Worth a Second Look...

When my publisher asks me to read a new writer and give them a quote, I always say yes. So far I haven't been disappointed in the selections they’ve sent me. One such book is “La Vida Vampire” by Nancy Haddock, which debuted April 1.

Cesca Marinelli has been buried for more than 200 years. She’s unearthed during
a time when Vamps happen to be a protected species. Cesca is basically Gidget
with fangs and she works as a tour guide in St. Augustine, Florida. When a
tourist is killed, she becomes a suspect, and is forced to team up with a
former slayer to solve the case and prove her innocence.

Haddock brings St. Augustine alive, so much so that I really want to go for a
visit. About the book she says, “A peanut utter commercial inspired the initial
idea, but the real fun was taste-testing Starbucks to discover Cesca’s favorite
drink.”

I love this book because it makes me smile. Cesca has her quirks, I mean she’s
a surfing vampire, but so does everyone else around her. Haddock’s created a
wonderful world I want to read about again, and again. In fact, I e-mailed her
soon after reading that first one and asked about the second.

My mentor Jodi Thomas has a new one out this month called “Twisted Creek.” Fabulous doesn’t begin to describe this story about a young woman, Allie, who inherits a tiny café in a small Texas town. She and her grandmother settle in to make the best of a difficult situation and Allie learns more about the lonely people who come to visit the café. This is one of those books that will make you laugh and cry, and you’ll know you’ve finished one heck of a story when you’re done. Jodi has one of the biggest hearts I know, and she poured every bit of it into “Twisted Creek.” I love this book! You also have to pick up Linda Wisdom’s “50 Ways to Hex Your Lover.” Talk about a fun read. Linda and I are on the witchychicks blog together. Her book is about a 700-year-young witch, Jazz Tremaine, who must deal with a cranky ghost who refuses to leave her 1956 T-Bird. She has a curse elimination business, but her creature of a boss is in trouble with the cops. And there’s also a sexy vampire ex to deal with. One of my BFF’s (best friends forever), Rosemary Clement-Moore (She’s going to snort when she sees that BFF thing) has a new release this month. Her RITA nominated First Book “Prom Dates From Hell” is out in trade paperback this month. It’s a supernatural mystery with a little something for everyone: sarcasm, scary monsters, catfights and some kissing.

Maggie Quinn, the protagonist, is smart and funny, and she’s so ready to
graduate from high school. When accidents start happening to school’s elite
clique, she can’t help but step in since she’s the only one who can see that
evil is at work.

“We have a series title now, ‘Maggie Quinn: Girl versus Evil,’” says
Rosemary, “and the new covers really capture the feel of the book. The artist
totally got Maggie. She actually looks like the character in my head. Also
she’s in a prom dress wreathed with fire. What’s not to love about that?”

This is the first in the Quinn series, but there are more on the way. In the next one, “Hell Week,” which is out in August, Maggie is in college and goes undercover to write about sororities.

Here’s the thing with Rosemary’s books, they are YA, but they are great reads
for adults too. She writes books for all those grown up Nancy Drew fans who
want something with a little edge. (Smile)

Until next month...Candy

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Candy is a nationally syndicated entertainment columnist, who has interviewed just about every celebrity there is in Hollywood and written thousands of articles. She is the author of the Charmed & Dangerous series including Charmed & Ready Charmed & Dangerous and Charmed & Deadly.

Her non-fiction prose includes Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy, and essays in Alias Assumed: Sex, Lies and SD-6, and Five Seasons of Angel. She's also the entertainment critic providing the latest on TV, film and celebs for the radio station 96.3 KSCS. And she's the managing editor for FYI Television.

You can visit Candy daily at her blog or her website