Synopsis:
Take a both fun-filled and treacherous ride into the waters surrounding the peninsular city of Charleston, South Carolina with G.L. Giles’s water vampires. Slake your thirst for different vampire species and subspecies at the same time! On dry land, you’ll also experience a part of... Charleston, South Carolina (set primarily in the 1980s)---from White Point Garden to The Battery to the surrounding marshes, complete with plough mud and fiddler crabs---atmospherically rich with the inherent tapestry of the Carolina Lowcountry and then embellished with a healthy dose of dark fantasy! With several species of vampires in the mix, conflicts naturally arise. Add to that, some of the various species of vampires, as well as some of the humans, also have potentially fatal run-ins with some of the specters and shape-shifters found in this young adult novella as well. More than just peppering the plotline are the mostly human protagonists, Robyn and Marion, who are like contemporary versions of Robin Hood and Maid Marian in many ways---that is, with Robyn being a female and Marion a male in Giles’s mythology---and the ‘young love’ version to boot, as they’re middle school kids. Yet, unlike other children their age, they have special ‘gifts’ and a lot of responsibility for those so young in years. You see, they have the distinct burden, squarely placed upon them, of being the only ones who can save their older counterparts from another place and time: Setiana and Vasario.
Upcoming appearances:
I'll be appearing on "Lowcountry Live" (WCIV-TV ABC News 4) on August 6th (2013). I'll be attending Dragon Con in Atlanta with fellow BlackWyrm Pub. authors from August 30th through September 2nd.
Reviews:
“Water Vamps is one of the most clever supernatural stories I’ve read in years… only the singular mind of GL Giles, in all her guile and wit, could have come up with the idea of aquatic vampires who behave like the sirens of yore. As wildly out to sea as the premise seems, Giles’ rich, warm, and emotional writing style manages to make everyone seem so real, and our young ...protagonists, Robyn and Marion, are as grounded and substantive as can be. Water Vamps is a truly unique, engaging story – the sort of which makes GL Giles the worthy successor to the authors of my childhood (Ursula K. Le Guin, Madeleine L’Engle) and will certainly earn her place in the canon of today’s most imaginative and engaging emerging fantasy authors.”
Staci Layne Wilson, author of DARK LULLABY and co-host of Inside Horror
“G. L. Giles once again brings vampires to life, this time in a young adult novel spanning centuries, dimensions and death. Giles' tale of protagonists Robyn and Marion includes all the usual suspects one expects from a good horror tale; vamps and werewolves, romance and loss, life and death. Mixing these ingredients with a brand new revisionist spin, Giles creates a world familiar yet astonishingly different from similar young adult fare. Giles has not forgotten what it is to be twelve. Armed with this knowledge, she lures readers in with interesting characters and daring messages not mired in traditional fantasy tropes. Giles cannily circles the familiar before transforming her tale into something entirely new. Water Vamps is a tale of tolerance and understanding, written in descriptive, engaging prose.”
Will Colby, reviewer at KillingBoxx
“A good storyteller shows the 'human' in the alien creatures, in this case water vamps, and the 'alien' in the humans and GL Giles' “Water Vamps” lives up to a great fantasy tale because of it. A new kind of vampire is created in Water Vamps and Giles fascinates readers with those differences. It is not just blood sucking vamps but a kind of species that lives in water and behaves sometimes similarly to sirens. These creatures live by a set of rules - ones you probably haven't encountered before - and these codes are mirrored in the young lives of the human protagonists. Targeted for young adults, the depth of the story easily catches adult readers in its snare as all good fantasy/fairy tales do."
Gary Starta, author/reviewer and a ‘Top Ten Finalist in 2010’s Preditors and Editors Poll for Science Fiction’
“I was thrilled when I read about the Water Vamps that Giles created…every author needs to come up with a new twist that makes their vampires unique and memorable. With vampires seen as a species, Giles has definitely done this overall, but then she takes it a step further by creating an entirely new species that seems a little like a mermaid, a little like a siren, and all vampire!...Their story [is told in] “Water Vamps,” and it will slake the thirst of anyone wanting to know more. Giles weaves a tale of intrigue and gives us a glimpse of the underwater world of the Water Vamps, and the history and origins behind these beautiful and dangerous creatures is truly unique!...We get to interact with these creatures on a more personal level: they go to school, have spelling and vocabulary tests, have to deal with their parents and even crush on each other. In this sense, we get to see the more ‘human’ side of the water vampires and see that the youth water vamps are similar to the human heroes, Robyn and Marion. Written for young adults, the main characters are children, and the adults are secondary to the story, which will appeal to any young adult. Robyn and Marion understand each other, and they (like the water vamps) have to deal with all the things children deal with, despite their unusual gifts. Even without these gifts, Robyn is a role model for any young female with her strength of character, respect for adults (at least those who deserve it) and her loyalty to Marion, who deserves his own credit for his loyalty and friendship…In the end, even the water vamps come to be [those] we can relate to and accept in this thrilling ride into the waters of Charleston, South Carolina.”
Deanna Anderson for Target Audience Magazine
“G.L. Giles has written a YA book worthy of a closer look by young adults and adults of all ages. Her stories read like a welcome canteen of water when one has been in a desolate literary desert for too long. Let’s face it. One can’t throw a stake without hitting one of the many vampire novels out there these days. With Giles’ book however, one hits a rich vein of gold or perhaps in this case, blood and, as every vampire knows, the life is in the blood. The life blood of “Water Vamps” is in the talent of such a gifted writer as Giles. Such are the literary riches one finds in “Water Vamps.” If you love vampires, you are in for a rare treat. The most intriguing thing about her Water Vamps is that they are a fantastic and wholly unique twist on the vampire myth. Even if vampires are not your cup of tea (or goblet of blood) you will be engaged by Giles. It is her skillful writing style, engrossing narrative and some of the most interesting characters in all of literature that brings delight to the reader. I absolutely love the biracial storyline with Robyn and Marion. With this, Giles doesn’t merely tell a story. She digs deeply into the human consciousness, bringing out old modes of thinking and revealing them in the light of day, inviting the reader to expand his or her mind. This is story-telling at its best. The most important thing I can say about this book is this: Best twist on the vampire mythos ever.”
Evelyn Smith, author of “Transylvania, Louisiana” and “City of the Undead,” for Eviesite (WordPress Blog)
“G.L. Giles creates a delightfully original vampire mythology in her young adult book Water Vamps. The main characters Robyn and Marion (aptly named after the literary adventurers Robin Hood and Maid Marian) engage in their own adventure involving Water Vampires, a complex hybrid of ravens and mermaids—with teeth! Giles celebrates the unconventional in numerous ways throughout the book, which any vampire-lover will embrace whole-heartedly. Her compelling tale follows the burgeoning young romance between Robyn and Marion which leads to their dangerous encounter with the Water Vamps. Giles mixes her unique history of vampires and the background of Charleston, South Carolina, creating a fully absorbing fantasy tale. Together, Robyn and Marion discover a pair of deceitful adults and a perilous, hungry species who are more than they appear to be on the surface and with whom they have more in common than they realize.”
Bryce Warren, author of “Voodoo Mayhem”
"GL Giles delivers a new concept to an old tale noteworthy of a fictional television documentary. Her descriptions of her characters lend charm and mystery to the history of how vampires have always been perceived. I think Stoker would be well pleased to see this 'new breed'."
Rena Short Brashear, ReviewerSee More
Where readers can connect with me and my work:
Take a both fun-filled and treacherous ride into the waters surrounding the peninsular city of Charleston, South Carolina with G.L. Giles’s water vampires. Slake your thirst for different vampire species and subspecies at the same time! On dry land, you’ll also experience a part of... Charleston, South Carolina (set primarily in the 1980s)---from White Point Garden to The Battery to the surrounding marshes, complete with plough mud and fiddler crabs---atmospherically rich with the inherent tapestry of the Carolina Lowcountry and then embellished with a healthy dose of dark fantasy! With several species of vampires in the mix, conflicts naturally arise. Add to that, some of the various species of vampires, as well as some of the humans, also have potentially fatal run-ins with some of the specters and shape-shifters found in this young adult novella as well. More than just peppering the plotline are the mostly human protagonists, Robyn and Marion, who are like contemporary versions of Robin Hood and Maid Marian in many ways---that is, with Robyn being a female and Marion a male in Giles’s mythology---and the ‘young love’ version to boot, as they’re middle school kids. Yet, unlike other children their age, they have special ‘gifts’ and a lot of responsibility for those so young in years. You see, they have the distinct burden, squarely placed upon them, of being the only ones who can save their older counterparts from another place and time: Setiana and Vasario.
Upcoming appearances:
I'll be appearing on "Lowcountry Live" (WCIV-TV ABC News 4) on August 6th (2013). I'll be attending Dragon Con in Atlanta with fellow BlackWyrm Pub. authors from August 30th through September 2nd.
Reviews:
“Water Vamps is one of the most clever supernatural stories I’ve read in years… only the singular mind of GL Giles, in all her guile and wit, could have come up with the idea of aquatic vampires who behave like the sirens of yore. As wildly out to sea as the premise seems, Giles’ rich, warm, and emotional writing style manages to make everyone seem so real, and our young ...protagonists, Robyn and Marion, are as grounded and substantive as can be. Water Vamps is a truly unique, engaging story – the sort of which makes GL Giles the worthy successor to the authors of my childhood (Ursula K. Le Guin, Madeleine L’Engle) and will certainly earn her place in the canon of today’s most imaginative and engaging emerging fantasy authors.”
Staci Layne Wilson, author of DARK LULLABY and co-host of Inside Horror
“G. L. Giles once again brings vampires to life, this time in a young adult novel spanning centuries, dimensions and death. Giles' tale of protagonists Robyn and Marion includes all the usual suspects one expects from a good horror tale; vamps and werewolves, romance and loss, life and death. Mixing these ingredients with a brand new revisionist spin, Giles creates a world familiar yet astonishingly different from similar young adult fare. Giles has not forgotten what it is to be twelve. Armed with this knowledge, she lures readers in with interesting characters and daring messages not mired in traditional fantasy tropes. Giles cannily circles the familiar before transforming her tale into something entirely new. Water Vamps is a tale of tolerance and understanding, written in descriptive, engaging prose.”
Will Colby, reviewer at KillingBoxx
“A good storyteller shows the 'human' in the alien creatures, in this case water vamps, and the 'alien' in the humans and GL Giles' “Water Vamps” lives up to a great fantasy tale because of it. A new kind of vampire is created in Water Vamps and Giles fascinates readers with those differences. It is not just blood sucking vamps but a kind of species that lives in water and behaves sometimes similarly to sirens. These creatures live by a set of rules - ones you probably haven't encountered before - and these codes are mirrored in the young lives of the human protagonists. Targeted for young adults, the depth of the story easily catches adult readers in its snare as all good fantasy/fairy tales do."
Gary Starta, author/reviewer and a ‘Top Ten Finalist in 2010’s Preditors and Editors Poll for Science Fiction’
“I was thrilled when I read about the Water Vamps that Giles created…every author needs to come up with a new twist that makes their vampires unique and memorable. With vampires seen as a species, Giles has definitely done this overall, but then she takes it a step further by creating an entirely new species that seems a little like a mermaid, a little like a siren, and all vampire!...Their story [is told in] “Water Vamps,” and it will slake the thirst of anyone wanting to know more. Giles weaves a tale of intrigue and gives us a glimpse of the underwater world of the Water Vamps, and the history and origins behind these beautiful and dangerous creatures is truly unique!...We get to interact with these creatures on a more personal level: they go to school, have spelling and vocabulary tests, have to deal with their parents and even crush on each other. In this sense, we get to see the more ‘human’ side of the water vampires and see that the youth water vamps are similar to the human heroes, Robyn and Marion. Written for young adults, the main characters are children, and the adults are secondary to the story, which will appeal to any young adult. Robyn and Marion understand each other, and they (like the water vamps) have to deal with all the things children deal with, despite their unusual gifts. Even without these gifts, Robyn is a role model for any young female with her strength of character, respect for adults (at least those who deserve it) and her loyalty to Marion, who deserves his own credit for his loyalty and friendship…In the end, even the water vamps come to be [those] we can relate to and accept in this thrilling ride into the waters of Charleston, South Carolina.”
Deanna Anderson for Target Audience Magazine
“G.L. Giles has written a YA book worthy of a closer look by young adults and adults of all ages. Her stories read like a welcome canteen of water when one has been in a desolate literary desert for too long. Let’s face it. One can’t throw a stake without hitting one of the many vampire novels out there these days. With Giles’ book however, one hits a rich vein of gold or perhaps in this case, blood and, as every vampire knows, the life is in the blood. The life blood of “Water Vamps” is in the talent of such a gifted writer as Giles. Such are the literary riches one finds in “Water Vamps.” If you love vampires, you are in for a rare treat. The most intriguing thing about her Water Vamps is that they are a fantastic and wholly unique twist on the vampire myth. Even if vampires are not your cup of tea (or goblet of blood) you will be engaged by Giles. It is her skillful writing style, engrossing narrative and some of the most interesting characters in all of literature that brings delight to the reader. I absolutely love the biracial storyline with Robyn and Marion. With this, Giles doesn’t merely tell a story. She digs deeply into the human consciousness, bringing out old modes of thinking and revealing them in the light of day, inviting the reader to expand his or her mind. This is story-telling at its best. The most important thing I can say about this book is this: Best twist on the vampire mythos ever.”
Evelyn Smith, author of “Transylvania, Louisiana” and “City of the Undead,” for Eviesite (WordPress Blog)
“G.L. Giles creates a delightfully original vampire mythology in her young adult book Water Vamps. The main characters Robyn and Marion (aptly named after the literary adventurers Robin Hood and Maid Marian) engage in their own adventure involving Water Vampires, a complex hybrid of ravens and mermaids—with teeth! Giles celebrates the unconventional in numerous ways throughout the book, which any vampire-lover will embrace whole-heartedly. Her compelling tale follows the burgeoning young romance between Robyn and Marion which leads to their dangerous encounter with the Water Vamps. Giles mixes her unique history of vampires and the background of Charleston, South Carolina, creating a fully absorbing fantasy tale. Together, Robyn and Marion discover a pair of deceitful adults and a perilous, hungry species who are more than they appear to be on the surface and with whom they have more in common than they realize.”
Bryce Warren, author of “Voodoo Mayhem”
"GL Giles delivers a new concept to an old tale noteworthy of a fictional television documentary. Her descriptions of her characters lend charm and mystery to the history of how vampires have always been perceived. I think Stoker would be well pleased to see this 'new breed'."
Rena Short Brashear, ReviewerSee More
Where readers can connect with me and my work:
Twitter (@ThatGLGiles), LinkedIn, etc.
e-mail address: GiaLee3@hotmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment