Monday, February 22, 2010

33 A.D.

My friend David McAfee wrote an amazing novel, entitled, 33 A.D. I've read it and it is splendid, IMHO. :-D

According to David's blog, "33 A.D. is the story of a vampire in Biblical Jerusalem who is sent to assassinate Jesus of Nazareth." In David's tale, vampires used Pontius Pilate and Judas to further their cause. It is an intricately woven tale of suspense and horror. This novel deserves some attention.

David's UK publisher, Ghostwriter Publications, will release David's novel around June 2010. Since David's previous agent did not sell his U.S. rights, David decided to release the U.S. version himself, but he is still seeking representation and a U.S. publisher. ;-) And this novel deserves both.

I conducted an interview with David about his work. A contest will follow thereafter. :-D

Demon Hunter--1.) How did you come up with the concept for 33 A.D. And did you ever imagine it would offend anyone?
David McAfee: 33 A.D. was inspired by the book Violent Sands, by Sean Young. Violent Sands (Breakneck Books, 2006 – now an imprint of Variance Publishing) is the story of Barabbas, the murderer set free by Pilate instead of Jesus. Young’s book is incredible in its ability to take you back to that time and place, and while I read it, I started to think about what else might have been lurking in the shadows and I started to wonder what a vampire in Biblical Jerusalem would have thought of all the hoopla surrounding Jesus. Viola! The concept for 33 A.D. was born.

I did worry about people getting offended, and I still do. Some people already have, and they let me know about it, too. But the book isn’t meant to be offensive, it’s just a story. I tried pretty hard to get a lot of the details as close to the Bible as possible, which was a real challenge for me because I’m not especially religious. (I bought my first Bible while writing the book and used it for research) But there is only so much you can do when you insert a vampire into the New Testament, and there are people who will not be interested. Thankfully, I have several friends who are deeply Christian and they helped me out (Jeremy Robinson Aprilynne Pike, etc.) by reading it and making sure I didn’t screw up too badly. ;)




DH-- 2.) Why do you prefer to write in the horror genre?
DM--That’s a harder question than it seems, because I don’t necessarily prefer to write horror, I just write what I like and it is what it is. I like vampires, but I don’t care for the romantic’s view of them. I like vampires with bite (no pun intended), so I think that is what makes this a horror novel rather than an urban fantasy. That said, if you’ve read any of my short stories, well…those are definitely horror. Huh. I just blather on, don’t I?

DH--3.) How long have you been writing?
DM--I wrote a kids’ book when I was six, does that count? I even illustrated it. It was titled TIGGER MEETS LADY TIGGER. Obviously it violated all sorts of copyright laws, and my parents were far more aware of such things than I was. But I was proud. I’d written a book. At twelve, I started my first horror novel about a giant mutant cat that escaped from a geneticist’s lab and terrorized a small town. A few weeks into writing it I discovered girls, and that piece of fiction remains unfinished to this day. But I’ve only been trying to get published for about 5 years now.



DH--4.) What is your writing dream?
DM--I would love to quit my day job. I know that’s kinda lame, but that’s it. Really. It wouldn’t even take much because my day job doesn’t pay all that well.



DH--5.) Who are some of your writing influences?
DM--Hmmm…there are a lot of them. King, Crichton, R.A. Salvatore, Margaret Weis and Tracey Hickman, Terry Brooks, Terry Goodkind, P.N. Elrod, and several dozen others who helped warp my mind just enough to want to write the weird stuff that comes from my head.

DH--6.) What else are you working on?
DM--33 AD has been taking up a lot of my time, but there are a few things in the pipeline that are growing nicely. Another vampire book, BAIT, is most likely the next novel-length fiction I will write. I love that story, it’s about a guy who uses himself as bait to catch and kill vampires, and he has a very unique method of doing so, but that’s all I’m going to say for now. Keep your eyes and ears open.

DH--7.) Do you think you'll ever write in another genre? If so, what?
DM--Other than horror? Probably, but I’m one of those annoying people that always tends to think of worst case scenarios. I’ll see someone’s discarded grocery list in a parking lot and wonder if they were attacked before they could finish shopping, or I’ll see a dog riding in the back of some guy’s pickup and start thinking up reasons for the dog not to be in the cab. Usually I come up with things like the dog is vicious and would eat the driver, or it’s possessed and the driver is taking it to an exorcism. That’s just how my mind works. So most of the time when I get an idea for a story, it’s not pretty. That said, I do have one or two non-horror projects in the pipeline, including YA and MG projects.
DH--8.)Do you have to have silence while you write or do you prefer music?
DM--Silence. I used to write to the soundtrack from DRACULA, but I didn’t want it to become a crutch, you know what I mean? So now I close the door to my writing room and tune everything out.

David agreed to give away a signed copy of 33 A.D. to one lucky commenter. All you have to do is leave a comment. If you do not have a blog with your e-mail address listed, please list your e-mail address as follows: your e-mail (AT) wherever (DOT) com, so the spam bots won't send you junk mail. The contest is open to anyone. The contest will end on March 1, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Sins of the Mother


The awesome Carleen Brice wrote an equally awesome book titled, ORANGE MINT AND HONEY, which was released February 12, 2008. And the folks over at Lifetime Movie Network thought so as well and bought the movie rights to OMAH. :-D

Being Lifetime and all, they changed the title, and the movie will be called Sins of the Mother, starring Jill Scott and a host of other wonderful stars. The movie will air on Lifetime Movie Network on February 21, 2010, at 8:00 EST.


Also, Carleen has another book, CHILDREN OF THE WATERS, that was released on June 23m 2009. Be sure to pick up both books--not just because she's my friend, but because she's a rockin' author. :-D

You can visit Carleen here, and here, where she encourages White readers to buy Black books.

Oh, and here's the movie trailer for Sins of the Mother:



P.S. I am posting a contest on Monday for an unrelated work of fiction. :-D

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's almost Valentine's Day and I figured I'd post early. I decided to do something different other than the standard ubiquitous post. There aren't always happy times during this holiday and I figured I'd post a few of my favorite songs to capture four types of relationships that are expressed on this holiday and throughout the year. And since I write about things that don't always have a happy ending, it will be rather interesting. :-D

1.) The first category is LOVE (of course) and one of my favorite love songs is by Anita Baker, who also happens to be my favorite singer in the world. :-D

Here are both the video and lyrics for SWEET LOVE:



With all my heart I love you baby
Stay with me and you will see
My arms will hold you, baby
Never leave, 'cause I believe

[Chorus:]
I'm in love, sweet love
Hear me calling out your name, I feel no shame
I'm in love, sweet love
Don't you ever go away, it'll always be this way

Oh, your heart has called me closer to you
I will be all that you need
Just trust in what we're feeling
Never leave 'cause baby, I believe

I'm in love, sweet love
Hear me calling out your name, I feel no shame
I'm in love, sweet love
Don't you ever go away, it'll always be this way

No stronger love in this world
Oh, baby no, you're my man, I'm your girl
I'll never go, wait and see, can't be wrong
Don't you know this is where you belong

Sweet, sweet and lovely baby
Stay right here, never fear
I will be all that you need
Never leave, 'cause baby, I believe

I'm in love, sweet love
Hear me calling out your name, I feel no shame
I'm in love, sweet love
Don't you ever go away, it'll always be this way



2.) The second category is the awful BREAK-UP. Former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson did a good job with this song, but NO ONE can sing it like Jennifer Holliday, IMHO. ;-) Here are both the video and lyrics for AND I AM TELLING YOU (I'M NOT GOING) by Jennifer Holliday (she begins singing at the 3:30 mark):



And I am telling you I'm not going
You're the best man I'll ever know
There's no way I can ever go
No no there’s no way
No no no no way
I'm living without you
I'm not living without you - I don't wanna be free

I'm staying, I'm staying
And you - and you - you're gonna love me
Ooooh - you're gonna love me

And I am telling you I'm not going
Even though the rough times are showing
There’s just no way, there’s no way
We’re part of the same place
We’re part of the same time
We both share the same blood
We both have the same mind
And time and time we’ve had so much to share
No, no, no, no, no, no way
I’m not waking up tomorrow morning
And finding that there’s nobody there
Darling there’s no way
No no no no way
I'm living without you
I'm not living without you
You see there’s just no way, there’s no way
Please don’t go away from me
Stuck with me, stay with me
I’m starstruck and hold me
I am starstruck and hold me
Please stay and hold me, this man
Hey mister, hey mister
I know, I know, I know you care
Tear down the mountain
Yell scream and shout
You can say what you want
I’m not walking out
Stop all the rivers
Push, strike and kill
I'm not gonna leave you
There's no way I will

And I am telling you
I’m not going
You’re the best man I’ll ever know
There’s no way I could ever, ever go
No no there’s no way
No no no no way
I'm living without you
I'm not living without you
Not living without you
I don't wanna be free
I’m staying, I’m staying
And you and you and you
You’re gonna love me
Oooooh, yeah,
You’re gonna love me
Yes you area
Yes you area
Yeaaaaah
Love me, love me, love me, looooove
You’re gonna love me


3.) The third category is that of CHEATING. And this young lady has her own way of dealing with her cheater. Here are both the video and lyrics for BUST YOUR WINDOWS by Jazmine Sullivan:



I bust the windows out ya car
And no it didn't mend my broken heart
I'll probably always have these ugly scars
But right now I don't care about that part

I bust the windows out ya car
After I saw you laying next to her
I didn't wanna but I took my turn
I'm glad I did it cause you had to learn...

I must admit it helped a little bit
To think of how you'd feel when you saw it
I didn't know that I had that much strength
But I'm glad you see what happens when...

You see can't just play with people's feelings
Tell them you love them and don't mean it
You'll probably say that it was juvenile
But I think that I deserve to smile

I bust the windows out ya car
You know I did it cause I left my mark
Wrote my initials with the crobar
And then I drove off into the dark

I bust the windows out ya car
You should feel lucky that that's all I did
After five whole years of this bull----
Gave you all of me and you played with it

Oooh ahh...
I must admit it helped a little bit
To think of how you'd feel when you saw it
I didn't know that I had that much strength
But I'm glad you see what happens when...

You see you can't just play with people's feelings
Tell them you love them and don't mean it
You'll probably say that it was juvenile
But I think that I deserve to smile

But it don't comfort to my broken heart
You could never feel how I felt that day
Until it happens baby you don't know pain

Oooh Yeah I did it (Yeah I did it)
You should know it (You should know it)
I ain't sorry (I ain't sorry)
You deserved it (You deserved it)

After what you did (After what you did)
You deserved it (You deserved it)
I ain't sorry (I ain't sorry) no no oh... (I ain't sorry)

You broke my heart
So I broke ya car
You caused me pain (You caused me pain)
So I did the same

Even though all that you did to me was much worse
I had to do something to make you hurt yeah
Oh but why am I still cryin'?
Why am I the one whose still cryin'?

Oh you really hurt me baby
You really you really hurt me baby
Hey, hey, hey now watch me yule
I bust the windows out ya car...



4.) And the 4th category is the dreaded STALKER. Nothing to add here except that stalking is illegal in all 50 states. Here are both the video and lyrics for SHAME by Stabbing Westward:



I only see myself reflected in your eyes
So all that I believe I am essentially are lies
And everything I've hoped to be or ever thought I was
Died with your belief in me so who the hell am I?

I don't know if I'm real without you
What is left of me without you?
I don't know whats real without you
How can I exist without you?

I'm wondering 'round confused
Wondering why I try
The more that you deny my pain
The more it intensifies...
I pray for someone to ache for me the way I ache for you...
If you ignore that I'm alive
I've nothing to cling to

I don't know if I'm real without you
What is left of me without you?
I don't know whats real without you
How can I exist without you?

I stare into this mirror
So tired of this life
If only you would speak to me or care if I'm alive
Once I swore I would die for you
But I never meant it like this
I never meant like this
no I never meant like this

I don't know if I'm real without you
What is left of me without you?
I don't know whats real without you
How can I exist without you?



I love all these songs. I fall into category # 1 and hopefully most of you guys do as well. Happy Valentine's Day! ;-)