Born and raised in Joplin, Missouri R.E. Mullins has also resided in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mt. Clemens, Michigan, Springfield, Missouri and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Though she has loved each area, the Ozarks hold a special place in her heart.
Welcome Robin!
What are you working on?
The 2nd book in the Blautsaugers of Amber Heights will be released on Halloween 10/31/14. It’s called Vampire in the Scrying Glass and is Morgan and Rafe’s story. I’m currently about half way done with the 3rd book in the series: Metta and Luke’s story. Working title is A Vampire to be Reckoned With
How does your work differ from others of its genre?
My vampires are very human-like. Their anatomy and physiology is almost identical to humans but with a couple of extra chromosomes. Therefore they can do anything a human can do with a little extra oomph. They are able to go out into the sun (using sunscreen and sunglasses). They can stay up all day just as humans can stay up all night. They have a strong moral code and laws yet they are just as fallible as any human. Since they live longer, they mature extra slowly and aren’t even considered adults until they’ve reached 100 years of age.
Why do you write what you do?
I want to write the things I enjoy reading. However, I must admit this series was inspired by my job in phlebotomy. Dealing with blood all day…it only made sense to write about a phlebotomist who gets turned into a vampire. I started It’s a Wonderful Undead Life over a decade ago but didn’t take it seriously. After I got my act together, it was published Christmastime 2012.
How does your writing process work?
I seem to write better in the morning with a big carafe of coffee by my side. When I hit a snag, I take my dog for a walk. The fresh air clears my head and often whatever problem I’m having resolves itself.
What is your educational background?
I received my BA in Psychology so many years ago it doesn’t warrant discussion. I will say that despite my clumsy attempts to use what I learned on my children…they turned out pretty well adjusted.
What would you call your autobiography?
First, I must say I don’t think my life would be that interesting. If I have to pick a title, I think I’d call it One Toe In Heaven One Toe In Hell.
Who is your favorite celebrity and why?
I think I’d have to pick Kenneth Faried #35 power forward for the Denver Nuggets. Why? I love his hair and he’s just so doggone cute running up and down the court like the Energizer Bunny. I love basketball, as it is something I share with my older son. Now that we no longer live in the same house, we often call one another during a game to kibitz over different plays and penalties.
What keeps you motivated while writing?
The voices in my head never shut up.
How much real life goes into your fiction writing?
Quite a bit, actually. Amber Heights, my city in the series, is made up though it’s set in my old stomping grounds of southwest Missouri. You might consider it a mishmash of several places I’ve lived. Though heavily edited (names changed to protect the innocent) I’ve also alluded to several events from my life. The disastrous blind date where Morgan gets her hand bitten in A Vampire In The Scrying Glass is one example.
If one fine morning you wake up and find your sex changed to opposite, what will be your first reaction?
Hmmm. I suppose I’d have to give peeing while standing up a try. I’ll see if my aim is any better than that of the males I’ve known.
Your all-time favorite book and why?
That is the hardest question you’ve asked so far. I guess I’d have to say Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. It takes a simple concept—facing the unknown—and turns that fear into something poetically and delightfully entertaining. I loved it as a kid, I loved reading it to my own kids, and I hope (one day) to read it to my grandchildren. Admittedly, my tastes run a little differently these days (I now like blood, sex, and mayhem in my stories) but I’d have to say, historically, that is my favorite book.
Your favorite movie and why?
The original Star Wars movie to be filmed, A New Hope. When I first saw it, well I was blown into a Galaxy far far away. After that comes The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies. I also loved the Harry Potter movies.
Your favorite food?
Pasta, baby. One of my favorite dishes is a variation of pasta puttanesca. The literal translation is ‘whore’s pasta’, which, I believe, comes from the idea you, can throw any combination of meat you want into the dish. I generally use pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, black olives, edamame, fresh garlic, pasta (I like rigatoni over spaghetti for this), and a couple of cans of Italian seasoned diced tomatoes. Cook the meats, boil the pasta, and then toss everything except the bacon together. Heat through. Crumble bacon on top.
Your origin of birth and other countries you have visited/ stayed. What best things you liked in these countries around the globe?
I was born in the USA (did you mentally sing that?) in Joplin Missouri. I’ve traveled through thirty-eight of the forty-eight contiguous states. I’ve been to Mexico 3x, Canada 3x, Jamaica 3x, Haiti, several different islands in the Bahamas, England 3x, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Italy.
I’ve eaten Spaghetti Bolognese and tiramisu at a little table overlooking the Roman Forum in Rome. Had world famous fish and chips in Whitby, England, and stuffed my burning mouth with bread after chowing down on jerk pork in Montego Bay. I’ve walked through the dungeon of Warwick castle, seen the Tower of London, and the crown jewels. I’ve wandered the ruined city of Pompeii and stood in the shadow of Vesuvius. I ate stracciatella gelato while looking upon the ashy cast of a woman forever frozen in time.
I fell in love with Nero’s bathtub, which is on display at the Vatican.
Which of your work has been published so far? Would you like to share a synopsis of your work? What are your forthcoming writings?
I’ve been fortunate enough that my first novel: It’s A Wonderful Undead Life was published and it has turned into a series. The second book: Vampire In The Scrying Glass will be released Halloween 2014. The third book under the working title: A Vampire To Be Reckoned With is about halfway finished.
See cover art, blurbs, excerpts, and buylinks below.
It’s A Wonderful Undead Life
Blurb:
It's been a rough couple of years for Cailey Kantor. Facing her first Christmas alone and bad financial news, she prays for an angel to fix her problems. Instead, a sadistic, sociopathic vampire, with the goal of starting a vampire war, attacks her and forces her to drink blood stolen from the Nosferatu Gabriel Blautsauger.
Gabe must complete Cailey's turning or she will die. In doing so he risks losing his yet unfound soul mate. But something about the lovely mortal speaks to his heart. Once her transformation is complete, he and Cailey find themselves embroiled in a battle that could cost them all they hold dear.
Faced with lies, abduction, and betrayal Cailey wonders if the vampire she is falling fangs over heart for is in it for love or if she's just a means to stop a war.
Excerpt:
Cailey’s scrub top was gone, exposing her lacy bra, and she was in the process of stepping out of the drawstring pants. She glanced up, her gaze a bit wild. “Hurry. Hurry. I think I might explode from all this energy inside me. I feel like a popcorn maker and all the kernels are popping at once. So much pressure in here.” She dropped a hand to the juncture of her thighs
and pressed it against her.
“Cailey?” Gabe’s tone was an octave higher than normal. When she straightened up, clad only in her underwear, he gulped for air. “What are you doing?”
“Getting ready, of course.” Holding her wadded up pants in front of her, she frowned at him. “I thought you said you knew what you were doing.”
“I thought I did…” His voice trailed off, his gaze locked on Cailey’s tight body. How had he missed just how beautiful she was? Hidden beneath the baggy scrubs was a living miracle. He took in the slight swell of flesh above the lucky bra cupping her breasts, and his fingers itched to run down the indentation of her waist.
She dropped the pants to the floor. “Come on. Come on, Gabe the Babe. I know all about when you were at university and all the female vamps used to chase you around and gloat if they made time with you.”
“Ahem.” Gabe realized he had his sister to thank for this new conundrum. More than a bit leery, he asked, “What else did Metta tell you?”
“That we’re both kind of like virgins.”
“I beg your pardon?”
ISBN-13: print edition 978-1-61217-584-3
digital edition 978-1-61217-585-0
ASIN: B00AK009R4
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Twitter handle: #REMullins
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/REMullinsauthor
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/REMullins
Amazon and other buylinks: www.amazon.com/... www.barnesandnobl... www.thewildrosepr... www.bookstrand.co...
Blog: http://remullins.blogspot.com/
Blautsaugers of Amber Heights series #2. Vampire in the Scrying Glass set to release Halloween 2014.
Blurb:
Rafe Blautsauger, vampire and enforcer, must put his feelings for the mortal Morgan Maguire aside. The Nosferatu council who employs Rafe strictly forbids their love. But he can't stay away from the beautiful woman who causes his blood to beat with new life. Yet, she hides a secret, one he must expose in order to protect her.
Morgan keeps her unique gift of magic under wraps due to a spell gone horribly wrong when she was young. She is haunted by a nightmare where two malevolent glowing red eyes stalk her. Can she trust the arrogant but oh-so-handsome Rafe with her secret as well as her heart? Can he help her regain her power in time to save the world of the living and the undead?
Excerpt:
Morgan quickly lunged forward, and pressed the stake firmly over his heart. “You are despicable.”
“Necessary. Especially for someone as puny as you.” With ease Rafe flipped the piece of sharpened wood out of her fingers, twirled it around a couple of times, and then handed it back with a small flourish.
This time reprisal came more quickly as a spell came to her. She hoped that one day it would come automatically. “Let this man feel my slap. Not to harm, just a tap. Let him feel a touch of fear, to know he cannot domineer.”
For a second the words hung in the air and then Rafe’s eyes widened as his head jerked to the side. The faint lines of a palm print reddened his left cheek.
“You little devil,” he rubbed the side of his face before pushing her on the shoulder with the flat of his hand. He shoved hard enough to force her back a step. “If you’re going to slap at me, by god, you better have the balls to come at me personally.”
“Oh, yeah?” Morgan thrust both hands against his chest and shoved with all her might. It shook her when he didn’t budge an inch, but she managed to keep up her air of bravado. “What’s the matter? Don’t you like the fact I’m not weak and powerless?” Tossing back her head, she challenged, “I don’t need magic to take you on, but it would be wise for you to remember it’s always there.”
He thwarted any chance of escape or the ability to get in the last word by twisting his hand into her hair.
He pulled hard enough, she gasped.
“So take me on,” he dared
ISBN-13: Print edition 978-1-62830-541-8
Digital edition 978-1-62830-542-5
ASIN: B00O0G28NM
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Twitter handle: #REMullins
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/...
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/REMullins
Amazon link: amzn.to/ZQ8n5Y
Blog: http://remullins.blogspot.com/
(c) jaideep khanduja
(c) pebble in the still waters