First Blood Written as: Chris Marie Green August, 2008

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July 2008

Hi from www.crystal-green.com!

It’s time to gear up for Vampire Babylon again since there are two releases waiting in the wings in August and September.  Next month FIRST BLOOD hits the shelves, and it includes my VB novella “Double the Bite.”   Then September will bring BREAK OF DAWN, VB, Book Three. 

But let’s talk about the anthology first.  FIRST BLOOD features four novellas, from Susan Sizemore, Erin McCarthy, Meljean Brook, and little old me.  I’m in the middle of reading the advanced reader’s copy at the moment, and I’m telling you that there’s some vampire steam in store for you all.  All the novellas have a noir tone, but first and foremost, they’re romances that give the main couples happily ever afters.  Those of you who read a lot of urban fantasy, which is the main stomping ground for Vampire Babylon, know that the sub-genre features more “romantic elements” than happy endings, but Berkley (which is affiliated with Ace Books) invited me to write in this collection, and since Berkley Sensation provides paranormal romances, “Double the Bite” went in a bit of a different direction.  However, you can still expect that noir darkness from the story—and for the many eagle-eyed readers out there who have taken note of Sorin’s missing vampire daughters, the story will fill you in on where those naughty girls have been and, more importantly, why they stayed away from the Hollywood Underground. As I mentioned, the sensuality level is on high for these tales, so be prepared for some heat!

We’re also coming up to the September release date for BREAK OF DAWN, Vampire Babylon, Book Three—so are you ready for another hint about what to expect?  I sure hope so, because here we go (but, remember, you should skip to the next paragraph if you don’t want any spoilers….)  (Hint: Throughout NIGHT RISING and MIDNIGHT REIGN, you might have wondered what Eva Claremont is really up to.  Is she telling the truth to Dawn about her motivations?  You’ll get inside Eva’s head to find out as the strange love triangle between Eva, Frank, and Breisi develops further….)

Two more months.

A lot is going on in July, and I hope to see some of you at my signings and events (please check in with my blog for updates, as times may change).  First, at the end of July, I’m going to be signing a couple of times at Comic-Con, San Diego, and (gulp) I’ll be on a panel!  And, in spite of my presence, it’s a pretty high-profile panel, too, but since it hasn’t been finalized yet, I can’t tell you who else is on it.  But I can hint at some of the panelists who have been approached: one is a scary movie “scream queen” and two are Comic-Con guests of honor who write award-winning horror.  The topic is “Things That Go Bump in the Night,” and it’s on Saturday at 1:30.  A signing will follow in the autograph area.  And on Thursday at the Con, I’ll be signing at the Penguin/Mysterious Galaxy booth in the Exhibition Hall, and there’ll be a limited number of free NIGHT RISING copies as well as sampler books that include an excerpt of BREAK OF DAWN.  (Okay, deep breath.)  Then, a few days later, I’ll be at the RWA National conference, signing at the Literacy Event as well as taking part in another limited free book giveaway at the Berkley open house on Friday.  In between the Con and RWA, Ann Aguirre, author of GRIMSPACE, and I are driving up the coast and hitting a few bookstores on the way.  We’ll be at the Santa Barbara Barnes & Noble on State St. Monday, July 28 at 2:00pm.  There’s a possible signing in San Luis Obispo the next day, and my blog will either confirm or deny that as soon as I find out the particulars.

(Phew!)

As for the monthly contest, I’m giving away a signed copy of NIGHT RISING, the signed first chapter of “Double the Bite,” and a bookplate-signed copy of Cherie Feather’s ART OF DESIRE on www.crystal-green.com.   That should prepare you for the coming months!

Last of all, here’s your bullet-point release schedule:

• FIRST BLOOD, an anthology that includes a Vampire Babylon novella, Berkley Sensation, August, 2008, written as Chris Marie Green
• BREAK OF DAWN, Vampire Babylon, Book Three, Ace Trade, September, 2008, written as Chris Marie Green (NIGHT RISING, Vampire Babylon, Book One, and MIDNIGHT REIGN, Book Two, are on shelves right now)
• GOOD TO THE LAST BITE, Harlequin Blaze (sequel to THE ULTIMATE BITE), October, 2008, written as Crystal Green
• FALLING FOR THE LONE WOLF, Book Three in the Special Edition Suds Club miniseries, October, 2008, written as Crystal Green

I hope I get to see some of you at the signings and events, but if not, have a great summer!

Cheers,