What It's Like on the Inside

by Shayne Leighton

I'd say, it's very rare that an author get's to actually live (I mean physically live) inside the world they've created. I cannot recall many instances (especially when writing fantasy) where that would be possible, though I suppose many would want to, especially if they've manifested a literary hunk within their pages that they'd like to meet. 

Thanks to the art of filmmaking, it was odd that I actually was able to experience this -- even for just a little while. Not odd because of the fact that I was able to see my world play out in real time before my 

eyes, but odd in the sense that, while I was acting within it, it didn't actually feel like it was my story.

That was the conversation Michael Welch (The Twilight Saga, Born Bad) and I had on set this past October while we were in North Carolina filming scenes from the Of Light and Darkness movie that is currently in the late stages of development. I have to admit that I was a little intimidated, after only being a part of small, independent projects, that I was now on set with creative professionals from Los Angeles who were busily working to make the world I created a reality. (At least on screen.) I felt constantly on my toes, watching everyone, taking everything in, as I tried to learn as much as possible to the extraordinary experience that was packed into only one week of filming in the VERY small town of Snow Camp. 

Mr. Welch turned me while we were filming a scene together and asked, "So, is this weird for you? Because you wrote it? Your character must come pretty easily." 

I thought about that for a moment, for is indeed was a logical assessment. My character should come to me pretty easily, since she was birthed from my imagination. But when I considered my process as an actor and everything I had done thus far to prepare myself for this moment, I am up with the conclusion of; no. She was just as difficult as any other character I'd played from other people's stories. 

I found that conclusion to be odd as well. But in truth, while we were filming, it really didn't feel like my story at all. While I was "Charlotte", it felt completely like the script belonged to someone else's mind. I chalk that up to having to wear multiple hats at any given time, but you can never wear two hats at the same time. Does that make sense? 

Dean Jones (make up for Pirates of the Caribbean and Emmy-Award winner for Star Trek) helmed the project along with Worth Keener as the Director of Photography. Co producer of the feature, Candace Charee was on set, making sure everything was running smoothly, and indeed, wearing my other hat while I couldn't. 

Aside from Michael Welch, Cassie Scerbo (ABC Family's Make It Or Break It) and Johnny Pacar (Playback, Make It Or Break It) were also starring as "Sarah" and "Lusian". 

It was one of my favorite experiences filming anything. Super intimate -- as we all stayed in the same house during production at the Hollywood Horror Show. Filming during Halloween didn't hurt either, as a few of the other local actors were made available to us. 

The video is currently in post production now. I'm a little eager to get it out there after two and a half months of the footage sitting in the can. 

Hopefully, what's next is the next stage in production for the feature film. You can follow the progress of the novel series and the film development on Facebook.com/OfLightandDarknessSeries and by checking our status on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2122436/

Thanks for reading and more soon! 

Shayne Leighton  

Freak Week Day 3: Talking Freak Tradition With Rachel

  The Freak Sorority is the brainchild of Decadent Author, Stephanie Beck. A free series chronicling the lives of paranormal best friends and sorority sisters, The Freak Sorority celebrates sisterhood relationships and the joys and struggles they face. This is the third-annual Freak Week and with an intense fan-following, the event continues to grow. Starting as an impromptu trivia contest, Freak Week now includes trivia, blog hopping and an internet-wide scavenger hunt. Copies of Stephanie Beck’s Panties Optional and Felines and Flowers are up for grabs in today’s give-aways. Find more details at www.stephaniebeck.net

  

       Hello and welcome to day three of Freak Week. My name is Rachel, and I am a succubus. I’ve been a Freak Sorority sister since the seventies when I ran into Sara in a strip club. I’m still not sure why she was there, but what can I say? Being part of the Freak Sorority has given me the female fellowship I’d been missing in my life as a demon and I’m proud to be a  member.

     This past year has found me in a familiar place as I once again undertake the task of detailing the lives and traditions of the Freak Sorority. Since meeting Nick (yes, he also goes by Santa Clause) I’ve been able to focus more on being a librarian and less on...well, being an insatiable succubus. 

     I’m putting together a full handbook on the Freak Sorority, you know, one of those manifestos that would get you killed if you read if when you weren’t supposed to. For now it’s under lock and key on my computer, but one day I’ll get it on paper, bind it and curse the hell out of it. I even have plans of not telling Pammy the correct spell to open it, but shhhh, let’s not mention that.

     I’m finding as I work, that our lovely sorority is missing a few things other sororities have. So far we do have a flower (red roses, long stem), a song (Hey There Little Red Riding Hood) and our founding mother, Sara, is pitching hard to have diamonds be our jewel. I’m not saying diamonds are a bad thing, but I’m more of a ruby girl myself. 

     But in other categories, we’re lacking. For instance, we have no motto, official badge, official crest or jewel. But most importantly, we have no official drink. The other things will come together, but I could use some help.

     Today I’m on a mission to find a cocktail to commission as our official Freak Sorority beverage of choice. I’ll be on Facebook and Twitter today, chatting and doing a little trivia. I’d also love to have drink pictures posted on Facebook—it’s always nice to spruce the place up. Join me at www.facebook.com/StephanieBeckAuthor to visit. I’ll be there until at least 10:00 PM central standard time, so stop by any old time.

***CONTEST***

Please leave your drink recipe, including measurements and serving amounts below. Entries will be accepted here until 10:00 PM Central Standard Time. Judging for the top drink is subject to judge’s preference, but all entries will be entered to win one of three prizes for Wednesday. The winning entry will be immortalized on the Crafty Paranormal’s page on Stephanie Beck’s website, where their drink recipe will live in infamy for all to enjoy. Winners will be announced on this blog and at www.stephaniebeck.net on the Freak Sorority tab after 10:00 Wednesday night.

If you are unable to comment using the blog please email your recipe to stephaniebeckauthor@gmail.com  to be entered.

Thanks all! I can’t wait to see the drink suggestions.

 

As an added bonus,Decadent Publishing will be giving away a print copy of Run Devil Run anthology, a dark paranormal collection of stories, influenced by the LA band, Run Devil Run! Rachel the succubus will fill you in on the details! 

And leave a comment!

3-Way Thursday according to Heather

By: Heather Kuehl

I’m thankful for my son. Every day he shows me something new though his innocent eyes, and it’s so much fun to see the world as he does.

 

I’m thoughtful about writing. I mean, what writer isn’t? LOL But with so many books due to be released this year and so many works in progress nearing completion, it’s hard not to think about what is going to happen next.

I’m thirsty for my Mt. Dew. I’ve had my love affair with this particular beverage for over a decade and while I’ve tried to quit, I don’t think I’ll be letting it go any time soon.

Jessica's 10 Questions answered!

by Jessica E. Subject

When in the day/night do you write? How long per day?   I write whenever I can. That’s usually when the kids are sleeping and the house is quiet. Most of the time that’s in the morning, but lately I’ve been getting more writing done at night. I write as much as I can, when I can.

Where do you research for your books?   I google everything. I try to get more than one distinct resource for important information. If I still can’t find what I’m looking for, I’ll send a shout-out to my facebook and twitter peeps asking for help. There are a specific few I know I can turn to for certain topics, and recently I met a pilot who’s helping me with one of my current writing projects.

What is your favorite color?   Green. No specific reason. It just has always been my favorite color.

If you could be an animal, what would it be?   A tiger. It is my favorite animal. They’re one of the few cats that actually likes water and they are absolutely gorgeous.

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?   I have online critique partners and belong to a local critique group. Both help immensely. I don’t have any set beta readers, but I do have a variety of other authors who are kind enough to take the time to give me their opinion when I ask.

Boxers or briefs?   Does it really matter?

I mean, aren’t they better off anyway? ;)

Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what?   I don’t listen to music while I’m writing, but I do as often as possible. I have a playlist for each story and listen to that music when driving, cleaning, etc. to get into my characters heads. Usually each song I choose for my playlist relates to a character’s personality or something that happens in the story. The playlist includes a lot of different types of music, new and old, but The Veronicas can be guaranteed to be on my playlists.

How do you develop your plots and your characters? Do you use any set formula?   I wait for ideas to come to my head then I write them down in point from. Usually, I plan out the entire plot this way, but as I write the story, it always deviates from the original plan.

If you were to write a series of novels, what would it be about?   I actually have written a series (not published yet) about aliens arriving on Earth to escape annihilation on their own planet, and their struggle to fit in.

What songs are most played on your mp3 player?   E.T. by Katy Perry, Afraid by Nelly Furtado, Born This Way by Lady Gaga, Come Sail Away by Styx, For Your Entertainment by Adam Lambert, Grenade by Bruno Mars, Like The Sun by RyanDan, Pigeons and Crumbs by Natelie Imbruglia, We’re Gonna Want This Anyway by Lance Bedard and anything by Econoline Crush and The Veronicas

At the end of his obligated commitment to the Space Service, Frey Berger decides to stay on Earth to further experience human emotions rather than return to Ginnun where his intended has already mated with another. Looking for real love and someone to accept him for what he is, Frey enlists in Madame Evangeline’s popular dating service. Although he does not understand the concept of a one-night stand, he hopes to find his perfect mate.

Carrie Cooper’s husband divorced her for someone who could provide him with children, leaving her with little self-confidence and no desire to let a man hurt her again. Her best friend convinces her to join a dating service, claiming Carrie needs to get laid, while not winding up with a broken heart since her date requires no commitment after the night is over.

Although several misunderstandings nearly derail them before the date has even begun, Carrie and Frey end up becoming closer than they ever believed possible. Still, Frey will need to convince Carrie that her perfect mate isn’t human at all, and that one night can lead to a forever love.

Now available from Decadent Publishing

An Analysis of the Romance Novel

By Katie Harper

I love romance novels. Love to read them, love to write them. While perusing my local mega bookstore/stationary store/gift center/kid’s playground/legal addictive stimulant dealer, I started to feel like I had read the same cover several times. It seems like some romance authors have adopted a formula to writing and then shared that formula on every blog and social networking site on the planet.In fact, the back of most romance covers could read like this. 

Bricker (because all men in romance novels have names that sound like last names or dog names) is an ex- special forces operative (because no real romance man would be an accountant) who has lost hope in humanity. His time spent serving his country has left unseen scars on his soul (because PTSD is way sexier than the loss of a limb or a gunshot wound to the belly). Bricker is troubled by unseen demons (being haunted by the spawn of Satan is much cooler than having bad dreams and flashbacks). His life is turned upside down when he meets the beautiful (because romance women are all cast from the same mold as Angelina Jolie) Kevin (because all romance women have male names). Kevin is a successful attorney (because while all romance men barely passed their GED, romance women all went to Harvard on an academic scholarship) who has dedicated her entire life to her career (because all romance women are workaholic spinsters at the age of 24). When the client of a pro-bono murder case (because all romance men are demons and all romance women are saints) becomes obsessed with her, she must rely on Bricker to save her life (because romance women always put their lives in the hands of total strangers). Will their love be able to survive when things take a turn for the worst (because it can always get worse than being hunted by a homicidal maniac)?

So, what did I do when faced with the same basic story? I did what any self-respecting reader would do. I bought every single one and devoured them in less than a week. What can I say, I love romance even if I have read the same story hundreds of times. Going through the emotions of falling in love, or lust, never gets old. It is my drug and I will continue to use it until people stop writing it.

What I Did Half the Summer

by Maureen O. Betita

June, what a blast! If I can remember it… Let’s see, I ended May with a scifi convention, called BayCon. A day spent chatting with a writer friend and gaping at amazing costumes. Nothing better than that!

I met and hired a publicist who is asbatshit crazy over the movie 1776, the Musical, as I am. Yup, sitting in a Menlo Park Starbucks quoting song lyrics back and forth at each other. Kismet!

A few weeks later I was at the Northern California Pirate Festival…gaping at the amazing costumes. ;-)

 

Sensing a theme here…  I also added to my new pirate hat and posed with a kraken eating a ship. Good time!

Then I spend a Sunday watching race cars at Sonoma…and my driver did good! Came in third! Whoohoo! (No gaping at costumes here, though what some people wear to the races…well…I really have no room to talk…)

July? Family stuff and a wonderful pool party at my Dad’s where the little ones were the stars of the show, rightly so. I have no little ones of my own, but watching the great nieces and nephews kept me grinning most of the day. Not to mention the nieces and nephews playing with all the greats…

Six more weeks to go! It actually looks a little slow on my calendar, but then fall kicks in and I’m off the races again!

  

So, how has your summer been?

Cassandra's 3-Way...

By Cassandra Dean

Thankful – I am super thankful for the publication of Enslaved! Not long now (in fact one more day!), and I will have my very first book in print. Like, oh my god wow! I’m also thankful for how goshdarn easy Enslaved was to write in the first place – especially now that I’m trying to write its follow up o_0

 

Thoughtful – Thinking, thinking, thinking about the next great masterpieces from Cassandra Dean…No, Cassandra, don’t get distracted by Michael Fassbender. NO! Bad Cassandra!!

…

…

…but he's so pretty

Thirsty – Hmm. I could really do with a knock-off beer.

Cassandra Dean

www.cassandradean.wordpress.com