Up 'Til Dawn Book Blog: Promo & Tour: A Vampire's Tale by Maya Tyler

Title: A Vampire's Tale
Author: Maya Tyler
Genre/Age: Paranormal Romance/Adult
Series: None
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis: The best laid plans…

Marisa Clements was never satisfied writing the ‘gossip column’ in the local paper so she quit her job to follow her dream of writing fiction. Floundering in an unforgiving industry, she wrote about vampires, a popular subject she considered fascinating but as real as unicorns, to pay the rent.

Corgan Halton was tired of human misconceptions about vampires. He planned on telling Marisa his story and end his existence. It was no coincidence Corgan selected Marisa to write his story. With the ability to see the future, he knew she would be a major part of it. He knew she would be the one to help him die, but in doing so, she’d be doomed to the same fate. Once they met, their futures would be irrevocably intertwined.

Corgan began caring for Marisa and finally revealed the truth to her. He admitted his quest to atone for his past sins had put her in grave danger from a nest of revenge-seeking vampires. Corgan must claim her for her own protection. But claiming her is not enough, he must ask for help from his wizard friends and his maker in order to destroy his enemy or Marisa will never be safe.

He didn't have a name yet, but he had a face. A dark, mysterious face with a century's worth of secrets. Secrets he would tell her, only her, if she would listen.

Marisa took a deep, calming breath. “I’m listening.” She closed her eyes, waiting. A cool breeze shifted her hair and her eyes popped open. The old floorboards creaked, and she spun her chair around. “Who's there?” The candle blew out. “What the—”

Time—and her heartbeat—stood still. Paranoia set in, the consequence of writing too many vampire stories. She must've left a window open. Or something. She re-lit the candle and turned her attention back to her laptop, staring at the last words she'd typed.

Corgan Halton.

She didn't remember typing that.

“Corgan Halton.” She said the name slowly. “I like that.” She'd written a dozen vampire stories and this would be her best name yet. It had an old-worldly feel to it. Like a real name. She'd better look it up to make sure it wasn't a real name; she didn’t need a lawsuit. Did people sue for name infringement?

“Okay, Corgan Halton. Are you real?” She typed the name into a search engine.

“As real as you are.” The distinctive male voice resonated in the otherwise quiet room.

Marisa froze. She didn't dare turn around. It was her overactive imagination at play. There was no one there. She hoped. Maybe one of her friends? Is this a joke?

“Not a joke, Marisa.”

Gasping, she stood and spun around toward the sound of his voice.

As he stepped out of the shadows, she took in the man before her. Pale with black, curly hair, dressed in an impeccable suit. Dark and intimidating, he stood in her living room, shrinking the already small space.

Exactly as she’d imagined. She conjured him from her imagination? No… This is not happening.

Maya Tyler’s Five Favorite Movie Scenes of All Time

I judge a movie scene as amazing if what the director et al produce is as good, or better, as my own imagination. That said, there are so many, many amazing movies out there with equally amazing scenes… I approached this question methodically, with a Google search of all my favorite movies, then I asked myself which of those had the most memorable scenes. Unavoidable spoilers ahead…

My all-time favorite movie, since forever, is The Princess Bride. There are about a million awesome scenes in this movie. If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. I can practically recite every line along with the movie and I often quote it. Often. One of my favorite lines is, “As you wish.” In the movie, this actually means “I love you” and it has special significance in the scene on the grassy hillside, before the Fire Swamp, when Buttercup pushes the man in the black mask down. As he tumbles down the hill he yells, “As you wish.” She realizes the man is actually her lost love. In that moment, she regains hope and it also gives the audience renewed hope for a happily-ever-after.

Next in my list is 13 Going on 30. I love this movie. One of the few I still own on DVD. Not only was the soundtrack killer – I love ‘80’s music – Jennifer Garner was the perfect actress for the female lead. In “Freaky Friday” fashion, Jenna, a 13-year-old girl in a 30-year-old woman’s body, finds herself in an awkward social situation, a super lame party. What’s a girl to do? She asks the DJ to play Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and starts to dance, in the middle of the floor, by herself. She calls her childhood best friend Matt up to dance with her, then they are joined by other party-goers flash mob style. This scene reminds me of the pure innocence of childhood, which is often lost when we grow up. The adult dancers move uninhibitedly, experiencing child-like joy.

My list would not be complete without the epic movie The Notebook. When I was reviewing a list of the most unforgettable scenes – it’s been a while since I watched it – I cried. Seriously. Several times. From YouTube clips. The movie is that emotional. Poignant. Touching. A real epitome of true love. What could be more moving than Noah’s unfaltering devotion to his ailing wife Allie? The enactment of their story has many memorable moments, including a steamy kiss or two, but the best scene hands down is when Allie has a lucid moment and realizes the story Noah is telling her is about them. Love is truly the most powerful thing in the world.

For the hopeless romantic <<raises hand>> a love scene, when properly staged, is a must in every movie. Come on, even action flicks offer a side of romance. The build-up toward that kiss or more is as crucial as the act itself. In the ending scene of Underworld Evolution, the camera view shifts between Selene and Michael as they walk toward each other. The focus is on the stark emotion on their faces. When they reach each other, Michael touches her face, as if to ensure she is real, before they kiss. The camera moves away and you just know there’ll be another movie in the series. It’s the drawn-out anticipation and, also, the promise of continuity, a future, which makes this scene noteworthy.

Another of my favorite movies is Disney’s Enchanted, a real-life fairy tale. I firmly believe if my life story were made into a film, it would look like (parts of) this movie. The best scene takes place in Central Park when Giselle sings “That’s How You Know” to Robert to explain how he should show affection toward his girlfriend. As she sings and dances around the park, random park goers join in, singers and dancers, marching around the park like a Disney World parade. Even Robert, the cynical New York lawyer, finds himself bobbing his head in time to the music. The song ends with a flash mob near the Bethesda Fountain. Shouldn’t all important conversations occur in song?

The best movie scenes evoke real emotion. Hope. Joy. Love.

Maya Tyler, wife and mother of two boys, writes paranormal romance with a twist. Her debut novella Dream Hunter was released in December 2014. Her second novel A Vampire’s Tale released on March 22, 2017. She’s a romantic and believes in happily-ever-after. Being an author is her lifelong dream. She enjoys reading, music (alternative rock, especially from the 90’s), yoga, movies and TV, and spending her free time writing and blogging at Maya’s Musings.

Author Contact Information:

Author Site: http://www.mayatylerauthor.com/

Blog: http://mayatylerauthor.blogspot.ca/

Twitter: @mayatyerauthor

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayatylerauthor

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/105043112636858982190/posts/p/pub

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6478044.Maya_Tyler

Author Newsletter: http://www.mayatylerauthor.com/mayas-newsletter

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Maya-Tyler/e/B00SW10LZI/

Buy Links:

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MYBQUUZ/

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/698693