You're receiving this notification because you signed up for The Chosen Updates through the Roh Morgon website, for her mailing list in a giveaway or other event, or have otherwise expressed interest in her work. Your privacy is very important to us, and we do not share your information in any way, shape, or form. For details, please view our Privacy Policy.
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Roh Morgonâs The Chosen Updates
August 2023
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âFirst there was darkness,
then the lights arrived . . .
and with them . . . fear.â
--Amaia, opening line from the film, All the Moons
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Hi ,
Openings are critical to any literary or film endeavor. I recently watched the 2022 movie, All the Moons, and its above opening line set the tone for the entire film, even though I couldn't understand the wordsâthey were whispered in Basque.
But their subtitles against a black background and the sounds of thundering explosions made a powerful impact, and the movie delivered its promise. It's a film I'll not soon forget (see my review below).
Here's another, more famous example of an opening line by someone whose face we do not see as they speak the words:
"So you want me to tell you the story of my life." --Louis in 1994's Interview With the Vampire. It wasn't so much what he says as how he says it that sets the mood for the movie.
One of my favorites of all time is the opening scene for the 1983 film, The Hunger, with Catherine Deneuve, Susan Sarandon, and David Bowie.
No words are spoken at allârather, they are sung as two of the main characters prowl through a nightclub, with Peter Murphy of Bauhaus as the DJ performing "Bela Lugosi's Dead." This iconic classic for vampire fans is well worth checking out if youâve never seen it.
Opening lines in books, however, lack the rich visual and auditory enhancements used to such great effect in films. Books rely solely on words, arranged in such a way as to paint a picture in the mind of the reader. I have too many favorites to list here, but I encourage you to send me yours and Iâll include them in the next issue.
Iâll conclude my opening (and yes, weâll talk about conclusions another time) with the first line from Watcher: Book I of The Chosen:
âI watch my daughter, the sunlight dancing across her long dark hair, cradle her swollen belly as she kneels to place the flowers on my empty grave.â
As with the movie I watched last night, the intrigue is more about what isn't said.
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In this monthâs Update youâll find:
IN THE NEWS â All the Moons
RECOMMENDED READS â The imPerfect Cathar series
MUSIC FOR THE MUSE
â Musical inspirations
BOOK FAIRS & GIVEAWAYS â Stock up for the summer
THE CHOSEN UPDATE
â Monster news
WRAP UP â Closing thoughts
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IN THE NEWS
Featuring news about vampire, urban fantasy, and horror pop cultures, including books, movies, and TV shows. Feel free to send me your recommendations and I'll try to include them in an upcoming issue.
~*~
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(Follow the link below to view the YouTube trailer)
All the Moons was an accidental discovery on Prime, and wow, am I glad I found it. It now ranks right up there with my all-time favorite supernatural films.
But it isnât an easy movie to watch, as it requires you to participate a little bit. Much is left unstated, leaving the viewer to speculate on the meaning behind some of the scenes.
Yet enough breadcrumbs are dropped to follow the carefully laid-out path, making this a fresh departure from the typical spoon-fed fare on the big and small screens these days.
What little dialogue there is occurs in the Basque language, so viewers need to pay close attention to the subtitles. Fortunately, they are easy to follow, and the gorgeous cinematography makes it worthwhile to do so.
The story line centers on a young orphan girl, Amaia, who is befriended by a mysterious woman, and the changes Amaia experiences in the midst and aftermath of a brutal war. This subtle examination of life outside of normal society lays bare the loneliness and isolation felt by someone who is different, and the sacrifices theyâre willing to make for companionship. The actress who plays Amaia, Haizea Carneros, is stunning as she portrays the lonely girl who speaks very little throughout the course of the movie.
This quiet and introspective film is not for those who seek the action and violence typical to this genre. Rather, this is a character study in overcoming unusual adversity that reminds me of my books and the struggles Sunny faces as she tries to adapt to a new life.
So if you want to watch something outside the norm, donât miss this award-winning gem!
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RECOMMENDED READS
This monthly feature highlights books from my extensive vampire library, and occasionally, a little bit about a book Iâm currently reading.
~*~
The imPerfect Cathar series by C.N. Rowan
This is a departure from the vampire books I generally recommend as there are no vampires in this series, at least so far. But there are a number of very interesting immortals whose bizarre lives more than makes up for their lack of fangs. V^^^V
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The imPerfect Cathar series includes three published novels, with a fourth, imPerfect Bones, due out on August 7.
~*~
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We meet the main character, Paul Bonhomme, in imPerfect Magic, the first book in the series. Paul is irreverent, cusses a lot, and gets himself into one supernatural predicament after another, usually because of a poor decision heâs made or a stupid comment that ticks off the wrong person.
Paul is backed up by Aicha, a female assassin who reminds me a bit of Mazikeen from the TV show Lucifer and Inej from Shadow and Bone, only with way more attitude. The third wheel in this unlikely trio is Isaac, a Jewish rabbi/wizard with an unusual problem. All three are magical beings who have a longâand I mean longâhistory together getting out of one scrape after another.
Though I donât normally enjoy humorous stories and heroes/heroines tossing off one-liners as someoneâs trying to kill them, author C. N. Rowan masterfully blends dark humor with dark fantasy and an outrageous cast of weird supernaturals. Much of Paulâs humor is self-deprecating and woven with his regrets, while Aichaâs humor is all directed at Paul and what a dumbass she thinks he can be at times. I found Paul to be a likable guy just trying to do the right thing, even when he knows it will be at his own expense.
If you'd like a sneak peek into the imPerfect Cathar world, you can download a FREE copy of imPerfect Trap, the prequel novella to the series. Get ready for a crazy ride!
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MUSIC FOR THE MUSE
Featuring the inspirational music used by many authors (including me) in their writing.
~*~
This month's song isn't one I'd consider inspirational, unless you consider who the artist is - Neil Gaiman.
Yes, that Neil Gaiman, the one of literary fame. He joined up with Fourplay String Quartet, and last October the released their debut album, Songs of Life.
One particular song called "Bloody Sunrise" and its accompanying video really surprised me, and I think you'll get a kick out of it too! V^^^V
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BOOK FAIRS AND GIVEAWAYS
I'm participating in a promotion this month called, "Blood Tingling Reads." If you like supernatural suspense and horror, be sure to check out this huge lineup of books. This promo runs through August 31.
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THE CHOSEN UPDATE
I'm still working on the print version of Monster: A Prequel of The Chosen and am hoping to have it published by the end of August.
In the meantime, Monster (the ebook version) needs your help.
More specifically, it needs your reviews.
When a reader is evaluating whether or not to purchase a book, there are four primary tools they can use to help make that decision:
- Cover
- Description
- Sample/Look Inside
- Reviews
Many times, theyâll skip right over #3 and check out #4âthe reviews. They may only look at the number of reviews, or they may read them.
And some readers donât care about reviews and wonât even scroll down to that part of the page.
But reviews do play an important role in many readersâ purchase decisions, and they can be critical to a bookâs success, or lack of it.
So if youâve read Monster, please consider leaving a review to help other readers make that choice. Here's a direct link to the review page.
And if you havenât read it, email me and Iâd be happy to provide you a free review copy!
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Enter the world of The Chosen and meet:
- Sunny â an undead woman struggling to maintain her humanity
- Nicolas â an ancient prince whose desire for a partner by his side overrides even his love for her
- Taz â a violent outlaw, reviled by his own kind, whose prisoner may be his only hope for happiness
- Colin â a loyal aide-de-camp with an imperative to keep their society from unraveling into chaos
- Katarina â a former flame and a deadly enemy with a penchant for cruelty and takes delight in creating havoc
As their lives entangle, their world hovers on the brink of supernatural war. And unbeknownst to all, Sunny may hold the key to their very survival.
~*~
âRoh Morgon ensnares her readers by evoking dark and erotic images of gorgeous and lethal characters as they hunt, seduce, and feed . . . a vampire tale to savor. Like a fine wine, it's deliciously rich and warms you to the core.â âFrankie Brazelton
âIf you think there is nothing new, fresh and original in vampire fiction, you haven't read Watcher: Book 1 of the Chosen . . . Move over Anne Rice, a new 'Queen of the Damned' is born.â âShannon Riley
âWatcher is a masterful blend of vampire lore, fantasy, and romance, all wrapped up in a thrilling tale that is somehow both fast-paced and incredibly detailed at the same time. Sunny is our guide as we dive into the world of the ageless, and as she loses the last shreds of her humanity, I guarantee that you will lose your heart to this book.ââReadFree.ly
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WRAP-UP
I hope you've enjoyed hearing a little about movies and books and other things related to vampires and the supernatural world. I welcome your input - please feel free to contact me at roh.morgon (at) gmail.com with your recommendations and I'll feature them in an upcoming newsletter.
~*~
Website: www.rohmorgon.com
Facebook page: Roh Morgon, Writer
Facebook group: Roh Morgon's Chosen Crew
Amazon: Amazon Author Page
~*~
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Join The Chosen Crew on Facebook! |
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We share news about vampire and supernatural pop culture
(TV shows, movies, books, etc.), post comical vampire memes,
and host giveaways for books and cool vampire stuff.
Remember my Vampire Collectibles?
I have duplicates . . . V^^^V
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That's it for now. Thank you for taking the time to read about my likes, my work, and the World of The Chosen!
~Roh~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Roh Morgon, Writer
roh@rohmorgon.com
http://www.rohmorgon.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Youâre receiving this notification because you signed up for The Chosen Updates through the Roh Morgon website, for her mailing list at an event or giveaway, or have otherwise expressed interest in her work. Your privacy is very important to us, and we do not share your information in any way, shape, or form. For details, please view our Privacy Policy.
The Chosen Updates newsletter focuses on supernatural pop culture with an emphasis on vampires, along with information about books by author Roh Morgon.
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