Goodreads Fan Group Page is MOVING!
BLACK SWAN FAN GROUP on GOODREADS IS MOVING!
The old page is going away. We hope you will move with us to our new Goodreads home. Please click here and join.
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/108735-victoria-danann-order-of-the-black-swan
Series Tour Schedule UPCOMING
On Tour with PARAJUNKEE and PARANORMAL CRAVINGS…
7/16: Books N’ Things http://www.mybooksnthings.com Promo Spot Re
7/17: Meredith’s Musings http://meredithraemusings.blogspot.com/ Character Spotlight
7/18: Bookaroo-Ju http://www.bookarooju.wordpress.com Character Spotlight
7/19: Moonlight Gleam http://www.moonlightgleam.com Guest Post
7/20: BBL Reviews http://www.bittenbylovereviews.com/ Promo
7/22: Total Eclipse Reviews http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com Character Interview
7/23: Paranormal Book Club http://www.paranormal-bookclub.com Promo Spot
7/24: Jessica Loves Books http://www.jessicalovesbooks.com Guest Post
7/25: Books, Books, and More Books http://booksbooksmorebooks.blogspot.com/ Character Spotlight
7/26: Penny For Them http://pennyforthem1.blogspot.co.uk/ Promo Spot
7/26: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf http://wowfromthescarfprincess.blogspot.com promo
7/29: Rants and Scribbles http://rantsnscribbles.blogspot.ca/ Character Spotlight
7/29: Reader’s Edyn http://readersedyn.blogspot.com guest post
7/30: It’s Raining Books http://www.its-raining-books.blogspot.com Interview
7/30: Simply Infatuated http://www.simplyinfatuated.com guest post
7/31: Bea’s Book Nook http://beasbooknook.blogspot.com Character Spotlight
8/01: The Bookish Howl http://thebookishowl.wordpress.com/ Character Spotlight
8/01: From Meredith Allard www.meredithallard.com guest post
8/02: Fictional Candy http://www.fictionalcandy.com Character Spotlight
8/03: Andi’s Book Review. http://andisbookreviews.blogspot.com interview
8/05: Books Things and More http://www.bookishthingsandmore.com Guest Post
Storm vs Ram
IT’S A QUESTION THAT NEVER SEEMS TO GET OLD?
My author’s assistant posed this to my street team. “How did you find out about Victoria? Amazon? A friend’s recommendation?”
The answers were fun to read, some surprising, but the best part is that quite a few added their impressions of the first book or the first couple of books. That’s how the Storm vs. Ram thing came up. Again. It’s a question that never seem to get old.
About 7 months ago I took a poll on my FB page that asked, “Who did you want to get the girl?” That was referring to the first book of the saga, of course, My Familiar Stranger. (The number who answered Baka still shocks me. I think there may have been one who wrote in “Sol”.)
The overwhelming majority said Ram, but there were some die-hards who STILL thought Storm was her guy and that the author should be summarily executed at dawn. I recently read a review on Goodreads that said something like “quitting at 48% – she was going to end up with the wrong guy anyhow”. Every time I think about that, it makes me smile because, even though that person only read half the book, she was emotionally invested enough to care about the outcome. (Yay me.)
Someone on my street team recently told me that she had a conversation with a friend, who was so pissed about the outcome of the first book she refused to continue to Book 2. Fortunately she was persuaded, coaxed, urged and cajoled into giving the series another try, but it made me wonder how many other people are still out there fuming.
Here are a couple of anonymous quotes from my street teams answers:
1, Honestly, I can’t remember how I came across MFS first. Think it was recommended to me through Amazon. I read the sample and was hooked. Will be honest though.. At first was disappointed with the ending because I was a Storm fan. Once I found out AWD was coming out, I knew it was going to be ok.. Them 2nd book made 1st book better in my opinion. Now Ram and Elora are my favorite!
2. I love Ram but I was team Storm too I think that’s why it took book 2 and Litha to really hook me on the series.
As to the reason why it all seemed better after Book 2, it’s because the first book was (in my mind) Act 1 of a three act play. The first three books are like a trilogy within a saga. Just as I’m sure the artist in Peter Jackson would have liked to release The Lord of the Rings as one seven hour movie, I would have loved to release the first three books all at one time. Undoubtedly it would have saved both me and readers some grief. It’s the most wonderful thing to be far enough into the saga now to know that anyone who wants to continue the journey after Book 1 can do so without waiting.
http://www.amazon.com/Order-Black-COLLECTED-Anthology-ebook/dp/B00BH68UCG 313,000 words for $6.99
BAD BOYS of Romance Giveaway Hop
So what are “bad boys” anyway? I’ll bet you never needed it defined for you. I think women come with a vague sense of what it means.
The social scientists have a name for the phenomenon. It’s called The Dark Tryad. Seems that heterosexual women are predisposed to the attraction – not all, but a lot.
Here is the triple threat that typically defines a fantasy/romance version of bad boy.
1. He’s a love ’em and leave ’em player with magnetic good looks and fever-hot sensuality.
2. Hes’ a problem-with-authority rebel who may express that defiance in style choices that are antiestablishment, but nonetheless cool.
3. He’s often emotionally damaged, tragically misunderstood, but vulnerable to the one woman who will heal his wounds, polish his rough places, and turn him into a true blue whipster.
So far the men of the Black Swan saga have touched on bad boy without being fully baptized. However, members of Z Team, introduced in Book 4, Moonlight, are definitely going to go there.
Feel free to tell us about some of your favs even if they aren’t my characters. Some of the ones I love (by other authors) are Barrons from Fever Series and Kellan from Thoughtless trilogy.
Rafflecopter Link for GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY
Love of Mythology GIVEAWAY Hop
On the third week of second grade my class was introduced to the concept of “library”. We were told we could select one book, take it home, read it, then bring it back. My choice was a child’s version of Greek Mythology. I was hooked. Eventually I took an ad hoc degree in mythological studies. All this is to say that I have been a serious fan and a lifelong fan. American Gods is raw, unromantic, and probably more appealing to men than women, but it is also an educated, thoughtful, clever treatise on the subject of our relationship with “gods”.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: American Gods is a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman. The novel is a blend of Americana, fantasy, and various strands of ancient and modern mythology, all centering on the mysterious and taciturn Shadow. It is Gaiman’s fourth prose novel, preceded by Good Omens (a collaboration with Terry Pratchett), Neverwhere, and Stardust. Several of the themes touched upon in the book were previously glimpsed in The Sandman graphic novels.
TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY…The Grand Prize Consists of the following:$45 Amazon GC or $45 worth of books at TBD.
ebooks from Patricia Bates
a prize from Lisa Beth Darling
an ecopy of Sunburn by Rosanna Leo
an ecopy of Ain’t No Bull by Danica Avet
an ecopy of Remedy Maker by Sheri Fredricks
PROCEED TO THE NEXT STOP ON THE TOUR…
http://booklovershideaway.blogspot.com/2013/02/for-love-of-mythology-giveaway-hop-sign.html?zx=e894b68c0ecd3ed8
Post MOONLIGHT Update Interview with Ram
An Update with Rammel Hawking
by Victoria Danann
me: Sir Hawking, it’s such a pleasure to interview you again. A lot has happened since the last time we talked.
Ram: Aye. Some good. Some bad.
me: Yes. Well, that’s life.
Ram: No. ‘Tis no’ life. ‘Tis commercial fiction that has us runnin’ all over the Western world barely recovering from one horrendous injury before you have us doin’ bleedin’ sheet time again. And, when I say “bleedin'”, ’tis meant literally.
me: Yes. I know, but let’s focus on the great things that have happened. You’ve been inducted into the Hall of Heroes. You’ve got a beautiful, healthy, charismatic baby boy…
Ram: I’m no’ complainin’ about Helm and you know it. He’s bloomin’ perfection. ‘Tis the hero thin’ that turned out dubious because now my wife thinks I should conduct myself with a certain decorum befittin’ the honor. Great Paddy. .
me: She’s very proud of you.
Ram: (He smiles.)
me: You see. Your life isn’t so bad.
Ram: It has its moments. But you’re always trickin’ us into believin’ we’re doin’ one thin’ and then you sprin’ somethin’ entirely different on us and we’re goin’ in a bloody different direction. We never have a chance to decide if we’re comin’ or goin’.
me: Give me an example.
Ram: You think I can no’ come up with one? Right off the top of my head? How ’bout this? You led us to believe we were retirin’. Gonna enjoy life! Fruit of the vine and all that. So I’m busy bustin’ hump to get Elora’s dream home finished before the baby comes. Matter of fact that’s where I was when she was bein’ attacked by fuckers from her dimension of origin.
me: (I have to laugh.) Dimension of origin?
Ram: Aye. You have a problem with me callin’ it that, Mistress?
me: No. Not at all. It’s just that the phrase “dimension of origin” seems so politically correct and academic. I guess I wouldn’t have had you say that because I would have thought it was out of character.
Ram: (Scowls.) You think I’m no’ bright?
me: Of course I don’t think that! You wouldn’t have made it through Black Swan training if you weren’t smart.
Ram: (Nods) Exactly right. In the future, if you’re wantin’ to know what is or is no’ in “character” for me, then just ask me. ‘Tis what you should have been doin’ all along anyhow.
me: Quite right. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.
Ram: Because your vanity does no’ have limits.
me: Did you enjoy that?
Ram: (grins)
me: Okay. If it makes you feel better to say such things to me, go ahead.
Ram: Well, if you’re serious, I have quite a lengthy list of thin’s I’d like to say to you.
me: (My turn to show him a third finger.)
Ram: (grins)
me: This might be a good time to switch topics. You’ve collected quite a fan base since the last time we talked.
Ram: Really?
me: Yes. You’re the focus of nocturnal fantasies for a growing chunk of the fairer sex.
Ram: Fairer sex, is it? I do no’ believe women are especially fair. Selfish or self-involved maybe.
me: No, Ram. The expression doesn’t mean fairness as in justice. It means the prettier sex.
Ram: Duh! It was a joke!
me: Well, forgive me a moment of being uncharacteristically dense.
Ram: (Laughs and shakes his head.) You probably think bein’ dense is “out of character” for you.
me: (blink, blink) What does that mean?
Ram: Have you seriously never considered that you may be just one of the characters in this story? ‘Tis your job to play the spy who lurks and journals on what those of us with real lives say and do.
me: Is that what you think?
Ram: (smiles) Nah. I’m just fuckin’ with you.
me: Okay. Back to your fans…
Ram: Look. I do no’ want to seem rude or unnecessarily conceited, but attractin’ the fairer sex has never been a problem for me. ‘Tis no’ very surprisin’ that some would like to picture themselves in my mate’s position. (He chuckles.) Or maybe I should say positions.
me: Hmmm. No doubt. Well, let’s wrap this up. Why don’t you tell me where you see yourself in five years.
Ram: (narrows his eyes) ‘Tis a trick? I tell you what I’d like so you can make sure it does no’ happen?
me: You know it truly hurts that you think I’m so devious. Of course I want to see you get your happily ever after.
Ram: If I’m feelin’ distrustful of you, ’tis entirely your own fault. Reapin’ what you sow, you know.
me: Okay.
Ram: I’d like us to be home on the farm, feeling safe and secure, raising elfren and Alsatian dogs. I want my mate happy every second of every day. She deserves it.
me: I’ll see what I can do.
