Spell of Dark Castle, sequel

Finally, after so many years of waiting to get this one out, it's here. Sequel to Spell of the Black Unicorn. 

Spell of the Dark Castle. 

It's a romping fantasy that takes place on Zofia's planet, where anything goes, since my imagination knows no bounds. Where Zofia meets an alchemist from 18th century (really much older), Earth, named Saint Germain.

Here is description as it is on Amazon:

After Zofia and her family return to their world, everything should be fine... but is not.

Zofia's first assignment as a Knight is to go to Dark Castle under cover as an Ugwump - mortal - to spy on the owner, Saint Germain, who is believed to be a vampire.

On her trip to Dark Castle, Zofia meets Myron; a vampire with many secrets. After they encounter the handsome Saint Germain, Zofia uncovers truths about his past... and about their attraction for each other.

It's hardly enough description for a book that's over 600 pages long. Here is what I sent them to put into description, and reads almost like a book itself, but here is a more detailed description which does it justice.

Zofia and family return to their world. All should be happy, but is not. Although son, Eltony, is thrilled about going to a school where he can practice his sorcery, his sister, Blanch, is moody and depressed, mostly about missing her 16^th birthday, but finds that such a party is set up in her honor in a castle, and she suddenly has many suitors.

In the meantime, jealousy drives a wedge between Zofia and husband, Dorian, when Stephen has made sure of Zofia's nomination as a Knight (First woman Knight in ages). Her first assignment is to go to Dark Castle under cover as an Ugwump (mortal), librarian in order to spy on the owner, Saint Germain, who is believed to be a vampire. (But he is really an 18^th century Earth alchemist who has successfully made the Elixir of Life, which has kept him alive for centuries.)

During her travel to Dark Castle, Zofia meets Myron, who she realizes right away is a vampire. But she has a secret too, so they agree to keep one another's secrets. Myron helps with her trunks up the long stairs to Dark Castle. Although Myron was retained by St. Germain to help get her there safely, it's obvious Myron has different ideas. Fortunately, Zofia is above his vampire tricks.

The next day she meets Saint Germain. While he is practicing a dueling match with his servant Jacques, his is wounded, but the wound heals quickly, so suspicion grows for Zofia. But, no one is as they seem, and Jacques, in turn, becomes suspicious of Zofia. She learns his big secret in due time. What Zofia uncovers about the handsome Saint Germain is unexpected. So is their attraction for each other.

Zofia, who is pregnant, tries to keep this a secret for as long as she can, but St. Germain figures this out soon enough.

Dorian, meanwhile, is on the trail of a cult that is at work in the village. They have a fiendish plot to bring forth monsters who once ruled their planet. Zofia's and Dorian's paths cross as they make attempts to stop them, but these rogue wizards are using Dark Castle's powerful ley lines, and St. Germain's time-travel invention, to bring forth an alchemist from the past. It is later learned he and St. Germain were once mortal enemies.

Attempts on Zofia's life come from all directions—from cunning vampires, to a contriving waitress, to wicked wizards—and yet she manages to out maneuver them one way or another until they finally capture her for the wizards' final spell to bring back the monstrous (half-man and half-crocodile) Helsingas.

Will Saint Germain's use of the Philosopher's Stone help him save both Zofia and Dorian in the end, and can they stop the wizards' powerful spell before their world is taken over by these ten-foot beasts? Will Zofia and Dorian reconcile, or is it too late for them?

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.