Author interview with Mary DeWeber - Their Tangled Hearts

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover?
I like the feel of a paperback in my hands.

Where do you prefer to buy your books?
I love Books A Million . 

What books would you like to read again? Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by, C.S. Lewis

What book are you currently reading and in what format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)?
I am reading Fearless by, Eric Blehm, in paperback. It’s the story of Adam Brown, a Navy seal on Seal Team Six who died in active duty in Afghanistan.

Do you find yourself intrigued by the cover of a book enough to buy it? 
Definitely!

Do you ever write in your PJ’s?
Absolutely! Is there a more comfortable way?

What are your pet peeves? 
Oh…don’t get me started!
You are trapped on a tropical island - who would you like to be stranded with?
My husband Jeff of course!

Book Description

Publication Date: June 10, 2014

Emma had spent the last five years learning to cope with tragedy. She should have known that Doc had something up his sleeve when he'd talked her into taking a cooking job at a Colorado cattle ranch. Cooking was the easy part. Working with disabled children was something she was decidedly not prepared for. Throw in a tall dark mountain of a man with a voice like warm velvet and she was completely over her head! It would take God to straighten out the tangled mess she had made of her life.

Book Review

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving and heartwarming story Review By Jean S.

'Their Tangled Hearts' is quite the surprising romantic novel that has intriguing backstory. It introduces us to Emma, a songwriter, whose tragic past continues to haunt her. Under false pretenses, her godfather 'Doc' set her up to work for a couple who runs a cattle ranch. Her life turns upside down when she meets Jake. Clearly, she’s not prepared to let someone into her life. She constantly struggles with herself as her heart slowly starts to open up. Still, she has to come into terms with her loss.
There is a level of complexity in Emma’s character that makes her very interesting and you can’t help but feel her pain, guilt, and frustration.

The story is well-written and structured in a way to keep the reader guessing on what’s to come next. As the story progresses, secrets are revealed and we begin to understand why certain things are the way they are. All the elements come together seamlessly, which makes for a heartwarming (and satisfying) conclusion.

Buy Links: www.marydeweber.com 
Amazon :http://www.amazon.com/Their-Tangled-Hearts-Mary-DeWeber/dp/069223229X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/their-tangled-hearts-mary-deweber/1119733516?ean=9780692232293

If you have enjoyed reading this post, please share it with your friends. Patti Roberts - Author and book cover designer. 

Ever wonder what makes an aircraft or helicopter fly? A book by Matthew Martino

Book Description from Amazon:

Ever wonder what makes an aircraft or helicopter fly? The answers are right here. Matthew takes you from the ancient dream to modern-day reality and explains how each of these marvelous inventions work. You will not only understand the deep satisfaction that pilots get from commanding an aircraft in flight, but you will get an idea on the inevitable risks involved. No matter what it is that fascinates you about flying – its promise of freedom, its beauty, its precision and science, or the prospect of adventure – you’ll find it all waiting for you in this book.

What inspired you to start writing, and when?

I was just inspired by wanting to reach out to others and spread the knowledge that I had about the aviation industry.

How many books have you written? 

I have written two books including Lets Fly, my other book was Go For It which is a book for people interested in starting up businesses.

Tell us a little about your book.

Lets Fly is a book to help aspiring pilots and aviation enthusiasts learn the basics of flying.

Do you have plans for a new book?

Im not thinking of writing at the moment really - Maybe in the future. I want to draw upon more experience before I pen my next book.

Do you plot or write by the seat of your pants?

I always take a flyer and this leads to me having a writer’s block which I then have to combat by planning out the way forward.

Did you have an editor edit your books?

Yes I do, It means less mistakes and someone can just evaluate what I've already done.

Do you ever write in your PJ’s?

Yeah I have once even written a chapter of my book in a Jacuzzi ... With a pen as well which wasn’t pleasant haha

You are trapped on a tropical island - who would you like to be stranded with?

It would have to be Kelly Brooks.. Love her

What are 3 things you never leave home without (apart from keys, money and phone)?

Well a pack of gum, sunglasses (even at night) and wristwatch

Sleep in or get up early?

Get up early any day, I believe in working early then going to bed by afternoon

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

I prefer to write in my office, late at night when its all quiet so I can think

One of your favorite quotes –

'No room for deadwood'

Do you give free ebooks away in exchange for honest reviews?

I do, yes, anyone interested in a free book can email info@letsflyacademy.com

Book review

5.0 out of 5 stars A very pleasant read! Review By Jordan

It is not easy to find a book on the history of flight and the concepts of flying. I purchased this book with a great enthusiasm and I was pleasantly surprised with the read that it gave me. Great book!!! It confirms all my enthusiasm and it gives lots of interesting and useful info!

About the Author

Matthew Martino born 27 October 1992 is a British Entrepreneur, Film Producer and Author. Educated at Shenfield High School in Brentwood , Martino has always held a passion for writing - He has always focused on educational writing and research. His first book Lets Fly which was published by DM Aviation was well received by pilots and aviation enthusiasts around the world. During his early years Martino showed all the qualities required to maintain proven success.

Martino has lived in Brentwood ,United Kingdom for seven years before which he lived in his hometown of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe.

Book links:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Fly-Matthew-Martino-ebook/dp/B00CWM4L2W/

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/matthew+martino/lets+fly/9775442/

http://www.bookdepository.com/Lets-Fly-Matthew-Martino/9780957604506

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world.  I hope you share this interview with your friends so we can all get to know you a little better.

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An interview with Felix Abt, author of ‘A Capitalist in North Korea: My Seven Years in the Hermit Kingdom’

From your stay in North Korea, you said that you experienced "a change in the North Korean society." What is the most significant change that has happened during those years?
a) the emergence of a middle class that developed a surprising business savvy and b) a trend to more consumerism. Indeed, more and more people got involved in privately organized trade, transportation, small-scale manufacturing such as furniture production, tailoring, homemade food sales you name it, from the grass root level up to family members of the elite, particularly women. The informal economy has grown substantially over the last decade.

You managed Pyongyang Business School which provided a 'mini MBA' course. You mentioned about the North Korean workers "that The North Koreans, like their southern brethren, were hard workers—and it showed. Laborers sometimes stayed overnight and worked weekends without resting, sometimes even for weeks if an urgent project needed to be finished." According to your experience, how well do you think the North Korean people would adapt to the capitalistic system?
Since the Public Distribution System largely collapsed in the crisis years of the nineties, most people have survived with a host of mostly unofficial private business activities. So they have already gone through a capitalist apprenticeship of sorts. If more reforms accompanied with institution building are carried out even more people will get used to a market economy and to responsible capitalism.

In your book, you wrote: "But when people became so keen on getting a USB to watch foreign movies, I stopped offering expensive presents and gave them those tiny electronics." In North Korea, watching foreign movies is strictly banned. However, in your description, the North Korean people appear to freely enjoy foreign culture and materials. What are your thought on the censorship and government control in North Korea?
Despite censorship, many people have been watching foreign movies and materials. And they liked USB as these tiny electronics, unlike CDs and DVDs, would not get stuck in a DVD-player or a computer in case of a power cut and an inspection.

In your book, you mentioned how you had comparably more opportunities to meet the 'regular people' in North Korea than other foreigners. Did it seem like they actually believe the government-sponsored propaganda? Did they have faith in 'North Korean communism' or 'Juche (self-reliance)' idea?
There are still a lot of people believing in North Korea's ideology. On the other hand there has been a strong trend to consumerism particularly among the emerging middle class but also among the children of the elite which would rather embrace Deng Xiaoping's credo: "To get rich is glorious!"

You spent substantial amount of time in North Korea and also visited the South as well. What seems to be the major difference between the citizens? What is the task to be tackled in order to reduce the cultural gap between the countries after reunification?
When I worked on joint North-South business projects (sand, mining, dairy production, mineral water production on Mount Paekdu etc.) I could feel a strong cultural gap and mistrust. Both sides felt the other side wanted to cheat them, but the misunderstandings had much to do with a lack of knowledge of the other side's thinking and motivations. I as a non-Korean saw myself in a strange position of explaining North Koreans the intentions of South Koreans and vice versa. Unfortunately, this sort of business diplomacy fostering mutual understanding and capacity building came to a complete halt when hardliner Lee Myung-bak was elected president in South Korea.

"Just finished [Capitalist in North Korea]—fascinating! What an experience. Wow." —Justin Rohrlich, Emmy Award Winner, Head Writer, Minyanville's World In Review

☆ Felix Abt has lived and worked as a senior executive on behalf of multinational groups and smaller enterprises in nine countries on three continents. He was one of the few foreign business people who lived and worked in North Korea - in Felix's case, for seven years!

☆ In North Korea he witnessed MANY FIRSTS that nobody would have expected from the world's most isolated, under-reported and misrepresented country:
The first fast food restaurant selling 'happy meals', the first café selling Western gourmet coffee, the first miniskirts and high heels, the first Mickey Mouse and Hello Kitty bags, the legalization of markets and advertising, the first North Korean debit card (with which he went shopping), the first technocrats instead of party committees, running state-enterprises, a foodstuff company's first robot (made by ABB, a multinational group whose chief representative he was in Pyongyang), a multiplication of all sorts of small private business, a massive expansion of private slope farming, the emergence of a fast growing middle class and a drop in poverty, cosmetic surgery in the capital (even though it was illegal), people watching foreign movies and reading foreign books (despite censorship), the first business school (which he co-founded and ran), the first e-commerce (set up by North Korean painters and Felix Abt, selling their paintings around the globe), the first North Koreans dancing Rock 'n Roll (with him), the first foreign chamber of commerce (which he co-founded and chaired), the first North Korean enterprise (a pharmaceutical factory whose CEO he was) winning contracts in competitive bidding against foreign companies, the first software joint venture company exporting award-winning medical software (which he co-founded) and many more.

☆ All this and more you will find in his memoir "A Capitalist in North Korea: My Seven Years in the Hermit Kingdom"

☆ Visit the author's photo gallery showing a different, changing North Korea: http://northkoreacapitalist.tumblr.com

Re-visit it from time to time as more pictures will be added.

☆ Watch his video "North Korea out of the dark": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-35WjN42l9A - below

☆☆☆☆☆

Order your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/Capitalist-North-Korea-Hermit-Kingdom/dp/0804844399/ref=la_B00JT7W63Y_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405791238&sr=1-1

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Book Exerpt - ‘A Capitalist in North Korea: My Seven Years in the Hermit Kingdom’ By Felix Abt

‘The Whole World Knows We Koreans Are Best!’

How North Koreans see themselves and look suspiciously at foreign influences.

One December, I got a taste of the frigid winter life near the Chinese border. In the process, I came to understand how triumphantly North Koreans hold their sense of national purity. On the train to Pyongyang from the Chinese border town of Dandong, I chatted with locals who were curious about me, my family, my life in Pyongyang, and about what I was doing in their country.

I told them about my wife and my little daughter. Thinking my wife was from Switzerland, they asked if it was not too difficult for her to adapt to life in North Korea. I explained, in what turned out to be a faux pas, that my wife was not Swiss but a Vietnamese woman born in Hanoi. I went on, perhaps to their discomfort, to explain how Vietnam and North Korea were full of similarities in both eating habits and culture.

The conversation came to an abrupt halt and I wondered if I had offended my new acquaintances. Of course I had, I thought. North Koreans are proud of the purity of their race and their culture, which they believe to be untainted by decadent foreign influences. They thought that only puppet South Koreans married foreigners, who were inferior to themselves, and that these nuptials were a consequence of Western oppression.

My friends were uneasy that a comrade from the capital of the Vietnamese socialist revolution, an event Americans call the “Vietnam War,” married a foreigner from a non-socialist European country. The revelation must have startled them: it was the latest evidence that the DPRK’s ally betrayed its revolutionary roots.

After an awkward bout of silence, I relaunched the conversation with a joke. “It is a known fact that mixed children pick the best genes from both parents and tend, therefore, to become superior to their parents,” I said. A new theory of superior races was instantly born. One fellow traveler  apparently challenged in their beliefs, responded politely, “Is that so? Interesting!” The conversation then resumed, though they didn’t touch on family matters again.

Historians pretty much concur that, in prehistoric times, the ancestors of present-day Koreans migrated from North Asia. But this theory would have been heresy in the eyes of my fellow travelers. North Koreans consider their nation to be one cradle of humanity, which gave birth to the ancestors of all of humankind. The North Korean government, of course, does not give much thought to the archaeological evidence that countless tongues were spoken here, all bearing little relation to today’s Korean language.

To be fair, though, the idea of racial purity stretched beyond Pyongyang and even into South Korea. Until 2006, biracial South Koreans were not allowed to serve in the military even if they held South Korean citizenship; nevertheless, all other citizens were required to serve for two years in the armed forces.  Even today discrimination against biracial South Koreans is still common in the countryside. They’re often teased and bullied at school, and not a single yet has held public office. North Koreans, it would appear, have more in common with their southern brethren than is usually stated.

Others have had it worse than me. My friend Eduard Meier-Lee had a South Korean wife, and was on the receiving end of even more racially charged questions when he visited Pyongyang in 2003. One evening I took him to a centrally-located Japanese restaurant, where we sang karaoke after dinner. The charming waitresses, wearing their typical Chosŏn Ot national dress, invited us to sing and dance with them. They were very keen to learn about Edi’s family life, thanks to his decision to marry a South Korean. The pairing was so outrageous to them that they bombarded him with questions and ignored me.

Until the early 1960s, mixed marriages were allowed in the DPRK. But that opening was long before the waitresses, all in their twenties, were born and they were surely not aware of this. In 1963 the Party began a campaign against mixed couples, going as far as to ask interracial couples to divorce—mainly Korean and Eastern European couples. Since then, the party story line has been that South Korean women were forced by the brutal American occupation forces into prostitution and arranged marriages. The liberated women in the DPRK, on the other hand, could marry the man of their choice, who was, of course, always a Korean.

Another time, a group of foreign children—mostly the kids of diplomats—were invited to play soccer and rope-pull with their North Korean counterparts. The Korean children overwhelmingly defeated the foreigners in every game by a significant margin. North Korean parents cheered on their allegedly superior offspring, once more reassured in the natural strength of their race. They probably didn’t know that their children trained for weeks or month before the informal competition, whereas the expatriate kids arrived unprepared.

After a seminar at the Pyongyang Business School, I drove the lecturer from Hong Kong to the airport, and we joked around and had a jolly time. The jokes were certainly not politically correct and could be perceived as offensive in the wrong context. My secretary sat silently in the back, and didn’t say a word. On the way back home, she suddenly broke out crying and yelled that my behavior was not acceptable. She exclaimed that she didn’t want to work with me any longer, and then shouted: “The whole world knows that we Koreans are the best!”

I tried to explain to her that we were only being sarcastic, and not specifically directing our jokes at the Koreans. We also insulted ourselves in a comic way, I added, and that it was merely a misunderstanding. I indeed had a high respect for the Korean people. Usually, my secretary carried herself with an excellent sense of self-control, and she would  not have offered sharp words under normal circumstances; she was legitimately offended and expressed what North Koreans truly thought about themselves.

After a few years in Pyongyang, I realized that the ways North Koreans viewed themselves had two faces: one targeting the outside world, and one discussed among North Koreans themselves. North Koreans were trained to be polite with foreigners and to skirt around political talk that could antagonize these impure humans. Like many East Asians, they’re pragmatic enough to subordinate their personal views to the higher calling of bringing in foreign investment and charity. They would never tell a foreigner that he is a suspected sleuth or trouble maker, or that his work in the country equals an expression of greatness of the Kim regime.

Yet this is exactly what they believe in, at least under the surface. My staff occasionally translated political slogans, book, newspaper texts, and even North Korean songs played in Karaoke rooms. I correspondingly scoured through the English-language literature on ideology and politics, finding some differences in the way they portrayed ideas.

To name one example, our guides told American tourists, “We love American civilians!” Kim Il Sung, however, used to call upon the Workers’ Party to always prepare for war against the Americans by instilling hatred against them: “The most important thing in our war preparations is to teach all our people to hate U.S. imperialism. Otherwise, we will not be able to defeat the U.S. imperialists who boast of their technological superiority.”

I also tried to spark improvised discussions that revealed their true mindsets. While this helped me understand the business environment, my inquiries destroyed my wishful thinking that I, along with most other foreigners, come to believe during short visits. We can acknowledge, with a jest of humor, that they see themselves as exceptional, and get along with it.

Felix Abt,

Author of A Capitalist in North Korea: My Seven Years in the Hermit Kingdom

Order your book now and benefit from a 24% discount! Book release date: August 12, 2014.

Visit his book website

See his photo gallery (more pics to be added over the coming months)

Watch his video - below

Follow his tweets

Like his Facebook page

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"The Big Wide Calm". By Rich Marcello. A Young Woman's Journey of Love, Trust and Rock 'n' Roll

Novel Follows a Young Woman's Journey of Love, Trust and Rock 'n' Roll

Rich Marcello brings readers another powerful novel that examines the complexities of love. "The Big Wide Calm" is Marcello's second novel and is a new release from Langdon Street Press.

Boston (PRWEB) July 15, 2014

Paige Plant is destined to be a rock star, to save the world, to inspire revolutions with her songs, and that is exactly what she sets out to do in "The Big Wide Calm." Rich Marcello’s new novel follows Paige on her quest to create the perfect album–12 songs that will make her galactically famous and, during their creation, take her to places she never imagined possible.

Paige has talent, ambition and mega-musical skills. All she needs is a big break. Enter John Bustin, a mysterious former singer/songwriter who offers Paige one year of free room and board at his recording studio so she can make her album. John believes in Paige’s potential but not her current batch of songs. Before writing new ones, Paige must tap into the place underneath emotion that is the source of all transcendent, multigenerational art; she must tap into The Big Wide Calm. With John’s help, Paige hones her songwriting skills, both technically and emotionally, and with Paige’s help, John confronts the dark secrets of his past, secrets that rock the foundation of their relationship.

"The Big Wide Calm" is at its core a story of trust and the complexities of love through the eyes of the young and old. The novel is the second of three Rich Marcello is writing about different kinds of love, and it explores an emotional connection rarely seen between male and female characters. Praised for his captivating writing and understanding of love, honesty and relationships in The Color of Home, author Rich Marcello brings equally compelling prose and understanding to "The Big Wide Calm." Marcello gives Paige such a distinct voice that readers will connect with her from the very first page.

Reviews:

• 
  

  “

  Author Rich Marcello I think did a wonder job in developing vivid characters that posse’s depth and profoundness that are both likable as they are unique. ”
  Michael Beas.
• 
  

  “

  This was a unique book with great characters. ”
  Danielle D.
• 
  

  “

  They shared a bond and a friendship and a love that very few people ever find. ”
  Luvs2Read.
• 
  

About the Author 

Rich Marcello grew up in New Jersey surrounded by song and word. He wrote and recorded his first original songs for his college folk group at the University of Notre Dame. Marcello eventually ended up in a career in high technology, managing several multi-billion dollar businesses for Fortune 500 companies. However, he never stopped creating art. He is now pursuing his love of poetry, song and fiction with the same enthusiasm and discipline he demonstrated in the business world. "The Big Wide Calm" is Marcello’s second novel. His debut novel, "The Color of Home," was released in December 2013.

"The Big Wide Calm" is available everywhere books are sold.

Buy the book:

www.richmarcello.com

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Wide-Calm-Novel-ebook/dp/B00K6QI0PU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405770434&sr=8-1&keywords=rich+marcello

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Book excerpt - Syncing Forward by W. Lawrence

Book Blurb:

Would you ever travel forward in time if you knew it was a one-way trip? Mr. Martin James has no such desire, but after being injected with a mysterious drug against his will, Martin hurtles through the years. This cruel twist of fate forces him to watch his children grow up and his wife grow old in a matter of days. Only an elusive group of scientists have the ability to stop his nightmarish journey; the very people who injected him in the first place. And while Martin James hopes to find a cure before everyone he loves is gone, others are uncertain if his journey can be stopped at all.

W. Lawrence weaves a future history filled with the best and worst of humanity, highlights the blessings and curses of technology, and pushes the limits of faith and hopelessness. Above all, Syncing Forward is a tale of one man's love for his family, and their devotion to saving him from being lost forever.

Book Excerpt:

The male stranger looked down at me, dark-brown eyes hidden beneath a pair of thick glasses. He frowned in disgust as he passed. Disgusted with me? With Bruchmuller? With himself? I didn’t know. 

When their footfalls were softened by distance, Bruchmuller turned to me one last time. He delicately held a large syringe, and behind him lay three more just like it. A fifth smaller syringe was laid out as well, and panic started to set in when I finally realized Bruchmuller was about to inject me with all of them. I looked back and forth between Rajesh and the syringe, pleading with my eyes for my friend to save me from my confines, screaming into the gag incoherently.

Fear spun into unblemished terror as I convulsed against the restraints. What the hell was wrong with this man? How had I misjudged the situation so badly? What was that silvery liquid in the syringe? I screamed as loudly as the infernal gag would allow and flailed my head back and forth. 
“Shhhh,” Bruchmuller said, shaking his head lightly. “It will all be over soon enough. Now hold still, or this very large needle will break off in your body, and I trust you will not like that at all.”


Book Review.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!, 

Review By 

Donna Lull "Donna M. Lull" (Nazareth, PA) - 

An interesting concept that kept me turning the pages. Great characters that keep you interested. It is a book about family and the choices you make for them. Truly enjoyed it!

Buy the book here.

http://syncingforward.com
http://www.amazon.com/Syncing-Forward-W-Lawrence-ebook/dp/B00L2OV9XK/
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/syncing-forward-w-lawrence/1119774164


If you have enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends. Patti Roberts - Author and book cover designer. 

Lure of the Vampire: A Pop Culture Reference Book By Bertena Varney

Title: Lure of the Vampire: A Pop Culture Reference Book

Author: Bertena Varney     

Genre: Non Fiction

Cover Artist: Patti Roberts- HERE

Publisher: Indie Publishing House. LLC https://www.facebook.com/IndiePublishingHouse

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s Tours

Long Blurb: What is Lure of the Vampire?

The Lure of the Vampire is a pop culture reference book for writers, vampire fans, students and teachers who love to study the mysterious creature of the night. This book is for the fanatics who sit up at night and watch reruns of Buffy for the hundredth time, the Twi-hards that line up for hours before the show just to glimpse the newestTwilight movie, the Truebies who all knows that “waiting sucks” between each season of True Blood and for those diehard traditionalist that balk at all of this “new” vampire craze.

The Lure of the Vampire is also for the new writers who love creating their own worlds where the vampires may be aristocratic and romantic or dark and dangerous; the world where there are castles, heaving bosoms, chivalry and danger of loving a vampire, the dreams of so many women in today’s world.

And finally, The Lure of the Vampire is a book for those who love to study all aspects of the vampire in both pop culture and the world. Whether they are the historian who loves tracing the evolution of the vampire or the sociologist who wants to explore the world of those that live the lifestyle, the reader will find resources here to help them in their quest for knowledge of this lifestyle.

The Lure of the Vampire is divided into ten sections beginning with mythology and ending with modern vampires. Within each section there are lists that will help the reader learn basic and fun facts about that section’s topic. Links to websites are provided to ensure that the reader may find more information about that section without having to search for it on the Internet or in other books. To help supplement a particular subject within that topic, there are personal essays or interviews that give the reader a personal look from the author’s perspective. For example, Lure of the Dead Boyfriend provides the reader with a look at why women love vampire romance while exploring the vampire as a soul mate, an erotic lover, and an escape from the real world.

Lure of the Vampire provides unique interviews with vampire authors, role players, and those that live the lifestyle. The reader can delve into the world of a creator of an alternate reality or learn more about those whose lives lead them to embrace vampirism as a way of life.

Lure of the Vampire is a complete pop culture reference book for those who enjoy vampires and their impact on society. It provides an extensive bibliography that will allow the reader the opportunity for additional independent study.

FB Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/785391264839082/

Bertena Varney is a sociology professor at Southcentral KY Community College (SKYCTC)  in Bowling Green, KY. She holds masters’ degrees in sociology, criminology, social science and education. She is from Winchester, KY and attended Morehead State University in KY.

She was named to the Top Women in Horror in 2012 by Venom and Honey and Blaze McRob’s Tales of Terrors in 2014 and has been nicknamed the Vampire Professor.

She is an Amazon and Kindle Bestselling author of Lure of the Vampire and Lure of the Vampire: Revamped. She is also contributor and coeditor for Vampire News: Tasty Bits to Sink Your Fangs Into, Vampire News: The Not So End Times, Vampire News: Really…Vampires Suck!, and contributor to Vampires Romance to Rippers an Anthology of Risque Stories, Vampires Romance to Rippers an Anthology of Tasty Stories, and The Witching Hour and Sirens Compendiums.

She is also the Examiner.com expert on True Blood, vampires, television, movies, and more.

In her free time she does lectures at libraries conventions and conferences. Some of these include the Harry Potter Convention in Salem, Mass., The Sirens Convention in Vail, Colorado, ScareFest Horror Convention in Lexington, as well as smaller events and discussions in New Orleans, Chicago, London, Paris and other fun places.

SPECIAL OFFER and CLASS TUITION:

When writing this book it began as a master’s thesis and then was edited and formatted differently so that vampire fans would enjoy the information as well. Over the last 3 years she has been asked by fans to create a course online, like the one she teaches in person, and that class has finally been created and will be ready to begin when the book becomes available for sale hopefully on August 1.

She is enrolling students now as a 50% discount of the normal class tuition. The special included anyone who participates in this tour will receive the class for only $50.00. It is normally $100.00! Once the student pays for the class via PayPal or credit card and purchases the book, they should email the author to get the invite to the class. The class covers each chapter in the book and provides the student with the questions that they must answer, videos for them to watch, an essay for them to write and final: there are also discussion boards that are open for class discussions. Upon completion the student will receive a certificate of completion via email to show that they have completed a course in Vampirology (the study of vampires).

This is a fun course that vampire fans will love. If interested please look at course here –http://mysticalparanormalacademy.ning.com/classesoffered/introduction-to-vampires-class

Then  email her at vampireprofessor@yahoo.com or message on her Facebook profile –https://www.facebook.com/bertena.varney to get payment and registration information for the class.

Places to Find Bertena Varney

Facebook Profile- https://www.facebook.com/bertena.varney

Facebook Page- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bertena-Varney-Author/117922531618827

Website/Blog – www.bertena.com

Facebook Page for Blog- https://www.facebook.com/midnightmusingswithbertena

Twitter – @tenavarney

Google Plus- https://plus.google.com/u/0/112946967970597058088/posts

Amazon Author Page- http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B007GNHV0Q

Examiner profile- http://www.examiner.com/user-vampireprofessor-36

Email: vampireprofessor@yahoo.com and vampireprofessor@gmail.com

Buy Links – Amazon.com – http://www.amazon.com/Lure-Vampire-Culture-Reference-Book/dp/1500389803/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1404686889&sr=1-1&keywords=Indie+Publishing+house

Upcoming Events:

1. Estill County Library, Irvine, KY October 30 – Lecture on Angels and Demons and Vampires

2.            Inner Light Festival, Lexington, KY September 20 and 21 Working with Angels www.innerlightfestivals.com

3.            The ScareFest, Lexington, KY September 12-14 Guest Speaker on Angels and Vampires www.scarefestcon.com

4.            Killer Nashville, August 22-24 Signings of Vampire Books www.killernashville.com

5.            The Mystical Paranormal Fair, Lexington, KY August 8-10 – Workshops on Angels www.mpfair.com

6.            Festival of Healing and Spiritual Awareness, Elizabethtown, KY July 18- 19 – Angel Readings

7.            The Mystical Paranormal Fair, Lexington, KY July 11-13 – Workshops on Angels www.mpfair.com

8.            The Ghost Hunters Shop, Lexington,KY, July 10 – Lecture on Angels

Can anyone guess what her next book is about? Angels!

Soundtrack to the book- This is the music I listen to while working on my books. It’s a folk rock group that happens to be my son’s group. He wrote the music and lyrics as well as plays the guitar and sings. I loved typing away while he would play music and sing, it was so peaceful. The Group is called Approaching the Unreal – Go to the link below to download the songs for FREE. When it asks how much you are willing to pay put in zero dollars or any amount that you wish to pay to help support these young upcoming artists.  https://approachingtheunreal.bandcamp.com/

Reviews 

Layla Cook ~ Fairy Author and Assemblage Artist

Bertena Varney began the journey in creating this book when she was doing her graduate studies. She researched academic databases, interviewed authors, and even did ethnographic research on the subculture of vampires. She is an academic as well as a fan of vampires and has done a great job with blending the two in this book. This is the perfect reference book that is quick grab and covers more than just the typical vampire shows. 

Scarlette D’Noire ~ Vampires: Romance to Rippers

The Vampire Professor is the go-to girl and Lure of the Vampire is the go-to book on all things vampire.

Audrey A’Cladh ~ Vampire Minister and Counselor, Vampires: Romance to Rippers

Bertena gives a fresh and unbiased look at the complex subject of vampires; where most books rehash the same tired notes, she unearths overlooked melodies!

~The Lure of the Dead Boyfriend~

In the beginning was a bald monster with a long face, pointed ears and chin, elongated fingers and sharp talon claws, which lost its humanity and control over its monstrous side. It was lured to a young maiden’s window. All of a sudden, with a sudden rush that could not be foreseen and with a strange howling cry that was enough to awaken the terror in any beast, the figure seized the long tresses of hair. He held her to the bed…she screams…shrieks…and he seizes her neck in his fang like teeth… a gush of blood and a hideous sucking noise follows.

This picture of rape and torture is the bedroom scene of the 1847 penny dreadful, Varney the Vampire: Feast of Blood. The author Thomas Prest painted pictures of the vampire being a sexual monster wanting to devour women, women who were portrayed as being very passive and weak. In these stories the vampire bite was a metaphor for rape and the monster wanted his victim aware of every agonizing violation. This is the vampire that was created when men ruled the horror world: a creature cursed to walk the earth for eternity searching not for love but for food.

Now today, the story reads more like this, “He met my eyes with his penetrating gaze. Suddenly it was hard to breathe. ..My heart pounded in my chest… my knees threatened to buckle. I had never seen such a gorgeous man…something about him felt dark and dangerous and desirable. I lifted my chin to give him better access to my neck. He smiled, showing a hint of fangs.” This excerpt is from Lynda Hilburn’s The Vampire Shrink.  Lynda discussed on her blog that since women have taken over the horror genre the vampire has evolved into a gorgeous, sensuous, sexual, romantic, bad boy of the night.

Even though vampire literature is usually snubbed by many writers and fans, over the last ten years the rise in vampire literature has increased exponentially. Many book reviewers claim that vampire literature displays women as sluts and submissive. This may be true in some series but overall this trend has changed quickly. Many writers such as C.J. Ellisson, author of The Vampire Vacation Series, have developed a strong empowered female character that is a monogamous vampire who loves her human husband. The scenes are hot but very respectful to women and actually show how they may embrace their sexual side without embarrassment.

Many more vampire authors have their female character as empowering and strong. They walk alongside the vampire in their journey rather than being the damsel in distress or the hapless victim of his sexual prowess. The current trend for this new genre of vampire romance literature is one that offers the readers an escape from the pressures of the real world while delivering to them either a soul mate or an erotic lover in the form of a vampire. So, just what is the lure of the dead boyfriend to the modern female reader?

Buy Links for my other books

Romance to Rippers Volume 1 An Anthology of Tasty Stories- http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Romance-Rippers-Anthology-Stories/dp/1940871018/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1404740763&sr=8-3

Romance to Rippers Volume 2 An Anthology of Risque Stories-

http://www.amazon.com/Vampires-Romance-Rippers-Anthology-Stories/dp/1940871034/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1404579110&sr=8-9

Lillian: A Vampire Tale = a novella- Book 1-written by Elizabeth Loraine based on my characters

http://www.amazon.com/Lillian-vampire-tale-Elizabeth-Loraine-ebook/dp/B00653N3K0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404579110&sr=8-2&keywords=bertena+varney

Lillian 2- The Mask- a novella- Book 2 written by Elizabeth Loraine based on my characters

http://www.amazon.com/Lillian-vampire-tale-The-Mask-ebook/dp/B0090OOM9C/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=13ES0NE4WGVFPF24SC12

Lillian 3 to be released in October

Vampire News 2011- Tasty Bits You can Sink Your Fangs Into

Print Link – http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-News-Volume-1-Stavros/dp/0982812140/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1404579110&sr=8-7&keywords=bertena+varney

FREE Ebook link – http://bitemereallyhard.com/bite-me-really-hard/download-center/

Vampire News 2: The Not So End Times

Print Link – http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-News-Times-Edition-Volume/dp/0982812159/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1404579110&sr=8-5&keywords=bertena+varney

FREE Ebook Link – http://bitemereallyhard.com/bite-me-really-hard/download-center/

Vampire News 3: Vampires….. They Suck!

To be released July 18 here is the FREE Link – http://bitemereallyhard.com/bite-me-really-hard/download-center/

Special Thanks to Scarlette D’ Noire and Indie House Publishing, LLC for helping me with this final edition of Lure and for putting me in contact with Patti Roberts, the awesome cover artist and BZ Hercules who worked tirelessly editing and formatting the book for us. They are an awesome team to work with and are highly professional and recommended.

Thank you to them for making this possible! They are awesome!