Teresa D'Amario

Author Archive

TSgt D’Amario reporting as ordered, back from my terrifying first experience on Zart patrol!  Zart, for all you who are unaware, stands for Zombie Attack Response Team.  There’s a Zombie movement afoot, and they’re all heading to New Orleans just in time for the Authors After Dark conference!  We can’t allow that.  Zombies in the Big Easy? No, we’d be overcome! We have  to stop them!

It was a chilly night, and at first very quiet.  I walked the streets, my weapons in hand. I’d geared up with lots of sharp and pointy objects as well as hubby’s 1913 Czechoslovakian rifle.  It was time to dust that baby off and let it see some real action again!  I took my neighbor, Stephanie, along with me.  She came armed with her own pack of sharp, pointy things.  Four of which were attached to the biggest dog I ever saw!  Ok, I’ve seen bigger, but a Great Dane is pretty danged impressive in the darkness.  We walked and chatted, enjoying the chilly night, when out of the darkness comes an eerie moan. Joe Bob, the dog, growled low and menacing. I glanced at Stephanie and nodded.  One thing I knew, if Joe Bob was growling, it was  a real zombie.

We slipped between the houses, happy that this was one of the few without a privacy fence, and peeked into our neighbor’s backyard.  There it was.  He was tall, with the build of a god, his beautiful hair blew in the breeze.  But that’s where the beauty ended!  What once had been a promising Romance Cover Model had turned into a horrific and terrifying creature.  His yellow eyes glowed in the darkness, and as he drew closer to the street light, we could see the disgusting vision of blood dripping from his forehead, and his arm fell off.  And he was headed right for us!

Well we didn’t want Joe Bob to become zombified, so we ordered him to stay back, and Stephanie and I pulled out our blades.  I’d swiped a Japanese Katana because the curve of the blade was comfortable in my hand.  Stephanie opted for the Shokra.  I guess she was afraid to get too close.  Those suckers are pretty nice though, you can throw them, and they work like a boomerang, after first slicing through anything in their path.  The creature stumbled toward us, drawn, I’m sure by the warm blood running in our veins.  Thing is, I intended to keep it nice and warm.  I charged, swinging my sword!  Off went his one remaining arm.  I was sure that would make this an easy fight, but I was wrong.  He charged, undeterred, throwing his weight against me.  I stumbled backward, unable to get a good swing with my kantra.  I let it go, it landed on the ground with a thump followed by my own body.  Before I could roll, the monster crashed down on me, knocking the breath out of me.  I shoved one hand upward, trying to keep those disgusting teeth away from me.  My other I snatched the knife out of his brain.  It came out with a disgusting squish, but I shoved it in again.  If you’ve never stabbed someone, let me tell ya, it’s not a fun thing, but I slammed it with all my might.

Rancid blood dripped on me, and I breathed a sigh of relief.  My Chem suit from my military days was holding up well. My relief didn’t last long, however, as teeth snapped at me.  He was strong for a dead guy, and I just knew I was about to lose my life when suddenly a chockra spun out of no where, slicing off his head!  Blood went everywhere, but I jumped up and only a little landed on me.  I dug in my pockets, ignoring the building panic.  Zombie Blood.  OMG, I had zombie blood on me!  I Had to get it off!  I finally grasped the wet ones I’d tucked into a pocket for just such an emergency.  I tore the package open with trembling fingers as Stephanie gathered up our weapons.  Miss calm, cool and collected didn’t let anything bother her!

I scrubbed my hands and face, knowing if I didn’t get the nasty stuff off me, I’d be a walking zombie myself.

“That,” she said, brandishing her Chokra,” is why I carry one of these.”

“Ha ha, very funny.  I guess next we have to clean this mess up.”

Stephanie smirked at me, and poured the gasoline over the body and dropped a match.  The flames erupted, engulfing the body in mere seconds.  We waited until he was nothing more than a charred mess.

“One down, more to go,” said Stephanie.  ”Next time, use that damned gun, it’s what it’s there for!”

So that’s my report ladies and gents.  For a full Zombie Apocalypse Response Team roster visit www.facebook.com/the.real.tjmichaels?sk=app_203351739677351

For more information on today’s ZART contest, visit www.tjmichaels.com/2012/03

We’ll be waiting!

For What it’s worth I’m guestblogging over at www.fwiwreviews.net, and telling a few secrets about Lone Wolf! Come drop by and say hi!  And keep your eyes peeled, I’m headed out tonight for a #ZART assignment.  I’m going to be hunting down some of those Zombies that hide in the dark of the night!  And let me share this beautiful cover with you guys again.  Cuz I just can’t help myself.  

Ok, I’ll be honest, it’s the re-release date for Lone Wolf!  For those who didn’t get to catch it the few months it was available, Lone Wolf is coming back!  With one added scene and a bit more editing, Lone Wolf will be available for you to read on 27 March!  That’s right!  So send out the word!  Whisper it to your best friends – Lone Wolf is coming before the Zombie Apocalypse!  Hurry and get your copy before the Zombies eat your e-readers!!  Lone Wolf will be available on Kindle, PDF, and B&N sites and more at smashwords, so get ready!  And to celebrate this amazing event, we’re going to have a few prizes given out, but first, let me introduce you to this WONDERFUL cover *gives the Vanna White motion*.  Isn’t it beautiful?  Now there’s a handsome and sexy couple, but don’t forget there’s some handsome and sexy werewolves in this – and on top of that, there’s more of the Maxey Wizard hunks, uh, I mean brothers.

Isn’t this exciting???  And Damon, he holds his own against the powerful Maxey Wizard brothers, even to the point of standing between them and their sister!  How kewl is that?

Of course you can’t talk about the great authors of the 20th century without talking about Nora Roberts.  Nora has been a mainstay in the romance genre for so long she’s like a staple.  Now I will be honest, I’m not a humongous Nora Roberts fan.  That doesn’t mean I’m not a fan.  Of course I read her books.  I don’t read everything she puts out, but I do read her books. To me, they are that quick read I grab when I know I’m going to have about 2-3 hrs available and need to “refresh” my brain.  (Yes, I read exceptionally fast).  I can always count on Nora’s books to relax my mind and give me that 3 hour “vacation” I might need so desperately.  While I Don’t consider her books to be the most emotional, they are good for bringing a tear to my eye, and to let the hero and heroine step into their new worlds and overcome together.  They are a celebration of what I was looking for back when I took that Love In Literature class.  A celebration of love and life, and what you can do together, as a couple.  I especially like her trilogies, where we can visit the same “world” in more than one book.

I don’t have any special stories about how I found Nora, she just “is”.  I can’t remember my first “Nora” book. I Can’t choose a favorite.  Nora is such a part of life as a romance reader and author, she just “exists” the same way bread and water exist.  The same way my morning bowl of cereal exists.  She just is.  There aren’t too many strangers in my life that I feel that way about.  She’s a force of nature, changing the romance genre to fit her image and paving the way for hundreds and thousands of other authors.  In fact, I actually chose a pen name because of Nora.  My last name is too close to Roberts.  I was afraid nobody would ever read my books if they ever made it to a book store, because they’d either ignore me because I wasn’t Nora, or they’d ignore me because they’d skip the R’s. LOL.

So I know you have read a Nora book.  Which is your favorite? Or are you like me, and unable to chose a favorite?

Now Kay Hooper isn’t on my list because of her romance novels, which is kind of strange.  But she is one of my favorite authors, and has taught me as much about romance writing as any other.  Why?  Because I LOVE her thrillers.  Let me say that when I found Kay, she had already transitioned from Romance to thrillers.  Paranormal thrillers at that.  At that time I’d not found paranormal romance, and had actually become bored with what I read.  Historical romance had dropped by the wayside, not because authors weren’t good, but because I was ready for something new.  I couldn’t seem to find the balance between insipid romance (or how I thought of romance) and my desire for excitement.  I picked up one of Kay’s books at the grocery store.  It was part of the Bishop SCU series.  Oddly enough, I’d read her The Wizard of Seattle previous to that, and it had rung no bells.  But the Bishop series, now that was awesome.  It taught me about how to pace a book to make the heart beat faster!  It wasn’t until later I read some of her romance novels, and like the Wizard, I wasn’t all that impressed.  (Sorry, Kay).  I learned a great deal from her books of both styles. I learned that first, an author grows.   It doesn’t matter who you are or what you write, you grow as an author from the first book to the last.  Second, there is nothing wrong with that growth.  Also I learned that not every book an author writes is for every reader.  Just because I didn’t like Kay’s romances didnt’ mean they weren’t good, just that they didn’t capture my imagination the way her thrillers do.  But when I read my very first Kay Hooper book, I’m so thrilled it was one of the ones that could steal me away.  I set the book on my kitchen book shelf, and proceeded to get caught back up in life.  About 2 years later, someone recommended her to me, and the instant I got caught up in the book, I knew it was hers. I dug out that old book and knew I’d found an author I’d always love.

The most funny thing about my Kay Hooper story is that I bought one of her books “If there be dragons”.  The title caught me, and it was at the grocery store, and I did not realize it was a reprint of one of her older romances.  My husband decided to see what kinds of books I was reading and chose that one, due to the title.  Uhm, he didn’t like it.  In fact, he didn’t like it so much I heard about it for the next six months.  I’m trying to get him to try one of her later books to show the difference, but as of yet have been unsuccessful.

So, by choosing Kay for this list, I’m pointing out that not every book an author writes works for a reader, but just because one doesn’t, doesn’t mean that others won’t!  Always give an author a second chance.  Research what you like, and see if you can find what of their work is best for you.  Kay is one of my favorite authors who wrote romance in the 20th century, but I adore her 21st century work!  So Kay, my hat is off to you!  LOVE your work!

I know you all thought the end of the world was going to be in December 2012, but the zombies are already out there, and we must stop them!  They’ll be heading to New Orleans just in time for the Authors After Dark Conference!  That’s the terrifying event where all paranormal romance lovers get to meet their favorite authors!  But wait!  Some of those readers are zombies!!  Oh no!  So, I’ve joined the Zombie Apocalypse Response Team!  You heard that right!  We have to do something about it and fast!  What do you have to do?  Jump on board!  Get your pitch forks and the flashlights and come join us for free books and exciting contests!  There will be video journal entries and a book a week drawing!  There will be 4 premium gift baskets, t-shirts and mugs!   Our leader is Author TJ Michaels, and you can find all what’s going on here at TJ’s Facebook page!

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