Can SEX & LITERATURE really get along?

by | Jul 18, 2011 | books, dracula in love, sex, women

No Sex, Please, We’re Literary!
I originally wrote this piece for Publisher’s Weekly but it was cut in half for space.
Here is the unedited version.

No Sex, Please, We’re Literary!

Sex sells. But what about sexy storylines? When it comes to fiction is sex in one category and literature in another, and never the twain shall meet? In this provocative essay, author Karen Essex takes on the issue and responds to critics of her literary thrillerDracula in Love. So get ready … things are about to heat up.

During an auction for the audio rights to my new novel, Dracula in Love, my editor forwarded me an email that was sent from one of the bidders. “This book is so hot that I can’t wait to get home to my wife!” he proclaimed, and then outbid everyone else and presumably went home and made his wife happy. (Mrs. Audio Rights, you owe me.) ... Read more.

Holiday Giveaway & Other Cheer

by | Dec 13, 2010 | dracula in love

Greetings from New York, the best place on earth to be for the holidays! I am here with a broken ankle, which many of you know I acquired by falling on the plane on the way to my Italian book tour. It was a sorry way to find out that I am not a vampire after all.

On Sunday, 12/19, I will join 30 fellow fiction writers in a marathon reading of Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the Housing Works Bookshop Cafe in Soho. In the spirit of Tiny Tim Cratchit, I will hobble up to the podium around 3:30. Refreshments after! Here’s our notice in THE NEW YORKER: ... Read more.

Halloween Hollywood Crawl with Amber & Karen

by | Oct 26, 2010 | dracula in love, other adventures

Please join me with Amber Benson and friends from the cast of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” for a performance of the short play “Asylum” from DRACULA IN LOVE, and then party with us from venue to venue through Halloween evening. The music, food, and entertainment gets better as the night goes on. If you haven’t sampled the delicacies and wine at Allston Yacht Club yet, you haven’t lived!

LA Lit Weekend; New Orleans, SF

by | Oct 24, 2010 | dracula in love, other adventures

Please join me this weekend, Oct. 22-24 at the BEVERLY HILLS LITERARY ESCAPE, a chance to dialogue salon-style in café conversations, lunches, teas, and dinners with myself, Mona Simpson, Abraham Verghese, Joseph O’Neill and many more. I have a few passes ($100 value) to giveaway! If you’d like one, please post your desire on the blog. Not sure how many I have but first come, first serve. I’m doing a Sunday morning chat with other authors at the Saban Theater and a Sunday lunch with Robert Goolrick (A Reliable Wife).

http://bhliteraryescape.com/join-us-weekend-incredible-book-club-experiences
NEW ORLEANS FRIENDS! See below for book events leading up to Halloween.

OCTOBER 31. AMBER BENSON & FRIENDS FROM BUFFY WILL PERFORM “ASYLUM” FROM DRACULA IN LOVE AT A LOCATION TBA WITH A PARTY AFTERWARDS. STAY TUNED!

SAN FRANCISCO, NOVEMBER 3:
Karen Essex’s Dracula In Love
7:30p
Books Inc.
1344 Park St.
Alameda, CA 94501
In-store performance of scenes inspired by Karen Essex’s Dracula In Love, entitled Asylum Scene. Participating in this event are student actors from Encinal High as directed and supported by Teacher Gene Kahane.

NEW ORLEANS:
Wednesday, October 27th, 4-7pm
Boutique du Vampyre
Location: 633 Toulouse Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Program: Reading and Signing
Contact: Marita Jaeger, maritavampire@yahoo.com, 504.561.8627

Thursday, October 28th, 6:30pm
Octavia Books
Location: 513 Octavia Street, New Orleans, LA 70115-2055
Program: Reading, Q&A, Asylum Performance, Signing
Contact: Tom Lowenburg, tom@octaviabooks.com, 504.899.7323
Friday, October 29th, 7:00pm
Vampire Film Festival
Location: Shadowbox Theater, 2400 St. Claude Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70117
Program: Reading from Dracula in Love, followed by an introduction to film screening (The Thirst for Blood — A Collection of Vampire Shorts)
Contact: Asif Ahmed, asif@reelenergy.com, 626.616.6771

Saturday, October 30th, 3:00pm
Vampire Film Festival
Location: Shadowbox Theater, 2400 St. Claude Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70117
Program: Panel (Why Do Women Write Bloody-Good Vampire Fiction? Rice, Meyer, Harris and Beyond with Sue Dent, Karen Essex and Gabrielle Faust) , Q&A, Signing, followed by Reception with the authors
Contact: Asif Ahmed, asif@reelenergy.com, 626.616.6771

Thanks to all for your support. It’s been so much fun to catch up with so many of you around the country.

Above, just some of the readers from Kathy Louise Patrick’s Pulpwood Queens & Timberwood Guys Book Club (the largest book club in the world, people!) who turned out in costume for our Victorian banquet in Jefferson TX. That’s Kathy’s daughter dead center, who read the Mina role when we performed ASYLUM, and she was phenomenal! Kathy, the Queen herself, is in the hat next to her daughter in the splendid steampunk hat.

Hope to see you on the road!
As ever—
Karen

Dracula in Love, by Karen Essex

by | Sep 28, 2010 | dracula in love

Thanks to everyone who attended the DRACULA IN LOVE book launch party on September 20th. We are just revving up for the fall, so please check the calendar below for upcoming events in your part of the world.

Thanks to all stalwart readers who came out yesterday in the sub-Sahara climate to attend the WEST HOLLYWOOD BOOK FAIR. In addition to the panel, I chatted with Amber Benson (Tara on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), who is going to perform the ASYLUM piece with me on Halloween! See below for details. Also chatted with Julie Robinson who organizes the BEVERLY HILLS LITERARY ESCAPE WEEKEND in October. I’ll be involved all weekend in various events and lunches, and Julie has generously given me tickets to the event to raffle. Stay tuned for details!
LOS ANGELES WOMEN: Join me at HOITY TOITY BOUTIQUE on Friday, October 1st for a wine, book signing and fashion party. Hoity Toity’s unique, designer clothes will be featured with most on sale. This is a chance to get your goth’n’glam on for the fall season. From 6pm. Location below.

Thanks for all your support for my books, especially the book clubs and libraries that have been scheduling author skype chats. Book clubs are the life-blood of fiction, and clubs can sign up for chats on my website.

I hope to see you on the road.

As ever—
Karen
Dracula in Love By Karen Essex
Fall Events
September

Sep 26 9th Annual West Hollywood Book Fair
Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Panel: Breathing Life Into The Undead
Authors: Bryce P. Coleman (moderator); Dan Borchert (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Undead); Karen Essex (Dracula in Love); Vera Nazarian (Mansfield Park and Mummies);
Time: 3:00-3:55 p.m.
Location: West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Bookseller: Signing to follow panel at the Dark Delicacies booth

October

Oct. 1 Hoity-Toity Boutique
4381 Tujunga Ave
Studio City, CA 91604-2752
(818) 766-2503
6-9 pm.
Book signing and clothing sale.
Join us for wine and fashion!

Oct. 8-10 Southern Festival of Books
Nashville, TN
Program: Solo presentation, followed by book signing.
The short play ASYLUM based on a scene from DRACULA IN LOVE will be performed and filmed by Vanderbilt Students.
3:00-4:00 pm, Senate Chambers

Oct. 12 The Pulpwood Queens and Timber Guys Book Clubs
Jefferson, TX
Location: Austin Street Bistro, downtown Jefferson, TX
Program: Victorian dinner party with book clubs @ 6:30pm

Oct. 13-14 Various media appearances in Dallas, TX, TBA

Oct. 15 826LA | Dead Author Reading
Location: Upright Citizens Brigade, 5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028
Time: 7:00 pm
Program: This Is Your Life: Paul F. Thompkins (host) as H.G. Wells; Scott Aukerman as Bram Stoker
DRACULA IN LOVE is a tie-in to the October theme of Halloween and horror writers.

826LA | Dead Author Reading After Party
Location: La Poubelle, 5907 Franklin Ave., Hollywood, CA 90028
Time: 8:00 pm
Program: 826LA | After Party featuring “Bloody Mina” cocktails, author appearance and book signing. Proceeds to be donated to 826LA.
Bookseller: Stories Bookstore

Oct. 17 Dark Delicacies
Location: 3512 W. Magnolia, Burbank, CA 91505
Program: In-store signing with F. Paul Wilson (Fatal Error) and Harry Shannon (A Host of Shadows)

Oct. 22-24 The Beverly Hills Literary Escape
Program: Café Conversations
Authors: Karen Essex , Dani Shapiro, Robert Goolrick, Heidi Durrow, Michelle Huneven, Joyce Maynard, Michael Krasny
Time: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Bookseller: Barnes & Noble

The Beverly Hills Literary Escape
Luncheon: Karen Essex with Robert Goolrick (A Reliable Wife)
Location: tbd
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Bookseller: Barnes & Noble

Oct. 27 Boutique du Vampyre
Location: 633 Toulouse Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Program: Reading and Signing
Time: 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Contact: Marita Jaeger, maritavampire@yahoo.com, 504.561.8627

Oct. 28 Octavia Books
Location: 513 Octavia Street
New Orleans, LA 70115-2055
(504) 899-7323
Time: 6:30 pm

Oct. 29 Vampire Film Festival ... Read more.