A Piece of My Mind

5 on Friday - Set 103

2012-01-27T14:25:00.021-04:00

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

My good writing buddy/film producer Tara MacDonald/Tara MacQueen invited me to a concert last Wednesday night, hosted by In the Dead of Winter, an acoustic music festival here in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Here's a little taste of what the evening sounded like:

1 - Swing Song - Don Brownrigg

Don Brownrigg is a Newfoundland-born, Halifax-based singer-songwriter. LOVED his set.

2 - In It - Don Brownrigg

3 - Words - Shawn Colvin

She did a lot of cover tunes in Wednesday's concert. It was a really nice peek into her personal favorites list.

4 - Sunny Came Home - Shawn Colvin

5 - Hold On - Shawn Colvin

This Tom Waits cover was my favorite tune of the night.

The Serialists - Scene 83

2012-01-25T00:08:00.003-04:00

My book is featured @ ISelfPub today

2012-01-22T00:05:00.001-04:00

Melissa Alvarez has launched a new website for indie authors to promote their books.

ISelfPub offers three promo options:

Book of the Day - Five spots featured on the Home page, with a link to an individual, in-depth promo piece for a 24-hour period, plus mention in ISelfPub's daily newsletter/Facebook/Twitter/Google+

Book of the Week - Featured at the top of the Home page in a slideshow format for a one-week period, plus Book of the Day features

Book of the Month - Featured prominently at the top of the sidebar, plus Book of the Day features

I'm very happy with SAINT SANGUINUS' feature there - thanks, Melissa!

5 on Friday - Set 102

2012-01-20T00:02:00.004-04:00

It's a big day here at A Piece of My Mind!

Two years ago my blog friend Travis started a musical meme that he called 5 on Friday. I joined this Friday event two sets in, and have barely missed a week since. It's one of the highlights of my week.

I've met many good blog friends since then. Happy 2nd Anniversary to all of us as we keep spinning the tunes!

1 - Donauwalzer or Blue Danube - Vienna State Opera Orchestra

2 - Retour de la vendange or The Grape-Pickers' Return - Composed by Adolphe Adam, performed by the American Ballet Orchestra

The piece included for today's celebration starts at the 0:15 mark, and ends at the 2:52 mark. Giselle is danced by Carla Fracci in this clip, and Albrecht is danced by Erik Bruhn.

3 - Etudes - Composed by Carl Czerny, performed by the Royal Danish Ballet Orchestra

The section meant for today's set begins at the 5:03 mark and ends at the 7:19 mark.

4 - Firebird finale - Composed by Igor Stravinsky, Conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, performed by the San Francisco Symphony

5 - Apotheosis from Sleeping Beauty - Composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky based on the pre-French Revolution national anthem Marche Henri IV, Conducted by Laurence Siegel, performed by the Radio Symphony Orchestra

The Serialists - Scene 82

2012-01-18T06:20:00.026-04:00

I'm now posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

Scene 82

"Why would your master suggest such a thing?" asked the leader of this group of Sibiu. He gave no hint as to his own feelings about the contents of the scroll. He merely held it before him, glancing from Scorpius to the message and back again.

Scorpius remembered what Lord Thibault had instructed before sending him to this rendezvous.

"Whatever they say or do, you must not leave until he has given you an answer. Are we clear?"

Scorpius fought to contain the dark chuckle that rose inside him.

"If you suppose my master would tell me what is meant for your eyes only, you don't understand the House of Pruzhnino," Scorpius said.

To his relief, the lead Sibian nodded to one of the others who joined him for a measured conversation in their language. Taking care not to fidget as his heightened state demanded, Scorpius instead stood unmoving, hoping to appear unfazed though he was surrounded by fierce fighting men.

Since his hands were behind his back and out of sight, he allowed himself the luxury of twisting the dukessa's dragon ring back and forth on his finger. It kept him focused, and the connection to the estate gave him the courage he needed.

It was nearly impossible to stop himself from backing up a step as the leader approached with a menacing stride. He met the man's gaze and hoped his rising alarm stayed hidden in the recesses of his pounding heart.

"Your master insults us with his suggestion," the Sibian said, spitting at Scorpius' feet.

His stomach felt like a great weight dropped from a bridge. Drawing himself as tall as he could, he said, "My master honors you with an offer. At considerable risk to his noble house. If my hands were not tied, I would call you out."

A little gleam of respect flickered through the older man's gaze, though his daunting expression remained. "You think you are a match for me?" the Sibian said, and the men laughed. "And after me, all of them?" He stepped back, gesturing to the band of men, all of whom sported scars.

"My master sent me, didn't he?" Scorpius said, shrugging as though taking on six men would be merely a training exercise. In order to gauge his chances if this escalated, Scorpius silently planned which ones he would take down first if it came to that.

To Scorpius' shock, the Sibian leader's posture deflated slightly. Exchanging glances with the man with whom he'd discussed the contents of the scroll, the leader raised the message and said, "We have our own ways of dealing with this, as we have done since before the stories were passed down. Why should your master, or any of you, care about our herd so suddenly?"

Scorpius blinked. Herd? What herd?

Think.

These people who lived everywhere and nowhere obviously had herds of some sort. The duke's estate--and every estate Scorpius had visited--displayed sweeping herds that enriched their holdings.

Once again Scorpius had to fight to hold back a laugh. If he had to take on six fighters over sheep, his master would live to regret it.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2012

Thursday Thirteen - 241 - 10 Questions For Me Plus 3 Things About the New TBR Blog

2012-01-12T10:17:00.021-04:00

I'm sharing yesterday's interview over at TBR for today's Thursday Thirteen, because it has 10 questions, plus I've got 3 things to add about this new promo blog.

READ my interview here

And for the rest of the Thursday Thirteen:

11 - TBR was launched just this year by Cate Masters whom I met through The Popculturedivas.

12 - In this new digital age, voracious readers with all manner of electronic devices want to browse around for great reads. New sites are popping up to answer this need, and TBR showcases traditional and indie published authors.

If you're an author with a book to promote, check it out.

If you're a reader with a voracious appetite, check it out!

13 - You can find Cate Masters on Facebook.

My Precious Xena Has Gone to Her Final Rest

2012-01-10T23:42:00.004-04:00

To all of my readers and friends:

My 11-year-old Nova Scotia Duck Toller/Beagle mix passed away on Friday after a week's illness.

She was a warrior princess to the end. She did not complain, even though she had a hard week. She even continued to make friends in the lobby at the vet's office, even though it turned out to be her final visit there.

When I'm able to post about the glorious time we spent together, I'll share her life story here at A Piece of My Mind.

Once again, Scorpius' latest installment is being rescheduled to next week.

I'm being interviewed at the Romance Bandits - Scroll down for 5 on Friday - Set 101

2012-01-06T01:15:00.007-04:00

Please join me for a rollicking good time over at the Romance Bandits, where I'm being interviewed by Anna Campbell, regency noir romance author extraordinaire.

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

For my first set of the new year, I'd like to dedicate these tunes to my kick-ass main character, Tanwen, the Dark Ages Welsh chieftain's daughter who not only discovers her betrothed perished on the battlefield, but that her father expects her to marry another.

Let's just say Tanwen isn't the kind of daughter to take this news well...

1 - These Boots Are Made For Walkin' - Nancy Sinatra

2 - One Way or Another - Blondie

3 - Weapons - Carole Pope and Rough Trade

4 - Supervixen - Garbage

5 - God is a DJ - Pink

You can read about Tanwen in my debut novel, SAINT SANGUINUS.

Thursday Thirteen - 240 - 13 Things I'll Be Up To in 2012

2012-01-05T10:17:00.032-04:00

1 - I'll start with the more personal items, although even these have writer's-life spillover.

Giving the garden some TLC. I was SO busy last year getting SAINT SANGUINUS ready to release in November, the garden was pretty much left to its own resources. As it filled out through the spring and summer, I could only mow the lawn and do emergency triage gardening. This year I'll be able to pace myself better.

2 - De-cluttering the apartment. For my husband and me, this is going to be a year-long project.

3 - Continuing with my acupuncture. For a migrainer and chronic pain sufferer like me, acupuncture has given me more concrete relief in a two-and-a-half-year time span than my previous treatment which lasted for more than a decade.

4 - Here at A Piece of My Mind:

I'll be taking part in the year-long Movie Madness Challenge.

5 - In April I will once again take part in the month-long A to Z Challenge hosted by multiple bloggers but with a central sign-up site.

6 - In November I will take part in my 5th Blog Blast For Peace.

7 - This year I'm planning to expand my author interviews to include more arts industry folk.

8 - I'll be concentrating on widening my Facebook reach.

9 - And also expanding my Twitterverse.

10 - This spring, my serialized dark fantasy tale following Scorpius, the falconer's apprentice turned lord's manservant, will be collected into novel form and self-published through Amazon and Smashwords.

11 - That will require making a non-live-action book trailer to promote it.

12 - Then I will be sending my little darlings out for reviews.

13 - And most exciting of all, I'm planning to attend Fan Expo in Toronto this August as a vendor, with both of my books.

Aug. 23rd - 26th Hope to see you there!

Scorpius will return in 1 week

2012-01-04T23:23:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately, due to this being Day 5 of a migraine, I can't post this week's instalment of Scorpius' tale.

Please join me next week to find out how Scorpius fares in the clutches of the Sibiu.

5 on Friday - Set 100!

2011-12-30T15:22:00.022-04:00

Thursday Thirteen - 239 - 13 of My Dad's Favorite Things

2011-12-29T06:12:00.026-04:00

In memory of my dad, who passed away almost five years ago, this week's Thursday Thirteen is a special present for him, as today marks his birthday.

A Piece of My Mind owes its existence to my dad, as I launched it the month before he died. I was struck by the urgency of 'it's now or never', and in a very real way this blog is my dad's legacy.

1 - Laughter

Dad laughed - a lot. These are some of the things that could really get him going:

13 Things That Made My Dad Laugh

2 - Music

He was a lifelong music enthusiast, with a special love for the blues, rhythm & blues, classic rock and cool jazz. Here's a set I posted for him awhile back:

5 on Friday

3 - Photography

At school concerts, my dad always roamed the sides of the auditorium taking pictures with his Nikon camera.

4 - Movies

He started life as a big fan of John Ford westerns and the stunts of Yakima Canutt. When I later became someone who would pay multiple times to see a movie at the theatre, he thought that was a little strange - until VCRs came out, and I caught him watching Road Warrior over again. A-ha!

5 - Dancing

Dad not only liked to dance at clubs and house parties, but he ended up teaching jive dancing lessons in his late 50's.

6 - Christmas

When my sister and I woke up bouncing with excitement in the dark of early Christmas morning, Dad always hopped out of bed ready for Christmas, even if he'd only gotten 2 hours of sleep getting the Santa toys ready the night before.

7 - Military History

He was a Canadian who lived a good part of his life in the States, and served in the US Army, 2nd and 3rd Armored Division. He had an insatiable thirst for all things military history.

He wore his army uniform on his wedding day in 1961, as he was posted to Europe the following week.

8 - Titanic History

He was always interested in the sinking of the Titanic, owning several books about it and visiting the graveyard here in Halifax where the victims are buried. In one of the odd ways life works out, my dad is now buried in that same resting place - Fairview Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in my step-mom's family plot.

9 - Scuba Diving

My dad owned a scuba gear shop and was a certified instructor in the 1970's.

10 - Hockey

He played hockey from boyhood, and was a lifelong Montreal Canadiens fan. This shot was taken at the Hockey Hall of Fame, during a Toronto visit with my sister and me, when we both lived there.

11 - Cars

He started his working life as a mechanic, and ended it as a car salesman. He had a special fondness for classic cars, but he pretty much loved everything to do with any kind - he loved watching car races, collecting reproduction cars, operating remote-controlled cars, and when he was in the army he taught fellow soldiers to drive the big 'deuce and a half' and five ton trucks.

12 - Beer

Beer was the go-to beverage for Norm. He also had a collection of beer steins, including the one I remember most - an engraved silver stein with a glass bottom that he brought home from Germany.

13 - Being a Dad

He loved this role in his life. And I love being his daughter.

The Serialists - Scene 81

2011-12-28T00:03:00.019-04:00

The 99-cent December Book Blowout Event continues!

My debut Dark Ages vampire novel SAINT SANGUINUS is proudly taking part in this exciting month-long e-book sale.

Browse through 11 genres by 100 independent authors

For more information,
CLICK HERE to visit the BOOK LOVERS BUFFET

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm now posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

If you missed last week's installment due to the holidays, you can read Scene 80 HERE

Scene 81

As he neared the head of the pass, Scorpius leaned into the saddle and pressed with his leg to guide his mount, twisting slightly to scan for signs of the expected recipient of the message tucked into his jerkin. Scorpius' mixed signals stopped the horse in its tracks, nearly sending Scorpius tumbling head over heels.

Pulling himself upright in the saddle, he barely had a chance to register the hands grabbing him by the shoulders. Dragged backwards, the breath knocked out of him as he hit the ground hard, his empty lungs holding his full attention.

Once they filled again, Scorpius hung in the grip of Sibian scouts, his mount pulling hard against his reins but stopped by one of their war band. That's all he saw.

A hood pulled roughly down over his face as he was bound and thrown over a saddle. Scorpius slipped dangerously close to falling off the mount without hands to grip anything, and the jostling made it hard to breath with the hood and the pressure of his body weight. He didn't know if it was a relief when he felt hands hauling him roughly backwards.

His feet touched the ground but he couldn't stop himself from sprawling onto his back. The hood was whisked away and a man stepped forward to gaze imperiously down upon him.

"How did you know to look for us?" he said in a gravelly voice.

Taking one moment to gather his wits, scanning the other faces who all gazed down at him, Scorpius felt that he mustn't speak from this prone position. Not among this lot.

In two quick motions, he rolled to his knees and sprang to his feet. The Sibiu surrounding him tensed as though making ready to fight, but the speaker smiled and laughed.

"Did you not call for me?" Scorpius said. He was glad he was taller than any of them.

The lead scout took two steps forward, closing the gap. He didn't seem at all cowed by being shorter than Scorpius. "You don't look like the one I was calling," the scout said.

"Do you suppose my lord comes when called?" Scorpius said, making certain to meet the gazes of all those surrounding him.

Several chuckles erupted from the men. The hair on the back of Scorpius' neck prickled.

"What does your master say then, messenger?"

"If you reach inside my clothes over my heart, you'll find a scroll."

The sharp gaze of the lead scout raked over Scorpius from head to foot. As though satisfying himself that it was worth the risk, he deftly reached into the fold beneath Scorpius' jerkin and found the scroll straightaway.

Untying the lace that held it together, the Sibian unrolled and read it, his gaze flicking up to threaten Scorpius as he did so.

What could he be warning him against? Scorpius couldn't fathom it. The men surrounded him, he was bound and he didn't know where he was. Still, if the Sibian felt he had to caution Scorpius not to consider attacking when he was outnumbered and without weapons, it only made Scorpius draw himself as tall as he could to look down upon them all.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

My book was featured @ Super E-Books

2011-12-26T17:50:00.012-04:00

Woke up on Boxing Day to find I was featured on Super E-Books!

This is an e-book titles browsing site for readers.

In the new digital commerce world, readers need to have a way to browse for books the way they would have strolled through the bricks and mortar stores. Super E-Books is one of them, featuring titles in these categories:

Nonfiction

General Fiction

Literary Fiction

Thriller

Mystery

Suspense

Romance

Romantic Suspense

Romantic Comedy

Women's Fiction

Historical

Western

Horror

Paranormal

Science Fiction

Fantasy

Young Adult

Middle Grade

Early Readers

Picture Books

Short Stories (Anthology)

Novella

Poetry

If you're an author and want to be featured at Super E-Books, contact the admins @ Super E-Books / Submit your book.

5 on Friday - Set 99

2011-12-23T10:44:00.022-04:00

Thursday Thirteen - 238 - 13 Colors of Christmas

2011-12-22T00:18:00.019-04:00

The Serialists - Scene 80

2011-12-21T11:24:00.022-04:00

The 99-cent December Book Blowout Event continues!

My debut Dark Ages vampire novel SAINT SANGUINUS is proudly taking part in this exciting month-long e-book sale.

Browse through 11 genres by 100 independent authors

For more information,
CLICK HERE to visit the BOOK LOVERS BUFFET

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm now posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

Scene 80

"I forget sometimes," his master said. "It seems odd you should be unaware of certain things."

They'd ridden hard over rough terrain. Both Lord Thibault and Scorpius worked to catch their breath as their mounts walked off the exertion.

"Do you mean to say that not even the chancellor has let you in on the rather more sensitive aspects of our glorious House?"

"He's told me some things, my lord." In truth, Scorpius could count on one hand the number of things about which the chancellor had informed him, but no matter.

"But not about the Sibiu."

Scorpius looked closely at his master. Lord Thibault showed no sign that he concealed knowledge of their own chancellor belonging to such a fierce yet captivating people. Scorpius had played enough sessions at the gaming boards with Lord Thibault to know all of his master's tells.

"And I suppose you didn't have much contact with them, out at the falconer's cottage," Lord Thibault said.

"None, my lord. Where do their lands lie?"

"No one recalls." His master sent him a look that Scorpius found puzzling. Lord Thibault's air of perpetual bemusement had dimmed since the ball which his mother, the dukessa had thrown for him and his prospective brides.

It reminded Scorpius of that moment out on the hunting field several years earlier, just before the attempt on the young noble's life. Lord Thibault had dropped his air of jovial entitlement to reveal a knife-edged sense of purpose, as well as a willingness to cross barriers of rank without blinking.

"The Sibiu are a people who live everywhere and nowhere."

When he offered nothing further, Scorpius thought back to the jewels and gold, even coins worn as adornment by these people with no homeland. "They would not be welcomed easily into a noble house such as yours, my lord."

Instead of the wry laugh he was expecting, Scorpius was pinned once more by a glance from his master, laden with dangerous longing.

For her.

"We must be clear, Scorpius. We can never speak of her. Not where even one ear could hear us."

Bowing forward in the saddle, Scorpius said, "Yes, my lord."

Lord Thibault looked up and toward the west, until he spied something. Nodding to himself, his master reached into his doublet and withdrew a thin scroll tied up in a leather sleeve.

Reaching across to take it, a heavy warning dragged at Scorpius' heart.

"Do you see that pass in the hills, there?" his master said.

"Yes,my lord."

Raising his hand to the sun, Lord Thibault flicked his wrist back and forth until the broad metal cuff he wore glinted in a rhythmic pattern. It only took a few heart beats before an answering glint appeared along the shadowy pass in the distance.

"Deliver this to the man who will be waiting for you at the head of the pass."

Scorpius secreted the scroll inside a fold of his jerkin. His senses sharpened as he made ready to strike out for the meeting place, which his mount sensed. The animal raised its head and pricked its ears, tensing to be off.

"Whatever they say or do, you must not leave until he has given you an answer. Are we clear?" Lord Thibault's face was as grim as the morning before Scorpius was delivered to his master's uncle, as a prisoner,

"As you command, my lord." Digging in his heels, Scorpius rode off before the warning in his gut could overrule his obedience to his master.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 98

2011-12-16T00:40:00.001-04:00

Thursday Thirteen - 237 - 13 Things That Make Up My Christmas, for the 2011 Virtual Advent Tour

2011-12-14T22:54:00.042-04:00

Welcome to A Piece of My Mind, where Thursdays are devoted to all things thirteen. I've been taking part in this meme for five years, and today's stop along the Virtual Advent Tour is my 237th list of thirteen things.

1 - The Christmas choir concert. This has been a part of my Christmas since I was a kid, and not having a concert in which to sing this year left a huge hole. I had to leave out going to choir last year in order to finish my debut novel. Something had to give, but I can tell you that during choir concert season I dearly wished it had not been that. Can't wait to go back.

2 - The Nutcracker ballet. I'm a passionate ballet freak, and I'll never tire of this Christmas ballet, not even after having seen it live about 75 times when I worked at the theatre where the National Ballet of Canada performed.

In fact, my sister and I will be attending the live broadcast of the Bolshoi's version of The Nutcracker this Sunday, courtesy of Empire Theatres special events program.

3 - Unwrapping the decorations to put on the tree always feels so magical. This is one of the first ornaments I ever bought.

4 - Decorating the tree. This one went up when we lived in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for two years, keeping an eye on my late gram when she first began to need someone living in the house with her. This particular tree brings me very fond memories, as my husband and I had a very happy time decorating it that year.

5 - Wearing Christmas clothes. Now's the time, folks! Dig it out!

6 - The Sisters Annual Christmas Lights Decorating Party. We always turn the outdoor decorating into a party, accompanied by Frank Sinatra Christmas songs playing on the front deck, wine in our mugs and lots of laughing.

7 - Christmas sugar cookie decorating party. We've been having these get-togethers since my sister and I were in elementary school. That ends up being four decades of cookie masterpiece making.

8 - Christmas parties at work. I'll be at mine this afternoon, in fact. The one pictured above was a Christmas dinner at the Toronto Simpsons flagship store in the formal dining hall in the late 80s.

9 - Christmas Eve dinner - my aunt's seafood newburg. SO delicious. I literally begin looking forward to the next Christmas Eve dinner the moment I finish the current one.

10 - The musical part of Christmas Eve. I come from a musical family, and after all the catching up, eating dinner and drinking wine, we head into the music room for an enormous amount of fun. This was a piece my mom, my sister and I sang a few years ago, a version of The Night Before Christmas.

11 - Being with family. This year we'll be with my crew, so I won't see my husband's family for Christmas. I'll wave at all of them, pictured above--love you and miss you!

12 - Christmas morning breakfast. My sister is actually looking forward to this most of all. Lots and lots of scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, cheese, sometimes special homemade pecan waffles. Mmm.

13 - The crazy pile of presents. Every year we say we're not going to go overboard. And every year we end up with a pile that threatens to dwarf the tree. This shot was taken in the early 90s at my sister's Scarborough, Ontario apartment.

To visit the other stops on today's tour, drop by:

Chelsea at Book Maven's Blog

Michelle at The Christmas Spirit

Nancy at Bookfoolery and Babble

Thanks to Marg at The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader and Kelly at The Written World for once again hosting one of my favorite holiday traditions.

You can read my previous Virtual Advent Tour posts here:

2010

2009

2008

The Serialists - Scene 79

2011-12-14T12:08:00.012-04:00

The 99-cent December Book Blowout Event continues!

My debut Dark Ages vampire novel SAINT SANGUINUS is proudly taking part in this exciting month-long e-book sale.

Browse through 11 genres by 100 independent authors

For more information,
CLICK HERE to visit the BOOK LOVERS BUFFET

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm now posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

Scene 79

"Whatever is the matter with you, Scorpius?" said Lord Thibault.

They strode down the long gallery, handing off their practise blades to a servant. Both of them were in need of fresh clothes and a bath, and struck off for their rooms.

Only their footsteps answered his master's question as Scorpius rummaged through his customary excuses. Today, however, they slipped stubbornly from his grasp.

"Perhaps you'd like to take a few hours for yourself this afternoon," the young noble said.

"With no one to guard you?" Scorpius gave a derisive laugh. "Then who should guard me from your father's displeasure?" They rounded the corner and jogged up the stairs.

"I knew there was something odd about you today," Lord Thibault said. "You know my father doesn't give the hind end of a pack horse for my amusements."

"True. Though he would find some interest in the company you've been keeping of late." He felt his master's gaze upon him.

For a moment, Scorpius doubted that he'd be able to hide his fear from Lord Thibault--fear for the safety of someone who might as well be his brother. He forced himself to glance over as he said, "Suppose the duke heard a report. What then?"

They reached the upper floor and passed by several servants and slaves, forcing his master to hold his tongue. Once they reached their rooms and began peeling away sweat-soaked tunics and breeches, his master looked up with eyes twinkling.

"You know, I've found myself dreaming of just that," Lord Thibault said. "Watching his face as I told him."

"Well?" Scorpius prodded. "What would happen, my lord? Was she not an invited guest?"

His master gazed off, his brow furrowed. Leading the way to the bath, he stepped in first and Scorpius followed, sighing as the warm water soothed tired muscles.

"We'll go riding this afternoon," Lord Thibault announced. He gazed at Scorpius with promised answers lurking behind his eyes.

"As you wish, my lord." Scorpius eased back against the smooth stone, picturing his master's forbidden lover and her striped hair unfurling from her scarf. What sort of people could carry such markings? They seemed so fierce, and yet the chancellor with his hidden allegiance to the same people carried himself with calm reserve.

Why were they enemies of his lord's house? It must have taken a great deal of work before the chancellor infiltrated the duke's inner circle. Would Scorpius pay one day for stumbling into this knowledge?

He gazed over at the slave washing Lord Thibault's shoulders. Did the slave ever worry about such things? Would Scorpius have had to wash his master if Richolf had not come for him, to raise him as a falconer's apprentice?

How bad would that have been, really? Washing lords and fetching and tidying, pressing wrinkles from tunics and polishing jewelry. This slave ate, didn't he? He had a bed. Clothes to cover him.

What had Scorpius' life come to if he dreamed of the joys of slavery?

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 97

2011-12-08T23:31:00.003-04:00

Thursday Thirteen - 236 - 13 Courtesans by Guest Blogger Deborah Hale

2011-12-08T00:01:00.004-04:00

WELCOME to the 99-cent December Book Blowout Event

My debut Dark Ages vampire novel SAINT SANGUINUS is proudly taking part in this exciting month-long e-book sale.

Browse through 11 genres by 100 independent authors

For more information,
CLICK HERE to visit the BOOK LOVERS BUFFET

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Also taking part in the Book Lovers Buffet is this week's guest blogger, Deborah Hale, writing as Elizabeth Charles.

For those of you who remember Deb from her previous visit here, she's a fellow author from my local writers' group, Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada.

Welcome, Deb!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is fitting that I should blog about 18th century courtesans here at A Piece of My Mind, since the arts represent a common thread among these thirteen women.

Most acted or danced professionally at some point in their careers or modelled for portraits by famous artists of the day. Others wrote books about their lives or inspired others to write of them.

Courtesans were the Madonnas, JLos and Angelinas of their time, superstars whose glamorous lives were chronicled in the scandal magazines for the titillation of squire’s wives like Mrs. Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer.

Though they may have secretly envied the courtesans’ wealth, amazing clothes and sexual freedom, they could feel fortunate and virtuous when those women succumbed to debt, drugs, STDs or the toxic affects of lead based cosmetics. See what you think of these thirteen Baroque superstars…

1 - Gertrude Mahon was the half-sister of the Earl of Kerry. She eloped with a gamester who deserted her shortly after she gave birth. When her mother died and her half-brother refused to help her, the beautiful Gertrude went “on the town” to make a living. Her tiny size and love of bright-colored gowns earned her the sobriquet “The Bird of Paradise.” In later years she became an actress in Dublin then faded into obscurity.

2 -Harriet Powell worked in Charlotte Hayes’s famous brothel in King’s Place. That may be where she met the widowed Kenneth McKenzie Lord Seaforth. Harriet became his mistress and later his wife. He commissioned her portrait by Joshua Reynolds, in which she holds a little bird.

3 -Nelly O’Brien also modeled for Joshua Reynolds. After a brief career as an actress, she became the mistress of several prominent men including the Earl of Thanet and Viscount Bolingbroke, to whom she was rumoured to have borne sons.

4 -Nancy Parsons eloped to the West Indies with a Captain Horton. When he died or deserted her, she returned to England and became mistress to the Duke of Grafton. The duke flaunted her openly while he was prime minister, much to the shock of King George III. Nancy later became the mistress of the Dukes of Portland and Dorset and finally married a viscount fifteen years her junior. 18th century gossip Horace Walpole referred to her as 'the Duke of Grafton's Mrs. Horton, the Duke of Dorset's Mrs. Horton, everybody's Mrs. Horton'.

5 -George Anne Bellamy began life as the illegitimate daughter of Lord Tyrawley, British ambassador to Portugal, who had her educated in a French convent. She grew up to become an actress, playing Juliet to David Garrick’s Romeo. After many liaisons and years of extravagant living, she fell into debt and ill-health and wrote a book, An Apology for the Life of George Anne Bellamy, perhaps to raise some money.

6 -Kitty Fisher was another favourite of Sir Joshua Reynolds and was rumored to have spent £12,000 a year (over a million dollars in today’s money!) Beautiful, witty and well-educated, she became the subject of a nursery rhyme “Lucy Locket lost her pocket, Kitty Fisher found it…” She married the son of a Member of Parliament, and died of the effects of lead-based cosmetics.

7 -Nancy Dawson became so celebrated that she had a well-known melody named after her. It later became the tune for “Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush.” A dancer at Sadler’s Wells, she later danced a lascivious hornpipe (?!) in the Beggar’s Opera, which was acclaimed in a ballad.

8 -Polly Kennedy Jones inherited the house of her friend Nancy Dawson after Nancy died. Polly’s powerful patrons included Sir Charles Bunbury, Lord March, Lord Palmerston and George Selwyn. When her brothers were charged with murder, Polly used her influence to get their death sentences commuted, much to the outrage of the popular press.

9 -Anne Catley was the daughter of a coachman and a washer woman whose beauty and fine voice made her much sought after. Her fee for singing was 40 guineas a night (about $4000 today). She took a succession of lovers by whom she had ten children. She eventually settled in Ealing with a major-general and gave lots of money to charity. She died of consumption at the age of forty-five and had a book written about her.

10 -Grace Dalrymple Eliott began life as the convent-educated daughter of a Scottish lawyer. After her husband divorced her, “Dally the Tall” flitted between London and Paris, mistress to several wealthy, titled men including The Duc d’Orleans and the Prince of Wales. Imprisoned during the French Revolution, she managed to escape the guillotine and wrote a book about her adventures.

11 -Sophia Baddeley came from a family of musicians. At the age of 18 she eloped with an actor and went on the stage herself. Though she was not a very good actress, her looks and fine singing voice made her a celebrity. Estranged from her husband and running up debts, she began to take wealthy patrons including Lord Melbourne and the Duke of Northumberland. Extravagant spending and an addiction to laudanum brought about her downfall. She was the subject of a book written by her friend Eliza Steele.

12 -Emily Warren was recruited and trained by one of London’s most notorious madams after she was discovered begging on the streets. Reynolds painted her as Thais and lauded her “faultless and finely formed” figure. William Hickey wrote of Emily in his Memoires of a Georgian Rake. She was the mistress of his friend Bob Potts when she died suddenly of a fever in India.

13 -Elizabeth Armistead rose from obscurity to become the leading courtesan of her time. Unlike many who rose and fell from favor in a twinkling, Mrs. Armistead reigned for more than a decade. Her patrons included the Earl of Derby, the Duke of Dorset and the Prince of Wales, but her heart belonged to the young politicians of the Whig party. Her later life took an even more fascinating turn when she became the mistress and wife of the most celebrated man of her era. I was so enthralled with Elizabeth Armistead’s life and times that I used them as the basis for my novel Confessions of a Courtesan!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you, Deb - I've been hanging on every word! It's the research obsessed in me.

Deb is offering a copy of her book to one lucky commenter. Good luck and Happy Thursday Thirteen!

The Serialists - Scene 78

2011-12-07T01:44:00.015-04:00

5 on Friday - Set 96

2011-12-02T01:07:00.004-04:00

Thursday Thirteen - 235 - 13 Facts-are-Stranger-Than-Fiction Things About the Halifax Explosion as Told by Guest Author Jennie Marsland

2011-11-30T22:10:00.003-04:00

WELCOME to the 99-cent December Book Blowout Event

My debut Dark Ages vampire novel SAINT SANGUINUS is proudly taking part in this exciting month-long e-book sale.

Browse through 11 genres by 100 independent authors

For more information,
CLICK HERE to visit the BOOK LOVERS BUFFET

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For this week's Thursday Thirteen,

I'm handing the mic over to my fellow Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada author Jennie Marsland.

Welcome, Jennie!

Julia, it’s great to be here today.

As a fellow history buff, you know I love chatting about the real event that serves as a backdrop for the love story in Shattered, my latest release, set in 1917 in our hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The Great War era fascinates me, because of the scale of the conflict and the dizzying pace of change that went with it – which is also a novelist’s dream.

Between 1914 and 1918, the Victorian way of life was swept away by new technologies, morals and manners. Women got the vote and entered the work world in droves. Cars, electricity and telephones became commonplace. The generation that fought in the Great War experienced the Great Depression and sent their sons to World War 2. They grew up with horses and buggies and lived to see men walk on the moon. I can’t help but admire them.

So, I’ve written a story about two people struggling to find their place in the face of all this change – and ultimately, disaster.

I’ll give you the cover blurb of Shattered for details:

Liam Cochrane no longer belongs. He lost his youth and his brother on the battlefields of Europe. Now he’s home in Halifax, Nova Scotia, trying to dull his pain with liquor and the occasional willing woman. He’s become a stranger in the North End neighbourhood where he grew up.

Alice O’Neill has never belonged. Able to read music, but not words, she dreams of teaching piano – and of Liam, who has held her heart for years and never known. But Liam has shadowy ties in England that he’s revealed to no one, and in that fall of 1917, Halifax is on a collision course with fate. On December 6, a horrific accident of war will devastate the city’s North End. What will be left for Liam and Alice when their world is shattered?

That ‘accident of war’ was the Halifax Explosion of 1917, an event that changed the face of the city forever. For Thursday Thirteen, here are the facts of what occurred on the fine morning of December 6, as Halifax geared up for another busy wartime day.

1 -In Halifax in the fall of 1917, you could get a dinner of roast chicken with steamed potatoes and creamed carrots, followed by a choice of desserts – apple pie, custard, tapioca and other sweets – for 25 cents. A new business suit cost $18 to $35.

2 -The reason for Halifax’s existence is its harbour, one of the largest and deepest in the world. As an added bonus, the harbour proper is connected by a narrow channel (The Narrows) to an inner harbour (Bedford Basin) that can’t be seen from the open ocean. This made the city strategically vital as a shipping point for troops and supplies during both World Wars.

3 -14 harbour pilots and 8 apprentices were handling a shipping volume of 17 million tonnes a year at the time of the explosion. Traffic on the Harbour had never been so frantic.

Those working on the water knew an accident was inevitable, but everyone was more concerned about the possibility of enemy attack. In 1917 aerial warfare was in its infancy, and no one could be certain that Germany hadn’t secretly developed planes that could fly across the Atlantic or take off from the decks of ships to bomb North America. Submarine attack was an even more real possibility. The entrance to the Harbour was closed with nets from dusk to dawn, meaning all traffic had to come and go during daylight hours, increasing the congestion.

4 -The Explosion occurred when the French vessel Mont Blanc, loaded with picric acid, TNT, benzol and gun cotton, collided with Imo, a Belgian relief vessel, in The Narrows. Fuel drums on Mont Blanc’s deck caught fire, turning the ship into a floating bomb that drifted into Pier 6 in the city’s North End and detonated, destroying the community of Richmond and killing over 2000.

5 - The Halifax Explosion is still the largest non-atomic, non-natural explosion in recorded history. It was used as a case study in predicting the effect of the atomic bomb.

6 -A half-ton piece of the anchor from Mont Blanc landed over 2 miles away from where she exploded.

7 -A huge tidal wave followed the blast. Sixty-four workmen at a pier were killed by a boulder believed to have come from the bottom of the Harbour. Ships touched bottom as the wave swept outward to shore.

8 -One sailor was swept off the deck of his ship by the wave, then dumped on the deck again in the backlash. He survived.

9 -Another sailor was blown half a mile from the deck of his ship to Needham Hill. He was picked up later, semi-conscious, wearing one shoe but not a stitch of clothing, battered but with no grave injuries.

10 -300 train cars and 20 locomotives were destroyed at the rail yard and the North Street train station.

11 -Halifax’s first motorized fire truck, the Patricia, responded to the fire on Mont Blanc and was destroyed at the waterfront along with the fire chief’s car. All in both vehicles were killed.

12 -After the Explosion, while everything possible was being done for the human victims, a committee was also formed to rescue injured and homeless animals. Horses, of course, were still very important in 1917, and many were killed or hurt.

13 -The youngest victim of the explosion was six days old.

The Serialists - Scene 77

2011-11-30T06:42:00.005-04:00

I'm now posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

Scene 77

Scorpius sank down upon the hay, arms gathering up his dog as he closed his eyes against the graying sky. He hadn’t realized he’d slept until two booted feet stopped in the hay beside his head.

Instantly awake, he grabbed for his knife but only managed to cut his hand along the edge of the sword that had anticipated his move. When he heard the dog growl, Scorpius barked the command to stay, sick at the knowledge he may have delivered the animal’s death sentence.

But a chuckle soon dispelled that fear—only to replace it with the hair-prickling realization that these were the chancellor’s boots and sword.

“You only come out here when you’re troubled,” the chancellor said.

“My lord Chancellor,” Scorpius said, pulling himself to his knees.

“Bring the dog.” The older man turned and strode from stables, barely rustling the straw. Scorpius gazed over at his former master’s hunting dog, crouching at the ready but awaiting his signal. No wonder he ran to him when he needed solace. They understood each other.

Trotting to catch up, Scorpius pressed a kerchief to his hand to stop the bleeding.

“You have reason to be troubled,” the chancellor said when they were out of range of eyes or ears from the stables and storage huts.

Scorpius tried to form a way of saying why he’d done nothing but lay there all night staring into the gloom while his master slept soundly. But there was no way of doing so without betraying Lord Thibault’s trust. The only sound was their footsteps over the forested path as they made their way into the trees left unshaped by the gardeners.

Finally they came to a sheltered grove with an overturned tree that the chancellor sat upon. Scorpius stood before him with the dog at heel. A sense of dread warred with curiosity inside him.

“Your master has made no advances toward the young lady who showed interest at the ball.”

“He knows she meets with the dukessa’s approval, my Lord Chancellor. And yours.”

“Then why does he meet with the Sibian?”

Scorpius’ heart seemed to stop beating. Yet he took in a steadying breath. He must not falter before the chancellor. “Why do you think, my lord?”

The chancellor blinked and looked away. “This is most unexpected.”

The memory of the young lady’s edge of ferocity when compared to the other prospective brides brought a wry smile to Scorpius’ face. “It isn’t really, my lord.”

Training his gaze upon Scorpius, the chancellor’s own worry lined his face in a way Scorpius had never witnessed before. It flooded Scorpius with a desire to reassure the older man, though speaking for his master was folly.

“You have been very discreet,” the chancellor said. “I have merely been doing this longer than you have.”

Scorpius bowed in acknowledgment.

“You must tell me if you think your master intends to ask for her hand.”

“What would happen if he did?”

“Our kingdom and Sibiu have been at odds for twenty generations,” the chancellor said. “I don’t know why her name was approved for the guest list.”

“But who else approves it except you, my lord?”

Scorpius watched in fascination as the older man paled and looked away.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 95

2011-11-25T07:51:00.011-04:00

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

This week's set goes out to all you Walking Dead fans out there, or lovers of apocalyptic fiction.

1 - It's the End of the World as We Know It - R.E.M.

2 - Until the End of the World - U2

3 - The End - The Doors

4 - The End of the World - Skeeter Davis

5 - Nothing But Flowers - Talking Heads

I'm blogging at The Popculturedivas

2011-11-24T15:09:00.005-04:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to my American friends and family.

Join me at The Popculturedivas for my reasons to be thankful this year.

Scorpius will return in 1 week

2011-11-23T23:44:00.000-04:00

The latest Scorpius episode has been delayed due to my extremely bad reaction to the flu shot I received on Tuesday.

Please join me next week when Lord Thibault heads down a path that Scorpius suspects will lead to regret - if not worse.

Guest Blogging for 5 on Friday - Set 92 is over @ Amy Ruttan's blog

2011-11-18T22:44:00.005-04:00

I'm also guest blogging @ Wired Flare - scroll down for the link

CLICK HERE to listen to this week's music set over at Amy Ruttan's blog.

CLICK HERE to read my guest post @ Wired Flare

SAINT SANGUINUS Review @ Melissa's Imaginarium

2011-11-18T11:17:00.005-04:00

CLICK HERE to read the book review by Melissa Bradley

Thursday Thirteen - 234 - 13 Ways Gerard Butler Serves as My Muse

2011-11-16T23:14:00.034-04:00

Last weekend on Nov. 13th, the actor who serves as muse for my Peredur character turned 42.

To mark this milestone--as well as my debut release featuring the character inspired by Gerry--here is a series of 13 screencaptures from several of his projects, standing in for my own fictional character, Peredur.

I hope Gerard Butler had a birthday as wonderful as my debut novel release day has been. Thank you, Gerry, for giving me such an incredible character.

SAINT SANGUINUS

An elite brotherhood stands between humans and vampires, preventing one side from annihilating the other. Who are called to this service? Only those warriors who curse God with their dying breath.

Welsh warrior Peredur falls to a spear before he can claim Tanwen for his bride. Raging on the battlefield, Peredur utters the curse that seals his fate and leads him to another life. Using the power of a saint whose bone makes up an amulet, Peredur takes on the trials to become a true member of the brethren.

Yet his need for the chieftain’s daughter Tanwen still burns.

Tanwen resists her father’s command to take a husband. The only one who understands her sorrow is Cavan, the wise woman’s son. When he promises that he can reunite her with her beloved, she agrees to his terms. But does Tanwen truly understand the depth of the price that must be paid?

Screencaptures from:
300
Attila
Beowulf and Grendel
The Butterfly
Coriolanus
Dracula 2000
Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Law Abiding Citizen
RocknRolla

The Serialists - Scene 76

2011-11-16T06:42:00.007-04:00

I'm now posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

Scene 76

It was a blessing that Scorpius had taken to dancing so readily. Keeping one eye trained to the next figure in the promenade, while the other eye scanned the room--in particular the other dancers—was no small task.

No less distracting was the exotic beauty who’d obviously captured Lord Thibault’s notice. To his master’s credit, Lord Thibault spread his charmed responses equally among the assembled young ladies. Not even the fair-haired favorite of the dukessa and the chancellor could suspect what Scorpius knew with certainty.

By the time the night gave way to dawn and the guests made their yawning reverences to Lord Thibault and the dukessa, Scorpius bristled with the need for sleep. But there would be none, as Lord Thibault brushed past him briefly to conceal a murmured request.

Scorpius fought to conceal his expression, unable to prevent himself glancing through the crowd toward her.

The mysterious one’s retinue didn’t miss Scorpius’ interest. He saw how they reached subtly for their sword hilts.

Lord Thibault strode forward to take his delighted mother’s hands in his, bending his head to kiss her cheek and leaving Scorpius to devise a means of stopping the unknown beauty from departing. How was he to arrange a decidedly unofficial meeting with her, when her kinsmen never left her side?

Scorpius forced himself to walk toward them, still unsure of how he would phrase his master’s request. Yet he saw the men fan out slightly around their prize, standing as tall as they could, broadening their stances. He judged from their reaction to his approach that it was he who held the upper hand, and slowed his pace accordingly.

Once he stood before the mysterious one, Scorpius felt the pull of her allure like a lethal undertow. He quickly dropped his gaze, unwilling to look into those violet eyes. Taking her hand in his, he bowed and kissed her knuckles.

“My Lord Thibault requests that you stroll with me into the garden,” Scorpius said. “He regrets that the evening sped by so quickly that he was unable to get to know you…better.”

The young lady curtsied to him with an aggressive movement unlike any other lady present. Her guard also bowed quickly to him. Imagine it. As easy as that.

Striding toward a far doorway, leaving his master to chuckle and quip with the last of the departing guests, Scorpius led the exotic beauty and her kinsmen into the dew-chilled air. The sky lightened in gray warning.

Their steps echoed on the empty flagstones, their path twisting farther into the recesses of the garden. Scorpius ignored the tightness in his gut as he wiped the stone bench dry. The mysterious one settled herself to wait, which wasn’t long.

When Lord Thibault arrived, Scorpius and her retinue stepped into the shadows with one accord. Glancing back at his master, Scorpius’s breath caught in his chest as he saw Lord Thibault’s hands slip the young lady’s headpiece and scarf aside.

Tumbling free, the mysterious one’s hair wasn’t simply dark, or fiery, or fair as Scorpius had longed to discover. No, her locks fell in black and white stripes such as he had never seen before.

Turning to the men surrounding him, he saw now that each one also hid his hair beneath a scarf and cap. In their gazes Scorpius saw ferocious pride in the secret he now held about them.

The young lady returned Lord Thibault’s kisses and embraces with matching ardour. Scorpius hoped his master knew what he was doing. Wordlessly, Scorpius raised one finger to his eye and then swept his hand toward the estate grounds.

The men turned and kept watch while Scorpius kept his eye on Lord Thibault and his lady. It would be hours yet before Scorpius saw his bed, and even then, how would he rest when this was where his master determined to lead them?

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 91/Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe Base Camp Celebration

2011-11-11T00:02:00.004-04:00

Welcome, everyone, to a very special edition of 5 on Friday.

On 11 - 11 - 11, I'm celebrating both my birthday and the upcoming release of my debut novel, SAINT SANGUINUS, due to hit e-retailer virtual shelves in a matter of days.

My hoped-for release to coincide with my birthday is only slightly delayed - stay tuned to my website or here on my blog for the go-live announcement.

In the meantime, let's PARTY.

To join the stops on the Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe, click on the links below:

A Chat With Jennie Marsland

Adventure into Romance

Apprentice Writer

Cathryn Fox

Janet's Journal

The Redneck Romance Writer

Tara MacQueen

Trav's Thoughts

Sans Pantaloons - Andy is the designer of my kickass book cover

West of Mars

And now...

Let the good times begin!

1 - Gone Wild medley - University of Wisconsin Marching Band

2 - Get the Party Started - Pink

3 - Dance to the Music - Sly and The Family Stone

4 - Cup of Life - Ricky Martin

5 - Various samba tunes - Performers from Imperatriz, Brazil during Carnival in Rio

SAINT SANGUINUS

Coming soon

Thursday Thirteen - 233 - 13 Things About the year 577 in Dark Age Wales

2011-11-10T08:23:00.009-04:00

I'm guest blogging over at The Otherworld Diner today - drop by and find out what my main character Peredur's world is like in my debut vampire novel, SAINT SANGUINUS.

CLICK HERE to read my Thursday Thirteen

A note about Scorpius:

I wasn't able to post anything for this week. Scorpius will return in 1 week.

Dona Nobis Pacem / 5 on Friday - Set 91

2011-11-04T05:36:00.024-04:00

Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic

This year's Blogblast For Peace is dedicated to the late Jack Layton, the newly-elected leader of the opposition here in Canada who passed away after scoring a nation-changing victory in the spring.

On the day of his passing, his family released a Letter to the Nation from Jack.

In his closing words, Jack has left us all a legacy that resonated deeply with millions of people.

My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world."

He was known as a scrappy political opponent in earlier days, but in his statesman years Jack had perfected the art of reaching compromise between radically opposed parties. He knew how to listen past the rhetoric, and had the iron will to insist on taking action that included practical solutions, not just lip service.

Jack is the ideal embodiment of the Blogblast For Peace movement. He sought dialogue and action together.

Here's my Blogblast For Peace 5 on Friday set - and here's to you, Jack.

1 - Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) - George Harrison

Love

2 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World - Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole

Hope

3 - Rise Up - The Parachute Club

Optimism

This was performed at Jack's state funeral, held at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto.

4 - (What's So Funny 'Bout)Peace, Love and Understanding - Elvis Costello

5 - Into the Mystic - Van Morrison

This was also performed at the funeral.

Peace to all from Julia @ A Piece of My Mind.

Scorpius will return in 1 week

2011-11-03T10:20:00.012-04:00

I'm busy gearing up for my debut novel release, Saint Sanguinus.

Hope to see you here next week for the latest instalment of Scorpius' 19-year-old story arc, where he and his youthful master Lord Thibault find themselves fighting to keep their heads above dangerous political waters.

You can catch my first two stops on the Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe:

CLICK HERE to read the interview

CLICK HERE to read the interview

CLICK HERE to read press release

I'm being interviewed today @ Angela Guillaume's blog

2011-11-02T11:47:00.008-04:00

CLICK HERE to read my interview by Angela Guillaume who is a fellow blogger @ our group blog, The Popculturedivas.

I'm being interviewed @ Beyond the Veil today

2011-10-30T11:44:00.008-04:00

CLICK HERE to read my interview by Amy Ruttan over at Beyond the Veil, a group blog by authors of paranormal, science fiction, fantasy and speculative romance.

5 on Friday - Set 90

2011-10-28T10:41:00.025-04:00

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

Susan @ West of Mars has been hosting Rocktober over at her blog, so for this week's 5 on Friday I'm taking part in the festivities.

Celebrate the collision of music and books however you see fit says the All-Access Pass on her blog. Susan invites us to share fiction, biographies or non-fiction that celebrates rock 'n roll in all its glory throughout the month of October. I'm sneaking in at the tail end, but the party's still in full swing. Let's rock!

Two of my dear blog buddies and writer friends have published stories set in the world of rock.

Wylie Kinson's Law of Averages tells the story of British rocker Gabriel Law, known as the Dark Angel of Rock, who needs to reconnect with his missing songwriting spark and books a vacation spot in Bermuda to regroup.

For this week's first track, Jim Morrison from The Doors will stand in for Wylie's Dark Angel of Rock.

1 - Strange Days - The Doors

Megan Frost, worn-to-a-frazzle restaurateur - is already at the double-booked vacation home. When the Dark Angel realizes she doesn't know who he is, he's in no hurry to sort out the confusion.

I think if Gabriel dedicated a song to Megan on an upcoming tour, it would be this one:

2 - Little Wing - Sting

Wylie is giving away a free copy of Don't Ask, Never Tell, an anthology which includes Law of Averages to one lucky commenter.

Hostess for Rocktober herself, Susan Helene Gottfried's Trevor's Song follows the story of a rock band whose sarcastic bass player finds it hard to weather the change in band dynamics when his lifelong friend and the band's lead singer builds a future with his lady love - especially when a secret Trevor keeps makes a friend's support even more prized.

Standing in for Trevor's bass playing in this next track is Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler.

3 - Supernaut - Black Sabbath

ShapeShifter front man Mitchell Voss is the rock god whose change in life path sets Trevor's equilibrium on edge. Standing in for Mitchell is Led Zeppelin's Uber Rock God Robert Plant.

4 - Communication Breakdown - Led Zeppelin

To finish out the set, here is my salute to Wylie and Susan and their fictional rockers.

5 - Paperback Writer - The Beatles

Thursday Thirteen - 232 - 13 Ways You Have Voted For The Ultimate Vampire - and Our Champion Is...

2011-10-26T22:07:00.030-04:00

1 - As October rolled around, A Piece of My Mind readers took on the challenge of deciding who is The Ultimate Vampire.

2 - Beginning with a formidable roster of vampires - all of whom have inspired me over the years - readers were asked to vote for the outcomes of six no-holds-barred matches in the preliminary round:

Dracula vs Viktor from Underworld

Lestat vs Eric Northman

Jesse Hooker from Near Dark vs Bill Compton

Spike vs David from The Lost Boys

Angel vs Barnabas Collins

Dean Winchester from one episode of Supernatural vs Jerry from Fright Night

3 - The votes flew fast and furious.

The combatants were so well-matched there were three near-ties.

But the winners after the first round were:

Dracula

Eric Northman

Bill Compton

Barnabas Collins

Spike

Jerry from Fright Night

4 - Sudden-death elimination round, Week 2.

Again, A Piece of My Mind readers cast your votes.

Rising victorious from the fray:

Eric Northman

Bill Compton

Spike

5 - Week 3

The Title of Ultimate Vampire has now been chosen.

After using his superior political maneuvering - banking on Eric tiring himself out against Spike during the opening of the final three-on-three match, Bill Compton falls to a split-second decision on the part of Eric and Spike to work together, taking the third combatant out of the running.

Final tally:

Bill Compton - 2 votes

6 - Eric Northman and Spike are the last vampires standing.

Bill Compton's strategy did manage to wear down the 1100-year-old Viking, but Spike soon discovers Eric Northman won't be dissuaded when there is something he wants. The older vampire's superior strength will ultimately bring Spike down if the London punker poet doesn't come up with a strategy of his own.

7 - Letting himself appear weakened, Spike uses a barrage of sarcastic salvos to distract Eric. In a moment of clarity, Spike siezes his moment and pits his own concealed strength against the Viking.

Final tally:

Eric Northman - 3 votes

8 - Final tally:

Spike - 7 votes

9 - Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Spike has been voted The Ultimate Vampire by A Piece of My Mind readers.

10 - Played by American actor James Marsters on both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff, Angel, Spike shows that mere age, speed and strength are no match for a wickedly rapier wit. To be The Ultimate Vampire, you have to have it all.

11 - Here's a brief glimpse into why you chose Spike to wear the crown.

12 - I hope you will join me on my virtual book launch day -

11 - 11 - 11

I will be introducing my own Dark Ages vampire into the mix. Would he hold his own against Spike?

13 - You be the judge.

The Serialists - Scene 75

2011-10-26T00:19:00.008-04:00

I'm now posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

Scene 75

Scorpius and his master waded into the sea of expectant faces, all craning to have a good look at the noble with his head on the marriage block.

The dukessa’s reception was so well attended, it was now something of a crush. His heart rate accelerating, Scorpius kept one hand on the pommel of his sword. He’d never faced such a potential mob as Lord Thibault’s man. Anyone could lurk in this press of silk and velvet.

There was no way to stick close enough to his master in order to protect him while maintaining a respectful distance. As the other young nobles swarmed ahead to greet the guest of honor, Scorpius was forced to stand shoulder to shoulder with his master, something that would not have been tolerated at any other time.

Thanking the gods for his extra height in these circumstances, Scorpius kept his gaze roaming the crowd for anything out of the ordinary. Of course, the duke had dispatched the household guard, who were liberally sprinkled amongst the servants and slaves. Their assured presence felt like a calm hand upon his shoulder.

As young ladies exhibiting their finer charms made their way forward, Scorpius forced himself to stop sharing sideways glances with his master as they made silent comment on the various matrimonial candidates. Instead, he made eye contact from guard to guard, nodding as they indicated all was well.

It was a relief when Lord Thibault finally sat down to eat. Standing behind his master’s chair, Scorpius had a far greater vantage point from which to scan the hall. From here he could see which heads tilted together for private conversation, which ladies eyed his master with undisguised hunger and which drew back in disinterest.

It became clear, as they waited for the meal-tasting slaves to finish their portions, that a particular young lady held her gazes for a considerable time with Lord Thibault. Both the chancellor and the dukessa had noted the exchanges from their perch in the gallery overlooking the hall, if their whispered consultations meant what Scorpius thought they meant.

From the expression Lord Thibault’s mother displayed, Scorpius knew the lovely lady in question met with official approval. As for the chancellor, he was much too far away for Scorpius to read the subtleties.

Besides, something else had begun to pull his attention to the far corner of the hall.

Several of the guard had posted themselves near a small group of nobles who managed to stand out from the rest, even in this finely turned-out company. Three males and one female, as richly attired as anyone else, yet something about their demeanor felt at odds. Scorpius’ senses sharpened to a knife edge.

The nearest door was a dozen strides away.

His best choice was to push Lord Thibault beneath the solid banquet table and cover him with his body while the guard took action, as he knew they would. Now that he’d worked out a plan, he fanned his fingers over his sword pommel and stood poised to spring.

Still, the eating and conversation continued, laughter pealing up over the coiffures as though nothing simmered in the afternoon air.

Somehow the young woman from the little knot of suspicious nobles had caught his master’s eye. This time, it was impossible not to notice Lord Thibault’s interest in the exotic lady, even when he could not see his master’s face.

Wasn’t she a beauty? Her skin was a shade darker than most other ladies’, her eyes alight with tracery that brought out an irresistible wildness. Her hair was well-concealed beneath a scarf and hat arrangement that only served to make Scorpius long to tug at them both, to see her locks tumble free.

The far more eligible young lady continued to engage his master with glances and conversation. The dukessa continued to smile discretely upon her son from the gallery. However, the chancellor followed Scorpius’ focus upon the unknown nobles and the interest shown them by the guard.

Scorpius tried to read the chancellor’s signals, but the older man was too schooled in deception to give anything away. All he could do was be ready to draw his sword if it came to that. Even if that meant striking down the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 89

2011-10-21T09:19:00.012-04:00

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

In the home stretch.

My debut vampire novel will be going for the final proof read early next week, then to the formatter, and then - voila! I'll be a real live author.

This week I've put together some tracks that would be perfect on a contemporary vampire film soundtrack.

I'm always setting my stories in my own invented worlds, or in Dark Age Britain or Victorian Tasmania, or in other similar time periods.

But if I were ever to write something that took place in the present time, I would include these types of songs to give that extra little creepy feeling. I love it when directors do this. A few examples that I've always loved:

Did You Ever See a Dream Walking? by Bing Crosby - used to chilling effect in 1988's Lady in White

Happy Heart by Andy Williams - casting a taunting shadow over 1994's Shallow Grave

To vote in the final round of my Vampire Smackdown, please scroll down to Thursday's post.

1 - In the Still of the Night - The Five Satins

2 - Walking After Midnight - Patsy Cline

3 - Good Rockin Tonight - Elvis Presley

4 - Night Time is the Right Time - Ray Charles

5 - I Could Have Danced All Night - Marni Nixon

Thursday Thirteen - 231 - 13 Ways We're Closer to Finding Out Who is the Ultimate Vampire

2011-10-19T21:29:00.022-04:00

1 - Last week, six combatants faced off in an elimination round to see who will be named the Ultimate Vampire by A Piece of My Mind readers.

All fighters are vampires who have inspired me over the years, leading to my own take on the vampire mythos - Saint Sanguinus, which releases next month.

2 - After three vicious sudden-death rounds, the results are in:

Dracula vs Eric Northman

4 votes - 5 votes

Shocking! What an upset. After decimating his previous competitor, Dracula falls to transplanted Viking Eric Northman.

~~~

Bill Compton vs Barnabas Collins

6 votes - 3 votes

After surviving a pitched battle last week to win by only one vote, Bill Compton knocks Barnabas Collins out cold to take this round.

~~~

Spike vs Jerry (Fright Night)

8 votes - 1 vote

Though he won last week's close round by only one vote, this week Jerry is slam-dunk sucker-punched by transplanted Londoner Spike.

~~~

Thanks to all the voters - the sudden-death round brought a few surprises.

This week, our three remaining victors are dropping the gloves.

La-a-adies and gentlemen...

*bell ringing*

In this corner...

3 - Eric Northman

4 - Approximately 1100 years old.

Viking origin

Was turned after being wounded in battle. After his companions were killed by the vampire who would become his maker, Eric showed no fear to the figure whom he took for an angel of Death.

Rose to become sheriff of Area 5, a vampire domain in Louisiana.

5 - Stats:

Age brings power to vampires. He has been undead for over a millennium.

No longer influenced by human morality. Uses incredible speed and boldness to act decisively.

6 - Bill Compton

7 - Only 176 years old.

Southern Confederate States farmer and Civil War veteran before being turned.

Rose to become king of Louisiana. Eric Northman is his sheriff.

8 - Stats:

Still young by vampire standards.

Was turned by a vampire posing as a widow who offered him food and shelter on his way home after the war. When offered sexual temptation by the 'widow', Bill remained true to his wife, whom he mourned once he turned.

Closer to his human existence, suffers through moral dilemmas even when serving his vampire society.

9 - Spike

10 - Approximately 150 years old.

A London society climber and 'bloody awful poet' before he was turned.

Rose to become a Slayer killer.

11 - Stats:

Still young by vampire standards.

Was turned by a female vampire who comforted him after a romantic rejection by an aristocrat.

Replacing his human desire to be a refined gentleman with his vampire punk persona, uses his passionate nature to challenge vampire society.

12 - Voting now closed.

13 - Will it be:

Eric Northman

Bill Compton

Spike

Come back next week to find out who will be The Ultimate Vampire.

Tuesday Serial / The Serialists - Scene 74

2011-10-18T22:44:00.008-04:00

My Scorpius serial now posts on Tuesdays for Tuesday Serial.

I'm also posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

Scene 74

Already bathed and attired in his most tasteful doublet, Scorpius threw his master a linen to dry himself as Lord Thibault rose dripping from the water.

“I don’t know why she’s in such a scorching hurry.” His master scrubbed his hair back and forth until it stood on end. Stepping onto the soft mat beside his carefully arranged garments, Lord Thibault held his arms out so the slave could dry him off.

“Apparently, that is the way of mothers, my lord,” Scorpius said, leaning against his master’s bedposts, arms crossed before him. “Even the mothers of villagers and what-have-you.”

The slave drew a comb through their master’s hair. “And just what was so crucial at that precise moment that you left me to my mother’s scheming, utterly unprotected?” Lord Thibault asked.

“Do I not serve the chancellor before I serve my lord?” Scorpius watched as the slave deftly clothed their master in fine hose, hand worked linen and breeches cut to display Lord Thibault’s form as future sire of noble lineage.

Sulking darkly, Lord Thibault shrugged into a velvet doublet sparkling with silver stitching and gem stones.

“Permission to speak freely?” Scorpius asked.

“No,” Lord Thibault said, walking to the bench where he sat to be fitted with elaborate shoes. “You do not have my permission to speak freely, because I know what you’re going to say.”

Unfolding his arms to stand respectfully, Scorpius inclined his head slightly. “My lord.”

The slave pushed gingerly to slip the shoe on their master’s foot, taking care not to press too hard on the encrusted gem work.

“You’re going to tell me to stop being such a simpleton and at least have a look at these noble ladies before I reject them, simply because my mother has made a list of them. I still have a choice in all of this, do I not?”

“As far as I understand it, my lord.”

His master rose, shaking his head. “It’s my choice until my father informs me which one of them will be my mate.” Again spreading his arms wide, Lord Thibault stood as the slave buckled a ceremonial sword around his hips, draping a sash across one shoulder and fixing it with a jeweled clasp.

“You say the village mothers do this same thing to their progeny?”

“As far as I can work it out, my lord, they may chose whomsoever they wish, as long as the bride is one which the mother approves.”

“I suppose it’s entirely possible that there are ladies on the dukessa’s list who are convinced I am not a suitable choice for them.” Lord Thibault adjusted his sash and swordbelt to suit his own taste, now that the slave stepped aside.

“Without permission to speak freely, my lord, I would have to say that is highly unlikely.”

His master took a deep breath before leading the way into the corridor. “I don’t know why you should be so unkind to me today. Really, Scorpius, I could use cheering up.”

Keeping pace with his master, their footsteps striking the polished floor in unison, Scorpius dipped a hand into the fold of his doublet. He pulled the chancellor’s note free and offered it to Lord Thibault.

Gaze searching Scorpius for clues, his master checked his pace only slightly as he opened the note and glanced at its contents. Lord Thibault stopped walking then, and faced him.

“Another list?” his master said, grinning.

“The dukessa knows none of these, I think.”

“But the chancellor does.”

“He does, indeed, my lord.”

Lord Thibault tucked the note away, deep in the recesses of his velvet doublet. Continuing along the corridor, his master’s step grew lighter. “Look at us, Scorpius. We’re ridiculous.”

“Just for a few hours, my lord. Then we can shed all of this, and perhaps gentle hands will aid us in that endeavor.”

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 88

2011-10-13T21:07:00.025-04:00

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

Still an amazing amount of things to take care of while getting my debut vampire novel ready for the big day. Until then, let's check out some of my favorite soundtrack music from TV shows and films featuring vampires in all their ominous glory.

To vote in my Vampire Smackdown, please scroll down to Thursday's post.

1 - Dark Shadows - composed by Robert Cobert

I'm not sure how I managed to watch this show. I was a kindergartner when this series aired, and my mom tried to turn it off if she found me watching it. But I was inexorably drawn to this gothic soap opera and somehow managed to watch the odd episode here and there.

2 - Count Dracula - Kenyon Emrys-Roberts

This is my favorite version of the Dracula story, with the exception of Dracula himself - not crazy about Louis Jordan's version. But Frank Finlay is my favorite Van Helsing, ever.

The theme music starts over the end credits: at the 7:30 mark

3 - Dracula - John Williams

Saw this at the theatre when I was in junior high. I was definitely a John Williams fan by that time and really liked his take on one of my favorite characters.

4 - Bram Stoker's Dracula - Wojciech Kilar

Definitely enjoyed Coppola's version, though I wasn't the biggest enthusiast of the varying states of Dracula throughout the story. My favorite is definitely the steampunk version, when he meets Mina in the city by the moving pictures.

5 - Shadow of the Vampire - Dan Jones

If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing this truly spooky film, don't deny yourself any longer. It's amazing. Plays on a what-if regarding the 1921 German film Nosferatu - what if the actor playing the role of the vampire wasn't an actor...?

CLICK HERE to watch video

I'm heading out to my yearly writers' retreat at White Point Beach. Catch you later!

Thursday Thirteen - 230 - 13 Reasons to Vote in A Piece of My Mind's Sudden-Death Round Vampire Smackdown

2011-10-13T00:01:00.005-04:00

1 - Last week, twelve combatants faced off in an elimination round to see who will be named the Ultimate Vampire by A Piece of My Mind readers.

All fighters are vampires who have inspired me over the years, leading to my own take on the vampire mythos - Saint Sanguinus, which releases next month.

2 - After six frenzied bouts, the results are in:

Dracula vs Viktor (Underworld)

18 votes - 2 votes

Not even close. "Hail to the king baby!" says Tim Brannan

~~~

Lestat vs Eric Northman

9 votes - 10 votes

Well-matched. This was a close one.

~~~

Jesse Hooker (Near Dark) vs Bill Compton

7 votes - 11 votes

A respectable showing between two former Confederate soldiers.

~~~

Spike vs David (The Lost Boys)

14 votes - 5 votes

A clear winner in the battle between the blonds.

~~~

Angel vs Barnabas Collins

9 votes - 10 votes

Another close match. Ultimately, classic cult gothic soap opera trumped the spin-off of one of the 50-greatest-TV-shows.

~~~

Dean Winchester vs Jerry (Fright Night)

9 votes - 10 votes

The third near-tie match resulted in the Sword of Michael raising the white flag to the vampire who can blow out a flaming cross meant to stop him.

~~~

Thanks to all the voters - that was an awesome elimination round.

La-a-adies and gentlemen...

*bell ringing*

In this corner...

3 - Returning to defend his legendary status - Dracula

versus

4 - Eric Northman, known for ripping hearts right out of his foes' chests and sipping the sweet nectar.

Voting now closed.

~~~

Round 2

5 - Bill Compton, southern farmer who gained a taste for gentlemanly pursuits over the past century. Now the vampire King of Louisiana, he does what a monarch must do in order to rule.

versus

6 - Barnabas Collins, a gentleman of 18th century New England, who guards his dark nature in order to protect the current descendants of his family.

Voting now closed.

~~~

Round 3

7 - Spike, renowned Slayer killer and wielder of scathing sarcasm.

versus

8 - Jerry, unrelenting predator who takes psychopathic delight in his victims' despair.

Voting now closed.

~~~

9 - Once the votes are tallied, three victors will remain from this sudden-death match.

10 - All twelve originally-featured combatants are my personal favorite vampire characters from film and television.

If your favorite vampire didn't compete in the Smackdown, who is your personal favorite vampire?

11 - What makes a perfect vampire for you?

The total package - looks, demeanor and moves?
The history of the character? (backstory)
The modern ways in which the vampire adapts to life now?
The manner in which the vampire feeds?

12 - Do you prefer your vampires to behave as predators at the top of the food chain?

Would you prefer that vampires retain their underlying humanity, carrying an emotional burden with them wherever they go?

13 - Join me next week to see who survives to the final round - and who will take home the coveted title of Ultimate Vampire.

The Serialists - Scene 73

2011-10-12T00:51:00.007-04:00

I'm now posting with The Serialists which appears on Wednesdays.

To recap this dark fantasy story so far:

As a small boy of seven, Scorpius was fetched from the nursery where he'd been raised to live among the nobility - fetched not by his family, but by a falconer to serve as his apprentice.

Scorpius soon learned that a close encounter with a dragon was preferable to the cruelties of the nobles he'd once hoped were family. His master did whatever he could to shield Scorpius from the world outside their cottage, but the falconer was merely a servant who must obey his own masters.

An attempt on the life of a young noble while on a hunt sent the falconer and his apprentice on abruptly different paths, bringing Scorpius into the service of Lord Thibault's noble house.

We now continue with Scorpius at age nineteen.

You can follow the progress of this story arc by clicking on the Works in Progress link just under the blog header.

Scene 73

Scorpius readied himself to follow Lord Thibault as two slaves drew open the ornate doors leading to the dukessa's drawing room. The slightest of movements caught his eye, and he halted, grip ready upon his sword.

It was no rival intent on striking down his master on his mother’s doorstep. The duke’s chancellor nodded quietly from the shadows, summoning Scorpius with the merest flick of his head.

Meeting Lord Thibault’s questioning gaze, Scorpius took a step back and bowed his apologies as his master was swept forward into his mother’s drawing room, doors closing behind him.

Striding across the corridor, Scorpius joined the chancellor who ducked into a hidden doorway. Keeping pace with the duke’s advisor, Scorpius moved along the dim servants’ passageway, dodging staff going swiftly about their business.

They did not speak until they entered the chancellor’s private offices. No slaves here to open doors, so once the older man made his way to the desk, Scorpius turned and shut the doors behind him.

“Please sit down,” the chancellor said.

The tiniest worm of dread started up inside Scorpius’ gut. Still, he made his way to the chair across from the desk and sat as if he had nothing to worry about.

“The dukessa is delivering news your master will not welcome, I’m afraid,” the chancellor said.

The older man fought a smile, which calmed the swirling in Scorpius’ chest. Forcing his limbs to affect an ease he did not feel, Scorpius said, “He can withstand it, I am sure, my lord Chancellor.”

“The dukessa will inform him that she has a stable of beauties handpicked for Lord Thibault’s perusal, beginning with this coming season,” the chancellor said.

Scorpius thought of his master, how he’d left the latest girl’s arms only hours before. “My master won’t take such an order very gracefully, I’m afraid.”

“No. But there is something that will soften the blow for my young lord. Do see that he gets this.” The chancellor leaned forward and passed a small folded note into Scorpius’ hand.

“What is it I'm safeguarding?” Scorpius asked, which was his right as Lord Thibault's man.

“It’s a list of courtesans.”

Scorpius’ skin prickled with warning. “Courtesans.”

“The very best.” The chancellor smiled a generous smile, as though he could speak from experience.

Tucking the note into his jerkin, Scorpius reminded himself to smile back. “I’ll see that he gets it.”

“If we let the dukessa match make as she pleases, she’ll be content for a time, and Lord Thibault can find his own love match from among my contacts.”

“Can he not search for someone whose name makes neither list, my lord Chancellor?”

Again, a broad smile. “I know he’s often done so. I’ve gathered just that sort of information in order to match his preferences to my list.”

Scorpius thought of the slaves they’d bedded last night. Did they report to the chancellor? Or was it the older woman who’d stayed on her mat?

“Nothing escapes your notice, does it, my lord chancellor?”

The older man’s smile dimmed, but in a thoughtful manner, sizing up Scorpius as if in a new light. “It is my life’s work to take note of most everything,” he said.

© Julia Phillips Smith, 2011

5 on Friday - Set 87

2011-10-07T01:38:00.002-04:00

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

My Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe has begun its pre-show amble down the red carpet. The release of Saint Sanguinus is mere weeks away, and A Piece of My Mind will take on a decidedly vampiric flavor during October.

Settle back and enjoy these five songs whose narrators likely sport a set of awfully sharp teeth.

To vote in my Vampire Smackdown, please scroll down to Thursday's post.

1 - Blood and Roses - The Smithereens

2 - Red Rain - Peter Gabriel

3 - Temptation Waits - Garbage

4 - Creep - Radiohead

5 - Dark Shines - Muse

Thursday Thirteen - 229 - 13 Ways to Take it to the Mat - Vampire Smackdown 2011

2011-10-05T21:58:00.038-04:00

Welcome to the pre-show of my Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe. In just over a month, my debut Dark Ages vampire novel Saint Sanguinus will be available for purchase.

Until then, let's find our ringside seats for the ultimate showdown between these fearsome vampires who have inspired me over the years.

Here's how the Smackdown works.

There are six bouts between twelve combatants. PLEASE VOTE on each bout in the comments section.

Come back next week to watch our six victors take on one another in a sudden death match.

*bell ringing*

In this corner...

1 - Dracula

versus

2 - Viktor (Underworld)

Voting is now closed.

~~~

Round 2

3 - Lestat (The Vampire Chronicles)

versus

4 - Eric Northman (True Blood)

Voting is now closed.

~~~

Round 3

5 - Jesse Hooker (Near Dark)

versus

6 - Bill Compton (True Blood)

Voting is now closed.

~~~

Round 4

7 - Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

versus

8 - David (The Lost Boys)

Voting is now closed.

~~~

Round 4

9 - Angel (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

versus

10 - Barnabas Collins (Dark Shadows)

Voting is now closed.

~~~

Round 5

11 - Dean Winchester (for one episode of Supernatural)

versus

12 - Jerry (Fright Night)

Voting is now closed.

~~~

13 - Please join me next week for Vampire Smackdown 2011's qualifying round for the title of Ultimate Vampire.

Scorpius will return in 1 week

2011-10-05T09:21:00.007-04:00

Hope to see you here next week for the latest instalment of Scorpius' newest 19-year-old story arc, where he and his new master Lord Thibault must learn to navigate the dangerous tides of politics, while still finding time to sow a few oats, as 19-year-olds will do.

Join me tomorrow for the first in my Resistance is Futile Blog Tour of the Universe event - I'll be hosting a Vampire Smackdown where you can vote on your favorite fanged contestant.

Which vampire will face off against the other?

Drop by tomorrow and get ready to rumble...

5 on Friday - Set 86

2011-09-30T01:14:00.001-04:00

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

This week's set is about dreams coming true.

When I was younger, I rode the wave of creative expression with gusto. I acted, I sang, I danced, I stage managed, I operated camera, I assistant directed, I wrote, I directed.

I had no way of knowing what was in store for me. No one does. Life always throws curve balls at everyone's plans, and my life has been no exception.

I went through a lengthy period that really tested my resolve. Ultimately I have to say that life crushed my belief in dreams for a time.

Looking back, there must have been a tiny kernel of hope nestled somewhere among the ruins. Otherwise, why would I have kept trying?

Here's to the power of dreams. In only one year since regaining my belief in my own dreams, so much has changed for me. I wish the same for any of you who may be struggling with a similar lack of faith in dreams.

1 - Dream On - Aerosmith

2 - What You Waiting For - Gwen Stefani

3 - Making Our Dreams Come True - Cyndi Grecco

4 - When You Wish Upon a Star - Cliff Edwards

5 - A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Ilene Woods

Thursday Thirteen - 228 - 13 Things About Hosting A Harlequin Executive Editor at My Writers' Group

2011-09-28T20:58:00.045-04:00

1 - A few weeks ago, my chapter of Romance Writers of America hosted a special event - Birgit Davis-Todd, Executive Editor at Harlequin Enterprises, gave an informative workshop and took story pitches from 20 of our members.

That's Birgit at right, next to YA author Renee Pace.

2 - Handling the hosting duties on behalf of our chapter, Annette MacPhee-Gallant, shown here at center, made a hectic schedule seem effortless.

3 - Also on the executive and a co-planner of the event, my good friend Kelly Boyce, shown at left.

4 - And rounding out the exec who pulled the weekend together, Michelle Helliwell in the green sweater, and -

5 - Donna Alward, in the foreground, wearing a blue printed blouse.

6 - First part of the event: a fabulous dinner at a Greek restaurant, Ela! in Halifax.

7 - I really enjoyed my scrumptious spanakopita with rice and salad, as well as a few glasses of pinot grigio. I'm sitting beside YA angel writer Shawna Romkey, who also happens to be one of the critique readers for my upcoming vampire novel.

8 - The next morning, we gathered bright and early to begin the writing all-day workshops and story pitches. Birgit gave a workshop with as much insider experience as one would encounter at the large, national RWA conference, like the one I attended this summer in New York.

9 - For some reason, on a beautiful, sunny September morning - no wind, no rain - the power went out. After a moment of blackness, the hotel's generator kicked in. Must have been a car running into a power pole, or some such thing.

Annette quickly made alternate lunch arrangements for 26 people without batting an eye. As it turned out, the power returned and we were able to keep our lunch reservations at the hotel restaurant, the Redwood Grill.

10 - This is a restaurant near the library where we hold our monthly meetings, so it's a familiar spot for our group. We don't normally descend in such numbers, however!

11 - For the afternoon session, Birgit set up in a meeting room and listened to timed story pitches from 20 members of our group. I realize Birgit's used to doing this by now - but still. My brain would implode after all of that.

12 - While the pitches were given in a separate meeting room, returning president Nikki Figueiredo, at right, led other activities - sharing our own 2-minute pitches of current projects, add-a-sentence stories and word-prompt writing.

13 - And guys - just in case you thought this chapter was a ladies' only outfit, meet Mark.

We've had several male writers join our group over the eight years I've belonged to RWAC.

Most stories have to be written from both the male and female characters' points of view, so it's a good idea to get a sense of what makes the opposite gender tick. I would love to see more men join groups like RWA, and likewise, it's a great idea for female writers to spend some quality guy time before returning to that male character they're writing.

Scorpius will return in 2 weeks

2011-09-27T15:59:00.004-04:00

I'm currently in the home stretch of final edits on my vampire novel.

Scorpius will return as soon as I've sent the manuscript to the formatter. Thank you for your patience - hope to see you on Oct. 11th for the next instalment, as a 19-year-old Scorpius and his master Lord Thibault get into all sorts of trouble.

5 on Friday - Set 85

2011-09-23T10:01:00.001-04:00

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.

As I ready my vampire novel for its self-published debut in November, I can feel the heady rush that comes from being part of a publishing world revolution.

1 - Uprising - Muse

To watch the video, CLICK HERE

2 - Rebel Yell - Billy Idol

3 - Rebels of the Sacred Heart - Flogging Molly

4 - Rebel Rebel - David Bowie

5 - Revolution - The Beatles