Welcome to the August 2026 issue of my newsletter, “News from the Crypt,” and please visit Carter’s Crypt, devoted to my horror, fantasy, and paranormal romance work, especially focusing on vampires and shapeshifting beasties. If you have a particular fondness for vampires, check out the chronology of my series in the link labeled “Vanishing Breed Vampire Universe.”
Also, check out the multi-author Alien Romances Blog
To subscribe to this monthly newsletter, please e-mail me at MLCVamp@aol.com, and I will add you to the list.
For other web links of possible interest, please scroll to the end.
In the spirit of summer, below is an excerpt from “Spooky Tutti Frutti,” my novella in the “One Scoop or Two” ice-cream-themed series published by the Wild Rose Press. Celia, searching for a new flavor to promote her shop at the upcoming waterfront festival, meets a prospective temp worker who impresses her as a bit strange, along with a dog that seemingly appears out of nowhere.
Please enjoy this month’s interview with contemporary romance author Maria Imbalzano.
*****
Interview with Maria Imbalzano:
What inspired you to become a writer?
I love to read, but I never liked to write until I got to law school. Writing legal briefs and memoranda of law worked for me. But legal writing is very different than creative writing. One night, after working all day and getting the kids into bed, I was reading a Danielle Steele book and something was bothering me about it. I said to myself “I bet I could do this.” Why I ever thought I could write a book is beyond me, but I decided to try. A short fifteen years later, my first book was published (which was not the first manuscript I wrote – it was the fifth). In my case, persistence was key. My eleventh novel was just released on June 1st.
What genres do you work in?
I write contemporary romance, but several books in my Sworn Sisters Series would be considered women’s fiction with a strong romance.
Do you outline, “wing it,” or something in between?
I am a plotter to the nth degree. There is no winging it here. I blueprint my entire book, scene by scene, chapter by chapter, before I sit down at my computer to write the book.
What have been the major influences on your work (favorite authors or whatever)?
My favorite romance author back in the day was Judith McNaught. Her books made me fall in love with the romance genre. My favorite of hers is called “Perfect” and I often go back to it to try to learn from a master.
Did your experience in legal writing in any way prepare you for writing fiction? Any overlap in the required skills?
Legal writing is very linear and analytical. An issue is raised, you give your opinion on that issue, then you back it up with case law and arguments using that case law to bolster your position. This in no way prepared me to write fiction. I had to learn everything from scratch—writing dialog, exposition, point of view, characterization, conflicts. It was a whole new language and a very different way of writing. The only thing that helps me as a creative writer from my days as a lawyer is that I’ve always been a crazy mad editor. I don’t let anything go out until I’ve read it and fixed it at least ten times.
Please tell us about the Sworn Sisters series.
The Sworn Sisters Series is about four high school girlfriends, now in their early to mid-30’s. Each of them has their own book, (so they are all stand-alones) but the friends are in each other’s stories. Life events such as divorce, broken engagements, adoption, heartbreak, affairs, work-life balance, ambition, and betrayal all crop up in these emotional stories. A secret from the past affects their relationships with each other as well as with their love interests.
SWORN TO FORGET – Nicki’s story – career vs. relationship
SWORN TO REMEMBER- Sam’s story – reunion story, unrequited love
SWORN TO FLY – Alyssa’s story – fish-out-of-water, opposites attract
SWORN TO COLLIDE – Denise’s story – emotional betrayal and second chances
You contributed a novel, RETURN TO WYLDER, to the Wylder West multi-author series. What was it like to write in a shared-world series, and how did you ensure consistency with books by other authors?
I absolutely loved writing for a multi-author series. Reviewing the map of the town with its restaurants, bars, streets, and buildings and placing my characters there was so much fun. (I had also written a book for the Deerbourne Inn Series called “A Song for Another Day”). There were specific rules that our publisher established for the series, but nothing that was difficult to deal with. Most books in the Wylder series were historical—taking place in the late 1800s. But since I write contemporary romance, I asked if I could write a story that took place now, and my idea was approved. I believe I was the only author to write a contemporary in that series, so my story didn’t overlap or deal with any of the story lines in the other books. And best of all, that book won the Book Buyers Best Award and finaled in the NJ Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest, the NEXT (National Excellence in Story Telling) contest, and the Carla Crown Jewel of Books contest.
What is your latest or next-forthcoming book?
The book that was just released in June, 2026, is the fourth and final book of the Sworn Sisters Series called SWORN TO COLLIDE. This emotionally complex story is about a marriage in crisis, identity reclamation, ambition vs. family, betrayal and second chances. My experience as a divorce attorney certainly helped me with this one, since I have spent decades sitting across the table from couples navigating the same issues that Denise and Ben face in this novel.
Here is the blurb:
After devoting eleven years of marriage to Ben, her high school sweetheart, and stepping off the corporate ladder to raise their three children, Denise is ready to seize the reins of the career she always dreamed of. But as soon as she commits to step back into the professional world, Ben drops a bombshell that disrupts everything.
Suddenly, this once rock-solid couple finds themselves in a battle over ambition, identity, and whose turn it is to shine. As personal choices draw them further and further apart, they must confront their widening rift—a threat to the love they thought was unshakeable.
Can they rediscover the passion they once shared, or will their divergent paths pull them apart for good?
What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m working on the second book of the Sunrise Island Series. The stories take place at an environmental school in the Florida Keys—at a junior year away program for high school students. The main characters in these books are the teachers who work at Sunrise Island School and the people they meet. The first book in the series, ISLAND DETOUR, is an enemies to lovers, fish-out-of-water story. The book that I’m working on now is about two artists who are each escaping a painful incident in their not-too-distant pasts. Their instant attraction to each other and their love of creating art bond them, but their temporary break from their real lives does not bode well for a future together.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
Keep writing, even in the face of rejection. It took me 15 years to get my first contract, and that was for the fifth manuscript I wrote. During that time I went to seminars and writing conferences, read how-to books, and spoke to dozens of published authors, editors and agents. You can never learn enough about this craft, so my other piece of advice is to keep educating yourself. It’s the only way to get better—and that’s the goal.
What is the URL of your website? What about other internet presence?
Website
Maria Imbalzano
Instagram
Mariaimbalzano_author
*****
Some Books I’ve Read Lately:
THE THREE COFFIN PROBLEM, by Lavie Tidhar. A connected series of stories about Judge Dee, a vampire magistrate traveling through medieval Europe, and ultimately to London, with his hapless human assistant, Jonathan. Most were originally published on the Reactor site (formerly Tor.com), while two pieces are original to this collection. I’d previously read some of the online selections but not all, so the majority of the contents were new to me. A brief flashback reveals that Dee saved Jonathan’s life in the aftermath of a battle, but it remains unclear (even to Jonathan himself) why Jonathan sticks with him, much less why the ancient vampire keeps him around. As provider of human perspective on the secret world of the undead, Jonathan comes across as a particularly clueless Sancho-Panza-like figure. When not cowering in fear from other vampires – entirely justified, given that they label him “food,” and only Dee’s protection keeps him alive – he’s more often than not cold, wet, exhausted, and hungry. Judge Dee tends to forget about human weaknesses in his own preoccupation with answering the latest summons to enforce justice, so Jonathan spends a lot of time wondering when his next meal will arrive. Vampire law mandates not drawing mortal attention to the existence of the undead and, above all, not killing other vampires without a demonstrably good reason. Like an extremely dim Watson, who nonetheless sometimes manages to come up with helpful observations, Jonathan tags along while Dee solves crimes and deals with malefactors. It’s fun to watch Dee unravel mysteries and intimidate other vampires. Although a cool observer of events with the incisive intellect of an undead Sherlock Holmes, he does have some vulnerabilities. We discover he was once in love in the remote past, still bearing scars from that traumatic event. Moreover, he actually displays apprehension upon meeting one class of vampires – librarians. Despite Jonathan’s revolting table manners and incurious attitude toward anything outside his immediate needs, one can’t help sympathizing with his plight. I enjoyed seeing him involved in a romantic relationship with the human female servant of another vampire. While the tales proceed in internal chronological order, each can be read independently with no great loss. The collection is open-ended, with plenty of room for future installments.
EVERYBODY’S PERFECT, by Jo Walton. The title of this fantasy novel set in an alternate-world counterpart of Venice seems ironic, for everybody we meet has common human flaws and weaknesses. The significance of the title becomes apparent only in the final chapter. The Serenissima, as the cover blurb puts it, is a shadow city “built from mist and belief.” Its inhabitants, of a variety of humanoid species, come from multiple worlds. They refer to all Earth-human people as Venetians, since only Venice harbors a portal from Earth into the Serenissima. Each chapter is narrated in the first person by a different character, the in-universe reason for this structure being revealed at the end of the book. Through their distinctive voices, we learn about their species and the others they interact with, as well as the society and culture of the Serenissima. In this city, belief literally shapes reality. Objects, and perhaps even people, sometimes fade into nothing unless diligently observed. If you leave your boat tied to a dock, for instance, you’d better pay someone to watch it so it can’t vanish before you return. Conversely, if you need something urgently enough, a strong enough belief in its existence can sometimes cause it to materialize. Not that this ubiquitous magic makes life easy, though. Every character has problems to struggle with. The overarching plot is quite simple. A certain otherwise obscure person’s dream foretells two impending major changes: The city will acquire a doge to lead its council, like the mundane Venice, and a cure for a lethal sexually transmitted disease known as “blight” will be found. Meanwhile, circles of sufferers from blight gather under the care of gifted people who temporarily guide them into higher planes of existence, retarding the progress of the disease. The true interest of the novel (for me, anyway) lies in the individual crises faced by the various characters. Therefore, I found the multi-narrator structure frustrating. Just as I got deeply absorbed in one person’s story, the chapter would end, and I’d get thrown into yet another new character’s viewpoint. Granted, the concluding section gives us brief denouements for most of them, but that gesture toward closure didn’t completely satisfy me. Only a gifted author such as Walton could pull off that plot structure while keeping the reader’s attention riveted throughout.
THE CHILDREN, by Melissa Albert. Fans of the Hazel Wood books might wonder, as I did for most of this novel, where the fantasy element is. Don’t worry; there is one, but we have to wait quite a while for it. Guinevere and Ennis Sharpe grew up in the shadow of their mother Edith’s bestselling portal fantasy series for children. The protagonists share the names of Edith’s offspring. As a result, readers tend to conflate the real children, even as adults, with the fictional adventurers in the magical realm of the Ninth City. Moreover, the series was left tantalizingly unfinished, with the final expected book remaining unwritten. In the opening scene of THE CHILDREN (after a prologue in the form of a brief excerpt from one of Edith’s books), Guin prepares for a TV interview publicizing her memoir of her childhood and parents. Its ghost-written status incites disdain from some quarters. However, she meets many fans eager to confide how much the Ninth City series meant to them as children, conversations for which Guin has a prepared script. She offers sanitized replies to questions such as, “What was it like to grow up in the legendary Farmhouse?” Meanwhile, her estranged brother, a renowned artist who has consistently rejected all public questions about his family background, prepares to unveil an immersive installation titled “Mother.” Over the course of the novel, flashbacks reveal the truth of Guin and Ennis’s far from idyllic past. Edith married their much older father in her teens. As a result, her parents rejected the errant couple. Guin and Ennis’s early childhood consisted of a nomadic lifestyle, moving from one large city to another. When they finally settle in a remote Vermont farmhouse grudgingly donated by their grandfather, the rustic, rambling structure amid acres of forest and crammed with fascinatingly quirky things to discover does at first seem idyllic, if reclusive. Fragmentary flashback revelations, though, disclose conditions better described as eccentric and chaotic. Their parents’ marriage turns dysfunctional, including serial adultery on the part of their father. With Edith’s increasing fame, the celebrated Farmhouse develops into a sort of combined artist’s retreat and commune. We don’t learn until nearly the end how Edith lost a finger and what really happened on the night a catastrophic fire orphaned and separated the children. The narrative unfolds in three timelines – the present, in the weeks before Ennis’s mysterious “Mother” exhibit opens; the distant past of the children’s formative years at the Farmhouse; and Guin’s life between those two periods. Upon the opening of “Mother,” Ennis at last reveals to Guin the truth he’s known for many years – the supernatural origin of Edith’s stories, his own artistic gift, and Guin’s suppressed talent. The novel doesn’t have exactly a happy ending, but a satisfactory one, in which the former children take control of their own destinies at last.
GIRL OF LORE, by Melanie Dale. Perfect for fans of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, which the author name-checks in her acknowledgments. The small town of London, Georgia, may not sit on a Hellmouth, but it swarms with rumors and urban legends about weird, maybe supernatural occurrences. Unexplained sinkholes constitute only the most mundane of the phenomena. Although high-school sophomore Mina doesn’t believe the tales, she becomes intrigued with the idea of starting a Lore Club to study local history and, well, lore. Maybe getting involved in school activities in addition to serving as her class’s student council representative will reassure her single mother that Mina is becoming better adjusted. The older of two adoptive daughters, Mina has only one real friend. At home, her relationship with her sister displays constant friction and occasional open hostility. Like the author herself, Mina copes with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The book debunks common misconceptions about OCD, especially that it manifests as compulsive neatness. The worst part, for Mina, consists of obsessive thoughts about harming herself or others. Her therapist reassures her that her horror of such thoughts proves she’s not at risk of acting on them. The therapist assigns her homework of writing one of the obtrusive fantasies in detail. When her little sister reads and gossips about that private document, Mina’s reputation at school worsens. Fortunately, her Lore Club companions, developing into friends, offer support. At first, I wasn’t sure how to feel about so many characters bearing names derived from DRACULA. Once I accepted the implicit premise that this story takes place in an alternate universe where Stoker’s novel doesn’t exist, though, I had fun spotting the allusions – not only Mina Murray but Jackie Seward, her best friend (female); new student Quincey Morris from Texas; Jonathan Harker, source of belligerent sexual tension; Buddy Swales, obviously destined to be a victim; an abandoned, dilapidated mansion called Carfax House, whose owners vanished over a decade earlier; and many more, plus a few inspired by other classic horror literature. For example, Mina interviews an elderly resident named Grace Poole about the mysteries in the town’s past. Soon afterward, the old lady dies suddenly. After that incident, an encounter with an enigmatic woman in the public library, and the discovery of a very strange book, Mina begins to contemplate the possible reality of the supernatural. Yes, London does harbor vampires. Jonathan’s family hides a secret heritage. Mina’s version of the Scooby Gang unites to combat the monsters, not only the undead but an Old One lurking beneath the town, awaiting its chance to rise. The conclusion begs for a sequel, with an obvious hook in the fact that the Lore Club has only begun to explore the revelations in the occult tome Mina discovered. I hope the author plans a series. Mina comes across as a vividly three-dimensional character with whom it’s easy to sympathize.
For my recommendations of “must read” classic and modern vampire fiction, explore the Realm of the Vampires:
Realm of the Vampires
*****
Excerpt from “Spooky Tutti Frutti”:
Inside, the chill of the air conditioner sent a delightful shiver over Celia’s bare arms. She surveyed the interior with satisfaction despite her worries. She’d lavished money on redecorating in a vintage 1950s style dominated by chrome and fire-engine red. Linoleum in a black-and-white checkerboard pattern covered the floor. Six high stools at the counter and four small, round tables provided seating for customers who didn’t want their cones or cups to go. She sold bottled soft drinks from a refrigerated case next to the cash register. Posters of singers and movie stars from the period adorned the walls. To coordinate with the décor, Celia wore bright red slacks and a red-and-white blouse on the job. Fortunately, the color scheme vividly set off her dark hair and olive complexion. Tying on her apron, she waved up at the iconic photo of a blonde star’s skirt billowing in the draft from a sidewalk grate. “Time to get back to work.”
She laughed at herself as she headed for the kitchen. *Maybe Blair has a point that I’m working too hard. I’m talking to movie posters.* Humming a rock ballad stuck in her head from the fifties playlist she ran on a continuous loop all day, she loaded and switched on the dishwasher. After cleaning the ice-cream makers and doing other routine chores in the kitchen, she began scrubbing the counter and tables in the front room.
She started at a rapid clicking behind her. Turning toward the entrance, she came face-to-face with the source of the noise. A huge, black, hairy dog — a Newfoundland. He panted and wagged his tail at the sight of her.
“What the heck are you doing in here?” She glanced at the door — securely shut, of course.
The dog sat in the middle of the floor and stared up at her with a goofy, tongue-lolling expression. When she offered her hand, he sniffed it. “Wherever you came from, you can’t stay.”
As she leaned over to look at his collar, a feminine voice said, “Oh, neat, you found Nigel.”
Once more Celia flinched in surprise. She whirled around to discover a girl who looked no more than twenty, at least fifteen years younger than Celia herself, leaning against the counter.
*Where did she come from?* Again Celia checked the door, which was still definitely closed and locked. “How did you get in?”
“I saw your sign about needing help.” Which wasn’t an answer. The intruder, petite and lightly freckled, had flame-red hair in a pixie cut with fringed bangs. Dressed in white capri pants, a loose, white, V-necked blouse trimmed in red and blue, and canvas deck shoes, she looked as if she’d just come from a boating excursion.
“Is this your dog?” Celia frowned down at the girl, whose delicate frame made her feel even taller than she normally did. “He can’t stay in here. It’s against health regulations.”
“Oh, sorry.” The girl opened the front door and shooed the dog outside. “Go on, Nigel.” A second later, the door closed again, and the dog was gone.
*I didn’t see her turn the deadbolt or the knob either time. I must be falling asleep on my feet.* “Wait, will he be okay? You can’t just let him wander the streets.”
“It’s cool. My boyfriend will take care of him.”
Celia marched to the entrance and peeked through the glass. She didn’t see any sign of the animal by the glow of the nearby street lamp. The alleged boyfriend must have whisked him away instantly.
She turned back to the visitor. “You’re interested in the temporary job? I’d rather you’d have come during regular hours, but since you’re already here…” She gestured for the girl to take a seat at the nearest table. “I’m Celia Rossi, the owner.”
“I’m Suzie Conroy. Making ice cream is my hobby, so I’d love to work however long you need me.” She scanned the room. “It’s so different from before.” She spoke softly, as if to herself.
“Oh, you used to come here when the previous owner had the place?”
“Longer ago than that.”
-end of excerpt-
*****
The long-time distributor of THE VAMPIRE’S CRYPT has closed its website. If you would like to read any issue of this fanzine, which contains fiction, interviews, and a detailed book review column, visit the Dropbox page below. Find information about the contents of each issue on this page of my website:
All issues are now posted on Dropbox, where you should be able to download them at this link:
All Vampire’s Crypt Issues on Dropbox
A complete list of my available works, arranged roughly by genre, with purchase links:
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Carter Kindle Books
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Goodreads
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Writers Exchange E-Publishing: Writers Exchange
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You can contact me at: MLCVamp@aol.com
“Beast” wishes until next time—
Margaret L. Carter