Always glad to have today’s Spooky Legend author visit the blog. Nancy Holzner, author of the Deadtown urban fantasy series, is celebrating the release of the 3rd book in that series, BLOODSTONE (available now from Ace Books). In her review, Julia said, “[Nancy Holzner] has an eye for daily details that add wonderful depth to her world, and preternatural elements aside, I can’t resist the scarily plausible political realities of Deadtown.” We get a glimpse into the characters and world from Deadtown along with a twist on a beloved children’s nursery rhyme. And to sweeten the deal, there’s a giveaway to win your choice of a signed copy of DEADTOWN, HELLFORGED, or BLOOSTONE. See details below.
Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways
Vicky Vaughn on the Little Bo Peep Halloween Massacre
by
Nancy Holzner
When the phone rang, the last thing I was thinking about was Tina, the teenage zombie who used to be my apprentice—until she quit demon slaying to pursue a career as a pop star. But that's who was calling. Her voice was excited, so breathless I didn't quite catch what she said. Just that it was something about me and a job.
“Tina, I told you. I'm not taking you with me on any more jobs.” Back when she was still my apprentice, Tina had torched a client's dreamscape with a flamethrower. She'd tried to drown another client in a bathroom sink. Not to mention she'd stolen a valuable sword from my arsenal. “That whole apprenticeship thing just didn't work out.”
“You're not listening. I don't want to go on a job with you—although it'd be cool if you let me. I have a job for you.”
 | Title: Bloodstone Author: Nancy Holzner Series: Deadtown Cover Art: Don Sipley Genre: Urban Fantasy Excerpt: Yes Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Julia
  Sexual Content: Kissing, references to sex and attempted rape. Rating:   Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying. |
We’re welcoming back Nancy Holzner, author of the Deadtown urban fantasy series, today. Nancy is celebrating the release of BLOODSTONE, the 3rd Deadtown book which hits shelves tomorrow from Ace Books. Deadtown is home to shapeshifters, zombies—aka Previously Deceased Humans, and vampires, including the famed Juliet who paints a much different version of her star-crossed love story than The Bard. What the scoop? Keep reading. And don’t forget to check out the giveaway for a signed copy of BLOOSTONE and a bloodstone bracelet. See details below.
My series follows the adventures of Victory Vaughn, a shapeshifter who kills other people's personal demons for a living. Vicky lives in Deadtown, Boston's paranormal-only section, where she shares an apartment with a vampire named Juliet Capulet. That name is no coincidence; Vicky's roommate is the Juliet (as in “Romeo and”), and for 400 years she's been carrying a grudge against William Shakespeare. Why? Because he got her story all wrong. In this guest post, Juliet sets the record straight.
Romeo and Juliet: The Real Story
by Juliet Capulet
In all my centuries, most of the norms I've met have been familiar with my story. Or rather, I should say they thought they were familiar with my story. Nearly everyone who's heard my name has heard it thanks to one man: Mr. William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare. What a hack.
Nancy Holzner is back today after nearly a year to celebrate the release of the second book in her Deadtown urban fantasy series called HELLFORGED which was published on December 28, 2010. Nancy is sharing an exclusive Deadtown document distributed to all residents of Deadtown on understanding the Previously Deceased Humans. It’s a must read for anyone thinking about visiting 
Understanding the Previously Deceased: A Fact Sheet
City of Boston
Office of the Mayor
I. Introduction
Boston is a city that prides itself on its diversity. Our neighborhoods weave together a rich tapestry of people from many traditions and all walks of life. This diversity includes a variety of paranormal Bostonians, including previously deceased humans (PDHs). Afflicted by a devastating disease, the previously deceased have recovered to become productive citizens of our city.
Whether you have a previously deceased family member, acquaintance, former neighbor or co-worker, or you just see the occasional PDH out and about in the city, this fact sheet gives you the information you need to understand the previously deceased.
II. The H-DED-1 Virus
The previously deceased were infected by the virus known as H-DED-1. The illness caused by this virus consisted of two phases: In the first phase, which took place immediately upon infection, those afflicted fell into a deathlike state. This phase lasted for approximately three days. In the second phase, the previously deceased regained consciousness, animation, and volition. In layperson's terms, they came back to life.
It is important to note that H-DED-1 no longer exists in the wild. Like smallpox, the virus is extinct. The original strain mutated into something no worse than the common cold. Humans cannot catch H-DED-1 from someone who has had the disease.
III. Physical Characteristics and Needs of the Previously Deceased
As a result of their disease, the previously deceased have a number of distinctive physical traits:
Spongy-textured, greenish-gray skin that cannot tolerate sunlight
Redness in the parts of the eye that were previously white
Extreme keratitis sicca, or dry-eye syndrome, resulting in an inability to produce tears
Stiffness of gait
Enhanced strength
Increased appetite
Insensibility to heat and cold
Extreme slowness in healing (possibly an inability to heal)
None of these physical traits is cause for alarm. They are unavoidable consequences of an H-DED-1 infection. Although the long-term effects of these conditions are unknown at this time, in the short term they have not been observed to impair the ability of PDHs to function.
Because of their altered physical state, the previously deceased have some special needs:
Sunlight avoidance. Direct sunlight has been observed to damage the skin of the previously deceased. Sunlight exposure causes a PDH's skin to take on a bright orange hue and become pitted. Slowness in healing means that skin damaged in this way does not recover. Previously deceased humans who go out in the daytime must cover their skin; sunblock provides insufficient protection. Sunglasses with polarized lenses are also recommended.
Ample food supply. Reanimation increased both the strength and the metabolism of PDHs, leading to an increase in appetite. If you spend time with a PDH, be sure to have plenty of food on hand, because the PDH will need to eat almost constantly. Any kind of palatable food is acceptable, but many PDHs express a fondness for what's commonly called “junk food.”
Avoidance of human blood. The scent of human blood has an intoxicating effect on the previously deceased. It arouses in them an intense need to feed, and they will feed upon anything close by, including the human who is bleeding. Humans who are in frequent contact with the previously deceased are advised to avoid any activity which could result in bloodshed. In addition, they should carry activated charcoal to soak up and block the scent of accidentally spilled blood, as well as a supply of food to offer the aroused PDH.
Section IV. Legal Considerations
Both the Boston City Council and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have enacted legislation designed to promote the harmonious coexistence of humans and the previously deceased. Before you interact with a PDH, know your rights, restrictions, and responsibilities:
It is illegal to assault the previously deceased. In the confusion immediately after the H-DED-1 incident, some humans mistakenly believed that they could attack the previously deceased with impunity. This was never the case, but legislators soon amended Massachusetts law to make it absolutely clear that assaulting any human—including the previously deceased—is a serious crime.
PDHs may not leave Designated Area 1 without a permit. Designated Area 1 (DA-1) was created to provide a home for Boston's paranormal population, including the previously deceased. Other Paranormal Americans may leave DA-1 if they pass through a checkpoint and show their state-issued identification card. PDHs, however, additionally require a permit issued to a non-previously-deceased escort who will remain with the PDH until the PDH returns to DA-1. Online permit application forms are available on the Mayor's website.
Note: A PDH who loses his or her permit while outside of DA-1 should immediately report back to DA-1 or to any of the state's other designated areas, including the secure werewolf retreats in Princeton, Athol, and Savoy, and apply for a replacement.
It is illegal to discriminate against properly documented PDHs. If a PDH enters an establishment such as a restaurant, entertainment venue, or store, the proprietor may ask the PDH to show his or her documentation. Upon presentation of a state-issued identification card and a valid permit, the proprietor must serve the PDH. Failure to do so will result in a fine of at least $500 per incident.
Remember: Understanding the previously deceased will make life better for all Bostonians.
Thanks so much for stopping by Nancy. Come back anytime!
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Nancy Holzner grew up in western Massachusetts. She majored in English in college and then continued her studies long enough to earn a masters degree and a PhD. She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she's worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer. Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera.
| Visit Nancy online: Want to read more from Nancy Holzner? Bo Forrester
Deadtown
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One copy of HELLFORGED by Nancy Holzner
A demon is stalking Vicky’s dreams—just as several of Deadtown’s zombies are viciously attacked and become really dead. And when Vicky realizes she’s the only connection between the victims, she suspects that the demon is somehow working through her dreams to become Deadtown’s living nightmare.
Click HERE to read an excerpt of HELLFORGED
Click HERE to read an excerpt of DEADTOWN (book one)
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*This title will be released on December 28, 2010*
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| Title: Hellforged Paperback: 352 pages
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A demon is stalking Vicky's dreams-just as several of Deadtown's zombies are viciously attacked and become really dead. And when Vicky realizes she is the only connection between the victims, she suspects that the demon is somehow working through her dreams to become Deadtown's living nightmare.
I was a big fan of DEADTOWN, both the book and the fantastic city that serves as the setting for Nancy Holzner’s urban fantasy series of the same name. It’s so important when dealing with any kind of fantasy fiction that there is an emotional connection that we make with the characters to bridge that gap that separates us. With the Deadtown series, it’s Deadtown itself.
Deadtown is the ‘reservation’ where the human part of Boston has quarantined it’s supernatural community, most notably zombies, or as they prefer to be called the Previously Dead. They may have gray/green flesh with blood red eyes and go a little cliché when faced with fresh blood, but in HELLFORGED, Nancy once again humanizes them so completely that it’s easy to sympathize with their treatment and become indignant at how unjust it is.
In HELLFORGED, we delve deeper in to the Welsh mythology that serves as the basis for Victory’s unique supernatural status: a Cerddorion (limited shapeshifter). While I did enjoy learning more about the Cerddorion race and the battle they have waged for millennia against demons, I really missed the connection to Deadtown. A good half of the story takes place in Wales as Vicky had to face some personal demons there while learning/training/preparing for another big showdown with The Destroyer demon that she fought in DEADTOWN.
The romance was also disappointing for me this time. Both Vicky’s werewolf sort of boyfriend Kane, and Homicide Detective Daniel that she’s kind of dating too were both pretty vanilla. Vicky has trouble choosing between them, but I couldn’t understand why: Apart from the occasional fur, they were exactly the same. Not that the romance is a big part of the story, it’s a very small part, but I still found it lacking.
HELLFORGED does expand on it’s mythology, which is always good, but it comes at the expense of the zombie social commentary that made the first book so good. The setting of Deadtown is still the big draw in this series, and the half of the book that we spend there is full of demon exorcising fun (including a Ghostbusters reminiscent opening), but I’m hoping Vicky sticks a little closer to home in her next book.
Sexual Content: Kissing, references to rape
My Rating:
3/5
Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.
Previous books in the series:
Also reviewed by:
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