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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Fantasci 5--Convention in Chesapeake, Virginia July 29th

Well, less than three weeks to go to Fantasci 5 in Chesapeake, Virginia. That's a one-day convention I'll be a guest at, held by the Chesapeake Central Library, always in July. This year it's July 29th, as Trini-con is the weekend before. The website is http://www.chesapeake.lib.va.us/CL_Fantasci2006/CL_FantasciPr.htm
I'll be doing two panels besides signings there. One is a costuming workshop with my husband in the morning at 9AM to 10AM and at 2:15PM to 3:15PM I'll be doing an author panel with horror author, Elizabeth Blue ( http://www.elizabethblue.com/ ) called Modern Horror Literature: Stepchild of Poe, Shelley and Lovecraft? I'll have to get some ideas up for Elizabeth and me to discuss. I will be doing a free giveawy contest--you enter your name in a chance to win a basket of goodies, that includes a pdf copy of my erotic fantasy, Wedded Magic on a CD. I will draw the winner at the 2:15PM panel, so you must be present to win. And with a lot of great panels, a costume contest, tables of fan groups and authors and more, plus I heard a Star Wars type cantina selling food and drink by costumers in Star Wars costumes why not stay until 5PM?
Here's the schedule below, plus website links of participants:

James Blanton, Librarian IIChesapeake Central Library (757) 382-6591 or email jblanton@chesapeake.lib.va.us .
FANTASCI Sci-Fi/Fantasy FestivalFANTASCI V - Revenge of FANTASCI Saturday, July 29, 2006 - 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Prepare for an experience that is out of this world as the Chesapeake Public Library, 298 Cedar Road, hosts the fifth annual FantaSci science-fiction/fantasy festival. Taking place on Saturday, July 29 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the event will include a variety of activities including film screenings, writing workshops, author appearances, costume and art contests, and much more. Additionally, there will be local fan clubs and dealers in comics and collectibles. The schedule of programming events is as follows:
Schedule
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Fantasy Costuming Tips & Tricks Pamela Kinney - http://fantasticdreams.50megs.com/
9:15 AM - 10:15 AM
Are Comics & Graphic Novels Taking Over the Big Screen?Presented by: Richard C. White (Gauntlet: Dark Legacy, Ultimate Hulk Anthology) http://www.nightwolfgraphics.com/& Mark Coale (Odessa Steps Magazine) http://www.odessasteps.com/
10:15 AM - 11:15 AM
Podcasting 101Presented by: Tee Morris (Podcasting for Dummies) http://www.teemorris.com/& Bryan Prindiville (Bassetville) http://www.bassetville.net/
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Dr. Who: The Next GenerationPresented by: John Kenneth Muir (A Critical History of Dr. Who on Television) http://www.johnkennethmuir.com/
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM
Underworld or Overdone? Trends in Modern Vampire Films Presented by: Tony Ruggiero (Team of Darkness) http://www.tonyruggiero.com/, Mark Coale http://www.odessasteps.com/, & Michael Sean McGowan (The Shadowlands) http://michaelseanmcgowan.com/index.htm
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
Costume Contest
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Writing Sci-Fi/Fantasy Franchise Tie-InsPresented by: Richard C. White (Ultimate Hulk Anthology, Gauntlet: Dark Legacy) http://www.nightwolfgraphics.com/David Niall Wilson (Star Trek Voyager: Chrysalis) http://www.macabreink.com/news.htm, & Stephen Mark Rainey (Dark Shadows: Dreams of the Dark) http://home.triad.rr.com/smrainey/index1.htm
1:30 PM - 2:15 PM
The Art of Lightsaber DuelingPresented by: Jedi Fighting Arts Association
2:15 PM - 3:15 PM
Modern Horror Literature: Stepchild of Poe, Shelley and Lovecraft?Presented by: Pamela K. Kinney (Beyond the Four Walls and Crimson Promise (under Sapphire Phelan)) http://fantasticdreams.50megs.com/& Elizabeth Blue (Drown In Fear) http://www.elizabethblue.com/
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
The Fall of Anakin Skywalker as a Parable for Modern Teens Presented by: Rick Baer (Tidewater Alliance) http://www.thetidewateralliance.net/
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Fantasy Art on a Budget Presented by: Scott Rorie
3:45 PM - 4:45 PM
This Isn't My Battlestar Galactica!Presented by: John Kenneth Muir (An Analytical Guide to Television’s Battlestar Galactica) http://www.johnkennethmuir.com/, Tee Morris (Legacy of Morevi) http://www.teemorris.com/, Tony Mercer & Chris Johnson (Resident Superfans)
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Klingon Wedding CeremonyPresented by: IKV Bat’leth http://www.ikvbatleth.org/directory.html
5:45 PM - 6:45 PM
Animation WorkshopPresented by: Elizabeth Pasieczny
7:00 PM - 8:45 PM
Open Mic'rs - Hampton Roads Film Premiere Hosted by: Director Gary Wood http://www.woodworksfilms.com/
9:00 PM - 10:00 PM
John Kenneth Muir's The House Between - Premiere ScreeningPremiere footage of award-winning author John Kenneth Muir’s new sci-fi television project The House Between. A panel discussion with John Kenneth Muir and the cast and crew will follow the screening. http://www.johnkennethmuir.com/thehousebetween.html
10:30 PM - Dawn
Fantasmo Cult Cinema All-Night Movie MarathonDoors will be locked at 11:00 p.m., so don’t be late!
FantaSci Guest Websites
Dr. Madblood - http://www.madblood.net/
Tony Ruggiero - http://www.tonyruggiero.com/
Richard C. White - http://www.nightwolfgraphics.com/
Mark Coale - http://www.odessasteps.com/
Tee Morris - http://www.teemorris.com/
Bryan Prindiville - http://www.bassetville.net/
Pamela K. Kinney - http://fantasticdreams.50megs.com/
John Kenneth Muir - http://www.johnkennethmuir.com/
Michael Sean McGowan - http://michaelseanmcgowan.com/index.htm
David Niall Wilson - http://www.macabreink.com/news.htm
Stephen Mark Rainey - http://home.triad.rr.com/smrainey/index1.htm
Gary Wood - http://www.woodworksfilms.com/
Elizabeth Blue - http://www.elizabethblue.com/
Tidewater Alliance - http://www.thetidewateralliance.net/
IKV Bat'leth - http://www.ikvbatleth.org/directory.html
U.S.S. Jamestown - http://www.ussjamestown.org/
Great Bridge Anime Club - http://gbanimeclub.tripod.com/
Hampton Roads Lego User Group - http://www.hardlug.org/
All programs are free and open to the public. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to participate in any program offered by the Chesapeake Public Library system.
Come out and visit with me, and enjoy the convention! This the library's fifth year doing this--something wonderful that they are doing and will,continue to.

My Upcoming Weekend and Excerpt from My Erotic Fantasy Story, Soul Seduction

Well, another busy weekend looms in the horizon for me, starting tonight. My husband, Bill and I are going to the midnight show of Pirates of the Caribbean: Deadman's Chest. Anyone else seeing the film this weekend? We both can't wait and yeah, I'm dressing up as a pirate. LOL. Then tomorrow Laurell K. Hamilton is signing at the Barnes and Noble at Libbie's Place on corner of Broad Street and Libbie in Richmond, so going to that. Doing a little of promoting Ravencon too--my Publicity assistant is meeting me there to help out. And on Saturday at Creatures and Crooks Book Shoppe, horror authors, Brian Keene and L.F. Gonzales will be signing at 1P.M. Sunday, it looks like I'll be chatting at Fallen Angels Review, along with the other Lady Aibell Press Reveling in Romance authors. Starts at 10AM Central/11AM Eastern. The link is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fallenangelreviewchatters And on July 29th, catch me in person at Fantasci 5, to be held 9AM to 10:30PM at the Chesapeake Central Library, 298 Cedar Rd. Chesapeake, Virginia. The link for the website, and what will be there is http://www.chesapeake.lib.va.us/CL_Fantasci2006/CL_FantasciPr.htm

Excerpt from "Soul Seduction", a fantasy story I had coming in Fobidden Love: Bad Boys from Under the Moon ( http://underthemoon.org/index2.html ), an imprint of Final Sword Productions. It comes out December 21, 2006.

Ten years flew by; a drop in the bucket of a feys 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. However, 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.
Im 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. Youre still pure, I see. Good.
I tried to give myself to several guys that I dated, but something wouldnt let me. She reached up with her hand and touched the side of my face. It was you I kept seeing and I just couldnt 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 slid her body 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 Ive 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. Lets talk about the sensuality of the flesh, mortal and immortal. I kissed her. Lets talk about the eternal dance of passion. How I will relieve you of your innocence and show you such erotic things you cant even begin to imagine.
I captured her mouth. Soft like velvet, and I drank in her unique, sexy taste. I moaned.
It had been so long. .

Congratulations to Winner of My Lady Aibell Press Grand Opening Chat Contest

Congratulations goes out to Terri, the winner of my Lady Aibell Press grand opening chat contest that I held on July 1st on the Yahoo listgroup ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ladyaibellchat/?yguid=245064646 ). I had a question, "What ismy favorite supernatural monster?" and only those at the chat, who read the yahoo listgroup posting and checked out my blogs at http://pamelakkinney.blogspot.com and here at MySpace.com at http://www.myspace.com/pamelakkinney , found the answer and sent She'll get a copy of it in pdf file as a download sent to her when the scifi/horror romance comes out. :D For the rest of you check out Lady Aibell press, where Iridescent Invasion can be gotten when it's out and where you can get my vamperotica, Crimson Promise now.

Coming soon from Lady Aibell Press: Iridescent Invasion--What do you do when aliens invade your planet? Why, fall in love, have hot sex with one of them and save the world! What else can a girl do?

Available Now from Lady Aibell Press: Crimsom Promise--a tale of two lonely people looking for love, sex and blood.

Chatting at Lady Aibell's Grand Opening Chat Now and Happy 4th of July!!

Chatting now, and off and on until 5:00PM Central (that's 6PM Eastern) at Lady Aibell Press Grand Opening chat at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ladyaibellchat . I decided when it comes out--not sure when right now--but give away download of Iridescent Invasion, my sexy scifi/horror romance. Going to have the answer here for those who come to the chat today here and at my new MySpace place: http://www.myspace.com/pamelakkinney in the blog there. And please do check out MySpace site--see the wonderful dragon I have there for my background.
I'm going to talk about what I am reading now and plan to review for Romance Divas. It's a part of the Night Creatures books by Lori Handeland, the one not coming out until August 2006. That's Midnight Moon. So far, it's hot and though mnot about werewolves this time (my favorite supernatural monster), it's still a keeper like her other novels in the series. Gotta love those monsters! So when it comes out in August, buy it. And check out for the review at RomanceDivas.com when it comes out there. I'll be sure to post here, at MySpace.com and my website when it does. I should have it completely read, the review wrote and sent by Sunday evening.
Anyone have plans for 4th of July? My Dh, Bill and I are just staying home, barbecuing on the grill and chilling out. I'll probably write a bit too. Got too many things to be written at this time. Anyway, what are you all doing on the 4th? Please let me know. :)

Come Chat With Me at Lady Aibell Press' Grand Opening Chat July 1, 2006

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A Story Reprint, Life and All That Jazz

I got an e-mail from the editor of Speculative Fiction Centre ( http://www.speculativefictioncentre.com/ ) that my horror story, "Game of Hell" was reissued in their Spring issue. This story had first appeared in their Winter issue when it premiered December 31, 2005. The story also did pretty good on the Preditors and Editors poll for 2005. And the editor let me know that it'll also be in SFC's second annual anthology, Horizons, coming out around mid-November 2006. So please check out the website, read "Game of Hell", and do read the other great stories in the Spring issue. They're great ones, free to read, and what better to do on a hot summer day then stay inside in the air conditioning and read, right?
Between that, and the acceptance of "Soul Seduction" for Forbidden Love's Bad Boys issue it has been nice these last couple weeks. I'm also working on a short story about a weregoat--more a fantasy then horror, plus got another idea for a story last night at the Virginia Writer's Club meeting, thsanks to an exercise we were doing.
Of course, I'm doing more than writing, I'm reading an advance copy of Lori Handeland's upcoming Night Creatures novel, Midnight Moon that comes out in August for a RomanceDivas.Com review. And I'm also been reading Charlaine Harris' Definitely Dead that I checked out from the library. I'll be doing more checking books out of the library and reading--right now they have reading programs for children, young adults and adults, where you read so many books and enter for chance to win prizes. The children's program also gives them opportunity to help earn dog and cat food for the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter, a very worthy cause.I've done this for the past couple summers when they added the adult program. If your library has something like this, do it. Especially have your kids join and do this. Reading is good for the mind and this would show them that reading books for pleasure is cool, not like all year when they had to for school. That they can choose what they want to read. I had done this for my son when he was a kid and teen, and he really enjoyed doing it.
One last thing, a short review of Night Watch, which just came out on DVD. I rented it as it had never came to Richmond, and not only me, but my husband enjoyed it. In fact, I plan to buy it for our own DVD collection now.
It's a Russian film, the first of a trilogy, but there was great English dubbing, pretty flawless. A pretty good storyline, about how those of the Light and those of the Dark got together thousands of years before and made a treaty to stop warring. Those of the Light become Night Watch, to keep eyes on creatures of the night (vampires, sorcerers, etc..) while the those of the Dark become Day Watch. This first film, like the first book in a trilogy is about the Night Watch and about one man, Anton, who is recruited into them as he had the ability to see them when they come to stop a witch he paid to kill the unborn child in his wife's stomach (the witch told him it was her lover's), marking him as an other. There was also a prophesy, about an other who would have to choose between the side of Light or the side of the Dark. And that he would choose the Dark. There's no doubt that it's the young boy of twelve years that we meet next in a school room. He is called by a vampire to come to her and her vampire lover, so they can feed on his blood. The Night Watch intervenes, and among them is the man who stops the vampires, with him killing the lover.
I won't tell the whole story and ruin it for you. Instead, go ahead and rent the DVD, watch the film and the special features. The special effects were well done--I especially loved the scene when a shapeshifter seamlessly morphs into a tiger. The storyline wasn't super best it could be, but still it was good. I promised, you won't be bored. There is violence though, and blood, and when the boy is threatened by the vampires can be scary, so this is not something small children should watch, I would say that maybe 11/12-year-olds and up to teens will be fine with this to watch it.
My rating: 4 1/2 dragons (something I'll use from now on reviewing books and movies).

My Story of Love, Sex, a Fairy Curse and a Bad Boy Fey Accepted

My darkly erotic fantasy, "Soul Seduction" has been accepted by Under the Moon, an imprint of Final Sword Productions. It will be in their first issue of the print journal, Forbidden Love, which will be about bad boys. And Branigan Darkman, my Unseelie Slaugh Sidhe, aka The Love Talker, is definitely the ultimate bad boy. There's even talk of pre-orders to be taken some time before the issue comes out, so check back here at at my blog, my website, Fantastic Dreams or at their website at Under the Moon .

Blurb: 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. And not long after, her heart.

And enjoy this unedited excerpt from my story:

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. . .

An anthology of darkly erotic stories of love - twelve tales that span the full range of the fantasy, paranormal and futurisic romance genres. The trade paperback book will feature interior illustrations as well as a full color cover.
Featured Stories:
To Teach an Ancient God by Pamela K. Kinney
Shadow Lover by Pamela K. Kinney
Burning Bright by Lucy Snyder
Eternal by Sara Lunsford
Stunt Double by Clare O’Brien
Time Out of Mind by Clare O’Brien
The Blood Charm by Patricia Kirby (novella)
The Mapby Barbara Peña (novella)
The Summoning by Erin MacCay
The Transmigration Spell by Leslie Brown
The Woeful Tale of Fionna Maclean by Angeline Hawkes-Craig
Memories of Lilac by Glenda Woodrum

I saw this up at Coyote Moon Publications:
http://www.coyotemoonpublications.com/?q=node/18 ,
so I am assuming that soon this will be out for sale. Though my two stories are erotic dark fantasies, both will be under Pamela K. Kinney and not Sapphire Phelan. Actually, the erotic stuff in these two stories aren't that in your face, not like my current and upcoming stories.
I can tell you "To Teach an Ancient God" is the story of Persphone and Hades updated, and "Shadow Lover" is about a member of the Fairy Court who's also a shadow.
Just keep an eye on the link above and this blog and my website when the anthology does come out. I think the cover art is gorgeous, so fantastical! And I feel honored being included with the other super authors. It'll be a super collection of great stories.

Winner of Chat Contest and More

Hope everyone is having a good Monday morning and congrads to Maithe Ortiz--she won a copy of Crimson Promise from the contest I had during the CataNetwork Readers Chat June 11th!
My next chat will be with Romance Designs, at their Beach Party Summer Chat on Wednesday, June 14th at 10PM EST. The link for the chat is http://romancedesigns.com/chatroom.cfm I'll be there for the first hour, and the prize I'm giving away is a pdf copy of my erotic fantasy story, Wedded Magic by LoveYouDivine.Com.
And at Fantasci 5, July 29, 2006 at the table where I'll be signing my chapbook, Beyond the Four Walls and CDs of Crimson Promise, I'll be having a contest. I'll be giving away a basket containing a PDF copy of Wedded Magic on CD, a medieval style tankard, a bottle of sparkling apple cider and some other little tibits.

Talking about Fantasci 5, I want to mention to writers and potential writers, check out your local conventions. This is a great way to meet your fan base, or get more fans even, and for those trying to become writers, you can take writing workshops and go to panels with writers on them, where you can find out what they do to write, promote their books, etc.... Conventions are a great source for any writer, whether science fiction, fantasy, horror, romance and mystery. So check out one today.
And to promote a great upcoming convention for next year, try Ravencon 2007, to be held at the Doubletree Inn at the Richmond Airport in Richmond, Virginia. The website link is http://ravencon.com . Keep an eye on the website for information on our author guest of honor and more.