Please welcome back Leanna Ellis, a fellow Sourcebooks
author with a new thrilling book out this August: Plain Fear: Forbidden. It’s an Amish Vampire Romance—need I say
more?
As summer is winding down and school is about to start up
again, one of my favorite things to do is travel. One of the best aspects of
writing is being ‘forced’ to travel for research. Oh the suffering I endure for
my art!
Now I will say that some places are a bit more exotic and
fun than others. Once I endured the heat of August in Texas and quite a sunburn
while sitting at an outdoor rodeo. But oh those cowboys! It was worth the
suffering. Another time, I drove eleven hours, just to reach the other side of
Texas, to visit Marfa. I never did see those mysterious lights but it was a fun
place to visit and gave me lots of wonderful ideas for my book. Still, another
time, I entered the bizarre world of Elvis at Graceland. If you haven’t seen
shag carpet on the ceiling then you just haven’t lived.
I have a confession to make: I did not visit any vampire
communities during my writing of this series. I did however go where I’d never
been before. My critique buddy, Julie, and I visited Lancaster, PA and entered
the world of the Amish. What a time we had, visiting an Amish farm, traveling
in a horse-draw buggy, and partaking of an Amish meal. You have to know what
you’re writing about, right? We went to an Amish bakery and bought everything
that looked delicious. And trust me it encompassed just about everything. Oh
my! I think we each gained ten pounds, but oh what fun we had!
Last fall, I traveled to Ohio, where a huge part of book #2,
FORBIDDEN, in my Plain Fear series, was set. I visited a writer friend of mine,
Shelley Shepard Gray, who writes Amish fiction, and she took me to an enclave
in the southeastern corner of her state, right near the Kentucky border, which
had an Amish community set in the hills and dales along the edge of the
Appalachians.
We checked into a fabulous bed and breakfast, where we
shared a little cabin, nestled among dense woods. Early in the fall with the
leaves changing and tumbling around us, the cool night air, and the dark,
sinister clouds gave a wondrous atmosphere that fit my book perfectly. I was in
hog heaven.
Maybe it was the time of year, not too long before
Halloween, when pumpkin cannons were advertised and freshly pressed apple cider
sold, but it all reminded me of The Legends of Sleepy Hollow. I even
incorporated this old covered bridge into my story. It felt like it might
collapse beneath the car as we drove over it. Thankfully, we survived to tell
the tale.
So I hope you’ll travel with me into the world of the Amish…and
my own unique world of vampires.
Thanks to Leanna for
celebrating the release of her latest novel with us! To enter to win 1 of 2
copies of Plain Fear: Forbidden,
please leave a comment, telling us your favorite vampire books, movies, etc. US
and Canada addresses only, please leave an email address so we can reach you. Winners
will be chosen on Monday, August 13!
PLAIN FEAR: FORBIDDEN BY LEANNA ELLIS – IN STORES
AUGUST 2012
How Long Must We Pay for the Sins of Our Past?
She blames herself for her
husband's death. But for Rachel Schmidt Nussbaum, redemption may only lie in
the ultimate sacrifice.
When a stranger arrives claiming
only she can save him, Rachel's impulsive instincts lead her on a perilous
journey, one that leads her to a battle that will decide both the fate of her
soul and the life of her unborn child.
A far–from–ordinary story of
love and desperation, sin and sacrifice, Amish faith and vampire lore, Plain
Fear: Forbidden is an imaginative thrill ride that's like nothing you've ever
read before.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leanna Ellis is the winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award and Romance
Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award. She has written numerous books for
Harlequin/Silhouette and has published four books with B&H Publishing. With
her husband, two children, and wide assortment of pets, she lives in Texas. For
more information, please visit www.leannaellis.com, follow her on Twitter, @LeannaEllis, and “like” her on Facebook.
WOW! Now that's blending two different worlds for sure. I love the Amish country, too. We've visited their part of the world in PA several times, gone to the farmer's market and eaten at their cafe. It was truly an experience! Congratulations on the new release and kudos to you for putting two worlds together!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the release, Leanna. I agree with Carolyn, I don't think I would have ever even thought to pair those two worlds together. Sounds intriguing!! Lancaster is beautiful country...and I love the colorful Amish quilts you see hanging over fences and on clotheslines.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have the makings of a winner! Congratulations and wishing you much success!
ReplyDeleteAmelia
I too have to agree - what an unusual pairing but I love variety and this is something very original. I just read the first book in Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed and was very pleasantly surprised since I haven't read very much in that line.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the release of book #2. I'm in Texas too, but I'm not sitting outside for cowboys or anyone else!
ReplyDeleteWhat an unusual vampire romance. I have enjoyed vampire romances and am particularly fond of the Lara Adrian vampire romances. However, I am intrigued about the spin you take on your story.
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
I readed some of Steven Steelburg books and the scare me to no end this book look like it a real good book,keep up the great writing Leanna
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the book! I like Kresley Cole's vampires.
ReplyDeletebn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
How fun to check out an Amish community, had to feel a little like stepping back in time. And my son loves the picture of the pig...he keeps saying "oink...oink...oink".
ReplyDeleteI love Lara Adrian's vampires. But another vamp I love is in Robin McKinley's Sunshine. It is so well written, no huge love story, and the end leaves you knowing that their lives will go on and adventures had but you have to use your own imagination to figure it out.
eyesofblueice (at) gmail
I don't think I would have ever thought about combining the Amish with vampires. I actually have a lot of neighbors who are Amish and never thought about vampires and them. I am now interested in it though :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post and giveaway.
June
manning_J2004 at yahoo do tcom
Hi, Carolyn! Thanks so much! It is beautiful in PA. So restful, a feast for the eyes.
ReplyDeleteHi, C.H! Oh yes, I love the clotheslines. And staying at a bed and breakfast, the sheets smelled so fresh, like a summer breeze, because they were dried on a clothesline.
Thanks, Amelia!
Sorry, y'all, that I'm late to the party today! We've been driving all day from Vicksburg back to Texas. So good to be home!
Hi, catslady! I haven't read that book but will have to look it up!
ReplyDeleteHi, ShanaGalen! It is too hot in Texas! We drove in today and it was 109!
Hi, Lil! I guess I think way outside the box.
ReplyDeleteThanks, pilotcardriver!
Thanks, bn100!
Hi, Lexi H! The pigs were so cute! And yes it does feel a bit like stepping back in time. Riding in a buggy, the slow pace of it, really made me think how much we miss as we speed along the highway.
Hi, June! This is definitely not the norm and probably only my warped brain would put the two together. ;)
ReplyDelete"the pigs were cute" comment made me laugh, I grew up on a pig farm so I may have a slightly different opinion =)
ReplyDeleteMaybe we are missing out a little, flying through life so fast. I can see that a trip like that would make you stop and smell the roses (or pigs).
Good morning! Our winners are
ReplyDeleteLexi H
and
Catslady
I will be emailing you both shortly. Thanks to everyone who commented on Leanna's post!
Danielle
Thank you so much for the win - I'm really looking forward to reading this!
ReplyDelete