Aris Reigns: The Kingdom of Vampires–Infinity Diaries Series

Read the First Chapter

PrintBy Devin Morgan
A life-altering moment of decision has arrived for psychologist Sarah Hagan. Which life will she choose: the mortal life she is now living in Chicago with her friends and family; or the Immortal life as the mate of a vampire who is part alien and part human? She can no longer ignore the Immortal Aris, who has tracked her through the centuries so they can be reunited as lovers for the rest of time. Will Sarah be able to pay the ultimate price required to fully experience true love?

Aris is not the only one in love with Sarah, however. DeMarco, the King of the Spanish coven of vampires that has sworn to destroy the Immortals, is Aris’ rival for Sarah’s heart.

If Sarah chooses to become a vampire, she also has to find the strength to fight in a vampire war that could destroy literally everyone and everything she holds dear. Can she triumph over her fears and become Immortal in time to join in a fight to the death? Read Aris Reigns to find out whether true love can vanquish evil.

This is the third novel of the INFINITY DIARIES Series.

An Interview with Aris the Vampire:

By Melanie Fairchild
On many occasions I have interviewed authors just before the release of their newest work, but this is the first time I have ever had a conversation with the main character of an historical fiction novel. I must admit as I sat in the bar of the Biltmore Hotel waiting to have a heart-to-heart with a two-thousand-year old vampire, I had my doubts about the validity of the whole situation as well as the sanity of my editor for sending me on such a wild goose chase….Read More

About the Author:

Devin Morgan is not only a writer of thrilling romance novels by night, but also a practicing clinical hypnotherapist and founder and director of the Rishi Institute where she teaches hatha yoga by day. Before Devin focused on all three of these careers after she shuttered her corporate business as a printing broker, she embarked on a mid-life journey to the Middle East in a search for personal happiness.
Devin received both her yoga instructor’s certificate in 1992 and her clinical hypnotherapist certification in 1994, after which she began instructing clients both one-on-one and in groups. She has presented workshops both domestically and internationally and led retreats in England, Egypt, Jordan and Israel as an active part of the world wellness community. Her Rishi Institute is recognized by the Yoga Alliance, a national organization that sets high standards for the teaching of yoga in this country. Over the years Devin has taught thousands of people. Her personal happiness is created by helping to change the world one person at a time.
Devin’s greatest joy, however, is derived from reading and writing books. Sharing her knowledge and stories, both real and imagined, with readers around the world allows her to touch so many more people. She began writing non-fiction books on subjects related to health and wellness. Now, she is leaping into the world of fiction with a brand new twist on vampire romance with Aris Returns, her first book in The Infinity Diaries, a trilogy of death, love and reincarnation.
Devin lives, practices and writes in Los Angeles, California.

Lauren Bacall: A Woman To Remember

bacall 1The Woman

Lauren Bacall was a movie star from almost her first moment on the silver screen.

A fashion model and bit-part New York actress before moving to Hollywood at 19, Bacall achieved immediate fame in 1944 with one scene in her first film, To Have and Have Not. Leaving Humphrey Bogart’s hotel room, Bacall — a lanky figure with flowing blond hair and a stunning face — murmured:

“You don’t have to say anything, and you don’t have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow.” Continue reading

Arf or Meow: What Author Pet Choice Tells You

dog and catBy Katherine Sharma

Many author promotional photos include pets, as I noticed when researching my prior post about author portraits. I suppose it is partly a ploy to make the writer more appealing; you can’t be a selfish, irresponsible brute if you love a pet, right? And pet-owning is a common social connector — to the point that I see more sharing of photos of pets than human partners. But assuming authors also picture pets because they are important in their lives, I wondered if the choice of pet (meaning cat versus dog) has any psychological significance. Yes, studies have shown that dog lovers, reflecting their social pets, are generally more extroverted and confident, as well as more conventional, while cat lovers are generally more introverted but also more open, meaning more likely to embrace unusual ideas, artistic creativity and a variety of experiences. Since I’m a cat person, I was naturally curious about writers who have been inspired by felines. A very partial list includes Mark Twain, Jean Cocteau, Stephen King, Jean Paul Sartre, Jack Kerouac, Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Allan Poe, Colette, Samuel Johnson, Raymond Chandler, Tennessee Williams and Joyce Carol Oates. Of course, creative writing has a canine contingent. Famous dog-owning authors include Virginia Woolf, John Steinbeck and William Faulkner. I’m not sure what it says about the personalities of authors fond of unusual pets — such as Charles Dickens with his raven or Beatrix Potter with her rabbit. But for some aah-inspiring photos of famous writers and their pets, go to http://flavorwire.com/350238/adorable-pictures-of-famous-writers-and-their-pets/

ABOUT  KATHERINE SHARMA

Katherine Sharma’s family roots are in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. But after her early childhood in Texas, she has moved around the country and lived in seven other states, from Virginia to Hawaii. She currently resides in California with her husband and three children. She has also traveled extensively in Europe, Africa and Asia, and makes regular visits to family in India. After receiving her bachelor’s degree. in economics and her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Michigan, Katherine worked as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor for more than 15 years. She then shifted into management and marketing roles for firms in industries ranging from outdoor recreation to insurance to direct marketing. Although Katherine still works as a marketing consultant, she is now focused on creative writing.

Celebrity Dating Quiz

Justin TimberlakeThe Hollywood Love Shuffle! Pretty faces and outgoing personalities are everywhere in Tinseltown. It’s no wonder so many famous celebrities hook up. However, it can be pretty hard to keep track of who was with whom at any given time. How good is your memory? Think you can pass the Hollywood Dating Quiz? Try it below!

 

 

 

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies Coming to Big Screen

pride and prejudice and zombies1“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains.” This is one of the witty lines you can find in the 2009 parody book Pride and Prejudice and Zombies written by Seth Grahame-Smith. After several unsuccessful attempts, it now looks like the big screen film adaptation of the popular novel is finally getting a green light.

Hot British actors Lily James (Elizabeth Bennett) and Sam Riley (Mr. Darcy)  have been set to lead the film that mixes the 1813 Jane Austen classic Pride And Prejudice with a legion of bloodthirsty undead. James is best known for her role as Lady Rose on Downton Abbey and Riley for his role in Maleficent.

Principal shooting will commence in September, unless of course the zombie apocalypse happens first.

Uma Thurman Stars in Film Competition Shorts

uma first shotJameson First Shot is truly a unique film competition. Each year, the company offers three first time writer/directors the opportunity to not only get their short films made, but to have an A-list celebrity star in them. This is an opportunity where budding filmmakers get to call the shots, direct a Hollywood star in a short film and have the backing of an award-winning production company. You couldn’t ask for more from a first shot at Hollywood.

Kevin Spacey headlined the inaugural campaign in 2012, and Willem Dafoe was the “star” in 2013. This year’s celebrity is Uma Thurman and she has appeared in all three of the winner’s films. This year’s winners are Jessica Valentine from the U.S. (Jump), Ivan Petukhov from Russia (The Gift) and Henco J from South Africa (The Mundane Goddess).

An expert team, including Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti and Uma Thurman,  judged the scripts and the finalist’s shortlisted scenes. The judges were looking for freshness, originality, good structure, good shots, good sound and above all, a great story. A shortlist of 20 candidates was chosen and asked to shoot a scene from a script provided by Trigger Street and submit a director’s treatment of their script. Based on those results, the winners were chosen in April.

The winners were flown out to L.A. in June to shoot their short films with Thurman, with an assist from Trigger Street on everything from casting and wardrobe to the final score and posters, which were created by Chris Lorenzo.

Since 2002, Spacey and Brunetti have been offering unrepresented writers and filmmakers a chance to showcase their work and receive feedback through Trigger Street Labs. Trigger Street has also produced major Hollywood films, including The Social Network, Captain Phillips and the upcoming Fifty Shades of Grey.

You can watch the three films here:

Separating Forensic Facts From Fantasy

29By Katherine Sharma

I admit I’m a sucker for forensic detection, especially mystery fiction where the medical examiner or expert is the key crime solver. I like Patricia Cornwell’s Dr. Kay Scarpetta series, Kathy Reichs’ Dr.Temperance Brennan mysteries, Tess Gerritsen’s Dr. Maura Isles, and Aaron Elkins’ “skeleton detective” Gideon Oliver, for example. Of course, I watch TV series such as “CSI,” “Bones,” “NCIS,” etc., where forensic experts put trace evidence in fancy machines that pop out scientific proof of guilt in seconds. With all the incriminating circumstantial evidence from DNA, fingerprints, bite marks, ballistics, blood spatter, insect activity, hair and fiber matching, and so on, it’s amazing that, in reality, direct evidence from witnesses still leads cases and that some crimes remain unsolved, murderers escape and innocents are convicted. In fact, popular fascination with forensics has actually created a crime prosecution problem known as the “CSI effect.” Trial jurors now may hesitate to convict without the forensic evidence from supposedly infallible experts that they have come to expect based on fictional crime dramas. Alas, there is more fantasy than fact in many televised forensic feats. Contrary to TV dramatics, forensic investigators don’t question suspects, process evidence in minutes, and then direct police to arrest the guilty party. The police, not CSI sleuths, take care of interrogations and arrests. Most forensic investigations stay removed from the action in autopsy rooms and labs. And those labs lack all the high-tech devices and expert staff seen on TV so specimens are routinely sent out for tests requiring days to months, not minutes, to complete. It can take four to six weeks just to get toxicology test results, for example. Plus, forensic tests — even DNA and fingerprint matching– are not foolproof. Forensic science is not immune to human error or varying opinions. That’s not to say that forensic advances aren’t playing a vital role in solving and prosecuting crimes today. The real forensic triumphs are as amazing as the myths. Check out some fascinating forensic facts at http://www.myforensicsciencedegree.com/25-surprising-facts-about-forensic-science/

ABOUT  KATHERINE SHARMA

Katherine Sharma’s family roots are in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. But after her early childhood in Texas, she has moved around the country and lived in seven other states, from Virginia to Hawaii. She currently resides in California with her husband and three children. She has also traveled extensively in Europe, Africa and Asia, and makes regular visits to family in India. After receiving her bachelor’s degree. in economics and her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Michigan, Katherine worked as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor for more than 15 years. She then shifted into management and marketing roles for firms in industries ranging from outdoor recreation to insurance to direct marketing. Although Katherine still works as a marketing consultant, she is now focused on creative writing.

Sofia & Joe: It’s a 4-Alarm Romance

sofia Beauty and the Beast? Well, more like Beauty and the Werewolf, but you get the point. And this sexy new couple can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. The recently announced couple has been spotted all over California and Florida, sharing lunches and intimate gatherings with close friends, and they aren’t shy with their PDAs. Continue reading

Scarlett Johansson Keeps Surprising Us

Scarlett Johansson The Woman:

Tony and BAFTA award-winning actress Scarlett Johansson (Lucy) has proven to be one of Hollywood’s most talented young actresses. The Golden Globe Award nominee recently starred in Marvel’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, opposite Chris Evans; Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin; and Jon Favreau’s ensemble comedy Chef, opposite Robert Downey, Jr. and Dustin Hoffman. In addition, she lent her voice to Spike Jonze’s critically acclaimed sci-fi romance Her, in the role of Samantha, an operating system, and earned the Best Actress Award at the Rome Film Festival. Continue reading