Sunday, December 31, 2006

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


























HAPPY NEW YEAR!
May everyone have a great 2007. Mine looks to be going gangbusters, with my nonfiction book on paranormal happenings in Richmond, Virginia to come out Fall 2007, potential submitting of stories, and working on novels, plus even my pseudonym, Sapphire Phelan having things coming out. I ended this eyar with a bang--with two interviews, one for Sapphire Phelan at Fallen Angels Reviews, another on Kate Willoughby Blog and an erotic urban romance story from Sapphire Phelan out in Forbidden Love: Bad Boys print journal. So keep tabs here or at Sapphire Phelan's Blog (you must be 18 and above to read this blog, as sometimes adult, racy content on it) or at my two MySpaces: http://www.myspace.com/PamelaKKinney and http://www.myspace.com/SapphirePhelan or my website: Fantastic Dreams to keep up with what is happening with me.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Early Merry Christmas To All

















SEASON"S GREETINGS!!! I thought I feliz navidad everyone a little early. Have a safe and good holiday, and I hope you all get what you exactly want. :D





Monday, December 04, 2006

Review of Colors of the Night by Adriana Kraft-Adult in Nature--Only 18 and Above to Read



Colors of the Night by Adriana Kraft seduces the reader into a tale about a couple whose marriage is floundering on the rocks. Sex is no longer there, not like it used to be, and even a camping trip to their favorite north wood lake isn’t working. It seemed to Jamie Hazelton, that Ryan and she were headed in different directions. That is, until the goddess of love, Aria, shows up, and begins to show them that they have forgotten how to love. Living with them, she takes them on a sensual kaleidoscope of sense and sexual awakening, teaching them to try things they would never dream of doing, and most of all, teaching them to love each other again.
Adriana Kraft pulls you into this couple’s lives and makes you feel for them, cheering them on to save their marriage. At first, you may think the storyline is like a clinical approach to sex, that Aria seems more like a sex therapist than the goddess of love, but it’s more than that. The author writes a great romance, with hot, erotic sex that will have you fanning yourself with lust. And before we go on, if you don’t like a romance tale where it’s a threesome in sexual play, with times it being between the two women, than this is not for you. But Adriana does the threesome angle well.
If you’re interested you can get the e-book at Silks Vault Publishing, at
SilksVault .

I give this e-book 4 DRAGONS.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Preorder Forbidden Love: Bad Boys With My PenName's Code



Forbidden Love: Bad Boys, Issue #1, that my erotic urban fantasy romance, "Soul Seduction," is in is on sale at http://www.honorharrington.net/shop . If you preorder it through the site, with the following coupon code SapphireP, it will register the sale as one from my websites. It comes out in December, and letting you know those that preorder get it sent to you earlier than the come out date. there's also for the first 1,000 issues, a free collectible tarot card.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving and Some News



Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the United States. At my house, we have the turkey home, plus everything for all the fixings and a spiral sliced ham too (for my husband who says every year he hates turkey). I have a lot to be thankful for. My nonficton book, Haunted Richmond, Virginia is with my publisher, Schiffer Books, and right now, fall 2007 is the set date for its release. No exact date--that'll be determined closer to the time.

I also got another acceptance for an erotic paranormal I wrote, His Girl , by Twilight Fantasies Publications. That is by my pseudonym, Sapphire Phelan, and will be out when this publisher officially opens in 2007.

Anyway, everyone have a great Thanksgiving for those that lives in the States, and for the others, have a great thursday. Below is on the history of Thanksgiving:

The first official Thanksgiving was held in the Virginia Colony on December 4, 1619 near the current site of Berkeley Plantation, where celebrations are still held each year in November.[1]
The Pilgrims set apart a day to celebrate at Plymouth immediately after their first harvest, in 1621. At the time, this was not regarded as a Thanksgiving observance; harvest festivals were existing parts of English and Wampanoag tradition alike. Several American colonists have personal accounts of the 1621 feast in Massachusetts:
William Bradford, in Of Plymouth Plantation:
"They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up their house and dwelling against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish, of which they took good store, of which every family had their portion. All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about a peck of meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largely of their plenty here to their friends in England, which were not feigned by true reports."
Edward Winslow, in Mourt's Relation:
"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labor. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king
Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which we brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
The mention of ninety men in the Winslow account is of interest, as the Native People present would have outnumbered the 50 surviving English at that point. The two preceding passages are the only records of the event, but historians presume that both groups were exposed to unfamiliar forms of celebration.
The Pilgrims did not hold a true Thanksgiving until 1623, when it followed a drought, prayers for rain, and a subsequent rain shower. Irregular Thanksgivings continued after favorable events and days of fasting after unfavorable ones. In the Plymouth tradition, a thanksgiving day was a church observance, rather than a feast day.
Gradually, an annual Thanksgiving after the harvest developed in the mid-17th century. This did not occur on any set day or necessarily on the same day in different colonies in America.
The Massachusetts Bay Colony celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time in 1630, and frequently thereafter until about 1680, when it became an annual festival in that colony; and Connecticut as early as 1639 and annually after 1647, except in 1675. The Dutch in
New Netherland appointed a day for giving thanks in 1644 and occasionally thereafter.
During the American Revolutionary War the Continental Congress appointed one or more thanksgiving days each year, except in 1777, each time recommending to the executives of the various states the observance of these days in their states.
George Washington, leader of the revolutionary forces in the American Revolutionary War, proclaimed a Thanksgiving in December 1777 as a victory celebration honoring the defeat of the British at Saratoga. The Continental Congress proclaimed annual December Thanksgivings from 1777 to 1783, except in 1782.
George Washington again proclaimed Thanksgivings, as
President, in 1789 and 1795.
The proclamation by President Washington in 1789, was a recommendation of a resolution established by both Houses of Congress establishing the first national Thanksgiving Day on November 26, 1789. The reason for establishing Thanksgiving was "to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be--That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us." (signed) G. Washington, The Massachusetts Sentinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789
President
John Adams declared Thanksgivings in 1798 and 1799. President Madison, in response to resolutions of Congress, set apart a day for thanksgiving at the close of the War of 1812. Madison declared the holiday twice in 1815; however, none of these were celebrated in autumn.
A thanksgiving day was annually appointed by the governor of
New York from 1817. In some of the Southern states there was opposition to the observance of such a day on the ground that it was a relic of Puritanical bigotry, but by 1858 proclamations appointing a day of thanksgiving were issued by the governors of 25 states and two territories.
In the middle of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, prompted by a series of editorials written by Sarah Josepha Hale, proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated on the final Thursday in November 1863:
"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth."
Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln,
3 October 1863.
Since 1863, Thanksgiving has been observed annually in the United States.
In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared that Thanksgiving would be the next-to-last Thursday of November rather than the last. With the country still in the midst of The Great Depression, Roosevelt thought this would give merchants a longer period to sell goods before Christmas. Increasing profits and spending during this period, Roosevelt hoped, would aid bringing the country out of the Depression. At the time, it was considered inappropriate to advertise goods for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. However, Roosevelt's declaration was not mandatory; twenty-three states went along with this recommendation, and 22 did not. Other states, like Texas, could not decide and took both weeks as government holidays. Roosevelt persisted in 1940 to celebrate his "Franksgiving," as it was termed. The U.S. Congress in 1941 split the difference and established that the Thanksgiving would occur annually on the fourth Thursday of November, which was sometimes the last Thursday and sometimes the next to last. On November 26 that year President Roosevelt signed this bill into U.S. law.
President Truman receiving a Thanksgiving turkey from members of the Poultry and Egg National Board and other representatives of the turkey industry, outside the White House.
Since 1947, or possibly earlier, the
National Turkey Federation has presented the President of the United States with one live turkey and two dressed turkeys. The live turkey is pardoned and lives out the rest of its days on a peaceful farm. While it is commonly held that this tradition began with Harry Truman in 1947, the Truman Library has been unable to find any evidence for this. Still others claim that that the tradition dates back to Abraham Lincoln pardoning his son's pet turkey.[2] Both stories have been quoted in more recent presidential speeches.
In more recent years, two turkeys have been pardoned, in case the original turkey becomes unavailable for presidential pardoning. Since 2003 the public has been invited to vote for the two turkeys' names. In 2006, they were named Flyer and Fryer. In 2005, they were named Marshmallow and Yam (who went on to live at
Disneyland); 2004's turkeys were named Biscuit and Gravy; in 2003, Stars and Stripes.
Since 1970, a group of
Native Americans and others have held a controversial National Day of Mourning protest on Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Story Out, Poem Takes Third Place and Upcoming Chat

First, I want to congratulate Loretta Wilson for winning the download of Crimson Promise I gave away at my Halloween Party Chat at the Lady Aibell chatroom. I will be chatting as gurest author at Brenda Williamson's Romance Party Yahoo listgroup this upcoming Friday, November 3rd from 11AM to 4PM EST. Please come chat with me. I'll be posting excerpts from much of my published works out and coming out, both by Pamela K. Kinney and Sapphire Phelan. Plus we'll talk about tenacled monsters, werewolves, vampires, aliens, hot, naked men and other cool stuff. Plus I'll have giveaways.
So come on by and let's have some fun.
My black humor horror flash fiction, "Werewolf for Hire" came out yesterday at ScienceFictionFantasyHorror.com. You can read it for free at
Werewolf For Hire.
I also won third place in the Wild Child's 2006 Poetry Contest witn "Costumed Scare"!
You can read the poem, along with the first place and second place winners at
Wild Child Publishing.Com

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Accepted Poem To Be Published, Another Story To Be Out and Monster Fest Photos












First, you can see the photo I have here and others from Monster Fest: Son of Monster Fest where I was a guest at Monster Fest: Son of Monster Fest .
I had an acceptance for a Halloween poem for Wild Child Publishing's Halloween Poetry contest. It will also be published by them October 25th. The poem is called "Costumed Scare".
Two erotic fantasies of mine that been accepted couple years ago for Beyond the Blackened Mirror: Tales of Dark Romance, "To Teach an Ancinet God" and "Shadow Lover" will finally see the light of day. Coyote Moon Publications mentions on their website that the anthology will come out sometime this month (October). Both those stories are by Pamela K. Kinney, though usually the erotic paranormals are by Sapphire Phelan, this was long before I did that other pen name I use.
Another horror story of mine, "Dangerous City", which has a werepanther and a werewolf in it, will be out soon. The editor just let me know that the magazine it'll be in, Werewolf Magazine Issue #5 is about to come out. Its prints and ships next week. It was on a delay with some of their other publications due to printing issues and some other stuff but its on the way and its their biggest issue of it yet--75 pages big! And my story leads off the fiction. The new issue can be found
at
Shocklines.com
Magazine City.com
Werewolf Cafe.com
Project Pulp.com and at the publisher's website:
Blood Moon Rising Magazine .
But since I have posted a blog on MySpace about supporting and buying from Shocklines, please order it from there.

Monday, October 16, 2006

Review of Slime After Slime by Mark McLaughlin




Slime After Slime by Mark McLaughlin is that kind of book that not only has terrifying horror, but blends in rib-tickling gross humor too. One moment you terrified out of your skin and then the next, you laughing your head off.

There are so many wonderful stories in this collection, but I’ll mention three of my favorites in it. Like “The Final Broadcast of Sugarville’s Channel 7 Action News”. Most of the time you watch the news for the weather and what’s going on out there, and most of the news people you watch are all right, but who doesn’t wish that something would come along and wipe off the toothy grins from those irritating few you just can’t stand? This story does it, delivering an alien invasion of the most gruesome, cold kind all the way to the very last line to some particularly irritating and clueless news reporters. Another enjoyable story, “Claws of the Internet Witches”, has witches using the Internet to curse mortals. It brings “toil, toil, boil and bubble” to the 21st century with a vengeance. The last story in the book, “Tell Your Secrets to the Slime” was a very poignant science fiction/horror tale. This story is my particular favorite of them all, and I think Mark’s best one in the whole collection.
The title tells it all, so if gross, icky things make you queasy, then this book is not for you. But I promise that you will enjoy it if you do pick it up. Hold on tight though, because Slime After Slime will take you on an amusement funhouse ride that’ll just tickled you scared silly.

5 DRAGONS

Friday, October 13, 2006

Celebrate-It's Not Just Friday the 13th, It's Horror Day!

Horror Day of Action is a campaign to inspire all lovers of the horror genre to reach out to the world on Friday, October 13, 2006. Originally launched as an effort within the Horror Writers Association, the idea caught fire and spread to every area of horror, from haunted house operators to videogame designers to film makers. But the most important and basic ingredient of Horror Day is each fan's participation. On October 13, fans are asked to buy a horror book, give away a horror book, rent a horror video, read ghost stories to children, or talk to the local library, bookstore, video store, newspaper or radio station. The official site for Horror Day, along with suggestions for action, can be found at http://www.myspace.com/horrorday

So everyone, spread the word and do something really scary today. Have fun while you're doing it. I plan to watch a horror flick later today and finish a collection of horror stories today I will be reviewing on this blog Sunday, Slime After Slime by Mark McLaughlin. Next year, I plan to contact my local library or genre bookstore and maybe get something going. So celebrate, and be prepared to be scared, very scared.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

My Short Horror Story, Warm Blood, Cold Flesh Is Out!

Dark Gothic: Resurrected is out, which means my horror story, "Warm Blood, Cold Flesh" is out too. You can get the zine at http://www.lulu.com/gratistavampires or more directly at http://www.lulu.com/content/429097 .
Let me just say "Warm Blood, Cold Flesh" is Night of the Living Dead, but with vampires.

Excerpt:

I was about to finally leave my husband and start divorce proceedings when a strange meteorite shower hit us two weeks ago. Suddenly, people came down with strange virus, causing an extremely low drop in their temperatures, anemia, and most peculiar of all, inability to stand daylight. Within a week, the infected would die, their bodies mysteriously drained of all blood. Liam was one of them.

Instead of his ex-wife, I was now Liam’s widow.

I stayed after Liam’s funeral to place some flowers on his grave and gather my thoughts. Though our marriage had been teetering on the edge toward divorce proceeding, my soon to be ex didn’t deserve to die like he did from the virus.

Dusk darkened the sky as late afternoon morphed into early evening. My vision was bleary from tears that I didn’t notice the top soil on the grave shifting, clods falling away until there was a hole where the mound of dirt had been. Wiping away the moisture, I saw the hole. Hands rose out of it and hooked themselves on each side.

What in the hell?

I backed away and tripped over something in the dark, landing on my bottom. From that vantage point I watched as the head rose from the open grave, the torso closely behind.

Dear God, Liam! His eyes glowed, a phosphorous green as he stared at me. I got to my feet and bolted as he dragged himself completely out of the grave.

I ran through the graveyard. At the caretaker’s house, I banged on the door, screaming. The door creaked opened and Mr. Hanson stood there, an old man with thinning grey hair and pale blue eyes that blinked, looking weak. I shoved him back inside as I entered and slammed the door shut behind us. Frantic, my grip still tight on Mr. Hanson’s arm, I locked the door.

"What going on?" he demanded, yanking his arm out of my grasp as I tried to draw him away from there. “Hey, aren’t you the wife of the man we just buried?”

Shaking, I glanced over my shoulder at the locked door. "My supposedly dead husband just dug his way out of his grave!"
Mr. Hanson blinked, trying to absorb the information, and then laughed.

"My dear, dead men don’t come back to life. Believe me; once you’re dead, you’re dead. I should know better than most men, having been the caretaker of this cemetery for most of my adult life."

His hand on my shoulder, he led me over to a plump green couch. "Look, just sit down here and I’ll get you some--"
His words were cut off as the door swung open and hit the wall with a loud bang. The Liam-thing weaved through the open doorway. His mouth wide open, Mr. Hanson took a few steps toward the dead man.

"Damn, she’s right, you’re alive--"

Liam grabbed the old man and in a macabre hug, drew him toward his open mouth.

A snake-like tongue whip lashed out, two sharp fangs on the end. The tongue latched onto the old man’s neck, digging into the flesh and sucking sounds filled the air. I circled around my undead husband and his victim, glad that Liam was too busy feeding to noticed and slipped out of the house, my screams echoing in the night.

Monday, October 09, 2006

I'll Be at Monster Fest This Upcoming Saturday, 10/14

I'll be at Monster Fest this Saturday, October 14th, with copies of Crimson Promise and Beyond the Four Walls, and I will gladly sign them too. It's a free one-day horror convention held at the Chesapeake Central Library 9AM to 4PM on Saturday, October 14th, with later on starting at 8Pm and going on all night, horror films will be shown and there'll be giveaways too. The library is at 298 Cedar Rd. Chesapeake, VA. You can find out about panels and more at http://groups.myspace.com/MonsterFest and also at http://www.chesapeake.lib.va.us/CL_Monsterfest2006

Thursday, October 05, 2006




My story, "Azathoth is Here" is in Cthulhu Express Anthology, which is out. Get it at
http://www.lulu.com/ragemachinebooks, or more directly at http://www.lulu.com/content/449330. This has stories all Lovecraftian in it, with other great authors sharing the anthology with me.
The print version is $14.03 and the download is $4.99.

Excerpt:

Most days working in a supermarket the only excitement came from jars falling off shelves and breaking or when a customer misuses 'the customer is always right' and makes your life hell. But Saturday night I learned a new definition to the word hell.

My name is Alan Holly and I run one of the registers up front, and I was trying to get Mrs. Piper checked out. A tiny, elderly lady with blue-tinted, thin hair, she managed to slip into the supermarket, as always, just before closing. She’d loaded up a whole cartload of groceries and paper products, and then rushed to check out at my register. Why me, I don’t know. Maybe I reminded her of her dearly departed husband, Joe. He had dark hair and blue eyes like me, plus we both were somewhat plump. And like me, generally he had been a meek and quiet man. I heard she had always liked to irritate him. I sometimes
think that’s the real reason he died, just to get away from her.

Leaving her to irritate me, of course.

But that night, as she shoved item after item on to the moving conveyer belt of the register, she irritated someone else. A little, meek-looking man in his late twenties, stood behind her with a head of lettuce and a carton of milk. With wire-framed glasses perched just on the tip of his bulbous nose, the slate-gray eyes behind them followed every movement Mrs. Piper made. Kinda creepy. The store had some weirdos in it tonight, that’s for sure.

Then the horrible thing happened.

Mrs. Piper grabbed the last item--a package of twenty-four toilet paper rolls--and lifted it ever so slowly while giving me that maddening smile that always drove me nuts. I stood there, waiting and trying to remain patient, as she did this every time, when suddenly the guy behind her tore the bag of toilet paper rolls out of her hands. An unearthly scream came from his mouth, shattering quite a few glass bottles in people’s carts. Ketchup, mustard and other stuff covered the carts, the floor, people, and even my register.

Suddenly he became silent. He kept his mouth wide open like a chasm and something seem to be trying to crawl out of it. The opening stretched wider and wider until cracks formed in his face like mud drying under a hot sun.

Definitely not your everyday, mundane happening. At least not in a supermarket anyway.

Sunday, October 01, 2006

Happy October 1st--Ten Scary Films



It's October 1st, the beginning of Halloween month. Yeah, yeah, I know--I haven't wrote anything here since I posted about my other blog for my pen name, Sapphire Phelan. But real life and writing got in the way. Everyone knows how that is.

Anyway, today I'm going to post what I feel are ten scary films for me, to give you to ponder about and decide to rent, to get you in the mood for Halloween and even for Horror Day October 13th. Yep, there's a Horror Day, a day for you to celebrate the genre of horror. On Fri., Oct. 13, 2006, lovers of all things dark will be uniting to help spread their word about their favorite genre. Started as an idea among a few members of the Horror Writers Association, it quickly expanded to include not just horror fiction but movies, haunted house attractions, videogames, art, comic books, and every area of life. You can find out more about it at Horror Day .

The films I will list had some impact on me, whether scaring me silly, or because they were just damn good, to other definable ways . I admit that there are more than ten films for me, but I feel these ten will be a start for you. You can go from there and begin to check out others in the genre for yourself. Decide for yourself. Make your own list for years to come.

Here they are:

1. The Haunting ( 1963)--the book, The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson is a good ghost story to read.This is the only book tom scare me in the daytime, in a room full of people.

2. Alien

3. American Werewolf in London

4. The Howling

5. Dog Soldiers

6. Cat People (both the 1940s and 1980s versions)

7. Dracula (Bela Lugosi)

8. Creature from the Black Lagoon

9. Lady in White

10. Halloween

Well, I hope this starts you on your own exploration of good scary films to watch in preparation for Halloween. And remember, when the leaves swirl their colorful dance on the wind's cooler breath, when the shine of the flesh on the pumpkin seems just a bit more brighter, its Jack-O-Lantern face glittering with supposed malice, and the howl of the dog in the night outside the comfort of your warm walls sounds different, more wolfish, it's only Halloween celebrating by lending its costume to October.

Happy October 1st.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

I Have Started New Blog Just For Sapphire Phelan Pen Name

I started a new blog, just for my Sapphire Phelan pen name. So from now on, if you like my erotic paranormal/scifi/fantasy that's the blog to check up on my releases out and coming out by Sapphire Phelan. For publications by Pamela K. Kinney it'll be here and I'll be continuing reviews of print books and ebooks here, even the erotic romance ones.
For Sapphire Phelan's Passion Corner go to Sapphire Phelan's Passion Corner
I set it up for anyone to answer the blogs there, even if you're not registered with Blogger. I posted a question there for all to answer, though you must be 18 and above to answer it and even check blog out as what can be and will be posted there will be adult in nature. The question: What kind of paranormal hero turns you on?
Please do answer--there's no restrictions on what you say, so let your hair down on this subject. :) So please go post your answers to my question there--let's start Sapphire Phelan's Passion Corner off with a bang.

FantasticDreams
MySpace/Pamela K Kinney

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Winner of My Birthday Chat and Upcoming Chats



Jennifer Valencia was the winner of the prize of my Birthday chat at Lady Aibell Press's chatroom. Sorry to all who couldn't win, but thank you for attending my chat and making it the success it was. The next author's chat for myself will be at the aoraag list on Sunday, September 24th, starting at 11AM Eastern and going on to whenever that day I decide to end it. That link is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aoraag/?yguid=245064646 And the next one at Lady Aibell Press chatroom will be Monday, October 30th at 7PM Central (8PM Eastern) for my Halloween Party chat. I will also be at the Pink Posse chat for Lady Aibell authors this upcoming Thursday, September 14th at 8-9PM Central. That link is http://www.thepinkposse.net/chatroom.html

All the chats above are under my pen name, Sapphire Phelan, for my erotic romances, though the aoraag one will also be for Pamela K. Kinney too.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

It's Sapphire Phelan's Birthday and She Wants to Party Chat 9/11




I'll be doing a chat as my pseudonym, Sapphire Phelan, on my birthday, September 11th at 8PM to 9PM Central (9-10PM EST) at the Lady Aibell Press chatroom. You must be 18 and above to come to this chat though. The chat will be at http://ladyaibell.com/bookstore/information.php?info_id=22

I'll be giving some lucky chatter the gift since it is my birthday, a CD copy of Crimson Promise and a pair of pierced ear earrings that I'll mail out to the winner. They're up in the photo with this blog.
So come to the chat and I'll post excerpts, plus we'll talk about vampires, aliens, hot, naked men and other cool stuff. We'll even have virtual cake and ice, and champagne!!! Come on, it's my birthday and I anna party chat!
Sapphire Phelan
http://FantasticDreams.50megs.com
http://pamelakkinney.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/pamelakkinney
http://revelinginromance.blogspot.com (shared blog with Chippewa Publishing/Lady Aibell Press romance authors)

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Review of Computer games by Tammy Lee



For twenty years Daria has been chatting in a chat room online about her relationship with her husband. Normally that's nothing unusual, except Michael is a vampire.

Michael's not happy about her chatting sometimes, but being stuck on a farm miles from anywhere, with only a cow for a pet and her computer chats for entertainment, he lets her. At first, being with Michael was wonderful and different, but after twenty years, being held captive away from all life begans to pale on her and she wants to escape. One day she finds a way, thanks to the chat room.

Tammy Lee is smart, making the reader think that's it's another romance story about an ordinary couple, the wife liking to go online to chats and talk about her hubby, when suddenly she slams it to you about the vampire part. In my opinion, it could have been a little more erotic then it was, still it's a pretty good little paranormal.

I give this story 4 1/2 DRAGONS.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Review of Thy Eternal Summer by Thomma Lyn Grindstaff



Sarah Harrison had too many years of life with her husband, Ed and when he fell into the river he had been fishing at while drinking she felt relief more then pain. And when Max McCloud becomes more than the Man from the Rialta in her daydreams, helping her to learn to drive the Winnebago her husband had bought for this trip and even more so, teaching her that love for a decent man is possible, even this time in her life. But when she meets his family and later as he goes home with her in her motorhome and meets her more disfunctable family she sees a wide gap that may make any possible relationship between them impossible to scale. But she's learns that as anew woman, different from the quiet, browbeaten one with Ed, she can bridge hers and Max's life into one full of love.

This Chippewa Publishing novella by Thomma Lyn Grindstaff was a pleasure to read on Labor Day. Not only is the woman and man older than the norm for romance novels and stories out there, but it was a sweet, touching story, not only full of love but hope too. Reading this, you'll cry, then cheer, but most of all, you'll fall in love as Sarah falls in love with Max.

I give this novella 5 DRAGONS.

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Excerpt from Soul Seduction and Now Can Preorder Forbidden Love Journal It Will Be In



Here is the cover for Forbidden Love: Bad Boys, coming out December 21, 2006. My erotic urban fantasy, "Soul Seduction" is included in the lineup. And you can preorder the first issue of the print journal now at http://www.honorharrington.net/shop/ . To access the Under the Moon side you will need to register. Once you're approved, yes, right now it's manual approval; you'll be able to see the UTM link on the upper left hand side. This is to help protect the publisher from 'oops, Johnny's 8- year-old clicked the adult link by mistake'This also helps keep their partners happy so though it takes a little longer to be able to buy the products you'll still be able to see and read about them on the main www.underthemoon.org site. Preordering means you will get it sent to you seven days earlier then the rest of the world in December. And it will be for sale at Amazon.com too.

Here is a blurb and an excerpt from Soul Seduction:


Unrepentant, cursed by the Fairy Queen of the Seelie Court to be imprisoned alone, forever in a human city park for trifling with her daughter, Branigan Darkman finds a chance for companionship in one human, Alicia Turner.
Alicia has always felt compelled to come to the city park her father has taken her once to play in. At first she doesn't know why, then she meets Bran and by her blood taken by him her soul becomes his.


Excerpt:

Ten years flew by; a drop in the bucket of a fey’s life. Endless throngs of people came to and left the park. Each day at noon and each night at midnight, I sent out my call to Alicia, trying to draw her back. But it seemed her soul was stronger than my magic.

Finally though, I had won. Our connection had proved stronger than her soul and force of will.

Alicia stood next to the fairy ring at midnight, her head sunk down between her shoulders in broken submission.

“I’m here, Bran.” A wealth of pain colored her voice.

I magicked myself from my place and appeared next to her. “Alicia.”

The light of the full moon lit up the area. I saw she had grown older, a few lines painting her face. Tiredness filled her eyes, fading them from the sparkle that I remembered. \

I sniffed the air about her. “You’re still pure, I see. Good.”

“I tried to give myself to several guys that I dated, but something wouldn’t let me.” She reached up with her hand and touched the side of my face. “It was you I kept seeing and I just couldn’t do it. You cursed me as much as that fairy queen cursed you to this park.”

I lifted her up into my arms and stepped into the circle. We vanished from human sight and entered my home. My prison.

Once inside, I loosened my hold and her body slid slowly to the ground against mine. I molded her against me, letting her feel the hardness between my thighs. With a click of my fingers, the room lit up with a million tiny lights that glittered like stars. I moved away and stalked over to an extra-large bed that dominated the room. I sat down on the edge and with a smile, gestured to Alicia.

“Join me.”

Her hands knotted together, she swept her eyes around the room, lighting momentarily on the armoire, the table with two chairs and the Roman bath.

I laughed, sounding bitter. “As you can see, I have all the amenities of home and comfort. Queen Anu did give me that, at least.”

I stood up and went over to Alicia, trying to draw her toward the bed. “Now, I have the companionship that I’ve been denied all these years.”

She stood in my arms and I bent my head, whispering into her ear. “Let me show you why they call me the Love Talker. Let’s talk about the sensuality of the flesh, mortal and immortal.” I kissed her. “Let’s talk about the eternal dance of passion. How I will relieve you of your innocence and show you such erotic things you can’t even begin to imagine.” I captured her mouth. Soft like velvet, I drank in her unique, sexy taste. I moaned.

It had been so long. . .

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Review of Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher



I admit it; Jim Butcher's Dresdan Files is addicting. And this latest novel, Proven Guilty is no exception. Harry Dresdan, a wizard who's also a P.I. has new challenges, finding out that nothing in his world is totally white or black, as there's too many shades of gray in between.

In this book he is approached by Molly, the daughter of Michael, a friend who is also a Knight of the Cross and works for God, and whom Harry has avoided for the past two years. He discovers that she wants him to bail her boyfriend out of jail. The boyfriend, Nelson is accused of beating up a movie theater owner at SplatterCon, a horror convention. But Harry suspects Nelson is innocent and as he investigates into it, discovers possibly demons or spirits are using movie monsters to do their dirty work. Mix that up with Molly's mother who has never liked him, a convention full of horror fans and other strange things that get stranger, obviously nothing will be easy for Harry to dig up the truth.

Take all the cool detective novels you ever read, then spiced them up with magic, monsters and mayhem, add a little wizardry on a par with Harry Potter, just more grown up, and you have one incredible adventure that you won't want to put down.

I give this novel 5 DRAGONS.

Sunday, August 27, 2006

Fallen Angels Review of Crimson Promise



Michelle of Fallen Angels Reviews reviewed Crimson Promise and read what she said: "Sapphire Phelan packs a great big boatload of story into these eleven pages. Crimson Promise is a tale bathed in blood and lust; Ms. Phelan’s ability to craft worlds is shown off in this scorcher. Characters are interesting and there’s plenty of fodder here for sequels galore. Dipped in desire and bursting with blatant eroticism, Crimson Promise makes good and delivers! Don’t miss this hot and spicy little number! Four Angels!"

You can read the rest of the review at
http://www.fallenangelreviews.com/2006/August/Michelle-CrimsonPromise.htm

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Review of Sorcha's Heart




























Isn't the picture above so cool? I was next door at the Byrd Theatre for an interview with the manager about the second-runned movie theatre's ghost for my nonfiction ghosts of Richmond book I'm writing when I walked over to Bygones (a vintage clothing store) and had to take this photo of their window display. Obviously, Pirate of the Caribbean has made pirates so cool these days.

Anyway, I'll be doing reviews sometimes as part of my blogging. And since I am a big dragon fan, I will be giving dragons, in rating from one to five--like this one dragon. Today, the first one will be Sorcha's Heart by Debbie Mumford. The publisher is Freyer's Bower and the ebook came out in 2006.
I had won this lovely erotic fantasy in a contest and was pleasantly surprised to get a book that I really enjoyed.
The heroine, Sorcha goes against her mother's wishes to find the Heart of Fire and end the war between the humans and the dragons. But when she is close to finding it, a black dragon appears, telling her that he was summoned to witness its rebirth. But the Heart of Fire does when Sorcha gets it and places the chain of the medallion around her neck, is something unforseen. Its magic causes a metamorphosis, changing her into a dragon. The the black dragon, Caedryn, takes her under his wing and helps her to become a dragon. What is also unforseen is the growing love Sorcha develops for Caedyrn, further complicating her desire to find a way to become human once more.
An deeply erotic fantasy, it is well-written and is almost a fantastic symbol of what life and love between two different races means in the real world today. Debbie Mumford shows us that even with such a relationship between two different species the gap can be bridged, as love is the greatest equalizer.

I give this story five dragons.

Monday, August 14, 2006

Horrorfind Weekend












Well, I'm back from Horrorfind Weekend. Tired, but it was a good time, seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Above with me in the picture is horror author Mark Rainey, his daughter and artist Deena Warner.
My husband, Bill and I left Friday, August 11th by 8AM, an hour later then I wanted but oh well. . . The drive up wasn't bad--it wasn't a hot day, so we didn't need the air conditioner on and we drove with the windows down. No congested traffic either , even in Northern Virginia or on the Capital Beltway. The only time we had any worries about congestion or stopped traffic was when we just gotten into Maryland and noticed flashing lights up far ahead. A car had caught on fire and was still burning wildly, with firefighters still trying to put it out as we passed it by, but everyone kept going and so we had no problems getting through and actually made it about ten minutes earlier to the hotel then the normal four hours it takes to get there from our house.
We even got into our room, at Noon and not the 4PM check-in time! After getting our lugguge and other things taken up and unpacked some things, we went downstairs to check things out and see if we could find anyone we knew. We saw where things would be for the con, got my guest badge and Bill's weekend wrist band, and ran into good friends, Gina Farago and Terry and Glenn Bane setting up their tables where they would be most of the weekend, selling their books and artwork. They went to do something and Bill and I stopped at the Hunt Cafe and bought us a small pizza with everything (but olives) on it, and ate it and drank couple cokes from our coke supply we had brought up in our room, watching TV.
Closer to four o'clock, I took a quick shower and got dressed. My reading was at 5:15PM and I wanted to be prepared. I put some things into my World Fantasy bag I had gotten a few years ago when I attended the con and dragged the books and CDs I had in the small suitcase on wheels Bill had gotten for being with Chesterfield County twenty years. Ran into Gina and Terry and Glenn again, then went through the dealer's room, and at around 5PM went to Salon E where my reading was to be held with author Steven Shrewsbury. I found out that Steven wasn't there and would be late getting it (he was flying in, and after the terrorist thing, knew this would be happening a lot). Luckily Gina came in to be my partner in crime, I mean, reading. It was too early, plus we had competition from my friend, Elizabeth Blue's reading next door with her set up party-atmosphere, including wine and special effects, but couple people did attend. Afterwards I went to listen to Beth read a 'goat' horror story, and then back up to my room, changing into comfy clothing of jeans, sandals and a top, and to drop the suitcase of books back in there.
Bill and I went to the dealer's room, where I bought a DVD from
Darkstone Entertainment (they're a horror studio from Charlottesville, Virginia whom I auditioned for before), a couple books, couple bags of coffee from Coffee Shop of Horrors and a T-shirt. (On Saturday we did buy another bag of coffee for my mother-in-law from Coffee Shop of Horror since she was watching our dog, Indy for the weekend.) Later that evening Bill took me to the Haunted Sanitarium and then he went up to bed, as he was dead tired. But me, I still felt hyped up and went back downstairs, joining Mark Rainey, Gina Farago, Terry and Glenn Bane, and went back into the haunted house thing again. We went to Gina's room for a while and at about midnight headed over to the paranormal guest's talk. At 1PM everyone went to bed--the next day started at 10AM for the convention.
Bill and I got up about 8AM. Well actually, I got up at 7:30, and I dressed in my bathing suit and used the hotel jacuzzi as my feet were aching bad. Afterwards, I showered, made me a bagel and cream cheese and a grabbed cup of coffee I had made in our in-room coffeemaker and watched the news on the television. Bill and I went downstairs, checked out the dealer's room, where I filled up my big scary mug I had gotten last year from ealmart during Halloween and went to listen to Mark Rainey and Paul Melniczek read. I attended another reading while Bill went to watch a movie from Darkstone Entertainment. One of the actors in it had Brinke Stevens (I knew her from when we both were members of S.T.A.R./San Diego years ago) in it. The reading ended and I ended up watching the rest of the film with him. Afterwards, we went up to our room, made lunch and ate it. The rest of the day, was spent in attending readings and more, with supper later in our room. Later though , to feed my sudden craving for chocolate, we had dessert at the hotel's restaurant. That done and being close to 8PM, Bill and I headed over to Mark Warner's party in his and Deeena's room. It was being put on for the premiere of his new book, Eyes Everywhere, from his publisher,
Raw Dog Screaming Press . A super party too, talking with friends and meeting new people. I would suggest to anyone to check out his book at Raw Dog Screaming--it's had great things said about it and his reading he did, reading from it was really, really cool. By the way, he shared the limelight with author/movie producer, Frazier Lee from his Urbane book, which he will make the first film from it next year.
We climbed into bed by 11:30PM though as Bill got sick (he drank alot more then normal for him and not eating enough most of the day didn't help), The next morning, after 8 hours of sleep, I got up and exercised in the hotel's exercise room while Bill showered, dressed and made coffee. Feeling good from the exercising, I showered and ate a bagel, a banana and had a cup of coffee, then helped Bill get all of our stuff down to the car as we would be driving home after attending couple readings and checking out of the hotel. Golly, it was a beautiful day too, not hot, just gorgeous!
By 1:15PM, after some goodbyes, we were on the road for home. This time though, it took us the total four hours, as we ran into congested traffic, the first one as we drove over into Virginia. This first oen was due to an accident by exit 160, which was far away from the Virginia/Maryland where we entered. After that one, we hit a couple more, but finally got close enough to home and took an exit to go eat at Golden Corral and get gas, before going completely home.
All in all, it was a good weekend, hopefully getting people to know about me, Beyond the Four Walls and
Ravencon, as we took up flyers for this too. All of the flyers disappeared fast and many authors and also some publishers, had heard of us and were very interested.

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Another Review of Crimson Promise at SimplyAli's Blog!!!










Check out another review of Crimson Promise, by Ali at http://simplyali.blogspot.com/.
Here is some of it: Sapphire Phelan has wrote a unique and different story, than one I've read before. She is not only able to tell the story of Victor and Na'lesa, but she describes this new world she has created well enough that we can visualize it, and is even able to give a little history. The plot and its characters fit well together. Had anything been changed, I think it would have taken away from the story.
Read the rest of the review at her blog, and check out the other reviews she's done, and a contest she's holding until August 13th, where you're entered when you suggest e-books for her to read and review.

Monday, July 31, 2006



There some photos (not all, just some) like the one here, from Fantasci 5 this past Saturday, July 29th: http://fantasticdreams.50megs.com/photo4.html that I attended as an author guest. Did pretty good--sold and signed some Beyond the Four Walls chapbooks (and the coverart artist had her table next door to me, so they got their covers signed too) and CDs of Crimson Promise. I did a panel with horror author, Elizabeth Blue; Modern Horror Literature: Stepchild of Poe, Stoker, Shelley and Lovecraft? and with my husband, a costuming workshop first thing that morning (the con head had asked me). It was a nice day, seeing good friends again, from both costumers to other authors like Gina Farago, Stephen Mark Rainey, David Niall Wilson and others. Afterwards, Bill and I attended an after Fantasci 5 BBQ at author Tony Ruggiero's house.

The Princess Leia in the picture with me is Cheralyn Lambert, who does costuming for films and television, and the stormtrooper is a member of Garrison Tyranus of the 501st that my husband is with and I am too.



Friday, July 28, 2006

Sorchja's Heart by Debbie Mumford Out 7/30 and See You at Fantasci 5!



Sorcha's Heart by Debbie Mumford

A legendary relic, a dragon-wrought amulet, the Heart of Fire may be the salvation of her people, and Sorcha is willing to pay any price to obtain it, but when she discovers the price is the loss of her humanity, she learns caution too late. Only a hero can save her, and he isn't human.

Available July 30th from Freya's Bower

Check out Debbie's cool new book coming out, and if anyone is coming to Fantasci 5 tomorrow I'll be there at my table signing and doing couple panels. Please stop by and say hi, and enter my contest, with my erotic fantasy, Wedded Magic and assorted goodies as the prize.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Check Out Charley's Fire by Bella Tyler



When Charly Hanson's house catches fire she has no idea that the man sent to dowse the flames will stir up feelings in herself she thought were long dormant.Wrong NumberFor months, firefighter Charlie Farnsworth has been getting late night phone calls from a strange but sensual sounding woman, the only problem is...the calls aren't intended for him. But they could be just the thing he needs to refuel his own fire.

You can find Charly's Fire at Freyer's Bower

Visit Bella online at http://www.freewebs.com/bellatyler or at her blog at http://bellatyler.blogspot.com or at http://www.myspace.com/bellatyler

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

MARK OF THE BEAST by Tawny Taylor Out July 26th



Check it out--Tawny's book comes out tomorrow!

Announcing the launch of a hot new shapeshifter series, ANIMAL URGES, by Tawny Taylor:TITLE: MARK OF THE BEAST

AUTHOR: TAWNY TAYLOR RELEASE DATE: JULY 26

PUBLISHER: ELLORA'S CAVE: http://www.ellorascave.com/AuthorsBooks.asp?AuthorCode=TD

Cover : http://www.tawnytaylor.com/markofthebeast_smaller.jpg

GENRE: Shapeshifter Erotic RomanceExcerpt: http://www.tawnytaylor.com/MarkoftheBeast.html

Blurb: City girl Abby Clumm wouldn't normally travel to remote cabins in Alaska alone. But with the expectation that her friend will be arriving shortly, she makes the journey to their rented cabin solo. Unfortunately, things don’t go as she plans--no real surprise there, when do they?--and her first night she finds herself alone in the boonies, a shotgun she doesn’t know how to use and a failing wooden door the only things standing between her and some kind of very hungry animal outside. She’s now caught in a battle for survival. Research scientist Tarik Evert has no idea what’s wrong. He’s suddenly driven by a need so urgent it’s painful. The scent of a woman nearby beckons him, sends him staggering outside into the cold. And then somehow he’s at her door, not sure what just happened...or what is about to happen if she lets him inside. He only knows one thing--the hunger that brought him to her in the first place.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Busy Writing, Beyond the Four Walls and A Great Story To Read!



Well, I've been out of touch, but then I've been busy trying to write a story for Forbidden Love: Wicked Women. I've got one--the 'wicked woman' is definitely wicked. I won't go on, it's basically finished and edited through once, now waiting on my friend and her views. Then editing again and hopefully submitted by this weekend. I actually wrote two different stories, the other based on this villianess from my almost finished werewolf horror novel, Obsession. She's a nasty piece of work, but I actually thought I made her sympathetic, which shocked me as writing her in Obsession she was a no hold back punches monster.
Got copies of Beyond the Four Walls in mail yesterday, from the new printer. Very nice, smaller than what Lulu.com did for them, but nicer print. I'm taking some to Fantasci 5 for signing and then rest ot Horrorfind Weekend. And we got the cd of Wedded Magic, along with basket ful of magical/wizard goodies, so stop by my table at Fantasci 5 and sing up to try and win it all. It's free to do so, you just have to be in person to win--at my panel with horror author, Elizabeth Blue at 2:15PM.
If you can't make Fantasci, whether to something else going on, or not live near Virginia, you can get Beyond the Four Walls through
Naked Snake Press or through Shocklines.com at http://shocklines.stores.yahoo.net/befowabbypak.html, and shipping is free anywhere in the United States.
The incredible cover art is from an artist friend of mine, Susan Wickham (S.L. Wickham), who has a MySpace at
SLWickham'sMySpace.Com In this chapbook of four ghostly tales, ghosts haunt more than houses and arent always bound by four walls as proven by the four stories in Beyond the Four Walls.
Stories:
Spectre Dreams and Visitations
Gray Dust
Hard Drive Haunting
Call In The Night
In Spectre Dreams and Visitations, a paranormal romance gone wrong, Sherry buys an old book of ghost stories at a yard sale for some good reading and finds that it results in something far more than she can handle or even wants. And haunting proves to be a dusty business for one reporter staying the last night of a reputedly haunted movie theater before its demolition in Gray Dust. Hard Drive Haunting reveals to a young woman that surfing the Internet does even more terrifying damage to her life than a computer virus to her computer. And in the last ghostly tale, Call in the Night, a woman finds that the call shes been receiving each night is definitely more than a wrong number.

An excerpt from "Spectre Dreams and Visitations":
The smell of old books rose up in the air from the volumes on a table at the yard sale, allowing Sherry to feel welcomed by the presence of dear old friends. Friends that gave comfort and took one to faraway places, all the while sitting in a chair or lying in bed.
What can I do for you? asked the plump old woman, thin wisps of pearl-white hair wiggling wildly on top of her balding pate as she shook her head. Her face, an overabundance of wrinkles, didnt hide the twin points of cobalt that were her eyes as they sparkled at the younger woman. A combination of peppermint and pepperoni combined with the odor of cigarettes drifted over to her as the old woman came closer.
Sherry took a couple steps back. Im looking for something scary, a fat volume of ghost stories. Nothing modern, no, I dont feel a need for descriptions of blood and gore. I want something from the eighteen hundreds, or at least, no later than nineteen-twenty, the young woman
said dreamily, When ghost tales were meant to give the reader a taste of the shivers, wondering what was hovering in the shadowy corner and could only seen out of the corner of the eye, not the gore-ridden slasher trash that lines the pages of horror stories today.
The old lady grinned broadly, her teeth yellow from the cigarettes she obviously smoked constantly. A mist hovered mid-air around her, a combination from the cigarettes and dust rising off the books.
I have just the book for you, my dear, croaked the woman, something that was my nieces. She died a year ago and I got all of her stuff. She had a penchant for ghost stories herself.
Its not something modern?
The publishing date in it said 1910.
Let me see it.
The woman reached into a dusty cardboard box under the table. Something must have stayed my hand from putting this book with the others on this table. I had this feeling inside me to wait and Im glad I did.
She handed over a big heavy volume, the dust jacket old and tattered. The title, faded but still readable, was Spectre Love Tales. Sherry flipped it open, scanning through the many titles of short stories on the pages within and saw something definitely worth reading as she sat tonight in her big comfy chair, a cup of hot coffee nearby to sip occasionally as she read.
She closed the book and looked up. Ill take it.
She pulled some money out of her purse, but the old lady stopped her.
Its yours free of charge. I couldnt sell it, not after it was found clasped in her hands.
What do you mean?
It was found with her body.
Sherry glanced down at the book in her hands. Oh my. She looked back up. How old was your niece?
A tear slipped out of the womans eye and trailed down a wrinkle on her cheek. She was only twenty-eight. Like me, she had a fondness for peppermint candy and pepperoni pizza.
Thats young.
More tears welled up in the womans eyes. Yes, she was.
Sherry felt uncomfortable, and after a thank you and good bye, left the yard sale. As she unlocked her car a slight breeze came up, bringing with it a sound like the soft moan of a woman in pain. It startled and unsettled her. Then it faded away. Her glance caught the book cradled in her arms and she shook her head at her imaginings. She opened the car door, climbed in, and drove away.

A good story to read and that I enjoyed--it's free and on-line--is The Fallen by Angeline Hawkes-Craig. It was first published in August 2005. The website is ScienceFictionFantasyHorror.com, the same bunch who accepted my horror flash fiction, "Werewolf for Hire", which when it's up there, I'll let everyone know on my website Fantastic Dreams and here and at Pamela's MySpace.com . So if you enjoy angels and devils ,you can read it at http://www.sciencefictionfantasyhorror.com/article.mgi2?article=fallen . Angeline has a story in the same upcoming anthology as me, Beyond the Blackened Mirrors: Tales of Dark Romance by the imprint of Coyote Moon Publications :Silver Moon Erotic Books.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

The Laurell K. Hamilton Signing in Richmond and Brief POTC 2 Review















Above is a picture of me with Laurell K. Hamilton and her husband, Jonathan at a book signing at the Barnes and Noble at Libbie Place Shopping Center on the corner of Libbie and W. Broad St. Thanks to a wonderful person, Maketa Robinson, who stood behind me in line, and as I didn't bring my camera I asked her if she could take this photo with her camera.Thank you, Maketa, and do enjoy that download of Crimson Promise I sent you. Laurell K. Hamilton was very wonderful, giving those of us in line a talk before and answering questions, then signing after, with the promise to sign for everyone who stood in line. And a big line it was!
I made sure people got flyers from both Fantasci 5, plus our own Ravencon 2007 here in Richmond, along with my Publicity assistant, Cheryl, too. Many people were pleased to heard about Ravencon particularly as most lived in the Richmond area. Plus I gave Laurell a copy of the flyer, plus my card--maybe sometime in the future we can have her as a Guest of Honor!
What did I have signed (limit was two books, unless you got back in line again)? I had my Danse Macabre and Micah. I had Micah since it first came out--from Creatures and Crooks Book Shoppe ( http://cncbooks.com/ ), but I just got Danse Macabre from joining Science Fiction Book Club. Funny thing about that, they mailed them off July 3rd, and it came on Thursday, July 5th. Now how super was that?
Laurell K. Hamilton answered questions about the movie, which her husband and she are still writing the script, and then will go from there to how many more books of Merry (9-18?) to about Anita Blake and her world. She even answered about if there would ever be a video game of Anita Blake and laughed, saying, "Sleep with a vampire and you lose five points?"
Anyway, it was a great time for all, plus I ran into friends haven't seen in a while and talked. I went home after and not long after that to sleep (when you do the midnight show of Pirates of the Caribbean: Deadman's Chest night before and then other things with hubby who took off, and this signing, it was a long day).
One last thing, on POTC 2, it wasn't as great as the first one, but still a good movie to go see. The ending does lead into the next and last film, out next summer 2008. A little too much going on than should be. Th length didn't bother me--lokk at the Lord of the Rings films, and I enjoyed the extra stuff in the DVDs. But a little more going on than needed. Still, it is worth going to see, and who can't enjoy Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow? My rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5.