Thursday 9 February 2017

Fancy A Vampire? Check out Maya Tyler's latest on Thursday Tales

Maya Tyler introduces us to A Vampire's Tale on today's Thursday Tales


Judge Maya Tyler’s A Vampire’s Tale By Its Cover

A picture is worth a thousand words so let me paint you a picture with my words.



As independent and strong women are today (versus the pre-feminist movement), we are still drawn to a heroic partner. I think it’s human nature to crave connection with other humans. The feminist movement was really about women gaining equality with their male counterparts and addressing discrimination against women. It was about choice. Being a feminist does not equate with being a man-hater. That said, if you’re a woman, whether you seek a male companion or a female one, you’re most likely looking for a person to share your life with, to have a family with, to grow old with.

I dreamed of falling in love, getting married, and having children. I also realized the importance of having marketable skills in order to support myself, if need be. I worried about not finding the right person. I worried about being alone and never having children. Then I met my husband-to-be. In high school, of all places. Fate has a way of working its magic. It was my destiny to meet my husband. His high school closed the year before and he was bused to the next town over for his final year. I had just moved to the next town over and started high school at the same school. We were both new. We became good friends and the rest is, as they say, history. Here we are, over twenty years later, happily married with two amazing sons.

I believe in romance and happily-ever-afters. I am an avid reader of such novels. Life doesn’t always come with a happy ending, there are always obstacles and conflicts with uncertain outcomes. Fiction also manoeuvres through a mine field of issues, but there is a happily-ever-after or, at least, a happy-for-now type ending to look forward to. Unless, you’re a follower of Stephen King’s “kill your darlings” philosophy.

“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”

That’s a whole other story.

My independent and strong heroine Marisa Clements has broken society’s mold of how she should live her life. She leaves college and a good job, against her parents’ wishes and despite her friends’ misgivings, to pursue the career she wants. She follows her passion and risks the chance of failure. She seems alone. But, the truth is, she has never been alone. Someone has been watching over her, guiding her, behind the scenes. When she meets the vampire called Corgan Halton, she feels an immediate connection. They share a unique bond. He makes her feel safe, yet not.

Corgan lives in isolation. His home is in the country, surrounded by an expanse of forest. As a vampire, he spends all of his time in darkness. He is ancient. He has existed long enough to feel both irritation and empathy toward humans. He decides to tell his story with the intention on educating the humans who believe the Hollywood version. Then, considering his “life” complete, he plans on meeting the sun. He is drawn to Marisa in a way so strong he cannot ignore it. He gives into his weakness and convinces her to write his story.

The cover for A Vampire’s Tale is dramatic with bold font and contrasting colors. The blue cast on the forest makes it seem mysterious. The look Marisa and Corgan share is too intense to describe in mere words. Hence, the visual. They are staring at each other as if nothing or no one, other than them, exists. Everything has faded into the background, like an inconsequential shadow disappearing with the rise of the sun. Corgan holds Marisa in his arms like he has just swooped in and saved her.

What women doesn’t dream of her very own hero sweeping her off her feet? Such a romance novel cliché, but one that rings true and passes the test of time. Whether it’s a literal or a figurative swoop, the feeling the action conveys catches your breath and sends your heart into overdrive. Be still, my beating heart. Caution: strong potential for swooning up ahead.

A book cover advertises the book within. The cover speaks to a perspective reader in different ways. I look at A Vampire’s Tale’s cover and I see passion and intensity between the man and woman. I see them surrounded by mystery. I see his protective nature. I see her trust in him. I see a connection between them so intense it is practically tangible.

Go ahead and judge this book by its cover, you won’t be disappointed.

I didn’t use quite a thousand words, but hopefully enough to pique your curiosity… Look at the cover. What is it saying to you?


He emerged from the darkness to speak the truth.

A Vampire’s Tale


A Vampire’s Tale

Author Maya Tyler is excited about her upcoming paranormal romance novel, A Vampire’s Tale coming from Tirgearr Publishing on March 22, 2017. Available for pre-sale now at Amazon, Smashwords, Apple, and Kobo.
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The best laid plans…

Marisa Clements was never satisfied writing the ‘gossip column’ in the local paper and
she quit her job to follow her dream of writing fiction. Floundering in an unforgiving
industry, she wrote about vampires, a popular subject she considered fascinating but as
real as unicorns, to pay the rent.

Corgan was tired of human misconceptions about vampires and ‘living’ as a vampire.
He planned to tell Marisa his story and end his existence. It was no coincidence Corgan
selected Marisa to write his story. With the ability to see the future, he knew she would
be a major part of it. He knew if they met, she would help him die, but in doing so, she’d
be doomed to the same fate. Once they met, their futures would be irrevocably
intertwined.

Corgan began to care for Marisa and finally revealed the truth to her. He admitted his
quest to atone for his past sins had put her in grave danger from a nest of revenge seeking
vampires. Corgan must claim her for her own protection. But claiming her is not
enough, he must ask for help from his wizard friends and his maker in order to destroy
his enemy or Marisa will never be safe.
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Maya Tyler is a romance author, blogger, wife, and mother. She has a degree in Commerce. Over the past few years, she decided to unleash her creative streak and get serious about writing. So far, she has published a short story “Just for Tonight” in an anthology called With Love from Val and Tyne and her debut paranormal romance novella Dream Hunter. Her second paranormal romance novel A Vampire's Tale releases on March 22, 2017. Writing mostly paranormal romances, all her books have a common theme – happily ever after. When she’s not writing, you can find her playing with Lego and watching superhero movies with her husband and sons.

You can find Maya on the web at the following locations:
Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog
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Why a book about vampires? Maya has been watching vampire movies for years… from Dracula to Twilight… Hollywood has taken a unique approach on the paranormal creature called vampire. If vampires were real, what would they really be like? Maya took careful stock of the many different theories out there and devised a version of her own. Meet Corgan Halton.
__________________________________________________
Excerpt:

            Under the cover of dusk, the city lights came alive. Her view, slightly obstructed by the rickety fire escape, did not keep her from seeing the flashing neon signs lining the street below.     That’s it. She’d wasted hours on this novel, immediately deleting every word she typed. The cursor blinked mockingly on the otherwise blank page of her document. Write something. Anything.
            With her apartment now shrouded in darkness, intermittently illuminated by the street lights, Marisa Clements lit the white pillar candle on her desk. Its orange flame cast long shadows against the wall. So I can see what I’m not writing. An eclectic mix of music serenaded her from the neighborhood, a reminder of Lincoln Park’s active nightlife, a distinct contrast to her quiet Friday night at home.
            The candle flickered and a cold shiver travelled down her spine. Then it came to her. Fingers poised over the keyboard, she typed.
            And his eyes glowed with unholy flames.
            She squirmed in her chair. Marisa could see the dark stranger, clad in black, standing before her like a real being. He blended with the shadows, the dim room serving as apt camouflage, except for his eyes. They bore straight through her.
            What do you mean “like a real being”?
            She jumped in her seat. Yikes. A little too real. Alone in her apartment, the voice could only be a figment of her imagination. She shivered with anticipation as her fingers flew over the keys of her beloved laptop. This would be her best story yet. To hell with all the non-believers—her wealthy, socialite parents who’d disowned her when she’d left business school, and the “so-called” friends who told her to get a real job. This was a real job… It paid the bills, after all. Sort of. It paid the minimum balance on her credit card.
            Why did people choose the mundane office job—she shuddered—plastering themselves to a desk from nine-to-five? Sitting at a desk to write was completely different. No boss, no stress… No money, if she didn't get her head out of the clouds and back to her latest vamp.
            He didn't have a name yet, but he had a face. A dark, mysterious face with a century's worth of secrets. Secrets he would tell her, only her, if she would listen.
            Marisa took a deep, calming breath. “I’m listening.” She closed her eyes, waiting. A cool breeze shifted her hair and her eyes popped open. The old floorboards creaked, and she spun her chair around. “Who's there?” The candle blew out. “What the—”
            Time—and her heartbeat—stood still. Paranoia set in, the consequence of writing too many vampire stories. She must've left a window open. Or something. She re-lit the candle and turned her attention back to her laptop, staring at the last words she'd typed.
            Corgan Halton.
            She didn't remember typing that.
            “Corgan Halton.” She said the name slowly. “I like that.” She'd written a dozen vampire stories and this would be her best name yet. It had an old-worldly feel to it. Like a real name. She'd better look it up to make sure it wasn't a real name; she didn’t need a lawsuit. Did people sue for name infringement?
            “Okay, Corgan Halton. Are you real?” She typed the name into a search engine.
            “As real as you are.” The distinctive male voice resonated in the otherwise quiet room.
            Marisa froze. She didn't dare turn around. It was her overactive imagination at play. There was no one there. She hoped. Maybe one of her friends? Is this a joke?
            “Not a joke, Marisa.”
            Gasping, she stood and spun around toward the sound of his voice.
            As he stepped out of the shadows, she took in the man before her. Pale with black, curly hair, dressed in an impeccable suit. Dark and intimidating, he stood in her living room, shrinking the already small space.
            Exactly as she’d imagined. She conjured him from her imagination? No… This is not happening.
            She rubbed her unbelieving eyes. There couldn't actually be anyone there. When did she last eat? Did low blood sugar cause hallucinations?
            He smiled at her, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.
            “Who are you?” she demanded.
            “Corgan Halton.” He gave a courtly bow. “At your service.”
            No… She stared at him in shocked silence. It isn't possible.
            “I assure you, my dear, it's entirely possible.”
            “Do you read minds, too?” She held her breath and waited for his reply.
            “You tell me. You're the vampire expert.”

Vampire? He’s a vampire?

I'm hooked...

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