Musings, Spring Updates & Books

Five more days until this month is gone--it went too fast. But I'm hopeful that the weather in April will turn warmer. We had 20 degrees for a low this morning! We're 15 degrees colder than we should be. I'll say!

I've finished the book An Embarrassment of Riches last night by Yarbro. This is not your typical blood sucking vampire story. Yarbro sets her vampire, Saint-Germain off from others in her own way, and needs not apologize for it. The scenes are lush with historical detail and language. The novel is set in the 1200's. The historical backdrop and all the clothing, and different words took me a while to get used to. (Yarabro's notes at the beginning are helpful and a must read before you go on to read the book.) This is definitely a book to read should you be interested in the Medieval time period, but I'd have to say it is not one filled with a lot of action. Saint-Germain--in this he is Razkoczy Feranci--who was known, in history, at this time as an alchemist. In this book he is an exile, and treated rather well since he owns land which the king wants. Kings at that time were going to war for power, land, and other such things. I felt Yarbro did a great job in showing how the power of the royalty works, but also how the church ruled over everyone and kept them all in the dark, as well as frightened about things they simply didn't understand--which included their own religion. You must remember at the time common people were illiterate, and very few upper class could read their own language let alone what is called church Latin.

When I closed the book for the last time, I felt somewhat as though it closed on a quiet note, assured that our hero would continue on in his way as a vampire. Saint-Germain's problem with all the women at court, from the queen to her ladies-waiting, he did so without becoming too perturbed, and maybe that's what bothered me a little bit. These various women who were very demanding, and could certainly give him probems--putting at risk his own people who would be slaughtered should he not dance to the tune of politics and meet demands for jewels, and sexual pleasures of Roza of Borsod, who held a high position in the queen's household. Still, I felt that he should have at least faced a little more of a threat than he did toward the end. Although I'm not disappointed in the fact he found a way out of it all, by no design of his own. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy it. I did and look forward to reaind another of her books. It must have been a demanding piece of work researching the era, the people and their ways, as well as the clothing, and how they addressed one another. These things I did glean a great deal from the historical aspects.

The intrigue is more with the women who sought Raskoczy for his "sexual" favors. Of course, unless you are not familiar with Yarbro's St. Germain I'm not going to tell you a great deal about his sexuality. For me, what I do remember from the one other book I did read Hotel Transylvania, is that I was rather disappointed that she made him impotent. That was something that had stayed with me, back when I'd read it, before I penned my own vampire book, and I felt that it was a shame that he merely derived his pleasure from the blood he sought from women. Not that the women were disappointed, believe me. There was a very good reason these women came to him.

I would love to find another of her books and read it. Compare it. Each of her books are stand-alones, so you can hop around the centuries, new adventures, and countries.

The other book I read this month was All Hallow's Blood by Raven Corinn Carluk, who I hope to interview and post it here. In contrast to Yarbro, Carluk's book is set in modern-day Portland, and definitely had plenty of action, danger, sex and so forth. The character, Keila, had some special talents, and if you like the kick-ass chick type of vampire fiction, I would recommend this one. Her vampire, Varick Eitenhaur, is the yummy vampire who holds Keila to finding the bad vampires who want to take over his territory. Together they make quite a team, and in the process discover things about themselves they weren't aware of. An interesting tale and with the added psychic advantages that Keila has, it makes for a truly different type of heroine.

Other things that I've been busy at have been, of course, finding blogs which will host me/my book. I've had word back from two. One I've managed to get a definite date of the 10th of April, and I will announce this later on. Another is an interview with an acquaintance, Mike Kleen, who I met at a book signing, and he lives nearby. He has promised to send me interview questions, but theses have not come my way as yet. Possibly Mike may have bought the book in order to read it, before slinging questions my way about it. That would be very cool if he did.

I've appealed to two other places as well. One is a well known (and very popular) one to me, but until I get word back about it, I'll not mention it for now. All things in their good time.

I understand that there is a "post-a-day" thing coming up. If you are involved with that, have fun.

Meanwhile I work on the edits of my own book.

Adieu for now.

So Much To Chirp About

Hello, my fine feathered friends out there!

I am happy. Happy because for 3 days straight I didn't have to wear my winter jacket! It got above 50--in fact yesterday it was mid-sixties! Three days I've gone for a walk, one in one of my husband's and my favorite places, and then today out in our own park. Just seeing, and hearing the birds again is wonderful. In fact, when we drove into White Pines the other day, I saw a bluebird. That's the earliest I've ever seen one. (the fellow above is a beautiful indigo bunting. He's actually so dark blue this picture does not do him justice!)

Earlier this week I emailed an acquaintance of mine who investigates haunted areas, and he has gotten back to me. I have not been in touch with him in a few years. He has published a few of my pieces at an on-line magazine, which is no longer up and running. His name is Micheal Kleen, and has his own site where he and others post about various true hauntings in Illinois. His blog is http://trueillinoishaunts.com/ and if you enjoy true tales of haunted places, you'll definitely want to go and check out all the stories and posts he has there. There are separate pages for just about everything, including murders, and he sure has a lot on cemeteries. Mike is also a pretty good writer in his own right and I happen to have met him at a author signing back over a year ago with another author, and bought a copy of his short tales.

Earlier today I put up a post over at one of my sister blogs Something Nebulous Within. The title is "Popularity:What It means For A Writer". I had something to say and just wanted to say it there, since this site is where I like to post things for other writers, and I knew I wanted to post this little "up-to-speed" post here on Muse today. So, if you'd like to check out how I view blog-hopping and the idea of using up so many hours in a day blogging, you may go here for that.

I realized that today is Friday. It was also payday and it was nice knowing we didn't have to go in to drive today. But next Monday we are back to the grind-gack!

I've been printing up chapters of my second book, and doing my edits that way. This is much easier for me to find mistakes, places where I've repeated myself, and so forth. Also have been reading two novels (Raven Corinn Carluk's All Hallow's Blood, and I simply couldn't resist picking up Quinn's An Embarrassment of Riches), since I've had plenty of time, could stay up longer than normal and read, if I wanted. I will post about these two book separately soon, so stay tuned.

Also, if any of you are not aware, the moon will be full this weekend, and it is closer to the earth than it has been in 18 years. This is called a Perigee Moon. It will appear 15% larger. So, if you are a Were, I'm sure that your senses have already been feeling the itch to howl. I know I have been feeling oddly both excited and drained at times. I'm hoping it rains on the fullest night, so I can get some sleep! If not, I'll just sit up and read.

Arrival By UPS: A New Book!

I was working in my office, which faces front, and toward the road. The distinctive low rumble of a truck caught my attention. The large brown straight truck was a signal to me: It has arrived! The book I won. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's An Embarrassment of Riches, delivered to me, straight from the publisher.




I've always wanted to read another one of Yarbro's St. Germain episodes. I still have the original paperback, Hotel Transylvania. I have the date 4/9/79 when I'd bought it written on the inside page. The pages of this poor book are yellowed, dog-eared, the binding has silver duct tape to hold it together. I loved the cover: A handsome, black-haired man kissing a woman's neck. This story was about Comte de Saint-Germain during the mid-1700's. Yarbro's St. Germain is a vampire.





Hotel Transylvania, and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro were the very reason I strove to write my own version(s) of a vampire novel in 1980. That one, of course, never saw the light of publishing.

As you understand, I loved that book to death, and used it for inspiration toward a very different book I've penned, and have not published as yet. It would be the second in my Zofia Trickenbod series, the first of which I'd self-published Spell of the Black Unicorn. In the second book, Zofia returns to her own planet, and through certain series of events meets Count Saint Germain.

St. Germain is a real person in history, a man who's life is steeped in mystery, an alchemist, he was reportedly able to "grow" gems, and would often present them to ladies of royalty as a gift. That is what I'm getting that Yarbro has done with this Saint-Germain instalment of An Embarrassment of Riches, from the descriptions I've read.


Reportedly, the real Saint Germain also was said to have discovered the ability to stay alive by using the philosopher's stone (which very talented alchemists of his time were trying to achieve, but could not), this "stone" would keep a person alive for as long as they took it. From what I've been able to dig up on the philosopher's stone it was actually a powder made through some alchemical means, and with probably difficult to attain ingredients. It was more or less tantamount to magic, from everything I've ever read about it. In every historical tale about St. Germain, he was never seen to eat anything at any functions, however, would drink from his own glass some unknown substance, mixed possibly with wine. One must wonder what was in that glass. In other tales, he was said to have been seen by people who had seen/known him 20+ years prior, and he seemed to have never aged--not even a silver thread in his black hair, and no more wrinkles, while those people had aged quite a bit. Obviously, St. Germain would have to go into hiding for a while, an reinvent himself, name himself something different, and reappear as someone new.





Yarbro has taken her St. Germain and placed him in various historical events, using actual people in history, using lavishly rich historical background and historically accurate events in all of her St. Germain tales. I think this is what sets her novels apart from all other vampire novels. This, and, of course, her style of writing.


As I've mentioned, I've read a number of things about the actual St. Germain, and you have to wonder if he didn't really find a way to stay alive longer than the normal human life-span. I've read of people claiming they know he is still alive. There are sites set up claiming this. In fact I visited a site yesterday where a novelist told of her inspiration for her tales, and of a possible link between our historical St. Germain and someone who lived in New Orleans during the 17th century (I might be off a century, I can't recall the exact dates). The story goes this man seemed to be taking "donations" of blood from the ladies until one became quite upset, screamed, and jumped out his window, claiming he was going to bite her. However, I just wonder if the vampire tale was very much embellished for the tourists.


I'm very excited about reading this book, Yarbro has been nominated for the Edgar, World Fantasy, and Bram Stoker Awards. She's been named a Grand Master of the World Horror Convention and a Living Legend by the International Horror Guild. That's quite a number of honors and nominations for any author. I'm positive at some point I will pick up another one of her books, merely because I'll be hooked on this series.

Won Another Book! Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Latest

I guess I'm on a winning streak. Just wish I could win the Publisher's Clearing House. I've played it for 20 years!
Anyway, I just love Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's writing. I have what I believe was her very first writing of the St. Germain novels. It is called Hotel Transylvania I have the date of 1979 on the fly of when I bought it. The pages are yellow, brittle, and the cover is somewhat tattered and I've duck tape holding it together. I think it's like a beloved teddy bear with the eyes missing, and re sewn and so forth. It might be the one novel which I have repeatedly read passages more often than any other book.

For those of you who are not familiar with the St. Germain story, I'll give you a little bit here. St. Germain was a real person in history, and he was thought to have discovered the philosophers stone--which was to give a person immortality. A few years ago I did research into both St. Germain and the philosopher's stone because I was writing my own novel in which I had St. Germain play a major leading character. This was a second book in my Zofia Trickenbod series, which I've yet to try and continue with a different publisher (Infinity Publishers published the first in series).

But, back to St. Germain, and Yarbro's story. She has made St. Germain a vampire in her series, and even though I have not had the opportunity to read any other of her books, I've always wanted to. I'll probably read this and have to get the other books. The series is one which is not written in any chronological way, and each book, as I understand, can stand alone and we can read the adventures of this cunning man who was also accredited with being able to "grow" precious jewels, and often offered them to the ladies of royalty--which is what, from the description of this novel, looks as though he is doing.

I've tried to win another of her books about a year or so ago. I'm very thrilled that I was some how lucky enough among 25 entries (comments) over at Patricia's Vampire News.

Later today, I'm going to cash my royalty check, and for once take advantage of the sale going on at Office Max. They had a 15% sale going on--a paper bag whatever you can fit inside it is 15% off and today is the last day of the sale! So, I'm in a good place, I don't care what the weather is doing outside, I'm shopping!