Bad Blood: A VamPR Nightmare (Pisces Paranormal PR 1) book one by Bee Murray and Niobe Marsh-Review tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 15, 2021
Vampires are real. But whether you’re a fang-head or a groupie, there’s trouble brewing in the streets of Seattle.
Public meltdowns, drug overdoses, rehab missteps, mistresses coming out of the woodwork? There’s nothing a spoiled starlet or a washed up rocker could throw at the renowned Pisces PR Agency that can’t be turned into promotional gold.
But when Tuesday Matson stepped out of her SUV on that sanguine summer evening, she didn’t expect to walk smack into the biggest PR nightmare of her career. And to make matters worse? The high-powered star at the center of it all is her ex… and they’ve got bad blood.
Five years ago, Vinnie Quake messed up. Big time. But that was nothing compared to this. He’s desperate for help, and if that means hiring his ex? So be it.
There are some secrets that can be swept under the rug, but in a city brimming with anti-vampire sentiment, how do you turn a massacre into a coming out party? There’s more to this PR emergency than Tuesday ever expected, and if she’s not careful she’ll be the next headline—and for all the wrong reasons.
Bad Blood is a paranormal urban fantasy thriller that is perfect for lovers of True Blood, Vampire Diaries, and things that go bump in the night.
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REVIEW: “Vinnie Quake, international popstar, billionaire, global chart-topping narcissistic asshole, is a vampire… And soon enough the entire world would know. Things would never be normal again.”
Vinnie is facing his biggest challenge yet. After letting his monster slip the leash, he needs to atone for what he’s done…. So many members of staff died that day, but it was the last soul that saved him, that made him leash the beast, and get help…..
Tuesday is good at her job. In fact she’s one of the best, there isn’t much that fazes her or worries her.
She turned to work to get over a heartbreak that almost destroyed her! She’s looking to move on, but every time she tries, she’s let down! At least she’s got her job…..
Past history between Vinnie and Tuesday makes this for an interesting read, they were an item until he loses sight of what was important. A one night stand loses him the girl and his normal life!! The life he now wishes he still had! But life goes on and so must Vinnie, but there isn’t a day that goes past he doesn’t wish it was different. It should just be a case of media management and containment of details. But someone wants to make both Vinnie and Tuesday’s life difficult!
Love story? No. It’s more of a mystery book. Loved the premise and the plot. I was hoping it would turn into a second chance romance, but the further I got into the book, the less I wanted romance, and more sleuthing, but we did get a few passionate moments, which gives me hope that Vinnie and Tuesday aren’t done with each other yet. Vinnie was ok, the usual self absorbed rockstar, the type that seemed to blame everyone else instead of owning his issues.
Tuesday was a blast, her opinion had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. But the fact she couldn’t move on and wouldn’t analyse what happened and settles for second best doesn’t really win me over, but by the end I was totally onboard with her and her way of dealing with things. And by the end of the book, I think they’d both gotten perspective, and Tuesday definitely had the better part of that deal.
So how can Tuesday help Vinnie? Especially when it’s not going to be easy? Her ideas are sound, her expertise is second to none, so can her plan work? Or can Vinnie expect to ruin it again?
There is intrigue and a hint of this continuing into the next book. A little double dealing, and treachery!
And the next book ? I’m definitely interested in reading more of Tuesday and her PR adventures.
Copy supplied for review
? Julie B
GET TO KNOW BEE MURRAY & NIOBE MARSH
An interview with the USA Today Bestselling authors of Bad Blood: A VamPR Nightmare!
TALKING ABOUT BAD BLOOD: A VAMPR NIGHTMARE
What inspired you to write this book?
NIOBE: Bee and I had talked about collaborating on something, and when she showed me the short she’d done that would eventually become Bad Blood, I HAD to be part of it. The characters were fun, infuriating, and challenging all at the same time, and I’d been itching to get back into writing Urban Fantasy with a bit of a twist. And Bee was the twist!
BEE: So, this story originated out of an anthology short piece I wrote in early 2020. I wanted to write something that differed from your normal vampire UF storyline, and I wanted the characters to be complicated. When I was talking with Niobe about co-writing something, this short story came up and it just kind of snowballed from there into this magical, dark, twisty world. We did originally intend this to be a rom-com though and then we realized that we both are super into writing crazy scenes with violence and snark so that was a fun twist! This is not a cozy rom-com. LOL
What can we expect from you in the future?
NIOBE: There will be two more books in the Pisces PR world, and Bee and I have several collaborations planned for the coming year (+ years). For my solo work, I have a historical fantasy dragon shifter series that’s clamoring to get out, and a Sci-Fi Romance trilogy scheduled for the summer. Watch for “Celestial Cruise Lines” in July!
BEE: Both Niobe and I have a ridiculous publishing calendar this year. Like she said, we have our collaboration on Pisces PR Agency and that world and then a few other things that we are prepping. I have my Matestone Guardians world of fated mates, reverse harem romance, strong heroines in their 30s, and unusual shifters that will get several new books this year. I also have a dark and twisty wolf shifter trilogy planned in the Fall.
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
BEE: I wish I could tell you I have this really complex, literary naming process. I don’t. I chose Tuesday’s name because I wanted it to stand out and had it in my head it had to be a day of the week. Sunday didn’t work. Wednesday was too Addams Family. I landed on Tuesday! 🙂 For Vinnie, I kind of imagined this dude-bro type of individual who is hella obnoxious and thinks he’s hot stuff but also talented musically. I landed on Vinnie. Niobe helped give him a proper name “Vincent Quaker” so his stage name of “Vinnie Quake” worked better.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
NIOBE: Everything about writing this book was an utter joy. From brainstorming to writing, it’s always a challenge to work with someone else—especially after being a lone wolf for SO long. But this was the easiest thing in the world. Bee and I have a very similar writing style, and similarly bent minds, and the story and the world of Pisces came together really easily. But the collaboration was actually the most fun. I was always eager to see what changes had been made and what had been added to the story. More often than not, we were on the same page before it was even written.
BEE: This book was so much fun to write with Niobe. She’s the best. We work so well together and we could just let this book flow together beautifully. Co-writing can be difficult, but this wasn’t at all and I honestly cannot wait to see how the series develops. My favorite parts were the middle of the night brainstorming FB messages and realizing that we are both so dark and twisty when it comes to concept. We have some dramatic time zone differences between West Coast USA and New Zealand, so it was so fun to wake up and see what changed in the story. Sometimes it felt like we shared a brain! All good things! <3
How did you come up with the name of this book?
NIOBE: We wanted something vampire related that also gave some hint to the story we were bringing to readers. Vinnie is a vampire, Tuesday is his ex. They’ve got bad blood between them… I don’t think there could have been a better title for the genesis of their story.
BEE: Yes, that. 😀
What is your favorite part of this book, and why?
NIOBE: It’s a tie between Vinnie and Tuesday’s arguments (so many arguments) and the car chases. I love car chases. I love watching them. I love writing them. I love reading them. Action and fight scenes are always the most fun. Maybe the scene in the garage with Vinnie’s cars… I can’t pick just one!
BEE: I love Tuesday so much. She’s my favorite character, and we put her through the ringer. There’s a part in this book where she has to come to terms with this shared history she has with Vinnie, and she goes and confronts the problem head on and DEMANDS what she wants. And I love that. I also love how Vinnie develops. Both main characters are deeply flawed and they show that.
If you could spend time with a character from your book, whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?
NIOBE: Frankie, for sure. I feel like we’d cruise around the city in his surveillance car, do some reconnaissance for a case, and then get hot dogs and talk about baseball. Or, he’d talk about baseball and I’d just eat my hot dog. He’s a trip and I totally want to hang out with him.
BEE: Oh yeah, the whole Pisces PR Security Team is awesome and they would get up to so many shenanigans. I think I’d want to hang with Adrienne too. You don’t get to know her very well in this book, but she clearly is Tuesday’s ride or die. I’d go get brunch with her and get all the dirt and then maybe go hit up an escape room or go hang out in a dive bar with the Security Squad and watch Olivia kick Frankie’s ass at pool.
Are your characters based on real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
NIOBE: I think every author works out their frustrations or relationships on paper in some form or another. From my perspective, Tuesday has a bit of my snark, Vinnie has a bit of one or two of my exes, Frankie is the guy I always wished I had for a brother… that kind of thing. Obviously some characters are imaginary, but as they grow, I’m sure they’ll take on more aspects of other actual people we know. I’m interested to see where Baldwin ends up. He’s still a bit of a mystery to me.
BEE: I rarely base my characters entirely off actual people, but I’d be lying if there weren’t some character traits that don’t get interjected here and there. Frankie is based on an actual friend of mine who basically defines “Good people but will cut you if you hurt his friends” and that was super fun to see how that developed. Baldwin has some mannerisms that remind me a little of someone I used to work with who was super smarmy. One of our beta readers compared Tuesday to a paranormal version of Olivia Pope from Scandal, and I can kinda see that.
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel you have the reigns of the story?
NIOBE: I think characters definitely take the story their own way. You can have the best laid out plan for where things are going to go, and they’ll go rogue at the most unexpected moments. I like it when they take over and make their own decisions. I’m only in control of things 80% of the time… the rest, I leave up to them. I think my role is to make sure that I can guide the characters back to the narrative after they’ve had their fun. The challenge for me is to make their goals line up with mine.
BEE: It depends on where I’m at in the writing process. Some characters speak gently to my muse and I have to draw them out and really explore who they are. Others straight up scream it at you. Bad Blood was a mix of both. Tuesday and Vinnie didn’t change all that much from the outline. The surrounding events did and their attitudes were more defined, but the core of Tuesday and Vinnie stayed within the lines. Baldwin really changed his story arc in this though, and Adrienne demanded a bigger part and we added a few sidebar characters as well. Do I have the reigns? Eh. Most days. I am a pantser. I am sloooowly learning the value of outlining everything, so I enjoy the tangents when characters go rogue. It’s fun to write.
If your book had a candle, what scent would it be?
NIOBE: Jasmine and Blood Orange — sweet and dangerous, with a bit of sharpness underneath
What did you edit out of this book?
NIOBE: Present tense. LOL.
BEE: LOL. Tenses are hard. Mostly for me. LOL.
Vinnie sighed heavily.
“She helped me more than I deserved. She procured blood sources for me to feed on.” His next pause was longer, and it felt heavier, too. “Everything was fine, but I experienced a severe lapse in control today and… My household staff bore the brunt of it.”
His tone was completely blank as he gestured to the people sitting around the room. No one moved, it was almost as though the act of explaining what had happened— that my ex-fiance was a vampire who had eaten his household staff as a pre-dinner snack was something as easily explained as a ‘loss of control’.
Which, as a vampire, it could very well be.
A headache burned behind my eyes as I tried to make sense of the entire situation. I pressed my palms against my face and took a few deep breaths. That was supposed to be calming, right?
1. If what they said is true, I have been contracted to spin a mass murder into something… less murdery.
2. The murderer is a vampire and living a double life as possibly the most well-known music star in the world. Whatever I spin has to stand the test of many, many press outlets.
3. The vampire in question is the ex who ruined my life four years ago and just admitted to eating his assistant and his household staff without a bit of remorse.
The tension in the room was overwhelming. I could feel the stares of every single person at the table burning into me. They were waiting for me to say something.
I could walk. Carlyn would understand.
Probably.
But if there was anything I hated more than Vinnie, it was the idea of giving up. To give up would be to let him win.
He could never, ever, win.
Decision made, I looked up and smiled as my gaze tracked over the worried faces around the table.
Without me, they were fucked. We all knew it.
I was a professional, and this was not my first uncomfortable case, it definitely wouldn’t be my last. It was more than clear that the time to turn my emotions off and focus on the issue at hand was well overdue.
“According to Pisces PR contracts, concealing felonies comes with a surcharge. Given the number of people that Mr. Quake has… eaten and killed in cold blood this evening, that surcharge will be substantial, as will the extra fees for me having to deal with his pathetic, sorry ass.”
Vinnie smirked at me and everything in me wished I had a spray bottle of Holy Water to spritz on him like a misbehaving demonic cat.
With vampiric infections on the rise, local drug stores have started selling really cute pressurized Holy Water canisters—Vampire mace—but I had never seen the need to carry one. I would be changing that as soon as humanly possible. I was pretty sure that a boutique near my apartment sold a range with Swarovski crystal embellishments…
Vinnie’s manager smiled in a way that felt far too familiar for the situation. I’d always hated him. “We both know Mr. Quake’s profile is high enough that money is no object. Thank you for agreeing to help. We anxiously await your plan”
I bristled at Baldwin’s simpering tone as he pushed a blank check across the conference table toward me. It was already made out to Pisces PR. I was nothing more than a service provider to these people—a way to solve a problem that their crazy client had created.
It’s good that they’d come to us. Pisces PR Agency is the only game in town that has the capability to deal with something like this. But that doesn’t mean they get off easy. Oh, no. They were going to pay. Bigtime. I stared at the check in front of me for a full minute before placing my fingers on it.
Against my better judgment, I pulled out my notebook and tucked the check inside.
It was time to get to work.
Bee Murray is the pen name chosen by a quirky writer based out of the Pacific Northwest. An International & USA Today Bestselling Author, Bee dreams of everything from grand adventures with complex characters to pun-filled romantic comedy, weird paranormal situations, extra steamy romance, and anything else her heart comes up with. Don’t expect any love triangles here, Ms. Murray is a big fan of ethical non-monogamy and it comes out in her menage romance and reverse harem stories!
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
Niobe Marsh is a USA Today Bestselling penname of a prolific author (and anthology addict) of many genres of romance. Here you will find monsters, ghosts, paranormal lovers, dark heroes, and adventurous heroines in search of their happily ever after–whatever that means.
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