Blood Avenged #Vampires in #NOLA

When I began writing Blood Avenged in the summer of 2011, I was offered the opportunity to travel to New Orleans for the very first time to attend the Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Halloween Ball. I jumped at the chance, and from the moment I stepped into the French Quarter, I was in love with the city.

I love to set my books in exotic and fabulous settings, and with New Orleans I had an incredibly sensual backdrop perfect for a book about an incredibly sensual vampire. Vasilije is everything New Orleans is. Hot, steamy, seductive, delicious.

Being in The Big Easy gave me the opportunity to do on-site research for the story, and it's one of the things I'm proudest of with that first Sons of Navarus book. The scenes described are the result of being able to walk (and ride the fabulous streetcars) around New Orleans to appreciate the unique and wonderful vibe that city has. I'm always so thrilled when a reader says, "I loved reading about the city in Blood Avenged. Is it really like that?"

It is and more! I fell in love with New Orleans and my main character Vasilije on that trip. Blood Avenged is as much a book about Vasilije and erotic vampires as it is about the great city of New Orleans.

For more on Blood Avenged (including a very sexy excerpt), visit my website at http://www.gabriellebisset.com/blood-avenged-sons-of-navarus-1.html and to see more pictures about the book, check out Blood Avenged's Pinterest board at http://pinterest.com/gabriellebisset/blood-avenged-sons-of-navarus-1/

And watch for the audiobook version of Blood Avenged coming soon!

The Deepest Cut Now Available! #PNR

It's been a busy December for this author, to be sure. I've been unveiling all the new desktop wallpapers over at my website as a gift to readers (if you haven't seen them, definitely check them out! Talina does such a great job.), and a little over a week ago, I released the first Sons of Navarus short story, Longing. For readers of the series, that short gave them a little insight into Thane and his feelings for Sasa.

Now I've released another short story, The Deepest Cut, which deals with Vasilije and Sasa after he found her feeding from Thane. It's available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo and Kindle, Nook, Android, and even iPhone readers can enjoy it. Here's the blurb:

For Vasilije, Sasa is more than just one of his vampires. She's the only vampire he keeps in his life now. That comes with many perks, but also with its fair share of pain as Vasilije can be thoughtless of his empath girlfriend's feelings. His forgetfulness in this area has allowed another Son to befriend Sasa, and the result was Thane's willing assistance in feeding her while Vasilije was once again absent from her side.

Sasa is loyal to her sire and mate, but her mind is plagued with doubts that Vasilije isn't the devoted male she's believed him to be. The ease with which he leaves her makes her wonder if his eyes and other body parts have begun to stray from her. Naturally, she turns to her only true friend for sympathy, and Thane is happy to listen to the woman he secretly loves.

Conflict over a female between two alpha males can lead to a fatal misstep when so much is at stake. The Sons of Navarus can't afford to let their focus slip from deciphering the Prophecy of Idolas and defeating the Archons, and now more than ever they need to be united in their fight to save the vampire world.

This short sits right after Blood Spirit (the third book in the series) in the suggested series reading order. It could technically be read as a stand-alone, but it's so much better with the history of this couple in your mind.

So now it's Blood Prophecy next. I'm hoping that full length book will be available in early 2013. I can promise this: it's going to be a huge turning point in the series and for a lot of the characters' storylines. Don't miss it!

Why I'm Fine With A Buck Sometimes

Until recently, I hadn't considered writing any short stories. As an indie, I have a lot of freedom to do unique things with my stories, but for me, fair pricing is always an issue and I'm not a big fan of the .99 price range.

I think it's time we indies begin to see that the .99 price range for a novella of 30K or worse, for a novel 50K or above is degrading what we do. I know everyone wants to sell books, but I want you to imagine that somewhere like McDonald's began to sell some of their meals for .99.  You may think you were getting a great deal if it were a sale, but if the restaurant kept the price that low, wouldn't you wonder why those meals were so cheap compared to other meals priced up to 7x higher? Wouldn't you begin to think that they must be offering an inferior meal for such a cheap price?

Even as the economy struggles today, people know what cheap means, and it isn't just about price. As indies, do we want readers to believe that a story an author spent months writing and then spent money for professional editing and cover design is only worth .99? I'm sure some feel that way, but I don't. I am a professional who expects to be treated as such, and as a result, I won't charge less than a buck for a novel, no matter how many I want to sell. And I won't buy them either.

Short stories are different, however. While I do have them professionally edited and hire a cover designer, my short stories are around 6K words, so I feel .99 is a fair price for them. Did they take months to write? No. See, for me, that's the line of demarcation. I always pay for the services associated with my books. What changes with shorter stories is the length of time I work on them. While there are challenges associated with writing shorts (especially making sure that the stories have a beginning, middle, and end and they make sense to the series they are found in), they aren't as labor intensive to create, so I don't charge as much.

I will have two short stories out by later this week--Longing and The Deepest Cut--and both will be priced at .99. For readers who have come to know my Sons of Navarus series, the stories revolve around a growing love triangle between Sasa and two of the Sons, her sire Vasilije and Thane, her friend who has long harbored unrequited feelings for her. Those same readers can be sure that the level of writing is the same as in my novels. Nothing will be different but the length.

In some respect, I want to charge merely .99 for these not only because they're short but also because they're really for fans of the series. Reading these two shorts without knowing what occurred in the series so far will mean nothing if the reader hasn't gotten to know the Sons series, but for fans, it's a little more for them about the characters as they wait for the release of Blood Prophecy (the 4th book in the series) early next year.

So I'm okay with a buck sometimes, but I will continue to fight against the bottom basement pricing for indie work. I work too hard on my books to give readers the impression they aren't worth more. Readers want an entertaining story that's well crafted, and that's what they get in my novellas and novels. That's worth more than .99.

#PNR Friday: Paranormal Fall Fling Coming!

Thank God it's Friday! For some reason, this week seemed to crawl by. I've been involved in a work kerfluffle, so that's probably why this seemed like the week that wouldn't go away.  But let's leave that world behind and enjoy the one that is Friday, gorgeous outside, and filled with paranormal Alpha males!

It's almost a week since Blood Spirit was released, and the Paranormal Fall Fling begins this Monday at a great blog perfect for a PNR book, Bitten by Paranormal Romance. For 5 weeks, I'll be out and about at blogs talking all things Blood Spirit and Sons of Navarus, so check back frequently for all the news on that. There will be weekly prizes and grand prizes of ebooks, gift cards, and swag, so don't miss it.

I've been so flattered by all the comments on Blood Spirit. It was a labor of love, no doubt, and to hear that readers are so moved by the story is so wonderful. :) 

I'm deep into the next book, Blood Prophecy, and this is going to be a big step in the series. It's looking like it might be a bit longer too.  At the same time, I'm also writing a free short about Vasilije and Sasa, and anyone who read Blood Spirit knows that they're going through some things in their relationship. The short will continue that theme but show the two of them in private. It is shaping up as a very sexy free read, like its predecessor, Forbidden Fruit. If you haven't checked that out yet, click on over there HERE to get a taste of Hades, the God of the Underworld, who is set to make his debut in the Sons series soon.

And congratulations to Jenese, the winner of my giveaway in the 18 and Over Giveaway Hop! Look for more hops coming and more chances to win in the Paranormal Fall Fling beginning next week.

I'm off to begin my day and enjoy the Fall Equinox. Have a great one!

Alphas and Their Ladies

I'm over at the wonderful Malia Mallory's blog today talking about why I write about Alphas, so stop over and take a look.  If you love Alphas too, join in on the conversation and let me know why. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

While I usually spend my time talking about the heroes of my books, today the leading ladies are also front and center.  They were showcased at Heartthrob Haven recently where Sasa interviewed Solenne, and the girls let their hair down to give readers a better feel for who they are.  Stop over and comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card.  While their men are less than friendly toward one another, Sasa and Solenne are good friends.  Maybe some of that will rub off on Vasilije and Saint?

And after you get to know the heroines, you can still get both Blood Avenged and Blood Betrayed for less than $5 at Amazon and Barnes and Noble through the end of May. 

Hot vampire heroes, sexy heroines, and a price you can't beat.  What better holiday sale is there for a romance reader?