Here’s my latest podcast! I guest on Fantasy Fiends, discussing vampires, writing, and how fantasy can challenge the world. The hosts also read a passage from BLOOD RENEGADES!
Click through onto YouTube to watch.
Dive into Blood Life here…
In less than a week BLOOD RENEGADES is released and to celebrate there’s a Release Party!
And you’re invited!
Just go here and then click ‘Going.’
There are already several giveaways up and running; they include the gorgeous Mechanical Butterfly from the Rebel Vampires Range and a treat from Rebel Gear. On the night, there’ll be fun and games, contests, book chat, music and I’ll be there to banter with, share those perfect memes you’ve been saving and ask any question you desire (your wish is my command…snigger…).
See you 13th June 5 – 7 p.m. EDT!
The comedy and music legends in the podcasting world that are The Pod Effect have featured REBEL VAMPIRES in their latest video: a hilarious goth Vampire Special.
Pod Effect are mates from way back with the lead singer and bass guitarist Tim Black from the band Off the Realm.
Off the Realm wrote Forevermore – the stunningly good rock anthem – inspired by my vampire Light. The dark poetry of the lyrics, combine with hardcore bass guitar and serious hook… When I say I can’t get this out of my head when I type, ‘condemned to remember…’ Yeah, still there.
Enjoy!
Buy Forevermore here
Escape into Blood Life here
Sometimes as an author you have chats with magazines, interviewers or TV hosts where everything just clicks. They get you, the book and more than that: how to challenge it.
You discover something about writing, yourself and life, as well as discussing your work in a far more fascinating way than you ever could alone.
That’s what happened with Scaffolding Magazine.
Freedom, domination, terrorism, my childhood, writing tips and James Dean…
And did I mention how gorgeous the podcast is..?
Start your escape into the Rebel Vampires series here…
Join me tonight at 7 p.m. LIVE here as I take part in a panel of other vampire authors. The discussion? Vampires don’t sparkle…
Vampires have been with us – through myth, legend and fireside tale – for hundreds of years.
The idea of the immortal – given life through blood – never goes away. It evolves. Clever authors? We reinvent.
In my books, Light has this role.
Vampires can be creatures of horror, fantasy or science fiction. These lines are increasingly blurred: vampires as real creatures alongside humans.
In Rebel Vampires Blood Lifers are a second species, camouflaged predators that are evolved alongside humans. Like G. R. R. Martin’s Fevre Dream, this pushes it into science fiction, as much as dark fantasy/urban fantasy and paranormal suspense.
In Twilight by Stephenie Meyer the vampires sparkle in sunlight because their skin is marble-like. It’s become one of the most quoted phrases…
Yet it’s only one of the many faces of the modern-day vampire. Mine? Are dark, adult and in the words of a recent review?
“Take what you know about vampire romance and throw it away. Rosemary A Johns is not only a refreshing new voice in this genre, she excels it. Her vampires are edgy and enticing” – Rockchick Addiction Reviews
There’s room for both types because vampires – like zombies, shifters or angels – represent what each society needs, wants and desires.
I will always love, read, and write them.
So, do vampires sparkle – and should they?
LISTEN IN LIVE TO THE DEBATE HERE.
One of my secret passions – did I say passions…all right you’ve twisted my arm – obsessions – is watching convention panels on YouTube. Only when I have time and until I work out the serious flaws in my ‘Clone the Author’ experiments, I have almost none of that.
I love to hear discussions about my favourite shows, books and writers. Hear sneak peeks behind the scenes and authors’ plans ahead of time.
This last week I was invited to take part in a series of fantasy and science fiction panels. They’re part of a Cyber Convention and Book Expo, which opens to readers 7 – 9th April: a virtual book San Diego Comic Con.
So what did we discuss?
One panel was dedicated to how far fantasy has come from Tolkien to the modern day.
Another examined magical systems, including our own: what were the rules, limitations and dangers in our fantasy worlds and why did it matter?
Being the only honorary Brit on the panels, Britain and the BBC’s fantasy was in my corner: Dr Who. Enough said.
Not to miss the science fiction panels on Star Wars, Star Trek and how writing has evolved to match audiences.
If you could take one question to a fantasy panel – what would it be?
I’ll try and sneak it in to my next panel…
***Bestselling Rebel Vampires***
Dive into the spellbinding series…and discover a new world.
“One of the most unique and ingenious vampire books I have ever read …reminded me very much of Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles” – Leather and Lace Reviews.
~Blood Dragons: click here
~Blood Shackles: click here
To celebrate the launch of the literary Scaffolding Magazine this Friday, I was interviewed by Ellie Maloney.
We chinwagged about vampires, a divided paranormal London, gender, writing, fantasy and science fiction…
I love the clips from vampires movies and TV shows, interspersed between the other visuals – blinding.
*****Rebel Vampires*****
Dive into the spellbinding series…and discover a new world.
Click here today.
On the 15th March Light – the British vampire at the heart of the Rebel Vampires series – will be taking over the Ides of March Essentia Event.
This is a Character Event: where authors take it easy and the characters come out to play.
From 12 – 1 p.m. EDT Light will be here. You can ask him whatever you like, chat and banter, listen to his music or play his games…blinding.
In honour of Light’s escape into the real world – here’s Light’s Character Profile:
Light – the British Rocker Blood Lifer – is on a redemptive journey. In Blood Shackles he’s enslaved by a secret human Blood Club. The dark conspiracy behind it, which threatens the world? You’ll have the read the series to find out!
As a slave, Light discovers something he hasn’t experienced for 150 years – love of a family. Blood Shackles is about hope. How love of family – and the drive to save them – can set you free.
A hidden paranormal London lies beneath our own…
Light: A rebel Blood Lifer with a photographic memory. And a Triton motorbike. He’s a British James Dean: rough leather motorcycle jacket, decorated with a worn gold Ace of Spades, collar firmly turned up, over a black t-shirt, jeans and tall motorcycle boots, topped by a light brown pompadour, tamed with Brylcreem. He tried to conforming once: didn’t fit.
When and where elected into Blood Life? Victorian London.
Human name? Thomas Blickle
Bloodline? Plantagenet. Powerful, ancient, Magnificoe. And hunted.
Favourite drinks? Coffee – black, two sugars. Guinness.
Favourite motorbike? Triton. ‘A sodding scarlet slash of beauty. 650cc Triumph twin-cylinder engine in a Norton ‘slimline’ Featherbed frame – and my bloody god.’
Favourite possession? His leather jacket. For the last 150 years, Light has always owned a ‘blinding coat’.
Favourite phrase? ‘Bollocks vampire myth…’
Who is Ruby? A sexy but savage Elizabethan Blood Lifer in crimson silk. ‘Ruby. My red-haired devil, Author, muse, liberator, guide: my gorgeous nightmare.’
Who is Kathy? A seductive singer, with blue eyes and long black curls. But she’s also human. When the two worlds collide, it could mean the end. For both species. ‘You looked like some little Moon Girl, shimmering in silver. I would’ve blasted into space with you in a bleeding heartbeat. ’
Who is Grayse? Master’s daughter: she chooses Light, as if he’s a puppy in a pet store. Commanding and business-like, Grayse is tall with ‘steely grey peepers’. Can a mistress truly love her slave? And can Light love her, when his family are still in chains? ‘At that moment, none of it meant anything. Slave or Mistress. First Lifer or Blood. It never does when skin meets skin. It was just Light and Grayse.’
Light looks forward to having a chinwag with you on the 15th at the Ides of March…
Until then, enjoy your escape into Blood Life…
Want to dive into Blood Shackles? Click here now.
Want to read Blood Dragons first? Click here today.
There’s magic in a name. The giving of it. Knowing of it. Taking it from someone.
If you could be rechristened into a glorious dark new world, what name would you choose?
‘We have the name they wetted us with when we wailed all bloody from the womb but we also get the one we select, when the blood elects us from the ranks into something else. Me? I chose Light…it wove me to the best of my First Life and everything I never wanted to lose.’ (Blood Dragons)
In Rebel Vampires, which has been compared by both readers and critics to ‘Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles’, every Blood Lifer name has a story behind it: Light, Ruby, Alessandro and Hartford…
And that’s the contest in the Bloody Big Giveaway this weekend. For the chance to win my brand new release Blood Shackles: a gripping dark fantasy, which puts a new twist on vampires, paranormal London and secret conspiracies, decide on your alter ego vampire name. Then click here and post it in the comments.
Set your dark side free…
Today I’m hosting Infinity Book Blog’s 25 Days of Christmas Giveaways. Fancy a signed copy of Blood Shackles? Choice of e-book? Fun and games? Q and A? Exclusives? Banter? Better see you there then. 3 – 4 p. m. EST (8 – 9 p.m GMT).
Dive into the spellbinding bestselling new series…and discover a new world.
“One of the most unique & ingenious vampire books I have EVER read …Pure genius.” Leather and Lace Reviews.
~Blood Dragons: http://viewbook.at/BloodDragons
~Blood Shackles: http://viewbook.at/BloodShackles
rosemaryajohns.com 