Alas, "Moonlight," Arise "Twilight, (with new pics) and Rock On, Bon Jovi

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Review of Personal Demons by Stacia Kane. "Dr. Megan Chase has just taken on a new job counseling callers on a radio show, and with so many people in need of slaying their personal demons Megan has her hands full." (Darque Reviews)

Read chapter one of Stacia Kane's Personal Demons. "It’s the voices. They talk to me all the time. When I'm awake, when I'm asleep…I hear them." (Stacia Kane)

BLOG TO WATCH: I told you werewolves were the new vampires. Shapeshifter Romance is dedicated to all those hawt morphing things written by authors Rebecca York, Michelle Hauf, and Terry Spear. Right now they're having a contest for a signed copy of Rebecca's Ghost Moon. Just leave a comment on why shapeshifters are totally awesome.

Colleen Gleason has the cover of her new Gardella Vampire novel, When Twilight Burns, on her site. I always think Colleen's book designer does a great job of conveying the mood of these period vampire novels: elegant, dark, sensual, dangerous. When you see one, you not only know it's part of the series right away, but you want to pick it up.

Read an excerpt from Colleen's When Twilight Burns. "Now, here he was, ready to leave the Venators permanently." (Colleen Gleason)

If you want one of Colleen's cool bookmarks (and, yes, I've got mine!), just click on the "extras" button on her site.



TELEVISION

CW has decided not to pick up "Moonlight." "Nikki is now reporting that CW has chosen not to pick up Moonlight." (E! Online)

Why did CBS drop "Moonlight" just as it was developing an audience? "I drank the bloody Kool-Aid and started thinking like a fan (even though I always had my critical reservations). Up until last weekend, when the prognostications started turning sour, I truly thought CBS would give its cult romantic-mystery vampire drama Moonlight a long leash and a chance to work out its kinks..." (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

CBS chief discusses "Moonlight" cancellation. " While nothing can stop Moonlight fans from putting up a bloody good fight, their efforts are likely to be squandered by the network. " (Buddy TV)


MOVIES & DVDS

Yikes! The original script for "Twilight" was drastically different from Stephanie Meyer's novel. "For one thing, the lead Bella wasn't awkward or lonely but a popular track star. For another, the FBI showed up which reduced the Twilight climax to a typical action flick." (National Post)

Here are some new photos from the "Twilight" set, which are basically Edward and Bella sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g. (Slash)

And here's a whole mess more photos from "Twilight." "Created by novelist Stephenie Meyer, 'Twilight' is the story of a young woman in love with a vampire, and the problems that entails." (Los Angeles Times)

Can a dude be a Twilighter? "As I cracked the novel that evening, my shame turned to shock. I was digging the book – a lot – and found myself immersed in Bella’s Forks experience." (MTV Movies Blog)


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

"Bon Jovi rocks!" Dean Winchester.

I'm hoping Sam manages to save Dean from hell. If Buffy could come back, so can Dean.

Happy Hour at Casa Dracula is now available in mass market paperback!

"Wickedly snarky, page-turning excitement!" El Paso Times

"Crisp, funny, clever, and very, very sticky, in that you can't put the damn book down." Smart Bitches

"Stephanie Plum meets 'Sex in the City' in this stylish, hilarious novel." Jennifer Cox

"Moonlight" Cancellation News!

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Review of J.R. Ward's Lover Enshrined. "Phury is in a constant battle with addiction, making it more difficult to make decisions and a much easier excuse for avoiding them whenever possible." (Darque Reviews) Phury? Phunny!

Carolyn Jean waxes poetic about Lara Adrian's her Midnight Breed villians. "I think Lara Adrian needs to get way more credit for these villains she creates and their mad and horrible plans." (The Trillionth Page)

Enter a contest with five chances to win Kendra Leigh Castle's Call of the Highland Moon. Contest closes on May 31. (Book Loons)

Contest for a signed copy of Chris Marie Green's The Huntress and a copy of Justin Gustainis's Black Magic Woman. "Four more months until the September, 2008, release of BREAK OF DAWN, the third book in Chris Marie Green's Vampire Babylon series!" (Fresh Fiction)


TELEVISION

CBS has cancelled "Moonlight." "Moonlight, the sexy vampire series, only attracted 7.5 million this season." (Entertainment Weekly) Now, I didn't care for the show, but I heard it was getting better and I was going to give it another chance. Shows need time to develop and many extremely popular shows took a few years to really get established. (Can we say "Seinfeld"? We can.)

Here's another story on the cancellation. "To make room for the new fare, CBS canceled the vampire series "Moonlight," a show that had a small but intensely loyal following. " (San Jose Mercury News)

"Moonlight" producers confirm cancellation. "We are truly saddened by the news and are sorry that we won't get the chance to live with our wonderful characters and follow them on their adventures for a second season." (E! Online)

Could "Moonlight" be brought back from the grave? "I've just been told by an insider that 'there is a chance, only a chance' that Media Rights Capital which will be programming Sunday's two hours on the CW 'may elect to take Moonlight as one of those two hours.'" (Deadline Hollywood) Remember that "Buffy" stayed alive and kicking after it moved from Warner to UPN.

Want to save "Moonlight"? "Welcome to SaveMoonlight.com: a centralized source for fans, providing ideas and strategies on how to save the CBS drama, Moonlight."

"New Amsterdam" is cancelled, too, and I liked it. "Neither Moonlight nor New Amsterdam will be returning in the fall, indicating that the "immortal detectives seeking love" trend...was a very 2007 thing." (About) CBS first publicized this show and then changed the start date. Then it moved the show around. Basically it screwed over any chance it had. Too bad because the acting was good and the premise was intriguing.


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

And here's a farewell to "Moonlight" with a great moody Phil Collins song.

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Interviews: Charlaine Harris, Stephanie Meyer, Rachel Caine

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Interview with Charlaine Harris, author of the Southern Vampire series, about the new "True Blood" tv series. "It's my feeling that they're going to follow the story fairly closely but, of course, the books are in the first person so they're going to have to expand the other characters and invent new things for them to do to fill up the hour." (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Interview with Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series. "These are vampire novels with little blood shed and a strong moral message, written by a woman with a robust Mormon faith who does not like horror books (she hasn't even read Dracula) and has never seen an R-rated film on principle." (The Times, London)

Interview with Rachel Caine, author of the Weather Warden series. "But looking human and being human are two very different things, and Cassiel has a lot to learn about herself, and the world around her." (Darque Reviews)

Patricia Altner interview with Derek Gunn, author of Vampire Apocalypse. "There's something about vampires that seems to have been lost in recent years. They are not like any other monster. They look like us, can hide among us and yet are so fundamentally powerful that they are terrifying." (Patricia's Vampire Notes)

While you're at Patricia's Vampire Notes, enter her May contest for a copy of Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready by signing up for her newsletter. It's a great newsletter for any fan of vampire/paranormal fiction.

Slain police officer Nicholas Pekearo's werewolf novel is now in print. "...the novel, 'The Wolfman,' is being released on Tuesday by Tor Books, an imprint of Macmillan that focuses on science fiction, fantasy and horror." (New York Times)

Review of Heart of the Wolf by Terry Spear. "In her area, there have been several redheads murdered. The women have bite marks, and the police suspect a vicious dog. But Bella knows that a man created those marks, a man who turns into a wolf, and she intends to hunt him down." (Fresh Fiction)

Read an excerpt from Terry Spear's Heart of the Wolf. "Adopted by the gray pack, she wasn’t even a gray wolf. So why should it matter if she left them and chose the human boy for her own?" (Terry Spear)

Not paranormal, read an excerpt and enter to win one of four autographed copiess of Emily Griffin's new novel, Love the One You're With. "I know this fact not so much because I was an overeager newlywed keen on observing trivial relationship landmarks, but because I have a mild case of OCD that compels me to keep track of things." (A Book Blogger's Diary)


MOVIES & DVDS

"Twilight" movie might be more sizzling than the books. "As we noted last week, the highly anticipated Twilight franchise appears to be far steamier and sexier than the books' tween fans may have expected. " (Defamer)

Watch a behind-the-scenes video with David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson for "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" movie. "It's really nice to act with her [Gillian] again, because not only do I, David, enjoy acting with her, but when Mulder and Scully come alive [again onscreen] -- that was fun; that was kind of magical for us." (Entertainment Tonight)


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

I'm sort of feeling "The X-Files" vibe again. I may have to dig out those DVDs.

MIDNIGHT BRUNCH
Book Two in the Casa Dracula Series

“An addictive combo plate of romance and vamp satire.” Publishers Weekly

“Ultra-hip and very now...belongs on nightstands in hip downtown apartments everywhere.” Bookpage

“The characters pop off the page and the dialog crackles with good lines…Definitely a great by-the-pool pick.” Orlando Sentinel

New X-Files Movie Trailer & Put Down the Stock Photo!

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Amberkatze reviews Happy Hour at Casa Dracula, the first novel in my Casa Dracula series. "This was a little 'Sex in the City' meets vampires and the style reminded me of Lynsay Sands and Erin McCarthy from the paranormal side and then Sophie Kinsella and Jill Mansell (my favourite chick-lit writers) on the girlie side." (Amberkatze)

Commentary on the horror genre. "Some of the most highly regarded writers to put pen to paper have tried their hand (or proven themselves masterful) at the tale of terror, of course: Mark Twain, Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare (in more than one of his tragedies), Ambrose Bierce …" (Fear Fodder)

NPR has an article about Stephanie Meyer and her Twilight series and a podcast with her. A devout Mormon, Meyer has built her empire around a story of adolescent desire: Bella, the teenage heroine, falls in love with Edward, a vampire who refuses to drink human blood."

Time Out Chicago stoops from its lofty literary heights and praises The Bearskin Rug by Jennifer Stevenson. "In three years of publishing a weekly book section, we can’t ever remember recommending a book in the 'paranormal romance” genre.'"

Review of Nora Robert's The Hollow. "Three young boys, best friends, freed a demon near their hometown. For seven days, every seven years the demon wrecks havoc on the town and it’s innocent inhabitants." (The Good, the Bad, the Unread)

Review of Gena Showalter's The Darkest Night. "Ashlyn Darrow hears dead people. Well, and live people. Conversations from the past fill her mind till she’s literally ready to break, voices that never cease." (Lurv A La Mode)

Agh. Our Aussie pen pal, Tez Miller, has discovered some photoshop use and abuse with the cover to the mass market edition of my second novel, Midnight Brunch at Casa Dracula. Hey, I had nothing to do with this.

The first few sentences of Happy Hour at Casa Dracula are included in a post on "First Lines" at La Bloga.


MOVIES & DVDS

The "Twilight" movie website finally has some content, including the teaser trailer, time-slogging Flash graphics, an image gallery, synopsis, etc. (Twilight)

Read Mark Russell's comics version of "Twilight" movie's behind-the-scenes action. (Culture Pulp)

Here's the movie trailer for "The X-Files: I Want to Believe." Did they wait long enough to make this flick? Of course, I'm going to watch it.


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TELEVISION

"Reaper" has been renewed. "...it gives the opportunity to build a name for the show (which is a nice Buffy the Vampire Slayer combination of fantasy and humor)." (TV Squad)



GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

Today's GVD goes out to "The X-Files" and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully. I almost want to forgive her for her zombie-like performance as a host on "Masterpiece Theatre."

Things that Suck: Life, Buffy Comics, "Twilight" Behind-the-Scenes Video Code

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Review of Life Sucks comic by Jessica Abel, Gabe Soria, and Warren Pleece. "It's a romance, of course, involving Dave, the vegan vampire who works as the night manager at the Last Stop, and Rosa, who drops by the Los Angeles convenience store with the rest of the Goth crowd when the Dirge, the local juice bar, shuts down." (Oregon Live)

Here's another (and very entertaining) review of Life Sucks. "But that night I made a huge step backwards in my campaign against reading any more vamplit. I read a page or two. Then three. Then before I knew it I was reading the entire book, it was 2 a.m., and I couldn't stop." (School Library Journal)

Article on Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series, including quotes from Meyer. "Walking into the auditorium at Centennial High School will still bring jitters, she says. 'I'm kind of shy, so a big crowd of people is kind of my worst nightmare.'" (Dallas Morning News)

Speaking of comics, here's a scathing review of Joss Whedon's Buffy, the Vampire Slayer comic books. "But as Mr Mackenzie says, the comics not only jump the shark but jump all other sea life on the planet. We’re not looking at character assassination here – we’re looking at character bloodbath." (Baron Scarpia)

Review of Carpe Nocturne by Tawny Taylor. "Sylvie Durand owns 'Carpe Nocurne', a bar where a brutal murder takes place. " (Paranormal Romance) Now, I have to go wash my eyes out with bleach because the cover is so horrible. I don't know who the cover artist is, but, in the name of all that is holy, please take up another career.

Review of Bound to Love Her by Esri Rose. "This was a fun book. Erin is a sassy, compassionate character who has a great voice — which is helpful because the book is written in the first person." (Musings of the Romantics)

BLOG TO WATCH: I just found out about Sidhe Vicious Rants and Raves. Lots of content, including reviews, interviews, and contests. New posts include a review of Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready and an interview with J.F. Lewis, the author of Staked. (Warning: when I open this using Firefox, my internet crashes. However, there's no problem opening it with Internet Explorer.) Add it to your faves!


MOVIES & DVDS

Behind-the-scenes video of "Twilight" and with director Catherine Hardwicke, Stephanie Meyer, and most of the cast. "Bella and Edward's relationship is always defined the fact that he's a vampire she's not. I knew how breakable she looked to him." (L.A. Times) The video's the most comprehensive I've seen, but the embed code is all wonky so I finally gave up trying to embed it here.

Here's a high-resolution version of the "Twilight" poster and the plot summary from Summit Entertainment. "Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school." (Slash Film)

"Twilight" teaser trailer about to break record as the most-watched web vid ever. "After debuting on MySpace on Monday, the trailer for Twilight was watched more than 2 million times over a three-day period." (Digital Spy)


TELEVISION

"Moonlight" news from the producers. "I'm told we'll also learn that Josef isn't as opposed to vampire-human relationships as you would think from the lectures he's always giving Mick." (E! Online)


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

This "Supernatural" vid-tribute is for Kristen, because she's all about the Presley Corollary (TM) -- which isn't as significant as the Jonesian Effect (TM), but shouldn't be neglected.

"Supernatural," The Host, Other Stuff

"Of course, I want to kill some zombies." Dean Winchester

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Interview with Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight series. "I was too much a coward to write my own stories and let people see what was going on inside my head. One of the biggest challenges of my writing career has been getting past that shyness." (All Things Girl)

Review of Stephanie Meyer's The Host. "It is fair to say that with The Host, her latest novel, she has once again managed to break the usual genre conventions - this time writing a science fiction novel for people who don’t like sci-fi." (Love Vampires)


MOVIES & DVDS

Just in case you need to catch up on the "Top 70 Vampire Movies." I don't necessarily agree with these rankings, but I do want to check out "Ultraviolet." (Snarkerati)

"Werewolf of London" now available on DVD. "Released in 1935, it predates Lon Chaney Jr’s The Wolf Man by six years and is apparently the oldest surviving werewolf movie, while certainly being Hollywood’s first attempt at producing one." (Den of Geek)


TELEVISION

Interview with "Supernatural" creator Eric Kripke, who makes the ha ha funny. "Yes, Jensen [Ackles, who plays Dean Winchester]...wouldn't give me the 25 percent salary kickback I demanded, so he's leaving the series. Chad Michael Murray is joining the cast to replace him, and next year will be like that season on Dukes of Hazzard where it was Vance and Coy instead of Bo and Luke. Everything's gonna be a little bit off, but it'll be good...I think you'll like it." (E! Online)

Will fifth season of "Supernatural" be its last? "The series has attracted a solid fan following and has performed consistently in the ratings, but sooner or later, fans will have to bid farewell to the good-looking Winchester boys. The question is: when will it end?" (Buddy TV)

A "Supernatural" video that shows the range of the Jonesian Effect (TM). Great song choice and nice editing from Reen16, aka, Alisha.



Interview with star of "Reaper," Bret Harrison. "The big question is: Is the Devil Sam's father or not?" (Pop Watch)


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

It goes without saying that this Van Helsing video would have been improved by the Jonesian Effect (TM). Tragically there is a big crossover between fans of "Van Helsing" and fans of bands like Evanesence. The GVD has its standards and they do not sink to Evanescence. Even a bad version of Tainted Love is better than that.

Erin McCarthy, Brandon Routh, and Van Helsing

AUTHORS & BOOKS

Review of The Host by Stephanie Meyer. "However, I always finish what I start and continued on; soon I found myself unable to put down this interesting, well written book." (Literature Chick)

Interview with Patrice Michelle, author of the Scions series, and contest for Scions Insurrection. "...what if I could write a story centering around a ring with a perfumed scent--that story ended up being a vampire story and my very first sale." (Midnight Moon Cafe)

If you're living on a desert island, would you really want to be stuck with some jerk named Rhage or Tehrror? I'd rather have my dog, Don Bosco de Gama, for company. Yes, his name is stupid, but it was done intentionally, not for drahhma. Tell Carolyn Jean your pick for a desert island companion. (the Trillionth Page)

Review of Fallen by Erin McCarthy. "Gabriel has his own secret. He is a fallen angel forced to live without the knowledge of his guilt or innocence..." (Scooper)

Read an excerpt from Erin McCarthy's Fallen. "Gabriel St. John knew that he was fallen. From angel to demon, favorite to disdained, he embraced the change, welcomed the passion, wallowed in the ecstasy he found day after day in the bottom of the bottle, and night after night in the arms of his favorite whore." (Erin McCarthy)

Review of Goetia - Hellgate: London by Mel Odom. "It’s been four years since the Hellgate was opened and Demons began taking over Earth and every living thing upon it." (Darque Reviews)

Contest for Cait London's A Stranger's Touch. "Born with the uncanny ability to learn everything about a person or object just by the touch of her naked hands,Tempest must wear protective gloves. " (Fresh Fiction)


MOVIES & DVDS

Here's a good list of links about the "Twilight" movie news. "A number of news reports have appeared online recently featuring Mr. [Robert] Pattinson along with an interview with Ms. [Stephanie] Meyer, who talks of the comparisons made with Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling." (The Leaky Cauldron)

Article on success of "Twilight" vis a vis the "Harry Potter" movies. "As with the Potter craze, tween fans dress up as Twilight characters and turn out in droves for book signings, start Twilight-themed rock bands and even celebrate lead character Isabella Swan's birthday." (Wired)

Brandon Routh, of "Superman Returns," will star in "Dead of Night." "Routh will handle the role of a private investigator drawn into the world of the undead." (Variety)

Interview with Brandon Routh, who will be in "Dead of Night,""Fear Itself." about upcoming horror film, "Routh and Shiri (SWIMFAN) Appleby star as a young couple who move into a new neighborhood that’s perfect—a little too perfect, as they discover just what lengths the resident will go to maintain that veneer." (Fangoria)


TELEVISION

England's ITV has a vampire-hunter series coming up, and it stars one of my fave actors, Philip Glenister. "But Philip, 45, who plays a vampire in forthcoming ITV drama Van Helsing, admitted: 'The role of Gene has been a highlight of my career.'"

Here's more news on ITV's Van Helsing series. "The drama, currently known internally at ITV as the 'untitled Van Helsing project', will put a 'contemporary spin on the legacy of Bram Stoker's Dracula' and be set above and beneath the streets of modern-day London." (The Guardian)


GRATUITOUS VIDEO OF THE DAY

Here's a video for Kristin, who is a fan of Elvis Presley AND Gerard Butler. The GVD doesn't get more gratuitous than this.



And now for the alternate version with the Jonesian Effect (TM). I swear, this song never disappoints.