Book: Mercy: The Last NE Vampire

I Admit It

Posted by sarahlthomson on Sep 20, 2012 in Book: Mercy: The Last NE Vampire | 0 comments

It’s embarrassing, but true. I have a total girly-fan crush on folklorist and author Michael Bell. I know that proper vampire bloggers should have crushes on, say, Robert Pattinson, but my tastes tend to run in other directions, I guess.

Michael Bell knows all about vampires–the historical ones, anyway. He is also the author of Food for the Dead, which is a fascinating study of the New England vampire tradition, and on which I leaned heavily while writing Mercy. Here he’s interviewed in an excellent article about said tradition in Smithsonian Magazine, with many details about Mercy (or, as her family called her, Lena).

My favorite bit is where the contemporaries blamed the “neurotic modern novel” for the practice of digging up dead people, cutting out their hearts, and eating them.

MERCY Tattoos for Supernatural Readers

Posted by sarahlthomson on Apr 25, 2012 in Book: Mercy: The Last NE Vampire | 0 comments

Visit the site of my fabulously cool publicist, Kirsten Cappy of Curious City, to find out more about a promotion going on this week. Free tattoos of Mercy’s burning heart!

Kirsten says: “The author of MERCY: THE LAST NEW ENGLAND VAMPIRE (VOYA’s Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers) is giving away temporary tattoos of Mercy’s burning heart on my site this week.  Tattoo wearers will then have a chance to win free signed copies of the book.”

“Why the burning heart?”

“It is a bit grim as it is a TRUE story of a vampire eradication in 1890’s New England. No vampire romance here…”

For the details: http://curiouscitydpw.com/2012/04/11/mercy-tattooed-on-my-heart/

Hylary the Library Lady

Posted by sarahlthomson on Mar 26, 2012 in Book: Mercy: The Last NE Vampire, Educators & Librarians | 0 comments

Hooray for Hylary the Library Lady, who gave Mercy a glowing review. May Mercy have many fans in California, far from her New England roots! (Useful discussion questions here for teachers and librarians–good stuff if you’re planning to use Mercy in the classroom or for a book club.)

Best School Visit Question

Posted by sarahlthomson on Mar 16, 2012 in Book: Mercy: The Last NE Vampire, Children's Literature, School Visits | 0 comments

Today I was asked the best question ever during a school visit.

I was at a middle school for my first full-day visit about MERCY. Went well. I could sharpen up my presentation a bit, I think–trying to make too many points in too little time. But the kids were definitely attentive while I was reading–a good sign.

In the Q&A session, I naturally got the question, “Team Edward or Team Jacob?”

“Ooh–erck–neither!” I said, very articulately.

Then a quiet, coltish girl who’s going to be a beauty when she grows into those legs said, “Team guy who hit Bella with a car?”

YES! That’s my girl.