Dark Reads, Fierce Subject Matter

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Rereading Jane Eyre & A Rice Cry To Heaven. What a combo. The psychology of Jane Eyre has always fascinated me. What an even darker romance that would be if written now, and I’m not talking about Rochester. (Although he has some interesting issues, what with the wife in the attic and the attempted bigamy). Jane herself has a darkness and fixity that is quite terrifying in its own way (apologies to any that find it pure romance).

Quick choice: who would you rather have dinner with? Charlotte Bronte or Emily? Close, but personally I’d vote for Emily. Anyone that could create Cathy, let alone Heathcliff, I need to meet.

As for Cry To Heaven: subject matter. Nuff said. Fearless.

This is my current soundtrack, the magnificent Kate Bush (note the smooth segueway from the Bronte’s to music – Wuthering Heights, geddit ;)

Since I’m currently dealing with the stage:

Teenage Genius

I’m a lousy poster, but here you go, three individuals that crossed my radar and truly intrigued me, followed by the question: what the hell is it to hit brilliance in your teens? Blessing or curse?

Rowland S. Howard. I didn’t realize that he’d written one of my all time favorite Nick Cave numbers, the astonishing and achingly lush Shivers when he was only 16. Yep, sixteen. Check the link at the bottom for a baby-faced Nick Cave’s rendition of it in his Boys Next Door incarnation.

But bookery and not music… I’d have to nominate Raymond Radiguet and The Devil In The Flesh. He finished writing this book at 18, I read it at 18. Um. Just um. Radiguet was an amazing character and I first came across him in a biography of Jean Cocteau, one of his lovers. Cocteau said of him, "He was hard; it took a diamond to scratch his heart." Bloody hell. Who wouldn’t want that said about them? Talk about evil glamor. Radiguet must also have had, in between the alcohol and other distractions, one hell of a work ethic. By the time he died at 20 in 1923, he had another novel under his belt together with other works.

It’s a 180 in style and intent, but I also have to mention the incredible Georgette Heyer. She was a teenage wonder, although unlike the unfortunate Radiguet, she kept on trucking to bigger and greater things. Her first book, The Black Moth, was published at 19. My favorite of her many books, These Old Shades, was, according to my in-depth research (that is, Wikipedia) published when she was around 24. Yowzer.

There are more, most certainly, that could be on that list but that trio should do it for now.

I should also post a link sometime to Boys Next Door's cover of These Boots Are Made For Walking. It’s a hoot.

And now I want to reread The Devil In The Flesh. Right now. Not to mention Shades…

Updates, Bad Movies & Sequel Stuff

Well, it's officially been a long time between drinks (or should I say, posts).

I get the sense that 2014 was a mixed bag for a lot of people. I know that it had its definite great highlights for me, and lovely people and moments, along with some grindingly unpleasant aspects. On the upside, I did get His Sweet Prince out after a drought. At the moment I'm juggling a contemporary and another historical, this one opening in a period of Australian history that fascinates me.

I'm also sussing a way around a sequel/way of working with the Objects Of His Obsession world. It's totally naff for the writer of a book to have a crush on their own characters, but I do love Evander, Ben and Juliana. I really want a follow up or story set in the Obsessions world but it's tricky. A prequel featuring Juliana and her lover really appeals to me but just wouldn't work (it would be a major spoiler alert for obvious reasons, as people who have read the book will know ;). However I think I may have come up with a solution involving all characters, set after the end of the story. I'll see how it goes once I've finished the rock star & the historical.

I read some great books in 2014+ and was amazed and in awe at the sheer genius and magic of some writers. I do love that magic, that ability to create worlds and truly connect with the reader. I really do believe that creators of all kinds – writers, visual artists, musicians, are truly blessed if also a little cursed (because it can be a royal pain in the arse when it's not going right). How much energy do they give to the world when it really works though? Sensational.

I also saw some great films and TV shows that have really stayed with me. Penny Dreadful is probably a TV fave of mine. Who could beat Vanessa Ives/Eva Green as a great, original strong female lead or Penny Dreadful's version of Dorian Grey for sheer fascination? I saw a few films that bored the shite out of me, and one film, Cloud Atlas, that is on my permanent favorites list.

Ah well, it's Valentine's Day, and since I'm feeling contrary, here is a great anti-Valentine's Day song by the very, very brilliant Betty Davis. Please enjoy people, she is wicked talented...

Cover Change & Movie Rec: Bound

I revamped the cover to His Sweet Prince, update here. I liked the idea of having an overlay spreading over the two figures like a communal tattoo.

Given that at the moment there's a schlocktastic TV show playing in the background which I won't bother naming but take a guess, historical, set in Italy, and the costumes are pretty, I'll be contrary & recommend a movie which I guess you could describe as noir/gangster, and I think may have been the first movie written and directed by the Wachowski's.

If you haven't seen or heard of Bound, check it out. It's worth it.

Here's the trailer…

Voting & Opinionating

*This should have been posted yesterday but I not only got wrenched away from the keyboard but didn’t have a chance to get back to this till now. So here goes:

I’ve been writing and rewriting furiously and am about to be wrenched from the keyboard in order to get out and walk the dogs. Or they get to walk us, better description. One of them weighs more than I do, sh+t!

Elections & voting. Hmm, yesterday we had the state elections and I voted, not only because in Australia, it’s a compulsory thing but because I really believe in it. And yes, the current crop of politicians are not inspiring (I’m talking Australian ones). And yes, I KNOW my vote won’t count, because while the area I live in, should, theoretically, be a 50/50 deal the boundaries were changed creatively some years back. Now hell would have to freeze over before any party but the one currently holding the seat gets kicked out.

What kind of thing do I think a political party should care about? Plain, simple stuff: the rights of all citizens, regardless of race, gender, sexual preference or religion to a decent education, decent healthcare and an equal opportunity in the workplace and in life choices. Equality. That’s pretty much it. Not much to ask for, and yet such a massive thing to ask for.

So yeah, I believe in getting out there and voting. And oh yes, I’ve voted even when I’ve thought every political choice on offer was crap. A real vote, not a donkey vote. Because if nothing else the simple act of casting a vote honors those that have fought so hard for that right, and may still be doing so.

Okay, off my soapbox now. Back to dogwalking and writing romance and a little dreaming.

This Tom Waits song seems incredibly appropriate for these dangerously interesting times. I think it also sums up my feelings about politicians well.

Gaultier Exhibition & New Stuff

Briefly, I pubbed His Sweet Prince (The Hellfire Vampires Bloodline 2) through Amazon last weekend, further info links in the His & His Sweet Prince Hellfire Vampires Bloodline + Titles & Outlets tabs in the header. Also check the previous, 8th November post: His Sweet Prince (The Hellfire Vampires Bloodline) 2.

Gaultier! I blather a fair amount about favorite films and television shows, I once threw in a link to a favorite artist of mine, Ray Caesar, but I’ll do a post here about the Gaultier retrospective which I saw last weekend.

Yeah, like everyone, I’m well familiar with the pointy bra/corset, and I’ve loved his film costumes – Besson’s The Fifth Element just would NOT be the same experience without his designs, but seeing around thirty years of work up close was extraordinary and amazing. And so, since I absolutely regard fashion design as an art, just as I would painting, film, music, writing, whatever the hell else comes along, and it all feeds the creative beast, not to mention soul, I was blown away and inspired and energized by the sheer genius and hidden hard slog of Gaultier’s work. It was wild, it was experimental, for some it would be “but where would you wear it” but there were very many exquisite and totally wearable items. I know I lusted after a pair of the sequined trousers a (mannequin) sailor was wearing, not to mention the leather jackets and wild shoes and boots.

I’ve included some photos here, taken on my phone, so excuse the quality. I was really bummed out that the one photo I really wanted to work, of his childhood teddy, complete with its own beta version cone bra, came out fuzzy, but I’ve included it just because it was so damned adorable. I’ve also included a link to a YouTube video of Gaultier being interviewed. For all I know he’s faking being funny, intelligent, endlessly curious and inclusive very well, but hell, he’s totally on my “Imagine The Best Dinner Party In The World” guest list. Catch at least a few minutes of it and see what you think.

Not to mention, about the only thing he and I have in common: we both had the best grandmothers going. His sounds pretty wild and I know mine was.

Ciao,

J… oh, and I'm currently midways through my hot rock star story. Hell yeah! Researching this one is a little different to Objects Of His Obsession :)

His Sweet Prince (The Hellfire Vampires Bloodline) 2

Hi all,

His Sweet Prince (The Hellfire Vampires Bloodline) Book 2 is now in the Amazon store.

His Sweet Prince is a shifter/witch novel linked but totally standalone to the Hellfire Vampire world, so if you are into shifter/supernatural action, this will be the one for you. Following is the blurb:::

Shifters and witches don't mix, no matter how combustible their sexual chemistry. Especially when one is an assassin, and the other a lycan prince he has been sent to slaughter.

Easton Caird is many things. To his Agency, he is codenamed Scarlet. Scarlet for blood spilled, Scarlet for the rentboy he impersonates. Damaged, dangerous, he trusts no one.

And when he reads his would-be mark, Grisha Vasiliev, a lycan prince who has turned his back on the shifter pack and crime empire headed by his ruthless father, he realizes that the intel he was given on the commanding male was comprised. Vasiliev is no Russian mobster, trading in drugs, guns, and human misery. But Vasiliev's father, a lycan king is.

The two of them will be thrown together and with death so close, the raw lust between them cannot be denied. With so much blood spilled the consequences of success or failure will be devastating.

Will Easton ultimately make the greatest sacrifice, the most eternal trade of all in order to gain a love, secure a bond he has never had before? Grisha may just be worth it.

xoxo,

J