Carrie Clevenger's Traitors

To some of you, the vampire Xan Marcelles is no stranger. If you're really savvy, you'll remember him from the verrrry early days when his creator, Carrie Clevenger, wrangled him as a blog serial. Then I sank my editorial fangs and claws into her, and we whipped the lad into shape and brought you Crooked Fang.

Somewhere between all that, Carrie and I still collaborated. The first time as a freebie download off Smashwords called Just My Blood Type. But then we figured we had so much fun together, we brought out Blood and Fire, which feature her Xan teamed up with my Ash of Inkarna fame. Fireworks ensued. I wouldn't go so far as to call what happened a bromance, but it was more fun than a barrel full of monkeys on amphetamines.

Well, Carrie's had a whole lot happening in her life but she's got her pack of zombie cheerleaders who were begging for her to bring out more of Xan's story, and she's finally obliged by releasing Traitors which pretty much picks up where Crooked Fang left off.

To give you a brief summary: 
Vampire Xan Marcelles and his band, Crooked Fang, have been sitting idle for almost two months when Xan's given a job offer he can't refuse. Only it is not a music gig -- it's a multiple hit in a Texas town called Bartlett. Given no details except six names and a location, Xan hits the road. He's always worked alone at this sort of job, but now there's no way but to have Nin riding shotgun. Can Xan take out his marks and keep Nin out of trouble or have the years out of circulation blunted his edge?

Okay, so that's it in a nutshell. I managed to duct tape Carrie to her seat today for a brief Q&A... So thank you, Carrie.

How has Xan developed as a character since you started the journey with him in Crooked Fang?

Xan started out as a rather naive creature, with simple needs that were easily being met. Now that his old life as a vampire continues to pick at him, he's finding that this comfort he had is almost an illusion. What would his boss, Charlie, say to him if he should find out that Xan is a vampire?

Xan has grown wiser to the wiles of the women. Sort of. Okay, I hope he does. But women tend to be his weakness.

Xan seems to be cast from the template of the reluctant hero. Why is this, in your mind?

I never expected Xan to take up the mantle of reluctant hero. I just wrote his story and after he goes through the first mystery in Crooked Fang as a response to an old girlfriend's murder, his propensity to protect and assist shined through the smoke and black leather. His words remain fairly much the same. Asshole. Slacker.

The reader can clearly see he's not much of anything he says and seems to not recognize what he really is at times.

Xan doesn't get along with vampires in general. How is it that he and Nin work well together (or not)?

Xan doesn't *trust* vampires in general after his experiences with his kind from before he returned to live in Pale Rider among the humans. With Nin, his unfulfilled need to fit in with someone, anyone, is partially given a small showing. He finds something with her, albeit brief, that he wasn't aware of looking for in the first place.

Xan bitches about being selected by people to help, but he seems to not give much resistance. He finds out in Traitors some of the reasons why.

* * * *

So that's it from the mistress's mouth. Now, go add Traitors on your Goodreads TBR pile, or even better, feed your Kindle. Then make this editor extremely happy by leaving your review once you've had a chance to get better acquainted with Xan.

Monster Fang Month

Because I'm so ridiculously proud of Crooked Fang, the novel by Carrie Clevenger for whom I played editor, I'm also happy to give a splash on my blog today to share the fact that she's running a special for the month of October. It's available in print and electronic formats.

If you have no idea who or what Crooked Fang is, it's a story featuring a vampire--one Xan Marcelles--and he's a total breath of fresh air in the genre.

But instead of me doing all the talking, I'm going to pull some quotes from happy readers off Goodreads.

"Xan is a completely lovable character, even when he's doing his best to screw things up. A breath of fresh air in a sea of stagnant vampire books! This book is not to be missed." ~ Synde

"Oh yay, another vampire, I hear you cry. Stop right there. Forget for a moment that Twilight ever existed, and give Crooked Fang a go. Why? Because sometimes you can almost forget that CF's hero, Xan Marcelles, is even a vampire. I prefer to think of him as a grumpy, whisky-drinking, chain-smoking bassist who's going to live for a really, really long time." ~ Icy Sedwick

"He’s a gritty, heady mix of biker/ musician hottie next door and badass vampire trying very hard to just stay off everyone’s radar. There will be no ruffled poet shirts here. Expect lots of whiskey and cigarettes, Harleys and muscle cars, and references to rock music that will span most of the history of rock. He’s also got a low tolerance threshold for bullshit, but that doesn’t stop him from ending up in it." ~ Suz

"There were a few scenes in Crooked Fang that absolutely set me back on my heels, scenes of such crystalline, short-leashed violence, such visceral power, that I felt my blood pressure rising and my breath catch in my throat. That doesn’t happen often with me and, when it does, I can’t help but shake my head in jealous admiration and say, 'damn, that’s some good writing.'" ~ Cathy Olliffe Webster

Well, what are you waiting for? This is, in my books, one of the best vampire stories to hit the shelves this year, and I'm the darndest luckiest editor to have seen this story and snatched it up. I don't think you're going to get this one as cheaply as it is right now. Ever again.

Restless Music--Riding with Crooked Fang

It’s all Peter Steele’s fault, really. When the bassist and frontman of Type O Negative passed away in 2010, his death rekindled my interest in music and I embarked on a journey of rediscovery. Music. Particularly the music I listened to when I was in my late teens and early twenties.

That’s how I discovered A Pale Horse Named Death, and started interacting with folks on the band’s forum … and that’s also when I took note of a post by one of the other members who mentioned that she was serializing a vampire novel on her blog.

Curious, I clicked … and fell in love with Xan Marcelles. I knew the minute that I read those first few extracts that here was a well-formed, complicated character I was itching to see more of. When author Carrie Clevenger and I started chatting about our mutual love of music and writing, we just clicked.

Somewhere along the line I ended up getting her contracted to get the novel published, and we got the ball rolling with edits, and also an enjoyable writing partnership.

Now, taking a tale from a blog serial to a novel is not as easy as it sounds. A blog serial, by its nature, doesn’t always follow the kind of structure one would encounter in a novel. Episodes and seemingly isolated vignettes can prove tricky, and this is one of the problems we had to overcome – how to string it all together and build tension in the right parts.

Some scenes hit the cutting room floor while Carrie created quite a bit of new material. We also had to look at continuity, and how to blend the old with the new. Layering was important too, but in the end all the hard work was a tremendous amount of fun and possibly one of the most rewarding projects I’ve played editor for in my career so far.

The thrill of seeing the original form, a rather raw set of blog posts transmute into a physical book you can heft in your hand – priceless.

What I love about Carrie’s writing is that she’s a keen observer of the world and people around her, presenting tales often heavily themed with the shadow of mortality. For those who’ve yet to read her Friday Flash offerings, you’re missing out on her unique brand of often wry, sometimes poignant and often dark slices of life.

But back to Crooked Fang. This is not your average vampire novel. What makes Xan so engaging is his very humanity in the face of his undead existence. He’s the kind of character who just quietly wants to get on with his life, and readers will gain a glimpse into the heart of a complex person who’s been through a lot, has been transformed by his experiences, yet clings to the veneer of normality. As a reader, I felt real sadness at the knowledge that all Xan loves is temporary. Everything dies, and he will continue.

This is particularly illustrated in Xan’s relationship with his best friend from his living years, Scott. The human has a family, a successful business and is settled, and sure of himself. Xan, on the other hand, knows that all he holds is “for now”, yet he’ll hang around while he can. It’s tragic in a way, but it makes you love him all the more for his loyalty. He never forgets his true nature, even as much as he hides it, and there are a few times when there are hints at Xan’s more bloodthirsty side. Yet all his aspects are balanced. There’s no wangsting after a “one true love” though Xan’s quite honest about his intentions when he gets hot and bothered about the fairer sex. And his music. He loves his music.

That just made it for me. As much as Crooked Fang is a story of a vampire coming to terms with his past and present, and possibly an interminable future, this novel has its own soundtrack, and echoes the spirit of the restless music that thumped through the years when I didn’t know my own place in the world.

LINKAGE
www.crookedfang.com
Twitter @crookedfang
https://www.createspace.com/3930335
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crooked-Fang-1-Carrie-Clevenger/dp/0615668135/

First look at BLOOD AND FIRE

Another special by Carrie Clevenger and Nerine Dorman

See Xan's teaser here.

I gathered a few tangles of daimonic essence, just enough to be coiled, in case I had to strike, and pushed open the door. The barrier swung inward, grating dryly on invisible hinges. Within was a chamber, its unplastered walls revealing redbrick and mortar. The only source of light was yet one of those horrid green lights that illuminated a lidless sarcophagus, which appeared to be carved out of limestone.

Within lay a Native American man with noble features, his body bound painfully with chains in a mockery of a mummy’s bandages. Several padlocks held these bonds in place. He wasn’t a mortal. His lips were pulled back in a silent rictus snarl to reveal vicious elongated canines—which would not look out of place on a wolf.

Other collaborations by Carrie Clevenger and Nerine Dorman, Just My Blood Type

Nerine's Facebook page

Crooked Fang on Facebook

*teaser material subject to change

What the readers have to say

Well, I’m quite stoked to see how people have taken to Just My Blood Type, a short work of collaborative fiction between myself and Carrie Clevenger. And today I'm going to do something different by letting the readers who so graciously reviewed our piece have their say.

“I have a fondness for bad-mouthed female leads. This one made me grin while reading through the dialogue.” – Rikki K, Smashwords

“The story switches back and forth between the two in a sultry give and take building to a climax that gives the title its name’s sake. For the price of only intoxicating your senses, Carrie Clevenger and Nerine Dorman deliver one hell of a story.” – Jodi MacArthur, Smashwords

“This is Gothic Romance but at the cutting edge. If you’re looking for Twilight fan fiction then you better go look somewhere else.” – Noor A Jahangir, Smashwords

“I’m in awe of the way they’ve woven their own book characters and personas into this story of vampire meets romance novelist. That it seems real and gritty and as if the reader is having a conversation down at their local bar or cafe is a tribute to their skills.” – Cari Silverwood, Goodreads

“Absolutely loved this read! I felt as if I were sitting in the bar eavesdropping on the goings on of Therese and Xan and enjoying every moment of it.” – Ava Riley, Goodreads

“Loved this short story! It’s got a great concept and terrific writing from both authors. I look forward to more of Xan when Crooked Fang is released.” – Sonya Clark

“Xan is a force to be reckoned with and I cannot wait for his book! This story was so adorable. Just a taste... a small glimpse into Xan’s world.” – Wookiesgirl, Goodreads

Haven't read it yet? Well, go on, what are you waiting for?

Free download here.

And catch Xan, Carrie or me on Twitter, when you’re around.