Today, I have the pleasure of featuring Norm Applegate and his new book, Blood Bar (a vampire tale) as part of the Pump Up Your Book Promotion Book Tour. Many thanks to Tracee for giving me the opportunity to be part of the book tour!

Below is a short interview with Norm Applegate:


1. Where are you from and how did you get into writing?
Lately not sure, and yet I can definitely say born in Glasgow Scotland, raised in Toronto, and have been living in Florida for the last twenty-eight years. I have traveled steadily for awhile, 2 million miles on Delta, with visits to Australia, New Zealand, London, Paris (My favorite) and this year Rome, oh yeah, Alaska, Hawaii and just about every city in Canada and the USA. I was a hypnotist and did the traveling listen to my voice mesmerizing road show through most of these countries.

2. When and why did you begin writing?
Always wanted to write a book, didn’t know how, thought it was beyond my capabilities, but while traveling through New Zealand it started. The hypnosis career changed my life, and realizing nothing is impossible, began writing short notes, tales, and just life experiences to my wife back in the States.

3. When did you first consider yourself a writer?
That moment was when a few readers, strangers actually, people I had never met, sent me emails, or talked to me about something I wrote. The book was Into the Basement, abduction, torture, murder, the usual romantic stuff that makes you squeeze your thighs tight, warms your face, and blush sinfully. It surprised me, thrilled me to know people liked what I liked...I wasn’t alone from that point forward, my dark side had an outlet, freedom.

4. What you think about the trend of vampire books comparing the past to today? (By Melody)
It’s what is popular that’s changed, I mean if you go back to the Anne Rice novels, Interview with a Vampire, it’s a serious, adult suspense thriller. Other books from that time A Delicate Discipline, were about the horror, and the cold dark sinister evil, but we found them captivating.

Today with True Blood on TV, Twilight, and the Sookie Stackhouse series, it’s a young adult audience looking for romance, and they have found it in vampires. Twilight, I’ve read, the writing is excellent, Stephenie Meyer has a style that pulls you in. But I found myself waiting for the essence of the vampire, you know the one that we grew up with. I’m afraid we have made this horror genre boring, in fact it’s not even horror any more it’s YA romance.

My novel, Blood Bar, A Vampire Tale, is erotic, violent and an adventure story.

Let me share the synopsis for Blood Bar:

Vampires don’t exist...yet, on the brownstone back alley side streets of New York, a vampire dies. Desperate, his lover turns to Kim Bennett, author Norm Applegate’s quintessential heroine whose passion for S&M led to celebrity status as a hell-and-back murder mystery sleuth who’s been there, done that, and then some. This time, Kim finds herself caught between a secret vampire society’s attempts to locate The Black Testament (a sacred document written by Jack the Ripper), the modern-day vampire hunters bent on their destruction, and a white knuckled journey of self-discovery that catapults her into the bowels of hell and the arms of the ultimate vampire.......courtesy of The Haven, New York’s ultimate Blood Bar.

5. What are your current projects?
Just finished re-editing Into the Basement, was never happy with what my previous publisher did to it. Next is the screenplay to Basement, written by Nicholas Grabowsky and myself, we have a producer/distributer interested, and the movie is cast with Courtney Gains, then my next novel in the Kim Bennett series that I’m tentatively calling Black Sun Rising, is another vampire tale. You can go to http://www.intothebasementthemovie.com/ to read more about the cast, director J.L. Botelho, and see his trailer for Into the Basement...it’s wicked, prepare yourself, you don’t want little kids watching this, seriously don’t let your kids see this.

~*~*~*~*~*

I want to thank Norm Applegate for taking the time in answering the questions.

I am thrilled when Pump Up Your Book Promotion e-mailed me and asked if I was interested to host author, Debbie Williamson and her memoir, Stand on my blog today. Since I have never done this before, I gladly accepted their request because not only do I get the chance to explore a new book but also I would like to learn more about the author and her thoughts when writing this book.

Here is a synopsis of Stand:

One courageous woman shatters the chains of abuse that bound her family for generations and dares to brave the crippling memories of sexual abuse; shatter the illusions of denial; reveal her family s bitter legacy of violence; reach for healing and wholeness, and take her place on a path to forgiveness and peace. Replacing shame with hope, fear with truth, and shadows with light, Debbie Williamson shares her arduous journey to wellness. She did not choose this journey. At nine years old, she was a victim of sexual abuse. The hidden trauma of childhood rape often maps a life filled with destructive patterns and shame. Such was almost the case for Ms. Williamson. As a young woman struggling to repair her family, she finds the courage to take a STAND. Grasping for health because her life truly depends upon it, she uncovers and shatters her family s tragic tradition of violence. With focus and conviction, Debbie Williamson overcomes a lifetime of denial to heal herself and protect the next generation.

Q: How long have you been writing?

I started to write poetry as a child and I have always kept journals. My short story writings I started as a teenager. Poetry has always been my strongest writing and remains so today.

Q: Who is your biggest source of inspiration?

I have a lot of inspiring aspects to my writing. I love to tell stories. Most of my inspiration comes from life experiences that I want to share. If I had to name anyone in particular it would be my grandchildren. They are my inspiration.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your book?

“Stand” is a memoir, of abuse, tragedy, healing, and forgiveness, and in the end it is a love story.

Q: Why did you feel the need to share your story with others?

I want to change the cycle of abuse so it will not spread to the next generation. I wanted to share my journey of healing through forgiveness with people. It has made such a profound impact on my family I had to write about it.

Q: What was the hardest part of writing about your life?

Walking through the past was probably the hardest part, not only my own but my mother’s past as well. Her childhood was very disturbing and I had to separate myself from her to write about it.

Q: Was the road to publication smooth or bumpy?

Is this a trick question? It was bumpy. I self-published the book. It was a learning experience, but in the future I am not sure if I would choose self publishing. The only publicity you receive is what you create and this can make or break your book.

Q: What have you done to promote your book?

I talk a lot, which is nothing new for me other than I seem to talk about myself. This is new and a stretch for me. I have been out there with book signings and I am doing reach out with shelters in my area and abuse recovery sites online. I have spoken with counselors and case workers on abuse and about the book. I answer inquiries from social workers and I have spoken to church groups about forgiveness and the impact of forgiveness.

Q: Do you have a website?
http://www.standthebook.com/, www.myspace.com/williamsondebbie

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Yes, I would like to say that dreams start as an idea that grows and becomes a passion. Dreams are what will change our world; if you have the courage to follow them they become miracles.