A Winner, An Interview and A Review!

Wow what a week! Not only did Kate and William get married but I've drawn a winner for a free e-copy of Ghost Bride! I know, I know, it's all so exciting!

I'm really not a huge royal family fan but I have to admit while I was up feeding my son at holy crap in the morning, I did tune in to the news channel to watch part of the ceremony. I also waited around to watch the first kisses. Very romantic!

Anyway, enough of that, on to the winner for the month of April - Thanks to everyone who commented on my blog posts this month - the winner for April is...Pat Hollett! Congratulations Pat! Send me an email at angelaaddams@live.ca so I can get some details from you.

For the rest of you - I've got a quickie contest starting tomorrow - it will last until next Thursday at midnight - all you have to do is comment on my review or interview over at Bea's Book Nook (she's posting it Saturday morning) or post a comment here and you'll be entered to win an e-copy of Ghost Bride. I'll draw the winner for next Friday's post.

Happy Friday everyone!

Paranormal Posers

I was talking to a fellow writer the other day and the conversation took an interesting turn when she said to me, "Well it's not like you're a paranormal poser - you actually write this stuff cause you like it!"

Her comment struck me as insanely hilarious at first and then I started to mull over the truth behind her words and asked her in turn, "So you can tell when a paranormal writer is faking it?"

Hell yes! After I asked the question I realized that it's something I can do as well...recognize when an author has jumped on the paranormal bandwagon and is writing about vampires, werewolves, whatever, for the wrong reasons. I have a pile of books from several authors that I just couldn't read all the way through. Books where the characters are so wooden -not because of poor writing but because the author was writing them without a true understanding of the genre. Thanks to my friend I now have a term for them - the paranormal posers: writers who only write suparnatural stories because it's the hotest thing around at the moment.

Now, I'm not saying that you have to have a lifetime of experience with liking paranormal related things but I think it certainly helps. I've always loved all things paranormal. From watching the Hilarious House of Frightenstein to reading The Good Little Witch, over and over again, my childhood was filled with a love for ghosts, witches, vampires, whatever; as long as it was weird and scary I was totally into it.

So does it bother me that there are a few authors out there who have suddenly switched genres in favor of the popular paranormal? Sure, I guess it does, but only if they are doing it for the wrong reasons. And even before my friend pointed it out to me and gave it a name, I realize that I certainly can tell when they are doing it for the wrong reasons.

So what do you all think? Can you see through the paranormal posers? Does it bother you as a reader? What about as an aspiring author?

Don't forget about the ongoing contest to win an e-copy of Ghost Bride - all you have to do is comment this month for a chance to win!

And the Winner is...

In celebration of the release of my newest novella Ghost Bride I am giving away some e-copies and the first winner is ...T.Crosby! Congratulations! Send me an email at angelaaddams@live.ca so I can get some format details from you.

Now for the rest of you...a new contest begins today and will run for the rest of the month. The more times you comment this month the more times your name will go into the hat for a free e-copy of Ghost Bride!

I thought I would make this week's post very simple - I'm looking for some information from you as readers. I've got this character who is buzzing around in my head (I'll be devoting a post to him next week actually) and I'm struggling a little because he seems like a bit of a douche. My question to you all is, can you have a hero who isn't the greatest of guys? Is is possible to be the hero but not be lily white and perfect?

I say yes - I kind of like that about some of the heroes I've come across in my reading adventures - not all saintly - you know, with mixed up morals at times and a rough past to overcome. But what do you all think, can you trust a hero who might not make the right decision all of the time?

Characters, Characters, Everywhere!

Okay, more like a character...as in one character is everywhere! A few weeks ago I wrote a post on authors who talk to their characters...or rather, their characters talk to them - something that I still don't understand completely...but I think I can appreciate the concept a little better now...You see, I have this character that has popped into my head and he won't go away. He doesn't speak to me and I don't have a story for him, all I have is him, what he looks like, what he acts like, what he will sound like...but that's it. He stands in my mind with his arms folded across his massive chest wearing a black wife beater and cargo-like pants (you know, the ones with the big side pockets), his hair is styled into a short blue mohawk and he looks downright pissed. I don't know what his name is, don't know where to put him even...but I do know that once the right story hits he'll be making an appearance as a reluctant and very messed up hero. He's not perfect, in fact, he's a jerk most of the time - at least that's how he is presenting himself in my mind but I like him all the same and I believe my readers will too...if, I can find him a plot.

It's a really strange experience for me - totally new way for a character to come into existence in my mind. In fact, every time I think about writing - which is a lot - he's there...waiting...watching...I just have to give him a story.

Have any of you had this happen before? Got a character who needs a home? A hero who is so present that he invades your thoughts?

Am I going crazy?

Don't forget about the ongoing contest to win an e-copy of Ghost Bride - all you have to do is comment any week this month and your name goes in the draw! The more weeks you comment, the more chances you have to win. I'll be drawing a winner at the end of April!