Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Aloha to Kerrelyn Sparks and VAMPIRE MINE

Good morning!  Blogger is tempermental today ... it is only allowing me to leave comments as anonymous.  If you encounter any problems, send your comment to sos.aloha@yahoo.com


I've been eating a lot of garlic lately.  I like the taste ... and perhaps I was subconsciously preparing for today' guest.  Please join me in welcoming paranormal author Kerrelyn Sparks

Kim:  You are an author new to me. I loved reading Vampire World! Your cast of characters have strong Scottish ties with a few other European countries sprinkled into the mix.  Do your characters reflect your ancestral roots? In your world, how did Vampires come to be in Scotland?

Kerrelyn:  Thank you, Kim! Yes, I have some Scottish ancestors who resettled in the American colonies in the late 1600’s. I have always been attracted to anything Scottish, and when I traveled to Scotland, I had an overwhelming sense of homecoming.

Many of the good Vamps in the Love at Stake series were transformed on battlefields where they were mortally wounded. When given a chance to continue fighting evil, they chose to fight and became vampire warriors. Unfortunately, all too often, there was a ready supply of good Scotsmen dying in battle. And so, I ended up with some Scottish vampires in kilts.

I’ve also tried to spread the fun around. I have were-panthers from Brazil, were-tigers from Thailand, werewolves from Wyoming, and a were-bear from Alaska. I have vampires from as far away as Russia, China, and Japan, and them some closer to home, like Louisiana, Texas, California, and the Bronx.


Kim:  You wrote in your bio, "She lives in the Greater Houston area with her husband, children, and a house full of garlic. So far, there are no vampires in her family. Werewolves are another matter entirely." Do you use any garlic to cook? What does a vampire creator like to cook, eat, read, and watch on TV?

Kerrelyn:  As a matter of fact, I put a little garlic in just about everything I cook, except desserts! I have an addiction to cookbooks. I love pouring over recipes and trying new things. I also love to read. I read a lot of romance (contemporary, paranormal, and historical), but I also branch out to other genres like Young Adult, horror, suspense/thrillers, and fantasy. I try to avoid reading or watching other vampire stories because I don’t want to subconsciously influence myself in any way. I love romantic comedies and historical dramas like The Tudors or The Borgias. I also enjoy fun shows like America’s Best Dance Crew and So You Think You Can Dance.



Kim:  Can you give us a quick peek into your next book, Sexiest Vampire Alive?

KerrelynSEXIST VAMPIRE ALIVE will go on sale September 27th, 2011. Gregori Holstein is the playboy of the vampire world, so it was great fun watching him fall helplessly in love. At the end of the last book, VAMPIRE MINE, a video was released to the public that proved the existence of vampires. So at the beginning of SEXIEST VAMPIRE ALIVE, the Vamps are in damage control, trying to convince the public that the video is a hoax. They appeal to the U.S. government for help and select an emissary to represent them. This emissary needs to be a young Vamp, someone who understands the modern world and modern technology, someone who has never bitten a human for food, someone who has been completely bottle-fed so he’ll appear safe and harmless. Their choice is Gregori.

And so the future of the vampire world rests on the shoulders of Gregori. Can he keep them safe and protected, or will he doom them all by succumbing to his playboy ways?


Mahalo, Kerrelyn, for joining us at SOS Aloha!   Given your love of vamps, dancing, and cooking, perhaps we could pitch a reality show called THE LAST VAMP STANDING - as each vampire is eliminated from the competition, he/she has to cook for Donald Trump, Simon Cowell, and Piers Morgan!

 
 
We are giving away two copies of VAMPIRE MINE - one for US readers from Kerrelyn and one for International readers from me:
 
Nothing on earth can make this vampire fall in love…
 
After 499 years of existence, Connor Buchanan has arrived at an inescapable conclusion: he is a cold-hearted SOB. He’s been watching his friends—those poor romantic fools—plummet off the cliff into love like a dazed herd of sheep. But not Connor. He knows that love leads to nothing by heartache.
 
Until Marielle…
 
She is an angel cast down from heaven for disobedience. Trapped in mortal form, she finds a protector in Connor, a Scottish vampire haunted by a dark past. Marielle hopes to heal his broken heart and earn her way back home, but suddenly she has these…feelings. This strange yet pleasant physical yearning—for a vampire! Is this the work of a demon luring her into hell, or has this angel found heavenly bliss?

    
To enter the giveaway, 
 
1.  Leave a comment about warriors vampires, dancing, cooking, and, of course, Scotland!
 
2.  This contest is open to all readers. 
 
3.  Comments are open through Saturday, May 28, 10 pm in Hawaii (when the Vampires come out to party on Waikiki Beach).  I'll announce the winner on Sunday, May 29.
 
Mahalo,
 
Kim in Hawaii


Can't get enough of Kerrelyn?  Join her on 25th of each month (including tomorrow) at Supernatural Underground - she's in good company with other fabulous paranormal authors!   Plus check out her upcoming appearances at this link.

 
Kerrelyn wrote, "I have were-panthers from Brazil, were-tigers from Thailand, werewolves from Wyoming, and a were-bear from Alaska."  So I suggest to her .... were-sharks!   From Sacred Destinations
 
For 150,000 years the island of Hawaii has harbored a secret. Near Makua on Oahu, the volcanic rock was eroded by the sea to form a cave out of a giant lava tube. This is where the local people believe mankind was born, emerging from the womb of the earth goddess. They called the cave Kaneana, after the god of creation, Kane.
 
Legend has it that the Shark-man Nanaue (also called Kaneana and Makua Charlie) later reigned from this cave. Like all fine myths, the story of the Hawaiian Shark-man includes drama, camaraderie, and a respectable amount of bloody murder.
 
Born from a Shark father (the shape-shifter Kamohoali’i) and a human mother, it was only when Nanaue first experienced the taste of meat that his carnivorous heritage led to incontrollable bloodlust. He would assume human form to trick his prey, then drag them back to the cave for dinner. Fortunately, he was eventually chopped up by the Hawaiian people. The cave was also home to both a powerful shark goddess and Madame Pele (the volcano Goddess with a fiery temper).

On Sunday, my family drove out along Farrington Highway to see Oahu's west coast.  We stopped by the Hale O Lono Heiau (House of Lono temple) and followed the road to Yokohama Bay.  When we turned around, we could see the Makua Cave etched into the volcanic mountains.  


Hale O Lono Heiau

Makua Cave

For your reading pleasure, check out my other post today:
- Link to Pamela Hearon and HIS HOTNESS at SOS Aloha
- Link to Dancing with the Stars at the Reading Reviewer

44 comments:

  1. Gotta love those Scottish vamps in kilts! I fell in love with Angus when I read Be Still My Vampire Heart, and still love him. Of course, I love all of Kerrelyn's vamps and shifters. This series is great! I love the way Kerrelyn adds humor to her books and can always be sure that I will enjoy any book that she writes. I am eagerly awaiting The Sexiest Vampire Alive, and can't wait to see Gregori fall in love, and finally give his mother some grandbabies soon.

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  2. Hi Kerrelyn,
    I adore your stories and have read them all except this one. You've created such a 3D world in them that when I open them again it's like I'm stepping into it straight away. I really love all things Scottish and am super curious about Connor's story as he is my fav vamp.

    Best,
    Kirsten

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  3. Aloha! Even though this is my blog, I can only leave anonymous comments!

    If any readers have a problem, send your comments to sos.aloha@yahoo.com.

    Or try again tomorrow!

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  4. Well i love it all.. What we all need is a Vampire who is from scotland who can cook and wheres a kilt.. oh my..hehe I want one of my very own too

    Love her books
    Thanks for the giveaway

    elliott2668(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  5. I love those scottish vamps but my favorite is Jean-Luc! He could whisper French love words in my ear all night long!!! LOL!!! I just love this series. They are exciting, hilarious, and sexy! I can't wait till September for Gregori's story. Thanks for sharing with us today!

    Please don't enter me! I already have two copies of this book!!!!!

    Johanna J

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  6. From Casey,

    Great interview Kim! I adore all of Kerrelyn Sparks' novels and I would love to win Vampire Mine =)

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  7. From Danny

    Hi Kerrelyn,

    you know I have been a fan of your books since the beginning and I can't get enough of your hot vampires. The books are so much fun to read, so everyone who hasn't read one of them, hurry to the next bookstore and get your copy. You are really missing something.

    I wasn't able to get a copy of Vampire Mine so far, but I know it will be another keeper. I am also looking forward to read Gregori's story.

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  8. You gotta love a vamp in a kilt with a scottish accent!!! Not muchinto cooking, usually only on weekends as work full time. Love to dance, and my dream is to go to Scotland....Just gotta love those accents!!! LOL

    Cre Harvey
    sxyldy@live.com

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  9. It has always been my dream to go to Scotland and Ireland. I love how all the vamps in Kerrelyn's books have a nice brogue. =D

    Thank you for the giveaway.

    Clarissa P (Clary)
    claroxide@yahoo.co.in

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  10. Scottish vampires!? Wow, I would love to see that and perhaps pet it too LOL

    robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com

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  11. Gotta love those Scottish vamps. I love her books they are fun to read.
    Sue Brandes
    katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com

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  12. Oh, you totally hooked me with Scottish vamps in kilts. Sounds like a winner to me since I like anything Scottish and this would be something very new. And I love your covers!!

    It now won't let me post at all (sigh). It kept giving me different varification codes but wouldn't post. On another blog it just kept saying error. Darn annoying this is!!

    Jeanne

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  13. I LOVE the title and the premise, putting it on my to be read list.

    Tammy

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  14. I, a native Houstonian, join Ms. Sparks in her love of dancing, cooking, and Scotland. Her love of vampires and the Were-World, not so much! LOL! I have promised myself that I will try again to read another vampire tome. ( I have read two. )

    Pat Cochran
    p-cochran@juno.com

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  15. I need a Scottish warrior vampire in a kilt who can cook and dance!

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  16. I LOVE Kerrelyn Sparks' Love at Stake series! It is my all-time favorite! I really enjoyed the interview!

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  17. Where can I get my very own vampire wearing a kilt and welding a huge sword>

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  18. Now who could resist Scotsman + Kilt = drool worthy. For some add the sharp fangs to the deal and women melt.

    Rao

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  19. Ah, yes, Scottish vampires in kilts! Yummy!

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  20. Vampires are the best! Can't wait to read this one. I love the pictures.
    debby

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  21. Kilted vampires! How I would love to dance with one. Where's my invitation to Scotland?

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  22. What can I say? I love vampire warriors with a Scottish brogue. Yes! Scottish vampires are hot, whether they are dancing or cooking.

    I can't wait for Gregori's book!

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  23. May I suggest a giant insect shifter? Like perhaps a 6-foot dragonfly? I just think there aren't enough non-warm-blooded shifters.

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  24. Yes I agree kilts are hot and they seem to have spread around the world even to people with no connection to Scotland.

    But lets hear more about those other two great Scottish icons namely bagpipes and haggis !

    Thanks for the giveaway.

    Carol T

    buddytho {at} gmail DOT com

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  25. I think I have a new series to check out! I really like the idea of Scottish vampire warriors along with all these other paranormal creatures from different parts of the world. Now I'm intrigued to find out how they all come together in the Love at Stake series!

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  26. thanks for the awesome giveaway!!
    i'm soo looking forward to seeing gregori fall helplessly in love..he's soo cute and i'm waiting for his happily ever after.
    the love at stake series is awesome!!!

    Janhvi Jagtap
    justjanhvi at gmail dot com

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  27. Good thing Conner can't keep his kilt down in Vampire Mine. I, and his angel, couldn't get enough of it. Hhmmm, wonder if there are more like him running around Scotland? If so there has got to be some serious eye candy there when they all get together dancing and cooking out. Gregori deserves his own mate, can't wait to read it. Thanks for making this interview include a giveaway. jennifermailcenter(at)gmail[dot]com

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  28. Kerrelyn Sparks's Love at Stake series is my choice when I want to read a fun and light paranormal romance.
    I love vampire warrior that can dancing, cooking and live at Scotland, LOL. But, I love Scotland vampire warrior at Kerrelyn's book. They're fierce, capable at fight, yet they adorable, funny and lovable :)

    Please don't enter me, I already have my own copy of Vampire Mine :)

    Ren

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  29. Gotta love those vamps in kilts. Look forward to reading this one. Fun giveaway.

    skpetal at hotmail dot com

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  30. I love those Scottish vampires and have slowly been collecting all the books, so this one is on my to be bought list :D

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  31. deff has a strong pull kilts and vamps I lovecookingtpoo and pouring over cook books is a deff plus thenext book in the series sounds awesome !

    mortalsinn@yahoo.com

    Im in the US

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  32. Thanks for all the lovely comments! And thank you, Kim, for inviting me!

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  33. Are you kidding? That whole warrior vampire is enough to make you melt to begin with, put a kilt on him and give him a Scottish accent and I'd be a big puddle of goo. My ancestry is from England, my mom's off the boat but something about that Scottish accent gets in my blood (no pun intended....ok, maybe a little).
    I absolutely love to cook and love food network. So You Think You Can Dance drives my husband and I crazy because they're all so good, it's hard to choose towards the end.
    I can't wait for Sexiest Vampire Alive! You're awsome!!

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  34. I love this series and I can't wait for the next one to come out! My ancestry is from Scotland and Ireland so when it come to characters who have those wonderful accents look-out I'm a goner. Make the characters a warrior vampire with those accents and I'm completely sold. I know a litle about cooking and I can't dance at all.

    ~Heather

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  35. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  36. Scottish vampires? :) I like the sound of that! I can't comment much on warriors, they're rather thin on the ground around here. As for cooking, I made a very nice beef and red wine casserole in my slow cooker last night, and had the leftovers for my lunch today. Delicious!

    kate1485 at hotmail.com

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    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete

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    ReplyDelete

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    ReplyDelete