*This title will be released on June 5, 2012*

Title: Hex Appeal Author: Ilona Andrews, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Carole Nelson Douglas, P. N. Elrod, Simon R. Green, Lori Handeland, Erica Hayes, Carrier Vaughn Series: See below Cover Art: N/A Genre: Urban Fantasy Excerpt: Yes Source: LibraryThing ER Reviewed by: Abigail Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (June 5, 2012) ISBN-10: 0312590725 ISBN-13: 978-0312590727   Sexual Content: See each title below Rating: Good - A fun read with minor flaws. Maybe read an excerpt before buying.

---

This week I came face to face with my fan-girl side, and it is not rational or fair.  The cover art reveal for the new Lux book would have been a neutral thumb for any other series, but as evidenced by the enthusiastic Four Bats I just gave OBSIDIAN, the two characters being portrayed as Eurotrash slouchers below are near and dear to my heart.  I’m not proud of my thumbs down (ok, or the fact that I just called those cover models “Eurotrash”), but my emotional investment in Katy and Daemon took over.  The ONYX cover would be perfectly fine for another Paranormal YA, I’m just put out that it doesn’t match my mental picture.  Does anyone else have a favorite character that doesn’t match their cover model, even one that everyone else seems fine with? 

 

RT Booklovers Convention starts on April 6th and if you’re going to be in Los Angeles, you won’t want to miss it.  We paranormal fans are getting some series RT love with several dedicated panels including URBAN FANTASY: Worldbuilding in Urban Fantasy which features P.N. Elrod.  If you’ve read her urban fantasy series featuring undead PI Jack Fleming, The Vampire Files, than you know that P.N. is an ideal panelist for this topic.

---

ATUF: How did you approach worldbuilding in your Vampire Files series? 

PE: It was time and setting, not a "world" to me. The books are set in 1930s Chicago and I did my research at the library, going through newspapers and magazines of the period,  watching a lot of gangster movies, and reading pulp mysteries.  I didn't have to build a world, it was readymade.  I changed one thing -- I put a vampire into it.  A vampire with a smart lip and a sense of humor.

ATUF: What initially sparked the main idea for your world?

PE: I wanted to write a book set in that period. The idea of a vampire detective grew out of a gaming session for a role-playing game designed by Mike Stackpole--who got mentioned in the dedication. The main character, Jack Fleming--dealing with post-death amnesia--turns PI so he can solve his own murder. It's still a good read, the books are selling, so I must be doing something right.

ATUF: What comes first in your writing?  The world, the characters or the plot?

PE: The characters, first and always. Good characters thrive in any plot and in any world.

ATUF: One of the topics being discussed at this panel is new directions in UF.  Where do you see the genre a year from now? Ten years from now?

PE: I haven't the least idea.  I know where *I* will be, and that's all that matters to me. I learned from Fred Saberhagen to not pay attention to trends. Write what you love, write the kind of story you want to read. Enjoy what other writers do, but do your own thing and stay true to it.

ATUF: What urban fantasy series world do you most wish was yours?

PE: The Vampire Files--oh, wait!  That IS mine!

ATUF: How do you go about researching a world that isn't real?

PE: What I've already done, simply take an existing world/ time-place and extrapolate from there. One of this world's great resources is the fact that planet Earth has thousands of cultures to research and draw from.  Many are quite alien to us in this century and in this country.  You don't need to make up anything, just file off the serial numbers and have fun.

ATUF: What are the differences between creating human and non human characters? 

PE: I consider all my characters to be human since it is my own best point of reference. My vampire heroes operate with a different set of rules, but that's what we all do in life.  The rules I follow for my happiness in life are going to be impossible for say, a corporate banker to understand. To me, his lifestyle is as alien as that of any ocean-dwelling crustacean. That's more research than I want to tackle.

ATUF: What are the top three elements that are vital to establishing a vivid and detailed world?

PE: Geography/weather, tech level of the people, and understanding that it HAS to be logical and consistent. In other words--follow your own rules. If they become inconvenient to your plot, then rethink the plot to figure out the impact to your world should you break a rule.  There should be an impact!  But change is a good thing and keeps stuff fresh.

ATUF: How do you keep all the details of your world organized?

PE: Since my work is based on an existing world/historical period, I've no need.  A trip to the library refreshes my memory and I put in enough touches in the book to give everyone a taste of the time.  I'm not a fan of data dumps in my reading or writing. I put in just enough to get the job done.

ATUF: What is the best way to establish worldbuilding in urban fantasy without subjecting readers to info dumps?

PE: Find impatient beta readers who don't like the genre. Tell them to note when their eyes glaze over and they start skipping pages. That's where you tighten things up or trim out.

ATUF: What are you most looking forward to at the RT Conference this year?

PE: Hanging out with other writers and meeting readers.

ATUF: Which panel other than your own are you most excited about?

PE: I've not seen the schedule, so I don't know.  I find all shop talk concerning the craft to be interesting, so this will be great fun. I'll learn a lot.

ATUF: Thanks so much for stopping by P.N.  Come back anytime!

-------------------------------------------------

P.N. "Pat" Elrod is the author of 24 commercially-published novels, more than 20 short stories, an editor and co-editor of several collections -- not bad, considering her incurable addiction to chocolate.  She lives somewhere on another planet, but maintains a convenient citizenship in the state of Texas for tax purposes.  In between the novel writing, Pat is polishing her script writing skills. Pat loves meeting readers of her books and guesting at Sci/Fi conventions all over the country--when she has the time!

Visit P. N. online: Website|Blog|Facebook

 

 

 

 

---

Interested in being interviewed on All Things Urban Fantasy?  CONTACT ME

*This title will be released on July 20, 2010*

 

Book Description

It was a dark and stormy knight, and nine dark defenders embarked upon a most perilous quest….

They’re the ultimate defenders of humanity—modern day knights who do dark deeds for all the right reasons. In this all-star collection, nine of today’s hottest paranormal authors bring us thrilling, all-new stories of supernatural knights that are brimming with magic mystery and mayhem.

John Marcone sets aside his plans to kill Harry Dresden to go head-to-head with a cantrev lord in Jim Butcher’s Even Hand.  Kate Daniels is called upon for bodyguard duty to protect Saimen, a shifter she trusts less than the enemy in Ilona Andrews’ A Questionable Client.  Cormac must stop a killer werewolf before it attacks again on the next full moon in Carrie Vaughn’s God’s Creatures.  And in Vicki Pettersson’s Shifting Star, Skamar gets more than she bargained for when she goes after a creature kidnapping young girls—and enlists the aid of her frustratingly sexy neighbor.

When everything’s on the line, will these knights complete their missions and live to fight again another day?  Find out in Dark and Stormy Knights!

Includes stories from:

Ilona Andrews

Jim Butcher

Shannon K. Butcher

Rachel Caine

P.N. Elrod

Deidre Knight

Vicki Pettersson

Lilith Saintcrow

Carrie Vaughn

 Review

A Questionable Client by Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels prequel)

Review:
I would have bought the whole anthology for this story alone. We get an early glimpse at Kate’s life and find out how she met the shapeshifter Saiman.  Sadly, no Curran, but we do get a fun bit of Russian mythology.  If you haven’t tried this series yet, you get a great sense of the humor, characters, and world that Kate lives in all packed into 46 excellent pages….5/5 bats

Click HERE to read an excerpt from Ilona Andrews story

---

Even Hand by Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files #11.5)

Review:
I’ve only ready a couple Harry Dresden books so far, and wasn’t familiar with the character of Gentleman Johnnie Marcone who is the protagonist this time (Harry only gets a few mentions, mostly from Marcone wanting to kill him). This story had a Thumbelina quality for me in that Marcone protects a beautiful young woman who escaped after being abducted by a nasty froglike creature.  I loved the character of Marcone with his harsh, stoic exterior that belies a more compassionate man than even he’s willing to acknowledge…4/5 bats

---

The Beacon by Shannon K. Butcher

Review:
Possibly the weakest story in the bunch for me, but still good.  A self-loathing man has killed dozens of men who, unbeknownst to them, are beacons for unstoppable killing monsters, before they can summon the creature…until he discovers the next beacon is a little girl with a beautiful single mother...3/5 bats 

---

Even a Rabbit Will Bite by Rachel Caine

Review:
My second favorite after the Kate Daniels story.  The last dragonslayer must train her replacement before she can retire.  This one had a cool Buffy vibe with the idea of a watcher training a young woman who had no idea she had a destiny.  The ending was a fantastic surprise…5/5 bats

---

Dark Lady by P.N. Elrod (The Vampire Files #?)

Review:
Vampire PI Jack Fleming helps a woman trying to clear her fiancés name and keep the mob from killing him in this 1930’s story.  A fun supernatural mystery with temperamental ghost…3/5 bats

Click HERE to read an excerpt from P.N. Elrod’s story

---

Beknighted by Deidre Knight

Review:
Another one of the weaker stories.  A puzzle maker/painter must work alongside a dangerous man to free another who has been haunting her dreams.  PNR fans will like the added romance of this story, but I found it slightly confusing and apart from a few references, it could have been a regency story…3/5

---

Shifting Star by Vicki Pettersson (Sign of the Zodiac #4.5)

Review:
I’m not a huge fan of this series, and it took me awhile to remember what was going on since the author didn’t ever really explain her complex world this time.  I don’t recommend newbies to this world start here as there are lots of spoilers from the previous books. It focuses on the character Skamar as she continues her quest to destroy the Tulpa, this time with the help of her hot neighbor cop…3/5

---

Rookwood and Mrs. King by Lilith Saintcrow

Review:
I’m a fan of Lilith Saintcrow’s Dante Valentine series, so I was hopeful with this one, and I loved it.  A dhampir vampire hunter helps a wife/widow stake her newly turned lawyer husband and imparts his vampire knowledge along the way.  A little sexy, a little mysterious, and a lot of fun.  I hope Lilith considers writing more about Rookwood in the future…4/5 bats

---

God's Creatures by Carrie Vaughn (Kitty Norville #2.5)

Review:
This is the shortest story in the bunch (only 31 pages) and it feels it.  Kitty is a no show.  Instead this story focuses on werewolf hunter Cormac as he accepts a job to eliminate a rogue werewolf before it kills any humans at the local Catholic school.  Not a lot going on in the story, but Cormac fans might enjoy it…3/5 bats

---

Sexual Content: Kissing.  References to sex.

My Rating (out of 5):
Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now & pre-order the sequel.

Product Details

Publisher: Saint Martin's Press Inc.

Published: 20 July 2010

Format: Paperback 384 pages

See: Full bibliographic data

Categories: Fantasy

ISBN 13: 9780312598341 ISBN 10: 0312598343

*Disclosure: I received this book courtesy of LibrayThing’s Early Reviews

---

Disagree with my review?  Contact me with your review for this or any other book I’ve reviewed and I might use it for 2nd Opinion Review.

**Visit Tynga’s Reviews today for her PSF Interview & Giveaway with Tate Hallaway author of ALMOST TO DIE FOR**

My guest today is prolific urban fantasy author P.N. Elrod. Well known for her series The Vampire Files featuring undead PI Jack Fleming, she has also edited and contributed to a number of awesome urban fantasy anthologies including Strange Brew, My Big, Fat Supernatural Wedding, My Big, Fat Supernatural Honeymoon, and the upcoming Dark and Stormy Knights due out July 20th.

P.N. "Pat" Elrod is the author of 24 commercially-published novels, more than 20 short stories, an editor and co-editor of several collections -- not bad, considering her incurable addiction to chocolate.  She lives somewhere on another planet, but maintains a convenient citizenship in the state of Texas for tax purposes.  In between the novel writing, Pat is polishing her script writing skills. Pat loves meeting readers of her books and guesting at Sci/Fi conventions all over the country--when she has the time!

---

DARK AND STORMY KNIGHTS Edited by P.N. Elrod 
Released on July 20, 2010

 

Book Description

They’re the last defenders of humanity, the lone wolf bad boys— and girls—who do dark deeds for the right reasons. Modern day knights who are sexy, funny, mad, bad and dangerous to know because they do what most of us only dream about…and get away with it. In this all-star collection, nine of today’s hottest urban fantasy authors bring us original stories of supernatural, modern day knights that will have readers clamoring for more!

P.N. Elrod’s story is called Dark Lady - a new Vampire Files story! A shy client brings trouble to the Lady Crymsyn club. Myrna the ghost is not amused.

Click HERE to read an excerpt of Dark Lady

---

by P.N. Elrod

Author and editor P.N. Elrod has just settled behind the desk in her home library for a writing session. Without warning, Jack Fleming—undead private eye from her Vampire Files series (also part-time wiseacre)—barges in.

Fleming: Hey, toots!

Elrod: (jumping) GAHHH!

Fleming: Pipe down, it’s only me.

Elrod: What the hell are you doing sneaking up on a person like that?

Fleming: I’m a vampire, it’s what I do. That wouldn’t happen if you’d stop sitting with your back to the door.

Elrod: This is my home, not gangland Chicago, it wouldn’t hurt you to knock.

Fleming: What--and take all the fun out of things?

Elrod: I’m busy, Fleming, what do you want?

Fleming: An interview.

Elrod: Hah?

Fleming: (drops into a rocking chair and puts his feet up on a stack of books) You heard me. For once *I* want to interview you. I used to be a journalist, remember?

Elrod: Ooookay.

Fleming: You’re always bugging me every time a new book comes out; this time I wanna bug you about that new collection you have from St. Martin’s, Dark and Stormy Knights.

Elrod: That’s knights—with a “k”.

Fleming: I said it with a “k”.

Elrod: Whatever.

Fleming: What’s it about?

Elrod: The title speaks for itself.

Fleming: Pretend I don’t get it.

Elrod: No feeding me straight lines or we’ll be here all day.

Fleming: You wish.

Elrod: What?

Fleming: Nothing.  The book?

Elrod: Dark and Stormy Knights celebrates anti-heroes of urban fantasy. They have their own code of honor, taking on the dirty jobs no one else will touch, making tough calls, doing dark deeds for a good reason—

Fleming: Kicking-butt?

Elrod: Oh, yeah, lots of that!

Fleming: Fisticuffs and dramatic situations? Amorous clinches and breath-stealing peril? Cliffhanging danger and—

Elrod: Let’s stick to kicking-butt. Some of my favorite writers, the best in the business, contributed stories. I can’t wait for the book to hit the racks this July.

Fleming: May I see that author list?

Elrod: Here you go, straight off the galleys with titles. What d’ya think?

A Questionable Client Ilona Andrews

Even Hand Jim Butcher

The Beacon Shannon K. Butcher

Even a Rabbit Will Bite Rachel Caine

Dark Lady P.N. Elrod

Beknighted Deidre Knight

Shifting Star Vicki Pettersson

Rookwood and Mrs. King Lilith Saintcrow

God’s Creatures Carrie Vaughn

Fleming: Impressive! Is this the book?

Elrod: That’s a review copy.

Fleming: Okay if I borrow it?

Elrod: Sure, drop it in my mailbox when you’re done. No more sneaking in like that. You nearly gave me heart failure.

Fleming: Just repaying the favor, toots. After what you did to me in Dark Lady—

Elrod: Oh, stop fussing, you did all right.

Fleming: You nearly blew my head off!

Elrod: Details, details.

Fleming: And you brought back that crazy Irishman, Riordan. You know he gets my goat.

Elrod: I love that guy!

Fleming: You would.

Elrod: We’re both Irish, what’s not to love? Don’t answer that, let’s focus on the book. It’s got amazing tales by serious talents, and I’m danged grateful they had the time to contribute. They’re all pretty busy writers.

Fleming: Including you?

Elrod: What do you think I do all day, play solitaire? I deleted every gaming program from my computer so I could work without distractions.

Fleming: Big deal, you still look out the window.

Elrod: It helps my thinking. Hey, it’s daylight—what are you doing walking around? You’re supposed to be dead right now.

Fleming: My imaginary interview, my rules.

Elrod: You’re the figment of my imagination, not the other way around!

Fleming: You think so, huh?

With a dramatic poof and cloud of smoke, P.N. Elrod vanishes.

Fleming: Gotcha!

Elrod’s library melts and morphs around Jack Fleming, who is now in the upstairs office of his nightclub, Lady Crymsyn. He’s tilted back in his chair, feet on his desk, still holding the review copy of Dark and Stormy Knights.

Fleming: Finally, a little peace and something good to read.

A rather disheveled P.N. Elrod, face sooty and hair sticking out in frizzed  smoldering spikes, kicks the office door open, making Jack jump.

Fleming: Uh-oh. The boss.

Wild of eye, teeth bared, and visibly seething, Elrod opens her laptop on Jack’s desk and, not taking her baleful gaze from him, begins to type. The soft clicks from the keyboard have an ominous tone.

Fleming: Oh, crap.

Elrod gets a maniacal grin, her eyes are bright with unholy glee. Sinister music rises as the lights inexplicably dim. The pale screen washes her face in a sinister glow. An insane giggle bubbles from her lips, echoing throughout the room.

Fleming: I am soooooooo screwed…

Dark and Stormy Knights will be released July 10, 2010.

Thanks so much for stopping by Pat.  Come back anytime!

---

Visit P.N. online:

• Website
• Blog

Want to read more from P. N. Elrod? (courtesy of Fantastic Fiction)

Barrett
Jonathan Barrett, Gentleman Vampire (omnibus) (1987)
Red Death (1993)
Death and the Maiden (1994)
Death Masque (1995)
Dance of Death (1996)

Vampire Files
1. Bloodlist (1990)
2. Lifeblood (1990)
3. Bloodcircle (1990)
4. Art in the Blood (1991)
5. Fire in the Blood (1991)
6. Blood on the Water (1992)
7. A Chill in the Blood (1998)
8. The Dark Sleep (1999)
9. Lady Crymsyn (2000)
10. Cold Streets (2003)
11. A Song in the Dark (2005)
12. Dark Road Rising (2009)
The Vampire Files : Volume One (omnibus) (2003)
The Vampire Files : Volume Two (omnibus) (2006)
The Vampire Files : Volume Three (omnibus) (2011)

 

I, Strahd
The Memoirs of a Vampire (1993)
The War against Azalin (1998)

Ethical Vampires
Keeper of the King (1996) (with Nigel Bennett)
His Father's Son (2001) (with Nigel Bennett)
Quincey Morris, Vampire (2001)

Kolchak: The Night Stalker
The Night Stalker Chronicles (2005)
The Night Stalker Casebook (2006)
 

Novels
The Adventures of Myhr (2003)
Siege Perilous (2004) (with Nigel Bennett)

Anthologies
My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding (2006)
My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon (2007) Vampires: Dracula And The Undead Legions (2009)
The Time of the Vampires (1996) (with Martin H Greenberg)
Dracula in London (2001)
Celebrity Vampires (1995)
Vampire Detectives (1995)
Rivals of Dracula (1996)
Strange Brew (2009)
Dark and Stormy Knights

---

Interested in Guest Blogging on All Things Urban Fantasy?  CONTACT ME