Book Buzz – DARK SURF news & goings-on
“This novel blew me away—one of the most imaginative vampire novels I’ve ever read.” — Paul Goat Allen
Last week I learned DARK SURF was named #3 on the list of the “Ten ‘Must Read’ Self-Published Vampire Fiction Novels” by highly respected genre critic Paul Goat Allen. Stoked, euphoric, ecstatic—none of those words even begin to capture the elation I felt upon hearing I’d made that list & upon reading the review.
Below are excerpts from Allen’s review. You can see the article in its entirety & check out the 9 other books on the list at BlueInk Review: http://www.blueinkreview.com/ten-must-read-self-published-vampire-fiction-novels/
Ten “Must Read” Self-Published Vampire Fiction Novels
December 2nd, 2014
Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of blogs by highly respected genre critic Paul Goat Allen that highlights stellar, not-to-be-missed titles by self-published authors in various genres.
By Paul Goat Allen
While traditionally published vampire fiction has been relatively flat since 2010, more than a few exceptionally written—and wildly innovative—bloodsucking novels have been self-published in the last few years. The diversity of vampire-fueled storylines is nothing short of incredible. Of the titles listed below, categories explored include post-apocalyptic science fiction, paranormal romance, noir fiction, horror, dark fantasy, and romance!
And while all of these titles are all extraordinarily entertaining, I consider a few (like Meridian Six by Jaye Wells, Pretty When She Dies by Rhiannon Frater, and Dark Surf by Tina C. Zmak) to be towering masterworks.
So if you’re looking to sink your teeth (no pun intended) into some top-notch vampire fiction, look no further than these ten bloody little gems!
3. Dark Surf, by Tina C. Zmak: This debut novel is so good—so insanely audacious—I actually stood up and applauded when I finished reading it! If Zmak were in the room with me, she would’ve gotten a big bear hug and kiss on the cheek. Zmak reimagines the vampire mythos in classic California style. It’s the story of surfer dude Jake Ryder, who witnesses his friend Cody die while surfing at dusk, the victim of an apparent shark attack. But minutes before his friend died, Jake saw another surfer out in the water with Cody. During his quest to track down this mysterious surfer, he finds a group of surfers who only surf at night… I don’t want to say anything more for fear of giving away too much. This novel blew me away—one of the most imaginative vampire novels I’ve ever read.
In the last 20 years, Paul Goat Allen has reviewed more than 8,000 genre fiction titles for companies such as The Chicago Tribune, Publisher’s Weekly, BN.com, and BlueInk Review and is an adjunct faculty member in Seton Hill University’s Writing Popular Fiction program. He has published one novel and two collections of poetry and is a member of the National Book Critics Circle.
