Vampires Taking Over Atlanta With Alicia Dean! #Vampires #giveaway

Today we have Alicia Dean, chatting about her trip to the Eyecon Vampire Diaries convention. She got to hug Ian! I'm not sure if I want to worship her or kick her bootie, but the proof is in the post. It sounded like a fabulous time. 

Alicia is in such a great mood after hugging Ian that she's giving away some of her awesome Vampire e-books. So read on and then leave a comment with email addy for a chance to win two of Alicia's awesome novels! 

~Mia

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Thank you so much for having me, Mia. I am delighted to share my recap of the Eyecon Vampire Diaries convention I attended in Atlanta, Georgia, November 1st through the 3rd.

Do you love vampires? Do you watch Vampire Diaries? If so, I would highly recommend you attend a Vampire Diaries convention. But not just any TVD convention; in my opinion, Eyecon is the very best. My soon to be thirty-year-old daughter (her birthday is November 23rd…Happy Birthday, Lana!) and I drove from Oklahoma to Atlanta for the convention. And it was worth every one of the nearly 900 miles we traveled. Not only is it exciting to attend the fantastic events, and to see your favorite celebrities in the flesh, but the celebrities themselves are so nice, so warm, so friendly and accessible. How often do you get to hang out with stars from your favorite television show?

One thing that impressed me greatly was how far some people traveled to meet the stars. There were fans in attendance from Australia, Germany, England, Canada, Brazil, and other countries. Learning that made our fourteen hour drive seem like a mini-jaunt. :) I loved meeting new friends, too. TVD fans are some of the friendliest, funniest people I’ve ever met. However, one of the greatest, unexpected perks of the convention was meeting and listening to Nathaniel Buzolic, who played Kol Mikaelson on TVD. He was a bad, bad guy on the show, but in reality, he is a wonderful person with a strong faith and an uplifting message. His stories and warmth were inspiring to many people. The attendees were buzzing about how amazing he was.

The first event of the convention was a costume party. Luckily for fans, some of the celebrities made an appearance. It is impressive how the stars mingle and chat, how humble they seem to be. Enthusiastic fans dressed in various costumes. My personal favorite costume of the night was the blood bag (which is one of the vampires’ preferred delicacies on TVD, next to warm blood straight from the vein).

Blood Bag, Sue Cason and Eyecon Announcer, Joshua Reid-Davis

Isn’t that creative?

Over the next few days, we were treated to Q&A’s, photo ops, and autographs. It was unbelievable how entertaining, personable, and funny the celebrities were. Getting a glimpse into their lives and personalities, not to mention some of the behind-the-scenes stories, was a thrill beyond belief. One of my favorite anecdotes was the one told by Ian Somerhalder (Damon), and confirmed by Paul Wesley (Stefan), about a day they were filming when the temperatures were below freezing. Paul had to do a scene where he was lying on the ice cold ground. During a break, he put his face up to a heat lamp…and burned off the top layer of skin. His face was so cold it was numb, and he had no idea he was searing his flesh. Poor guy. Apparently, acting isn’t all fun and games.

On Saturday night, we attended a banquet where some of the celebrities sat at the tables with fans. This photo is of the stars in attendance and the people at our table.

 I’m in the green and standing next to me is my daughter, the dark-haired girl with Stephen McQueen’s arm around her (Stephen is a star on Vampire Diaries, and the grandson of Steve McQueen. Other celebrities in the photo are Todd Williams, Jessarae, Leah Pipes, Daniel Gillies, and Nathaniel Buzolic)

In addition to the pure joy of the experience, another reason the convention was great for me is that I was able to connect with fans and potential readers. Several months back, Amazon commissioned me to write Vampire Diaries stories for Kindle Worlds, and I published two; What the Heart Wants and Divine Enemy. Writing about my favorite characters in my favorite world—Mystic Falls—was a dream come true. It was SO much fun to make the characters do the things I wanted them to do. What a power rush! 

One of the highlights of the trip was getting Ian Somerhalder’s autograph. I used one of my book post cards for him to sign. He asked what it was, and I explained about the stories I’d written. I told him I was making him bad again (he was originally a bad boy vampire that has gone a little soft in the television show), and I said that I missed Bad Damon. He winked and said, “So do I.” (Of course, when you look into those incredibly blue eyes, things get a little hazy, but I’m pretty sure we had that conversation.) Here I am with Ian. Do I look happy or what???

Alicia and Ian!!!!

There is so much more to tell, like about the pre-convention event at the lovely Twelve Oaks Bed and Breakfast in Covington, GA, where The Vampire Diaries is filmed, where we watched the latest Vampire Diaries episode on a big screen on the lawn, my encounters with the hilarious and friendly Trent Ford, and the funny photo moment with Rob Pralgo. But I’ve gone on long enough. Suffice it to say, the weekend was jam packed with fun and memorable moments. I can’t wait to go to the next one.

Because of my love of vampires, I not only wrote the TVD stories, but I am also writing a vampire series set on a tropical island. Liberty Divided, Isle of Fangs Book 2, is my latest release. These stories are a little different from the usual vampire fare, in that my heroine is a huntress who is descended from Van Helsing, and, even though it’s a modern setting, I try to stick a bit more to the original lore where vampires turn into bats, sleep in coffins, and cannot walk in the daylight.

Eyecon Link

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Blurb for Liberty Divided (Isle of Fangs book 2)

One man can fulfill her destiny…the other can fulfill her fantasy.

To quell the rise of evil vampires, Liberty Van Helsing must embrace her newfound Hunter destiny. But she has a great deal to learn, and Eli Barkley—the vampire who has been teaching her—has already betrayed her once. Her goal is to shut Eli out of her life and become a better hunter on her own—and to focus on her new romance with hot Australian, Ryan Kelly, a human she can trust.

But when a rogue vampire begins savagely killing young women, the authorities insist Liberty work with Eli to find the murderer. Liberty must overlook Eli’s epic betrayal and find a way to get along with him if they are to stop the unknown maniac and protect innocent lives.

Yet, the more time Liberty spends with Eli, the more her unwanted attraction to him grows. She starts to question her feelings for Ryan—are they real, or could Eli be ‘the one?’ As Eli and Liberty delve further into the murders, clues surface that point to Eli as the culprit. Can she trust him now? Or will she have to plunge a stake into his heart, breaking her own, just when she’s learning to believe in him again?

Buy Link for Liberty Divided (Isle of Fangs Book 2)

Amazon

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You can find Alicia Dean on the Web at:

Website: AliciaDean

Twitter: @Alicia_Dean_

Facebook: Alicia Dean

Amazon: Alicia Dean

Giveaway: On Monday, November 18, I will draw two names from the commenters, and each will win their choice of any two of the following Kindle Ebooks: 

• What The Heart Wants (Vampire Diaries Book 1)
• Divine Enemy (Vampire Diaries Book 2), 
• Liberty Awakened (Isle of Fangs Book 1)
• Liberty Divided (Isle of Fangs Book 2).

 PLEASE provide an email address in your comment.