighboring household that soon erupts into open war leaves Leora scarred physically and mentally by the catastrophic outcome. She’s sent to a Tower for healing and training, while her half-sister goes to a different one to become a Keeper. Although Leora finds happiness and fulfillment at the Tower that she comes to think of as her true home, familial and political circumstances divert her from her chosen vocation. Meanwhile, the destinies of her younger siblings illustrate the various other life pathways open to Comyn offspring. Throughout, tensions with their parents’ expectations complicate the young Hasturs’ lives. Their mother holds particularly rigid views about suitable futures for them, not to mention the stepdaughter she regards coolly at best. The clash between Leora’s role as laran-wielder and her duty to her clan demonstrates the primary value aristocratic families place on young women, as bargaining chips in marriage alliances. This situation leads to the dramatic crisis in which she discovers the full extent of her gift. I found the conclusion completely satisfying, with Leora remaining a sympathetic, down-to-earth character even after her cataclysmic display of power. One quibble about the paratext: The back-cover copy isn’t a conventional blurb. Instead, it’s more like a synopsis, summarizing the entire plot up to the climactic confrontation near the end of the book. Since the novel is published by the MZB Literary Works Trust, I assume Ross herself wrote this material, and I was surprised to see it from such an experienced author. So if you object to spoilers, don’t read the back cover – or the identical summary on Amazon — first!
FEUDS, edited by Mercedes Lackey. The newest Valdemar anthology, with its theme clear from the title. Stories feature Heralds, Bards, Healers, and a handful of ordinary non-gifted folks as protagonists. Some tales are humorous, others darker, but none ends in tragedy. Heralds always manage to sort things out, although not necessarily to the complete satisfaction of all participants. Musical rivalries seem an especially popular topic with these authors. Long-running family grudges run a close second. On the more quirky side, we find a grim rivalry between master clockmakers and a competition between the chefs in a pair of wealthy households, which I especially like. High-profile contributors include Diana Paxson, Elisabeth Waters, and Rosemary Edghill. My favorite story in the volume is Lackey’s own, “Uncivil Blood.” I silently chortled with glee when I realized, a short way into the narrative, that this is a retelling of ROMEO AND JULIET. This anthology offers a can’t-miss treat for Valdemar fans and an entertaining introduction to the series for new readers. As for editorial material, the book includes detailed author biographies at the end but, to my disappointment as usual, no introduction.
GOLDEN LORD, by Mary Jo Putney. This sequel to SILVER LADY is the second installment in her new “Dangerous Gifts” series, set during the Napoleonic era. Characters from the first book reappear, but this novel can be read independently. The “Gifts” are psychic powers. As far as I can tell, in this slightly altered history their existence is generally known, and many people have weak, erratic levels of such abilities as clairvoyance, foresight, etc. The rare truly gifted people, however, are often viewed with suspicion, even regarded as “dangerous.” The series centers on the Tremaynes, a couple dedicated to rescuing neglected or abused gifted children. They find homes for some and bring up others themselves along with their biological offspring. Their oldest daughter, Tamsyn, is the protagonist of GOLDEN LORD. Near the beginning of the story, she and Cade, one of her foster siblings, travel to France on a covert mission. War breaks out between England and France while they’re on the Continent. During their attempt to return home, Cade gets arrested. To save him, Tamsyn poses as a poor but respectable Frenchwoman looking for work. Meanwhile, he falls into the grasp of a psychically gifted enemy agent with a personal grudge against him. Readers might expect Cade’s rescue to form the climax of the book, but as usual Putney devises a more complex story. Psychic torture has impaired his memory. When his long-hidden passion for Tamsyn surfaces, he mistakenly believes she’s his wife instead of his foster sister. Although shocked, as she reveals the awkward truth to him she discovers to her dismay that she harbors hitherto suppressed feelings in return. But how will this development affect the dynamics within their extended family? Must they deny their feelings for the greater good? And what about their highest priority, combatting the threat from Napoleon? Both principal characters are strongly developed and sympathetic, as one would expect from Putney. The wartime suspense and intrigue plotline are well balanced with the untangling and blossoming of the relationship between Tamsyn and Cade. An afterword by the author gives an overview of the historical background of the story. I eagerly look forward to the next volume.
For my recommendations of “must read” classic and modern vampire fiction, explore the Realm of the Vampires:
Realm of the Vampires
*****
Excerpt from “Little Cat Feet”:
The bigger boy clutched her pendant. “Yo, what’s this? Real silver?”
Her heart pounding furiously, she said, “Don’t touch that.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” He broke the chain with a quick jerk.
Lauren writhed in the smaller boy’s grasp. “Give that back!” she cried. “It’s my grandmother’s!”
“Yeah? What’ll you give us for it?” the boy with the buzz-cut asked. Relaxing his hold, he snaked one hand down her front to squeeze a breast, hard, through her shirt. Her head reeled with fear and anger. She kicked the larger boy in the shin, then wiggled around to face the smaller one. She drove a knee into his groin. He doubled over, groaning.
Hey, that really works!
The hefty guy was reaching for her. She shoved the palm of her hand into his nose. The crunching noise made her stomach lurch, but he stumbled backward. Thank God her mom had made her practice those moves.
Mentally giving thanks for her time on the girls’ cross-country team, too, Lauren bolted for the street. She sprinted around the corner and ducked into the next alley she came to. There, she dropped to her knees behind a dumpster and huddled in the deepest pool of shadow.
Unless she got super lucky, they would find her sooner or later. Probably sooner. The snow wasn’t falling heavily enough to cover her tracks right away. Meanwhile, those jerks had her pendant. Grandmama’s pendant. Fresh tears welled in her eyes. She choked down a sob to keep from making a noise that would give her away.
Now that she’d stopped running, the cold hit her anew. She hugged herself and shivered while the wind spattered her with damp snowflakes. She heard the two punks yelling to each other as they searched along the street. Another sound cut into her misery, a low hiss.
Glancing up and rubbing her eyes with a gloved hand, she found the orange tabby staring at her. Its pawprints lined up beside her own footprints. With a flick of its tail, the cat paced toward the far end of the alley.
A female voice said, “This way. Quickly, before those two catch up with you.”
Lauren looked frantically from side to side, searching for the woman who’d spoken.
The cat trotted back to her and rubbed insistently against her leg. “Get up! What are you waiting for? Follow me.” She headed for the alley’s outlet again.
Okay, that cat did not talk. I’m dreaming or losing my mind.
Nevertheless, the animal acted as if it wanted to lead Lauren somewhere, and it wasn’t like she had a better plan. She hauled herself to her feet and hurried after her feline guide. Around the back of the rowhouse that marked one side of the alley, the cat led her to a stoop and a boarded-up door. Behind the boards, the door stood an inch or two ajar. Picking its way up the three concrete steps, the cat nudged a spot where the planks had been broken to create a narrow opening.
“You should be able to fit through this hole, just barely,” the female voice said.
Not the cat. Definitely not. There must be some crazy bag lady ventriloquist hanging around.
The cat disappeared into the house. Kneeling on the stoop, Lauren stretched one arm through the gap. Maybe she could squeeze in there. Just barely, as her guide had said. The sound of the boys’ voices, louder and closer, made her decision for her. She pulled on the splintered plank to widen the hole. After pushing her backpack inside, easing the door open farther in the process, she lay on her stomach and wiggled through the narrow space. Once she turned on her side to fit her shoulders in, she didn’t have much trouble getting the rest of her body through. The boards closed on her like pincers. Luckily, she had layers of clothes to keep her from getting scraped raw. Her heart raced in panic when her hips got stuck.
“Faster,” the guiding voice hissed.
-end of excerpt-
The long-time distributor of THE VAMPIRE’S CRYPT has closed its website. If you would like to read any issue of this fanzine, which contains fiction, interviews, and a detailed book review column, visit the Dropbox page below. Find information about the contents of each issue on this page of my website:
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All Vampire’s Crypt Issues on Dropbox
A complete list of my available works, arranged roughly by genre, with purchase links:
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Carter Kindle Books
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Goodreads
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My Publishers:
Writers Exchange E-Publishing: Writers Exchange
Harlequin: Harlequin
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You can contact me at: MLCVamp@aol.com
“Beast” wishes until next time—
Margaret L. Carter
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