The Rock Star Party

Saturday 17th November saw me up at the crack of dawn, trundling a caseful of Fledglings to the Festival of Romance in Bedford. Having been warned about the (lack of) parking, I'd decided to go by train. However, I hadn't been prepared for the amount of times I'd have to go upstairs, over a bridge and then downstairs to the correct platform – only to go upstairs, then downstairs and upstairs again just to get out of Bedford station! I decided on a cab to the Corn Exchange because I had no idea where it was, only to find the Festival was in a room – up three flights of stairs! I had definitely gone off my caseful of books by the time I arrived!

The day was busy for the most part, although not many actual books were sold, but it was nice mixing with all the other authors, meeting old friends and making new ones. Meeting people in 'real life' so they become more than just a name on Twitter is always fun. Actors in Regency dress performed scenes from a book to riotous applause and some of us went on to the Rock Star party at the Rock Gallery to do readings.

I always like doing readings, I think there's a thwarted actress in me somewhere striving to get out – not that I would have been very good of course – but I'd have had fun failing! The walls in the gallery were covered by black and white photographs of Morrissey, glowering from every angle. Nicky Wells treated us to a song and a reading, which was brilliant fun. Kate Allan the Festival Queen also gave a reading in spite of being very pregnant and having organised the whole Festival. I'm hoping she's got her feet up this weekend and is having a very well-deserved rest.

Here's to next year!

Oh and check out my interview with Morgen Bailey
http://morgenbailey.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/daily-interview-no-544-with-writer-berni-stevens/
Thanks Morgen :)

Guess who's reading Fledgling?

Our friends from Boston, Tori and Cacky Mellor, came to visit last October. Tori read the whole of Fledgling in two and a half days – in between visiting the Tower of London, Covent Garden and various pubs! Now that's friendship for you!

The Fledgling Trailer

One sunny Sunday at the beginning of September, we went to Highgate to take photos and video footage of the gothic goodness in the Swains Lane area. My protagonist in Fledgling, the scrumptious vampire Will, owns a Georgian town house in Highgate - well he would wouldn't he? If one has eternal life it should be comfortable at least.

The famous West Cemetery's gates were firmly closed and locked of course, because only guided tours at specified times are permitted now. The reason for this (apparently) is health and safety, because of the many catacombs and mausoleums, the ground is weakened in many places and in danger of collapse. So should visitors be allowed to wander around on their own, they could actually fall some thirty or forty feet down ... and er ... not be able to climb out again! So it's designated paths only for visitors, with an official guide, who is usually one of the 'Friends of Highgate Cemetery.'

Actually we wouldn't have been exactly welcomed anyway, armed with camcorder and cameras as we were. The entrance fee leaps up if cameras are spotted, which I think is grossly unfair. The Cemetery is a part of English Heritage and therefore I would have thought belongs to the people. There is no extra charge for cameras at the Tower of London after all.

We chose not to pay to visit the West Cemetery itself, because we needed to get certain shots whilst the light held. When we arrived sunlight shone its rays through the trees and dappled on ivy and tombstones, it looked perfect. Yes I know vampires don't go out in sunshine - not in my books anyway - but dappled sunshine can be made colder to look like moonlight, so there's method in our madness.

The next stop was Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath, the place where the heroine, Elinor, takes her first walk as a vampire. She stares down at the view of London, thinking how everything looks the same but how nothing will ever be the same again. Something we probably all do after a massive change in our lives.

So, we have lots of video footage and stills, the copy has been written and everything has gone to the video producer.

Now I wait with bated breath and huge excitement for the finished product. You will all be the first to see it :)

The Book is HERE!

Fledgling has arrived in book form. The excitement in Vampire Towers is tangible. It's a real book, something which can go on a real bookshelf. Not to be read of course – I don't want anyone bending the pages *grin*

Seriously, I can't begin to explain the feeling of opening a package which had my own book in it. After years of opening Amazon packages of other people's books, to open one and read my own name is beyond exciting. (And now I'm babbling.)

I've just designed postcards for Fledgling, which I'm hoping to hand out at Fantasycon in Brighton - amongst other places - it's all real now . . . this real book . . .

Fledgling available to order

Just back from vacation to discover Fledgling has become available to order from The Wild Rose Press website.

Soooo exciting :)

http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=191&products_id=4640

Interview with the Vampire (Writer)

This interview first appeared in Voices From the Vaults, the newsletter of The Dracula Society, in August 2011. The interview was conducted by DS Committee Member, Tracy Lee.

http://www.draculasociety.org.uk

Fledgling was inspired by your short story. Where did you find the idea for that story?

Over the years I’ve designed a lot of paranormal romance book covers for the UK market, and I’ve read a lot of them too. I became a little tired of the vampire/human relationships which flooded the market a few years ago. I decided I wanted to write a story which opened where the female MC had already been turned against her will (no pun intended.) But there had to be a very good reason for her being turned, otherwise she would really never like my male MC. The short story didn’t actually cover the reason, but Fledgling does.

Does the finished novel bear much similarity to the original short story?

Other than the names Will and Ellie, and the London setting – not really. The short story had less substance – and if I’m honest – is a bit naïve, but Fledgling is darker. Ellie is much more feisty and keeps Will at arm’s length for far longer. Also, I hope after all the hard work – it’s better!

What kind of vampire is the protagonist Will?

He’s a three-hundred-year-old former Duke. Full of confidence – bordering on arrogant – very wealthy, and a bit of a control freak, but he adores Ellie. He doesn’t suffer fools ... at all, although he does have a dark sense of humour – which Ellie doesn’t always appreciate – and of course he’s mouth-wateringly gorgeous. A literary agent said to me last year, ‘Tall, dark handsome vampires don’t sell.’ I said, ‘Er, actually they do.’ Then I remembered he was the agent who turned down Interview With The Vampire for the UK market. Clearly he isn’t a vampire fan.

Your heroine Elinor is a dancer – why?

A piece of advice I was given years ago, was ‘write about something you know’ and as I’ve danced since I was seven, although never professionally, I decided to make her a dancer. I still go to dance classes every week, and have quite a few friends who are dancers, so it made sense at the time. Vampires are supposed to be lithe and graceful, so I thought a former professional dancer would make an amazing vampire.

Originally I started the book when Ellie was human – and working in the theatre – but I changed it to give the beginning more of an impact. I will be writing a prequel (eventually) so there will be more of the theatre aspect in that.

Is your novel different to other paranormal romance books?

The main difference is that it’s set in North London – England! All the others seem to be American, set in New Orleans, St Louis, Seattle, Washington State etc., but never London. Tanya Huff has used the bastard son of Henry VIII as her vampire – yet he still lives near Seattle!

I wanted my main characters to be quintessentially English, and to speak English – although I had trouble persuading my (American) editor not to substitute ‘gotten’ for ‘got.’ In the end I rewrote several paragraphs so I could lose the word altogether.

The areas of North London which I know best, provide a colourful background for Fledgling. I wanted to make my vampires who live there seem ‘real.’ It would be amazing if people walked around Highgate trying to find Will’s Georgian house. I often wandered around there myself until I found the perfect house for him, so it really does exist. (I just hope it isn’t Sting’s house!)

Ultimately I think it was the ‘Englishness’ of the book which attracted the American publishers.

Do you feel this book will bring new fans to the vampire genre?

It’s difficult to answer that question. I can only say I hope so. Both my editor and copy editor are fans of Will, and that makes me really proud – and hopeful.

Renegades is book two of the series. When will that be published and can you tell us what it’s about?

The publishers are undecided about Renegades at the moment. They aren’t keen on series of books, so that’s a problem. Also they are predominantly a romance publisher and Renegades is not so much of a romance as Fledgling. It has torture and heaps of bodies. Added to the body count, there are child vampires, which a lot of US publishers really don’t like.

Contractually, I can’t show it to another publisher until they definitely say ‘no.’ But I think it will depend on how well Fledgling does to be honest.

Renegades features more of Will and Ellie, with two extremely evil enemies added. It features the ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ of all vampires, who descend on London to try and usurp Will’s authority as Elder, generally cause mayhem, and commit grisly murders. They want Londoners to be aware of the existence of vampires, and Will is extremely keen for that not to happen.

It’s in Renegades that Ellie discovers more about Will’s past too, and there’s a lovely vamp wedding at the end. So it does have its romantic moments ... just not as many as Fledgling.

I think US publishers differ from the UK, and rarely offer a ‘three-book deal.’ But I have to show my publishers everything I write for the next three years – thus giving them first ‘dibs.’

Did you always intend to write a series?

No, not at all. Renegades almost started writing itself. An idea came and I started writing, then before I knew what had happened, I had twenty-two chapters. I’m ashamed to say I haven’t finished it yet because I keep getting side-tracked by other things. Although the book is all plotted out, and recently I rewrote the first chapter which is something I often do. But I really do need to set myself a deadline to finish Renegades.

What are your writing plans beyond that?

I’ve got two other books in the pipeline. The first is another paranormal romance, called Alpha, starring one of the more minor characters from Fledgling. (A werewolf.) Told from the point-of-view of a female rock singer who has no idea her new man turns furry once a month.

The second book, which I started last year, is a fallen angel story, called Fallen From Grace, although I think angels have actually fallen out of favour already :) It’s a fast-moving genre.

Eventually I hope to get going on Obsession, which is Will’s story, and starts in the 17th Century. I’m looking forward to writing something historical. The book spans three centuries and the second half details Will’s first sightings of, and ultimate obsession with Ellie, ending with her accident – which is the beginning of Fledgling. Full circle!

I’m also editing an anthology of vampire stories for teens, called Fangtales, which will be published by Wyvern Publications in October 2011. I didn’t have time to even think of a story for it myself, but I am designing the cover! (I wasn’t allowed to design the cover for Fledgling.)

Fledgling is published in Black Rose by The Wild Rose Press on 23rd September 2011

Follow Berni on Twitter: @circleoflebanon

Visit the Black Rose blog http://twrpblackrose.blogspot.com/ featuring different writing topics every month written by the Black Rose authors.

Fledgling back cover blurb

For three hundred years William James Austen has lived a life of wealth and privilege. His Machiavellian lifestyle gets him what he wants. And what he wants now is the beautiful dancer, Elinor Jane Wakefield. But this vampire needs more than a taste of her blood, he needs her love.

Ellie’s life is tragically altered, but nothing could prepare her for the terrifying knowledge that to save her, Will had to kill her. A fledgling vampire must learn to survive, yet she has no taste for blood and she can’t trust the one man who can help her. The one man beginning to break down her defences. The one man she refuses to love.

To complicate matters, a lover from Will’s past arrives in London, out for more than blood...she wants revenge.

FLEDGLING

It's been very difficult for me as a book cover designer, to sit back and let someone else design the cover of my own first novel. Most designers tend to have a bit of the control freak about them, so the urge to fiddle with the design for something so close to my heart, has been almost unbearable! I really didn't want a person on the cover either, because I wanted the reader to form a picture of my male protagonist for themselves.

But having said that, I design for the UK market, and Fledgling is being published in the US. The markets are very different and the paranormal romance market is far bigger in the States than here in the UK.

However, I do love the atmospheric feel to the cover and the muted colours, although I'm still not sure about the giant raven. As ravens go, he's very handsome, but has nothing to do with the story – even though the title is Fledgling. I definitely think the cover will stand out, which of course is what really matters, so I've squished my control freakiness down . . .