Guest Blog & $25 BN Giftcard Giveaway with Nancy Haddock

Helloooo out there in Fang-tastic Books Blogland! Whatever you celebrate during December, may you stay safe and healthy as you enjoy your family and friends!

While I’ve never been bah-humbuggy about the season, I must admit I love the holidays in St. Augustine, FL, the setting of my current vampire novels. The season here kicks off on the Saturday before Thanksgiving with the Nights of Lights, an event that has its origins in the Spanish tradition of displaying lighted white candles during the Christmas holidays. Over two million lights festoon the oaks in the Plaza and most of the buildings downtown, transforming the historic district into a fairyland from late November to the end of January.

Then there’s the British Night Watch. This event traces its roots to the twenty-one years of British occupation of The Oldest City when soldiers drummed to alert citizens that it was time get to their homes before the city gates where closed for the night. Now re-enactors dress in British regalia march up St. George Street toward the still-standing city gates, their way lit by townspeople and tourists holding white candles.

So what does my heroine Cesca think of these events? Though she was only four years old in 1784 when the British returned St. Augustine to Spanish rule, she adores the parades and pomp of the present celebrations. In my first book, La Vida Vampire, Cesca lived with her friend Maggie in a penthouse apartment right on the Plaza, so she had a bird’s eye view of the lights during her first Christmas out of the coffin. Since neither La Vida Vampire nor Cesca’s second adventure Last Vampire Standing take place during the holidays, I’ll soon be posting several short-short stories on my website that feature some of Cesca’s early experiences in her new afterlife.

My new book, Always the Vampire, will be released May 3, 2011, and I’m psyched!

Here is a short blurb:

It might seem like I’m slacking on my duties as a vampire princess, but you can bet your fangs that I’m going to be the best Maid of Honor ever for Maggie’s Victorian wedding. I want everything to be perfect, even if I have to wear a bustle. But when my mostly-human honey Saber and my shapeshifter first love Triton both fall ill due to a magical construct called the Void, I’ll have to act soon … or forever hold my peace.

If you have a favorite holiday tradition, I’d love to hear about it!

Please leave a comment, and be entered to win a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card!

Also, please visit me on my website at http://www.nancyhaddock.com/, or on Facebook at http://tinyurl.com/3y94emm

Free Book Friday Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock

I have a treat for you this week, a copy of Last Vampire Standing by Nancy Haddock.

Haddock's vampire series has been described as beach books with bite featuring a heroine that has been compared to Gidget...with fangs.

Interested yet? Yeah, me too. Last Vampire Standing is the 2 book of the series, the first is LA VIDA VAMPIRE.

LAST VAMPIRE STANDING Blurb –

Cesca Marinelli is on an afterlife high until a budding stand-up comic, Jo-Jo the Jester, escapes from his Atlanta nest looking for sanctuary. Jo-Jo may put a new bite in comedy, but things hidden in the shadows aren't so funny. Will Cesca get the last laugh, or will a killer be the Last Vampire Standing?

LAST VAMPIRE STANDING Excerpt –

There are times when I want to roll my eyes so far back in my head, I’m sure I’ll see my brains. That’s one way to have them examined.

And this was one of those times.

High above the wind-whipped whitecaps, I stood quaking in my sneakers on the temporary Bridge of Lions spanning Matanzas Bay.

“Guys, for the last time, I am not taking a flying leap off this bridge. Somebody’s watching. I can feel it, and they’ll report me as a jumper.”

“Cesca, it’s nearly two in the morning. There is no traffic, and I called the city police and the sheriff’s office to tell them we’re conducting an experiment.”

“In what? Doing belly busters off the bridge?”

“You’re not going to fall, honey. You’re going to fly.”

“Besides, Highness,” Jo-Jo said, “you’re the one who insisted we practice over water.”

“I didn’t mean from a million feet in the air.” Another strong gust blew, and I death-gripped the railing. “Why can’t I jump off something shorter?”

“Like what?” Saber asked.

“Like a curb,” I snapped.

“My lady, you have to be high enough to catch the updrafts,” Jo-Jo reminded me.
I could tell his patience was waning, but me jump off the bridge? Not in this afterlife.

Saber rubbed his forehead. “Jo-Jo, can you take Cesca up for a test spin?

“Like a tandem parachute jump?” Jo-Jo looked uncomfortable. “I can if Highness will allow me to touch her person.”

Both men looked at me.

“Face and conquer your fear, honey,” Saber challenged.

I squared my shoulders. “Fine. How do you want to do this, Jo-Jo?”

“By your leave, my lady, I’ll hold you in front of me. You’ll be able to feel the liftoff better from this position anyway. May I demonstrate?”

His arms around my rib cage, he told me to start walking with my right foot. I stepped when he did. One. Two. Three.

“Good, Princess. Now we do it for real.”

“We’re not going to climb on the rails?”

“No. Hold on.”

His leg nudged mine.

One step. Gulp.

Two steps. Eek.

Three steps. Panic.

My rubbery legs suddenly locked, and I dug the heels of my tennis shoes into the concrete.
Jo-Jo tripped over me, and we stumbled forward like a couple of stooges.

“Are you all right, Princess?” Jo-Jo asked when we’d righted ourselves, his arm still curled around my waist.

At that moment, a flash of golden fur landed smack in front of us, and a brain-rattling “Rrryyow” rent the night.

Jo-Jo screamed, “Aaaiiieeee,” tightened his hold around me, and vaulted away from Pandora.

Next thing I knew, I was dangling from Jo-Jo’s crooked arm, ten feet away from the bridge and a hundred feet over dark, churning water.

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Contest sponsored by author Nancy Haddock

An Interview with Nancy Haddock and a Chance to Win a Copy of Last Vampire Standing

Hi, Roxanne! How nice to be here!

It's great to have you here, Nancy. I can't wait to check out your series, the books sound phenomenal. I love a good vampire book and your sound like a fun new twist on the typical vampire life. A fun, beach loving, surfing female vampire as your heroine... Gotta love it.

So let's get on with the interview and learn more about you and your vampire books.

Have you always wanted to be a writer or is it something you discovered along the path of life?

I’ve made up stories for as long as I can remember, and my mother tells me I used to ask her to write them for me. Along life’s way, I also discovered a love for teaching, and as there were few writing courses at my college of choice, I first became a Speech & Language Pathologist. I worked in public schools and in a university clinic, and later also taught traditional subjects in a small, private high school.

But yes, much as I love to teach, I always wanted to write and was always pulled back to writing!

How has your writing path evolved? Where did you start?

As a young child, I have no idea what I wrote, but in grade and high school and in college, my efforts were in poetry and short stories. Later I tried my hand at children’s picture books with a good friend, wrote a few scripts after taking a course in writing for television, and worked on comedy sketches a la Saturday Night Live. I was still working on scripts and short stories when I decided to give novel writing a shot.

My early novel efforts are best forgotten, but I learned so much in the process! I started with romantic comedy, and branched into romantic suspense with elements of humor and the paranormal (psychic visions), but nothing completely clicked. My move to St. Augustine provided an unexpected but welcome shot of new writing energy!

I still work on screenwriting, but novels are my primary focus at this time.

Are you a long time paranormal fan or new to the “Other” world?

Oh, I’m a huge long time paranormal fan! My own experiences with the paranormal edged their way into my work even before I wrote in the genre, and I’m thrilled to now be published in paranormal.


Your main character has been described as Gidget with fangs, how did that happen?

Grins, Roxanne! It all started with a peanut butter commercial. Really! In the ad, two little girls are spending the night, and the little hostess says something like, “… we can play Crazy Eights, or we can watch this ‘Princess Vampire’ video.” Now, obviously, I misheard the Princess Vampire line, but it struck me as funny, and then as a funny idea for a book. That’s how my heroine Cesca was conceived.

The Gidget part came up when Cesca informed me that she was a part day-walker, and, hey since she’d been a tomboy in her youth and loved the ocean, I should let her learn to surf. Since the Gidget with fangs idea was even funnier than Princess Vampire, I hopped on board. When a character speaks that clearly, I’m listening!


Do your characters come to life on their own or do you plan them?

Cesca came to life on her own, and many of my characters tend to show up in full form. Not that I know every detail of their lives, but it’s fun to uncover those special things about characters. Other characters I plan, but they can also pull surprises when they flesh themselves out differently than I imagined.


The first book in the series, La Vida Vampire, made you a best selling author, did you do anything to celebrate such an accomplishment?

At first, I alternately pinched myself and did the happy dance, and gave a great deal of thanks. After a few months – you know, when I thought the chance of jinxing myself was over – I bought myself a balloon that read “congratulations!” It’s deflated now, but I still have it.


Tell us a little about your newest book, Last Vampire Standing.

Last Vampire Standing was a stitch to write! Jo-Jo the Jester was one of those characters I planned, but he burst on the scene a bit differently and in fuller form than I had imagined. When he crashes Cesca and Maggie’s housewarming party, Jo-Jo begs Cesca for sanctuary from the master vampire in Atlanta so he can become a stand-up comic. Cesca’s soon learns that Jo-Jo has unwittingly brought more than bad jokes to St. Augustine, and must help her ex-slayer lover solve both a murder and the mystery of what is draining master vampires of their energy force.


If you weren’t a writer what would your career be?

If writing hadn’t kept calling me back, I’d probably have stayed in teaching. I would’ve needed another creative outlet or three, though. Outlets beyond creative lesson planning.

When you are not writing, what can you usually be found doing?

Most of the time when I’m not writing, I’m reading. I’m also known to garden here and there, to paint a bit (acrylics), to do needlework if I get the yen, or to refinish furniture pieces. I’ll also venture out with my surfboard now and then to practice falling off of it.


Who are some of your favorite authors?

How long do you have? Okay, I’ll name some, but understand that for every favorite author I name, I’ll leave out at least 5. Here goes: Lorraine Heath, Rachel Caine, Kelley Armstrong, Jim Butcher, Victoria Laurie, Robert B. Parker, Robert Crais, Jan Burke, Joan Hess, Charlaine Harris, P.C. and Kristin Cast, Lori Wilde, Janet Evanovich.

I just looked over the list. Hmmm. Make that for every favorite author I’ve mentioned, I’ve left out closer to ten more favorites. My blown book budget happily attests to how much and how many authors I read.


Have you been inspired by other authors, if yes, who?

I’m inspired by every author I read, Roxanne! Sure, I notice aspects such as rhythm, pacing, characters, descriptions, sentence structures, word choices, etc., but those aren’t the major sources of inspiration. What awes me every time is the story. Whether I’m thrust into immediate action or invited in to meet the characters first, the stories sweep me away.

What books are currently on your to-read list?

Again, this could take pages, so I won’t name but a few. I eagerly await the new books of every author I faithfully read, and I look forward to debut books and recommendations of friends just to meet authors who are new to me. I’m reading HUNTED by P.C. and Kristen Cast right now, and Charlaine Harris’s DEAD AND GONE is up next.

I have to mention a non-paranormal book that’s been on my snag list for over two years – mystery writer Joan Hess’s newest Maggody book. This isn’t a plug for a friend because I don’t have the honor of knowing Joan. I just love her books! I also don’t trust that I have the title correct, but last I heard, it was something about motherhood in Maggody with a release now of January 2010. Of course, I thought it was June 2009 and about had myself a hissy fit when I learned differently. J

Sometimes I think I need to be medicated in order to wait for the next books by favorite authors. Barring meds, writing my own books is great therapy. On so many levels!


Roxanne, thank you so much for inviting me to the Fang-tastic Book Blog! You and your readers are a blast!


Would you like to win a free book?

Leave a comment and be entered in the drawing to win a copy of Last Vampire Standing.

If you’re a published author, please also leave your web URL or title of your last or upcoming book. Nancy says she likes sharing the stage!

For more opportunities to win a book, see the Beach Party page on Nancy’s web site – http://www.nancyhaddock.com/.