FOODFIC: Please Welcome Julian Coleman, Author of CESAR

Is Cesar demon or vampire? True evil can be beautiful and beguiling, and he is truly diabolical. His raw masculinity is his lure, and he uses his charm to trap and prey on the innocent. 

There was no love in that face, or lust, only naked hunger. 

He is conjured up from Hell to deliver revenge onto Rachel, a powerful priestess.  However, he falls in love with her tomboyish sister, Angelina.  Rachel uses her powers to save her sister’s, life, but instead of returning her humanity, Angelina becomes something else, a vampire, priestess and zombie tribrid.

Cesar is undaunted in his pursuit. 

His food of choice?  Blood. 

Who knows better than newly turned vampires what it means to indulge in their macabre delicacy?  Initially the thought of drinking blood is repulsive, but the aroma of fear pumping through veins becomes intoxicating. The anticipation forces canine teeth to elongate and saliva to leak from the corners of  mouths.

Seduction is a necessary lure.  It is also part of the game of love.  And love is an essential weapon to dominate and control.  Imagine the horror of being sexually enamored one minute, and then drained as a mouthwatering buffet the next...by your lover.

As silent and as subtle as a viper. She cut her teeth on the cow’s throat and felt the hot blood fill her mouth.  The sensation on her taste buds was overwhelming, and her delight was wild.  When the animal fell, Angelina was on top of her, slurping and sucking and draining until she was sated.  She stood up with a loud and bloody belch.  Now she felt more than normal.  Now she felt omnipotent.  She looked at her hands.  The color had returned to her skin.

Blood is more than food.  As stated in Dracula, Blood is the life.

Thanks for stopping by to share your food for thought, Julian!

You can find Julian here:

JulianColeman.net

Twitter @JulianMColeman1

Facebook Fan Page

Books on Amazon

FOODFIC: Please Welcome Cheryl Colwell, Author of The Proof

While touring Tuscany, I was excited to come across the original “sword in the stone” located in Montesiepi. In 1185, the Pope ordered a chapel built around the miracle.  The story, as well as the amazing food and wine I tasted on my trip (most of which hasn’t changed in centuries), were inspiring. The result was The Proof, a time-split novel set between the twelfth century and today.

The story begins with starving artist, Gabe Dolcini, who can’t sell his paintings to pay his bills. His only option is to grasp his grandfather’s offer to come show his work in Italy. But Gabe has never met his grandfather. In fact, his family has refused to speak of the man except to say his insanity got his wife killed. I chose to use food and wine to showcase the emotional moment when Gabe and his grandfather, Count Louis Dolcini meet for the first time:


Louis raised his glass. “I bottled this Brunello from my vineyard in Montalcino the year you were born. I swore I would drink it with you when you were old enough.” He smiled, partially concealing a pained grimace. “It waited in my cellar perhaps longer than I planned but let us taste it and see what we think.” Gabe smiled at his grandfather as they tasted the wine together. Year thirty-four proved to be a magical number for the celebratory bottle. “Magnifico,” his grandfather whispered. He gazed at Gabe. “It was worth the wait.” 


They enjoy a plate of prosciutto, green olives and pecorino cheese, a salty sheep cheese I have grown to love, and later feast on savory risotto and pork stew. A dish I didn’t eat but included in the book was Louis’ favorite, wild boar. Of course, the staple wherever we went was espresso served strong and black. I received a few raised eyebrows when I doused mine with cream and sugar.

Over dinner, Louis reveals their family destiny to safeguard a sacred religious artifact called Il Testimento, the Testament, or the Proof, an object said to bestow courage and faith. Some believe it brings power. Exciting intrigue ensues as they battle a zealous religious group willing to kill for the object, as well as a brutal group that is trying to destroy it. The reader travels to various sites and meals around Tuscany as our hero (in current time) and his Templar ancestor (in the twelfth century) strive to outwit their enemies.

I tried to capture the historical mood prevalent in Tuscany, including their food and hospitality. I hope you have a chance to enjoy this story and its mystery.

Thanks for stopping by to share your food for thought, Cheryl!

You can find Cheryl here:

CherylColwell.com

Twitter @CherylColwell3

Facebook Fan Page

Books on Amazon

FOODFIC: Please Welcome Brian S. Converse, Author of Stone Soldiers

Food is an important part of the life of most people, besides providing basic sustenance, food plays an important role in social gatherings, religious ceremonies, and cultural identity. It can be even more important when you are part of a group abducted by aliens, which is what happens to a group of five humans from Detroit in Rajani Chronicles I: Stone Soldiers.

The main protagonist, James Dempsey, is a police lieutenant and sworn bachelor. His idea of an extravagant meal is having potato salad with his hamburger instead of fries (though sometimes he’ll have both). Yvette Manidoo has a more refined taste. She’s happy with freshly made organic meals and a glass of white wine. Gianni Moretti yearns for authentic New York pizza and can’t handle the Detroit version, with its too-thick crust. David Morris would eat at Burger King every night if it wasn’t for his girlfriend dragging him to other places. Finally, Kieren Gray is happy with a simple meal of falafel, hummus, and pita bread.

It all changes when they’re brought aboard the alien spaceship and wake up light years from home. Fortunately, the aliens in question were smart enough to bring fruits and vegetables from Earth to lessen the impact on their unwilling guests. The five humans find that their evening meal together is the only thing holding them together. All five are, to some extent, introverts who find it difficult to make friends, and without a common mealtime, they would spend the voyage isolated in their rooms aboard the ship, eating the fiberboard-like protein bars provided by their hosts. The feeling of isolation is a theme that runs throughout this first novel in the trilogy.

The aliens introduce them to a drink they call fernta, which is distilled from a fruit grown on their planet. This harsh liquor is a hit with David, who is the first to reach out in friendship to one of the aliens, finding that they although different in appearance, have many of the same feelings, worries, and aspirations as their human guests.

Thanks for stopping by to share your food for thought, Brian!

You can find Brian here:

BrianSConverse.com

Twitter @BrianSConverse

Books on Amazon