13 SF/F TV Shows

It's a good time to be a fan of paranormal, fantasy and SF TV! Or a bad time, depending on how much you appreciate being glued to the tube. Back in the days before the ubiquitous 3000 channels of cable, you were lucky to get two or three stations clearly. Options were limited. Now, television watching is splintered into many channels, many methods, many preferences. You can watch it live on the aforementioned 3000 channels; you can tape it and watch later; you can stream it online; you can Hulu it; you can Netflix it; and so on and so forth.

What this means for fans of speculative stories -- like we all are here at Beyond the Veil! -- is that you actually have choices! Just ten years ago, I'd make lists of the (US-aring) shows that included speculative (SF/F/paranormal) content in a newsletter I used to edit. I could actually come up with a relatively complete list every year, with measurements of that show's sf/f and romantic content. Today, my own arsenal of shows on my TiVo plus ten minutes of web surfing provided me a list of names probably four times as long as what I used to report on...and it was just the tip of the iceberg.

So I thought, since today is Thursday, I'd list thirteen shows with a brief explanation of their premise and then a relatively neutral measurement (1-10) of their sf/f content and their romance content.

1) Lost Girl: The world is inhabited by a race of Fae who feed on or otherwise utilize humans while not letting humans know the Fae exist. Light Fae don't kill humans; Dark Fae are happy to kill anyone. Heroine Bo is an unaligned succubus torn between Light and Dark. SF/F content: 8. Very urban fantasy-style worldbuilding with Fae powers usually being crucial to each episode. The world of the Fae is the main world explored. ROMANCE content: 8. Bo as a succubus has a lot of sex and there are a number of romances on the show, both with Bo and her Fae or human friends. The romance is always there, simmering.

2) Warehouse 13: A secret branch of the government collects supernatural "artifacts" and stores them in a hidden warehouse to keep them from ruining the world and stuff. Main characters are the warehouse agents and others involved in the operation. SF/F content: 7. Steampunky/science fantasy. The agents are sent after various artifacts each week that could usually destroy the world if not controlled. ROMANCE content: 4. Not the main focus of the show, although the plots do sometimes touch on romancey relationships.

3) Alphas: Superpowered humans live amongst us, and a secret group involved with the government is trying to keep a lid on the ones who are destructive. SF/F content: 6. While the alphas' abilities get used every week, there is a huge dollop of human drama and interaction as well. ROMANCE content: 5-7. Some of the characters have romances, and judging by Season 2, which just started, these threads may become more influential. Season 1, I'd have said the romance was more like a 3-4 influence on the show.

4) Haven: A spooky Maine town (are there other kinds?) is inhabited by people with dire abilities and/or curses (the troubles), usually not in control of them; the police, who have abilities/curses of their own, realize that it's getting worse. SF/F content: 5. This show is mythology-heavy, with the characters' and towns' backstories influencing many episodes, and the backstories are troubles-laden. ROMANCE content: 7. The first two seasons, the characters dabbled in romances, but a swing at at the end of the last season showed that romance may be taking center-stage in the new season.

5) Being Human: Paranormal roomies live together and try to pass as human, or at least not kill people. SF/F content: 8. Like Lost Girl, this show has an urban fantasy vibe, but darker and angstier. The characters' non-humanness and other nonhumans frequently influence episode structure. ROMANCE content: 8. Finding love can be hard when you are tempted to eat people. This doesn't feel like the kind of show that will have a lot of HEA love stories, though!

6) Supernatural: 2 extremely good-looking demon-hunting brothers repeatedly go to Hell and back as they strive to save the world and each other. SF/F content: 7. Human foibles and personalities are not given short shrift, although the Winchesters do spend a majority of their time fighting supernatural evil, each other, etc. ROMANCE content: 5. The important relationships in the show are more familial, although legions of fangirls squee (with good reason) anytime the brothers engage in romantic escapades. Note: I haven't watched the show since Season 4 and may be off on this proportion.

7) Grimm: In a world where paranormals try to exist in secret amonst humans (anyone sense a theme yet??), special "Grimms" can see who's paranormal and have made it their purpose in life to take them out...until our hero, a Grimm, comes along. SF/F content: 7. Our hero confronts various realities of this hidden paranormal world in every episode as well as his heritage, which comes with a healthy dose of mythology and bigger story arcs. ROMANCE content: 4. Hero begins the show in a healthy relationship for the most part, but that relationship is tested by his secret knowledge.

8) True Blood: In a world where paranormals have started outing themselves to humans, a batch of characters in Louisiana continually find themselves in the middle of blood, sex and chaos. SF/F content: 9. This show, based on the Charlaine Harris books, is about what it's like to exist as a supernatural with a few humans thrown in for balance. ROMANCE content: 10. That's sort of what the show revolves around. Sookie's nookie. That and vampires biting people.

9) Game of Thrones: Fantasy-medieval setting and large cast of characters, all striving to coexist, or rule, the smallish kingdom where the majority of the cast lives or wants to live. SF/F content: 4. Much of the setting is medieval/historical, but more threads of the supernatural have begun filtering in. ROMANCE content: 4. While people, mostly females, get naked constantly on the show, all the romances feel doomed, and the main emphasis seems to be on the political struggles, with sexxoring mixed in to screw, haha, stuff up.

10) The Walking Dead: Post-zombie apocalyptic world where the survivors have to avoid or kill the zombies and keep from killing each other as well. SF/F content: 4. I gather the zombies are the only supernatural element. ROMANCE content: unknown. I don't watch the show, but I haven't heard that the romance is a draw.

11) Falling Skies: Post-alien apocalyptic world where the survivors have to avoid or kill aliens and keep from killing each other as well! SF/F content: 5. The fact that aliens took over Earth and kidnapped and harnessed kids and continue to kill humans has a huge influence on the plots, although the other aspects are more survivalist. ROMANCE content: 3. The relationships and human dramas do not revolve around romances, although there are romantic aspects I wouldn't want to spoil.

12) Doctor Who: Time-traveling beings who can reincarnate as different actors as needed take on human companions in their quest to protect the timeline and Earth and stuff. SF/F content: 8. ROMANCE content: 4. I do not watch Doctor Who, so if you want to fill in these blanks, please do!

13) Vampire Diaries: Angsty teens, old vampires who look like teens and other supernaturals mix it up in a small town, complete with lots of mythology arcs. SF/F content: 7. ROMANCE content: 8. I do not watch Vampire Diaries, so if you want to fill in these blanks, please do!

NEW SHOWS FOR 2012:
Arrow - new
666 Park Avenue - new
Beauty and the Beast - new
Defiance - new
Revolution - new

So what glues you to the tube? Anything? Nothing? Want to do a brief rundown on any shows I missed?

Jody Wallace
When is an alpha not an alph-ass?
Pack and Coven: http://www.jodywallace.com

Braaaaaaaaiiiins!

Last night, the zombies took over Adams Street in downtown Toledo! My husband and I donned our biker gear and went out in search of a few brains to munch on at the second annual Zombie Crawl. This is probably the one time that turning off the red-eye reduction on the camera is actually a good thing. :)

This was one night we elected not to ride the Harley. Are you kidding me? With all those blood-hungry monsters roaming the alleys? [shudder]

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Carolan Ivey
www.carolanivey.com

Convention Time Again

This time, I'm heading out for the Authors After Dark convention with a few of my fellow Beyond the Veil friends. In fact, Carolan Ivey, Dana Marie Bell, JC Wilder and I are hosting a "Dark & Dangerous Wine & Cheese" during the convention where we'll be giving away a Nook eReader. If you plan to attend the AAD con, please make sure to come to our event!

If you can't come to the con, never fear, we'll catch you up on the goings on in our next blog posts, I'm sure. The convention grew out of another blog I have been part of for a number of years. I don't have much to do with the planning of the con anymore, but I still like to go and show my support. This year, I'm sponsoring the Steampunk Ball (even though I haven't been published in the Steampunk genre yet) and was forced to get a costume because I'm on the "Steam Court."

Those of you who know me may understand that I HATE costumes at this point in my life. Once upon a time, I was really into it. I worked at a Renaissance Faire and all summer I was a mercenary wench (one of the only female fighters the men let into the mercenary guild!) and dressed and talked the part while on the Faire grounds. It was a lot of fun and I loved dressing up. Now... older and fatter, I really HATE dressing up.

But because I'm on the court, I HAVE TO wear a costume. I agonized over this for months and bought and discarded a few different outfits. Finally, I think I have arrived at a solution and if it works out, I will try to post a pic. First, I'm going to be wearing a wig! I've never worn a wig in my life, but I thought if I was supposed to be Victorian, I needed ringlets and I'm just not that good a hairdresser. LOL. So I bought a wig that has ringlets and a giant hat that will sit on top that I've dressed up with ostrich plumes, netting and the requisite Steampunk goggles. (Mine are actually Harry Potter Quidich goggles, but I don't think anyone will notice. LOL)

The hat matches the costume, which is actually a commercially made lady pirate costume that I've altered with a netting bustle and an added long skirt and boots. I think it'll work. (I HOPE it'll work!) I'll let you all know how it works out after the con, which is next week. Carolan may update you sooner (since my turn to blog probably won't roll around again for a while).

In the meantime, please go out and get your copy of DEAD ALERT, my newest (and last in the series) zombie action/adventure book. Funnily enough, if you look right now, the previous book in the series, A DARKER SHADE OF DEAD, seems to have taken a place on the Kindle SF Best Seller List. Wow! I'm really happy about that and hope all of you will check out the books. The complete series is:

1. SIMON SAYS novella in the HALF PAST DEAD anthology
2. ONCE BITTEN, TWICE DEAD
3. A DARKER SHADE OF DEAD
4. SMOKE ON THE WATER novella in THE BEAST WITHIN anthology (which will be released in mass market paperback next month! It's already available in trade paperback and ebook.)
5. DEAD ALERT

Wish me luck with my costume and happy reading!

B.
Bianca D'Arc
Come over to The D'Arc Side... www.biancadarc.com

New Contract & New Release!

Great news! I just got an offer for a new Brotherhood of Blood story. It's called WOLF HILLS and it's the story of of Sally, a San Francisco police detective who goes to Wyoming on vacation to visit one of her best friends. Carly is newly wed to a mysterious foreigner. When Sally arrives in Wyoming, she quickly learns that Carly's new husband is the Master Vampire of the region and there's a werewolf Pack living just up the road. Because Carly has recently become a vampire too, the werewolves are tasked with showing Sally around during the day and keeping her company until the sun goes down.

Jason Moore is the Alpha of the werewolf Pack. When he sees Sally for the first time, he knows there's something special about her. He's drawn to her and makes it his business to be her tourguide. He invites her to take her meals at the Pack house, in his company, not realizing his favoritism is going to cause havoc among a few of the bitches in his Pack. But Sally can handle just about anything, including any werewolf bitch who challenges her.

When werewolf children are targeted by evil hunters in the area, Sally refuses to sit on the sidelines. She helps the Alpha hunt down the perps and free the child they've kidnapped, facing bombs, bullets and crazed killers along the way.

That's the gist of it. I haven't really written the blurb yet. We're just getting the contract together to formalize everything, but I thought it was worth sharing. This book has a lot of action and a great romance. It was a lot of fun to write and I expect it'll probably be out sometime around the beginning of 2012.

Just to be clear: I have an erotic science fiction book coming out in October called HIDDEN TALENT. And the last of the military paranormal zombie books, DEAD ALERT, arrives in stores on July 26th. Keep an eye out for it! This will be the last of the zombie books and it ends with a huge bang! :)

In fact, here's a little bit about it...

For Emily Parkington, the thrill of flying charter planes for Praxis Air has lately been tinged with dread. Mysterious cargo flights and a high number of fatal crashes lead Emily to suspect something sinister behind the scenes. And if her new colleague is involved, Emily won’t hesitate to turn him in, in spite of Sam Archer’s sexy charm and irresistibly easy confidence.

Enemy or potential ally? Sam can’t be sure of anything where Emily is concerned, except how much he wants her. Immune to the zombie virus created through military research, Sam is working undercover to find out if Praxis is trafficking forbidden technology. It was a potentially deadly assignment even before he found himself distracted by a woman he scarcely knows. And when a “controlled” experiment goes horribly wrong, there will be no limit to the danger they both face... or how far he’s willing to go to save her...

It's available now for pre-order on Amazon or B&N. Reserve yours today! :) And another odd thing - the pricing on this book is weird. It's actually cheaper to buy the paperback than the ebook! That just seems wrong to me, but I have no control over how the publisher prices things. *sigh*

That's the news for now. I've been writing a bit more than I have over the past year, so I hope to have more news for you next time my turn to blog rolls around. In the meantime, have fun with the zombies! :)

Bianca
Come over to The D'Arc Side... www.biancadarc.com

Lots going on in my world. I've recently finished writing the fourth military paranormal (with zombies!) story for Kensington Brava - a novel titled A DARKER SHADE OF DEAD, which will be out in November and is already available for pre-order on Amazon. Before that, though, a novella in the series will be included in THE BEAST WITHIN, a Halloween Brava anthology anchored by Erin McCarthy. My story in the anthology, which will be out in September is called "Smoke on the Water."

Isn't the cover great? Too bad my story isn't a werewolf tale, but it is definitely paranormal and I think it'll be a fun and sexy addition to the anthology.

The first two stories in the series, HALF PAST DEAD and ONCE BITTEN, TWICE DEAD are receiving great reviews and seem to be doing well. I've had lots of comments from readers who had some concern about the whole zombie thing, but were "converted" after reading my take on the myth. Hopefully you will be too! So if the zombie thing is keeping you from trying the books, don't let it scare you. I really don't write horror. (At least I don't think I do - sure there are tense moments and a few scary parts, but I doubt anything in my books would qualify as true horror.)

I seem to have a lot of print releases this year, including the most recent, INFERNO. Here's a little bit about the book...

A forbidden union forged in love-and tempered in hellfire.

One last task and Megan will be free of the debt of honor owed by her family. Spying on Dante, a powerful vampire with questionable friends, sounds simple enough. But her mission is complicated by the fact she’s got something every vampire wants-tangy, powerful, werewolf blood.

It’s easy to capture his attention. The hard part will be getting out with her heart — and soul — intact. Not to mention her life, thanks to a crazed bomber.

Dante isn’t the kind to forgive or forget easily, especially the grudge he holds against werewolves. Still, he is instantly drawn to the injured lone wolf in his care. When he and his friend Duncan treat her wounds, they discover something that marks her as much more than she seems.

The mark is a neon sign warning to be careful, but Dante can’t help himself. He wants her and nothing will stand in his way. Not her species. Not his. Not the strange woman who keeps trying to kill him.

Not even the magical poison in Megan’s blood…

Buy in Print from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1605046027

Buy in Print from B&N: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Inferno/Bianca-DArc/e/9781605046020/?itm=1&USRI=inferno+bianca+d%27arc

New Cover & Great Reviews!

Here it is - the cover for this year's Halloween anthology from Kensington Brava. I just saw it for the first time last week and I'm really impressed with how hot it is in a subtle way. My third zombie story, titled SMOKE ON THE WATER, is in this book, which will release in September 2010. I sort of wish my story were a werewolf tale, considering the cover, but I'm guessing the other two stories in the anthology probably are. ;-) Isn't it a great cover, though? THE BEAST WITHIN is already available for pre-order on Amazon and a few other places. I can't wait to read the other stories in the anthology!

I'm still working on catching up with my writing schedule after the devestating loss of my Mom in late December, but it's slow going. The good news is that my military paranormal zombie romance series has been getting great reviews and seems to be doing well. That's a huge relief to me. I really wasn't sure if romance readers could get past the whole decomposing zombie thing to enjoy the romance part. ;-)

RT Book Reviews Magazine said about HALF PAST DEAD: "These zombie stories stand out in a genre dominated by vampires....D'Arc delivers a creepy and pulse-pounding story of danger."

And they had this to say about ONCE BITTEN, TWICE DEAD: "D'Arc deftly blends horror, romance and action for a thrilling, sexy tale."

ONCE BITTEN, TWICE DEAD comes out officially on March 1st, but it looks like it'll beging shipping from Amazon on February 23rd. :)

I've been really fortunate with some great reviews of late, including this last one from RT about my latest print compilation, BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD: "These vampire tales can stand alone, yet cleverly intertwine the lives of the characters...Each one entertains with drama, tender romance and erotic sex scenes."

I have a lot of print titles coming out this year and little energy to keep up with all the promotion I should probably be doing, unfortunately. With any luck, things will start to settle down soon. I have a feeling my depression and new appreciation for the realities of suffering will be affecting my writing. It'll be interesting to see how I might grow as a writer as a result of this devestating experience.

It's one of the few potentially good things that might come out of this experience. I've been trying to find the silver lining to all of this and it's really, really hard. Meanwhile, I just keep trying to live one day at a time. Thanks to all of you who've taken time to write to me. Your support through this awful time means more than I can say.

The Zombies are Here!

My first zombie story is out! It's a novella called "Simon Says" in the HALF PAST DEAD anthology from Kensington Brava. Look for it in a bookstore near you. Here's the blurb:

Special Forces soldier Simon Blackwell ended his affair with Mariana Daniels three years ago, but he hasn't stopped protecting her. Mariana has no knowledge of the dark, deadly creatures that lurk in the forest surrounding her clinic, or of the mysterious powers that make Simon the only one who can defeat them. But soon he'll have no choice but to reveal the truth, and urge her to trust in an explosive passion that never faded...

Buy it now from Amazon or wherever you buy trade paperbacks!

And the first novel in the series is coming out at the end of February. It's called ONCE BITTEN, TWICE DEAD. Here's a little bit about the book:

Thrills, chills and a smoldering sexy hero combine to unforgettable effect in Bianca D'Arc's irresistible new novel of paranormal romance...

When police officer Sarah Petit investigates a disturbance in an abandoned building, she expects to find a few underage drinkers. Instead, she's attacked by creature straight out of a horror movie. Waking a week later in a hospital, Sarah is visited by Special Forces soldier Captain Xavier Beauvoir. The zombies who attacked Sarah are the result of military research gone terrifyingly wrong, and Sarah's immunity to the virus makes her the perfect person to help Xavier eradicate them. But his smooth Cajun accent, whiskey-colored eyes, and dizzying kiss are risky to her in a very different way.

Sarah attracts danger like a magnet -- and the smart, fearless cop attracts Xavier too, instilling a bone-deep need that's undermining his steady facade. Enlisting her aid is a necessary gamble, but vicious undead creatures are not the only enemy they face. And the only way to keep each other safe is to trust in an instant connection that could be their greatest strength -- or the perfect way to destroy them both...

The book is available for pre-order from Amazon and will also be available for the Kindle.

While I'm plugging new books, I should also mention that three of my vampire novellas have been collected into a single print volume called BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD. It's available now for pre-order on Amazon. Or you can get the individual stories in ebook formats. The volume contains the stories: ONE & ONLY, RARE VINTAGE, and PHANTOM DESIRES.

Here's a little bit about each:

Three mortal women discover the loves of their lives…the vampires of their dreams.

One and Only - Vampire Atticus Maxwell stands at the edge of his own oblivion…until the faint heartbeat of a desperately wounded mortal woman calls him back. The terrible crash that almost took both their lives has brought him a woman who just might give him a reason to live again. No barrier to their love seems too great—until they learn the crash was no accident at all…

Rare Vintage - Marc LaTour is drawn to Kelly when she goes to work for the newlyweds Atticus and Lissa at their vineyard. He moves into the mansion on the pretext of needing a place to stay while his own home is remodeled. Then an upstart vampire challenges him to a fight to the death. Kelly is willing to trade her life for his — but can he save her from himself?

Phantom Desires - Dmitri Belakov enters the scorching hot dreams of the woman who just bought the farmhouse that rests above his secret lair. He must either bargain with her or kill her, but she is much too intriguing to dispose of so easily. When he discovers she is his One — his perfect match — he’ll do anything to keep her by his side... forever.

Warning: This book contains three individual tales of vampire lust, sexy neck biting, a little naughty dreamwalking, a touch of ménage action and lots of everlasting love.

I hope you'll enjoy all the new releases! For more information visit my website at http://www.biancadarc.com/

Half Past Dead by Bianca D'Arc

My first NY novella will be officially released tomorrow! It's in a duology called Half Past Dead and is a military romance with a zombie flavor. Cool, huh? Here's a little bit about it:

Special Forces soldier Simon Blackwell ended his affair with Mariana Daniels three years ago, but he hasn't stopped protecting her. Mariana has no knowledge of the dark, deadly creatures that lurk in the forest surrounding her clinic, or of the mysterious powers that make Simon the only one who can defeat them. But soon he'll have no choice but to reveal the truth, and urge her to trust in an explosive passion that never faded...

Since this book is published by Kensington Brava, look for it in bookstores and online.

Mixing Things Up...

Dragons are perhaps my favorite characters to write. Why? They're playful, smart, strong and sort of mysterious. At least my dragons are. Then there are the dragon shapeshifters. My dragon princes are half human/half dragon. They've got all the cunning and power of the dragon and Alpha maleness to the Nth degree. Hubba hubba. ;-)

As it happens, I had a new dragon book come out earlier this month. It's called DRAGON STORM and it's not only a fantastical visit to my dragon world, but it's also a dimension-travel tale that brings twin dragon princes to our modern world where they meet their destined mate (yes, it's a very naughty menage!) and bring her back to their medieval-ish world. Yes, I'm really mixing it up in this book! It's out now in ebook and will be in print sometime next year.

But I've got something even more daring coming at the end of next month. Zombies. Yep, I said zombies! Not a word you'd normally associate with romance, but like I said, I really like to mix things up. ;-) I'll post more about it next time, but keep an eye out for a duology called HALF PAST DEAD from Kensington Brava. It's my first-ever release from a big "NY" publisher and it contains the novella that will launch a series of military paranormal romances I'm calling Guardians of the Dark.

The first novel in the series will release in March, titled ONCE BITTEN, TWICE DEAD. The heroes in the series are all special ops military dudes and their task is to fight the zombies alongside some cool women who come into their lives. The heroine of the first novella is a Navy doctor. The heroine of the first novel is a county cop. There will be at least three more of these stories - one more novella that will release later in 2010 and two more novels.

Zombies may not sound sexy, but believe me, the men who fight them are super hot. *fanning self* When I was asked to write about zombies, my first thought was "Huh?" But then I thought about it a bit and I realized it was the next logical step for the paranormal genre. It pushes the boundaries, which is something I'm used to doing and it was definitely a challenge. Hopefully you'll like the mix of menacing zombies and heroic protagonists who are tasked with saving us all. I wouldn't call these books "horror" but they definitely have some suspenseful moments here and there, in between a whole lotta romance.

I can't wait to hear what you all think of not only the zombies, but my latest dragon adventure. Have I gone too far mixing things up yet? LOL.

What Is It With Zombies?

Bianca's post a couple days ago got me thinking. No, not about cover art or headless torsos--about zombies!

What is it with the current zombie infestation in popular media? Should I be stockpiling blunt weapons and clean water or just a strong stomach?

Traditionally, zombies are antagonists--the dark forces of voodoo or virus our protagonist must face, usually unsuccessfully. Zombies are implacable, extremely infectious and legion (not legend--that would be Richard Matheson). There's a thriving subgenre of zombie survival guides, though they're generally "om coms" (zombie comedies, a phrase I found on one of the sites I visited for research and swore I'd find a way to work into this blog!). There's zombie literature, zombie games, zombie movies, zombie costumes, zombie conventions (http://zombieconx.com/), and zombie walks. (http://blogs.funeralwise.com/dying/2009/08/03/zombies-stalk-the-streets-from-alabama-to-alaska/ & www.zombiewalk.com )

The walking dead (as opposed to the bloodsucking undead) have existed in literature and cinema for quite some time. I've found references to movies from the 1930's and 40's and a literary reference from the late1600's, though the term "ghouls" was used. Ghouls were also the monsters featured in one of the Arabian Nights tales. Merriam-Webster claims zombi entered the English language in 1871 (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zombie ).

HP Lovecraft began writing zombie and undead tales in the 1920's and 30's. According to the UGO website and reinforced in many other articles, types of horror movies and zombie popularity (in the US) can be traced to deep, underlying national fears: "Zombies have always been most popular in America when, as a country, we're most scared of an enemy who looks just like us yet doesn't have the same moral code. Zombies became huge in American pop culture during both the Cold and Vietnam Wars, when it wasn't such a stretch to go from Commie to Zombie. It's equally easy to jump from terrorist to walking dead, which explains the current zombie resurgence in US culture." (UGO's History of Zombies: http://www.ugo.com/a/zombies-attack/?cur=history )

That's not the only evidence of zombies and philosophy. Most of the articles I read today suggested zombies and zombie movies, in particular, often have deeper political or social statements to make, while some psychologists "attribute the interest in zombies to the resurgence of off-the-wall humor reflected in programs such as “The Daily Show.” " (http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20070726-9999-1n26zombies.html ). Yes! Zom coms! I'd be as inclined to lean toward the second explanation as the first one, because I'm shallow and because I get to say zom com again.

If you're a fan of zombies or just curious about how in the world rotting corpses who yearn for human flesh can have deep, philisophical ramifications, here's a motley list of links that are guaranteed to EAT YOUR BRAIN! Also, some of the links have graphic pictures and language, so surfer beware (of zombies).

Zombie Cinema:

1) Top 10 Zombie Movies: http://www.movie-moron.com/?p=2160

2) Another Top 10 Zombie Movies: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6054654/Top-Ten-list-the-best-zombie-films.html

3) More Top 10 Zombie Movies: http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/movie_review/stylus-magazines-top-10-zombie-films-of-all-time.htm

4) Wiki List of Zombie Movies (has more than 10): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_zombie_films

5) Printable Zombie Movie List with over 4500 films: http://www.trashvideo.org/zmdb/view/printable_list.php

6) Free (legally I presume) Zombie Movies Online: http://www.fearnet.com/movies/index.html

7) Definitive Zombie Movie List (Chronological): http://www.geocities.com/shape_of_infinity/

8) What You Can Learn from Zombie Movies: http://discovermagazine.com/2007/aug/peer-review-what-you-can-learn-from-zombie-movies

9) Weirdest Zombie Movies: http://ninetythrees.com/zombie/the-20-weirdest-zombie-movies-ever-made/ (with gruesome clips)

10) Zombie Movie Popularity: http://coolrulespronto.wordpress.com/2009/01/13/zombie-movies/

11) 2007 Article about Zombies in Movies, which is fun to read because of what happened with zombies in 2008 and 2009: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/hollywood-newest-ticket-to-box-office-gold-zombies.html

Zombie Literature:

1) Zombie Novels Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_zombie_novels

2) Ultimate Zombie Book List: http://www.zombiebooklist.com/

3) Competing BEST Zombie Book List: http://bestzombiebooks.com/

4) Article about Zombie in Publishing (No, I don't mean overtired editors): http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6670427.html

5) Zombies in Literature: An Actual College Class: http://www.lsu.edu/faculty/jpullia/2025.htm

General Zombies, Pop Culture Studies, Etc:

1) All Things Zombie: http://www.allthingszombie.com/

2) Zombies in Pop Culture Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zombies_in_popular_culture

5 Scientific Reasons a Zombie Apocalypse Could Happen: http://www.cracked.com/article_15643_5-scientific-reasons-zombie-apocalypse-could-actually-happen.html

3) Zombies in Videogames: http://videoonlinegames.suite101.com/article.cfm/why_are_zombies_in_video_games_so_popular

4) Zombies Lurch Into Pop Culture: http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2009-04-08-zombies-pop-culture_N.htm

5) Zombies on NPR: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2008/oct/29/zombie_genre/ and followup: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105510752

6) Forget Zombies, I Prefer Werewolves: http://io9.com/5207453/nevermind-zombies-+-ive-moved-on-to-werewolves which is in response to an article in Time magazine: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1890384,00.html

7) Reflections on the Zombie Panel at WorldCon 2009: http://www.fearfulsymmetry.net/?p=273

8) Zombies During The Recession: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6169084.ece

9) PhD Zombies: http://uanews.org/node/20144

10) Zombies and Racism: http://popularsymbolism.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/the-impact-of-zombies-on-society/

11) History Channel's DVD about Zombies: http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=67800&ecid=SEO-0000046&pa=SEO-SSP

***

While I am not inclined to write about zombies myself (and I'm not a huge fan of horror movies or fiction), I do find all the intense interest they're generating right now fascinating.

Jody W.
http://www.jodywallace.com
SURVIVAL OF THE FAIREST--In Paper, Samhain Publishing
LIAM'S GOLD--In Electrons, Samhain Publishing

Cover Art Goodness

Let's have an art show, shall we? I want to show off some new covers for new books of mine that will be out next year. I have two Kensington Brava covers for my upcoming zombie stories. And just for Carolan, they actually have heads! (See the previous post by Carolan Ivey.)

My short novel in the HALF PAST DEAD duology is called SIMON SAYS. Here's a little bit about it:

Special Forces soldier Simon Blackwell ended his affair with Mariana Daniels three years ago, but he hasn’t stopped protecting her. Mariana has no knowledge of the dark, deadly creatures that lurk in the forest surrounding her clinic, or of the mysterious powers that make Simon the only one who can defeat them. But soon he’ll have no choice but to reveal the truth, and urge her to trust in an explosive passion that never faded...

And it's already available for pre-order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and BooksAMillion. The book is slated for January 2010 release, though the official release date is 12/29/09. The short novel in this book starts a whole new series of paranormal tales I'll be writing for Kensington Brava that continues with:

ONCE BITTEN, TWICE DEAD

Thrills, chills and a smoldering sexy hero combine to unforgettable effect in Bianca D'Arc's irresistible new novel of paranormal romance...

When police officer Sarah Petit investigates a disturbance in an abandoned building, she expects to find a few underage drinkers. Instead, she's attacked by creature straight out of a horror movie. Waking a week later in a hospital, Sarah is visited by Special Forces soldier Captain Xavier Beauvoir. The zombies who attacked Sarah are the result of military research gone terrifyingly wrong, and Sarah's immunity to the virus makes her the perfect person to help Xavier eradicate them. But his smooth Cajun accent, whiskey-colored eyes, and dizzying kiss are risky to her in a very different way.

Sarah attracts danger like a magnet -- and the smart, fearless cop attracts Xavier too, instilling a bone-deep need that's undermining his steady facade. Enlisting her aid is a necessary gamble, but vicious undead creatures are not the only enemy they face. And the only way to keep each other safe is to trust in an instant connection that could be their greatest strength -- or the perfect way to destroy them both...

Another stunning cover, isn't it? And this novel will be out in March 2010, to be followed by another novella in September 2010 and two more novels - one in November 2010 and one in 2011.

I also recently got a new cover for my next dragon book, DRAGON STORM, which will be coming out in eBook from Samhain in November. It hasn't been officially approved yet, so I'm not allowed to post it, but it's very different from my other dragon covers, as is the book. I'll post it next time it's my turn to blog. :)

Oh, and if you're interested, INFERNO is now available for pre-order on Amazon and BAM too. It's a red hot romance between a werewolf and a vampire with a little help from some other supernatural friends. ;-)

New Books from Bianca

I've got two new releases this month! First, GRADY'S AWAKENING will be debuting on August 18th from Samhain Publishing.

It's the story of Grady Prime, an alien super soldier who is beginning to learn what it means to be human. The story brings him together with Gina, a martial arts champion and spy, and her other true mate, Jim, the leader of a ragtag band of human survivors. Together, the three of them figure out how to live and love in the post-apocalyptic world where only the strong survive. You can read an excerpt online by clicking here.

Then I have another menage story coming out later this month. It's a short story that will hopefully be the start of a new series. It's called TAG TEAM and it will be released by Total-E-Bound on August 24th.

TAG TEAM is the first of my Gemini Project stories. The Gemini Project is an experiment to produce psychically enhanced warriors, who are able to share their thoughts in teams of two. They are invaluable as special operators, but what happens when they fall in love?

Check them out if you get a chance! I'm also happy to show off the cover for my first Kensington Brava release, a 2-author anthology called HALF PAST DEAD, coming in January 2010. Isn't the cover awesome?

My story in the anthology is called SIMON SAYS and it features a military hero battling a medical experiment run amok. Zombies are attacking people in the woods near a military base and it's up to Simon and his ex-girlfriend, a Navy doctor, to stop the killing and bring the situation under control. Of course, they didn't count on falling in love along the way...

I'm busy writing my first full-length zombie novel right now. It should be out in March 2010 from Kensington Brava. More news on that as it becomes available. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the new books this month! And don't forget to check out the contest we're holding for an ebook reader. Details are on my blog.

Better Late Than Never

Woops! I almost missed my opportunity to blog today. Sorry! I was traveling and plans changed mid-stream. But I'm here now... with some news...

First, INFERNO is out now, so if you haven't gotten your copy yet, check it out at MBAM, ARe, or wherever ebooks are sold! INFERNO is a great adventure tale that has some incredibly naughty bits with menage and lots of sexy vampire/werewolf action.

Also, I just got the cover for my upcoming anthology from Kensington Brava. The anthology is called HALF PAST DEAD and my story within it is titled, SIMON SAYS. Here's the blurb:

Special Forces soldier Simon Blackwell ended his affair with Mariana Daniels three years ago, but he hasn’t stopped protecting her. Mariana has no knowledge of the dark, deadly creatures that lurk in the forest surrounding her clinic, or of the mysterious powers that make Simon the only one who can defeat them. But soon he’ll have no choice but to reveal the truth, and urge her to trust in an explosive passion that never faded….

To get a peek at the most awesome cover ever, check out my blog.