Halloween Virtual Visits Start Now!

Hello my pale nefarious friends! Daylight can't stop The Vampire Family while we tour the web!

Check out our new My Space for a gander

http://myspace.com/kristinbattestella

So, Where can you find The Vampire Family tonight? Everywhere! Myself and an entire host of Eternal Press authors will make appearances at the following locations:

Beth Wylde Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bethwylde/

Talking Two Lips Reviews
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TalkingTwoLips/

Halloween Town 1
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HalloweenTown1/

Love and Romances Cafe
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe/


Do Remember you can also catch me anytime at The Kristin Battestella Yahoo Group


Did you submit your answers in The Vampire Family Trivia Contest? We're annoucning the winner at Tabitha Shay's Blog, Fall Under My Spell right now!

http://tabithashay.blogspot.com

Look at all the spooky things we have for you!

The Vampire Family Now at My Space!

Say hello!

Yes I've finally succumbed and joined myspace!

http://myspace.com/kristinbattestella

I'm new to all the fancy stuff so be kind!

Kristin

Halloween Quizzes!

A bit of fun for Halloween!

You Are a Vampire

You are charming, sensual, and even a bit manipulative. You can't help but get people to do what you want. You have sharp senses and a strong predatory instinct. You go after what you want, without mercy. While you have the heart of a killer, many people are drawn to you. You are elegant, timeless, and mysterious. You are the ultimate fantasy object.

Are You a Vampire or a Werewolf?

What Your Halloween Habits Say About You

A bit of an introvert, you like the special occasions just as much as everyone else. You just have your own unique way of celebrating Halloween. You definitely think of yourself as someone who has a dark side. And part of having that dark side means not showing it. Your inner child is open minded, playful, and adventurous. You fear people taking advantage for you. You are always worried about protecting your own interests. You're prone to be quite emotional and over dramatic. Deep down, you enjoy being scared out of your mind... even if you don't admit it. You are a traditionalist with most aspects of your life. You like your Halloween costume to be basic, well made, and conventional enough to wear another year.

What's Your Halloween Personality?

Your Monster Profile

Psychotic Murderer You Feast On: Snow Cones You Lurk Around In: The Backseats of Cars You Especially Like to Torment: British People

What's Your Monster Name?

You Are Not Scary

Everyone loves you. Isn't that sweet?

How Scary Are You?

Guest Blogging Today!

Hey folks!

Stay indoors out of the sunlight today and check up on The Vampire Family as we visit at the Novel Sisterhood Blog today.

A little bit of fun and more chances to brush up on our Trivia Contest at Tabitha Shay's Blog!

Lots of blogs and Halloween business to be had.

Next we'll be at the Coffee Time Romance Loop October 30. I think! Can't keep track anymore! If you have a blog and would like The Vampire Family to stop by, let me know at kristin724@yahoo.com

Vampire Trivia Begins Today!

Arise, spooky ones, it's trivia time!

I've posted our Vampire Family Trivia questions at Tabitha Shay's Fall Under My Spell Blog today. I hope you've read up on our Chapter 1 excerpt below for all the answers! I've got a great vampire prize basket for the winner, we'll be announcing everyone's goody goodness on Halloween!

Good Luck!

More October Events!

Hey folks. Our Interview with Red Roses is Online!

http://redrosesforauthors.blogspot.com/2008/10/interview-with-kristin-battestella.html


Feel free to stop in tomorrow night Wednesday for a visit
with myself and a few of the Eternal Press Gals at The Haunt Yahoo Group!


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Haunt_at_PNR/


Don't forget Friday the 24th, I'm posting questions based on The
Vampire Family Chapter 1 Excerpt at Tabitha Shay's Blog! We're going
to have a great time.

October 25 is my day at The Novel Sisterhood Blog. Whew!

Now, On Halloween Eternal Press Authors will be appearing at the following locations:

Beth Wylde Yahoo Group
Savannah Chase Yahoo Group
Romance Junkies
Halloween Town1 Group
Two Lips Reviews

Can't guarantee I'll be able to stop at every one, but tune in if you can for some great fun and prizes!

Kristin

Red Roses Featured Author!

Hey Gang! Me and The Vampire Family are being featured this week at Red Roses For Authors.

Red Roses: Kristin Battestella

http://redrosesforauthors.blogspot.com/2008/10/featured-author.html

Check back later in the week for our interview! This past year, we were reviewed as well, 4.5 Roses!

Red Rose: The Vampire Family

http://redrosesforauthors.blogspot.com/2008/02/vampire-family.html

Sweetness!

An Evening with The Vampire Family

Hello Ladies, Gentleman, and otherwise fine spooky fellows. There's an October chill in the air, and what better way to warm your souls than an little private time with The Vampire Family.

The Vampire Family

By

Kristin Battestella

http://jsnouff.com/kristin

Chapter 1

“Ye sharpen that old ax,” Antonio’s father, Edward dragged him out of bed. It wasn’t a particularly comfortable bed nor was there any luxury in sleeping until dawn, but in sixteen summers Antonio’s penance was never paid. Edward pulled Antonio outside and shoved him up the jagged hill overlooking their shabby homestead. Antonio didn’t know why. He didn’t always care, either. Sometimes he looked upon the stone home’s smoking chimney, longing to be inside, but always he was left to grind away on the rocks.

“Ye stay there till supper and then I says if you can eat.”

Sunset came, and Antonio knew his father would stumble back up from the valley. Antonio watched the large bull block out the fading sun. He was old and vile compared to his own labored physique. The elder grabbed Antonio and shoved him down the hill as always. The wind picked up and dark clouds blew over the rising moon. Rain poured down on Antonio, and the ground quickly became soggy and muddy.

Antonio squinted through raindrops and saw two young girls running from the wet fields with the family’s animals. His adopted sisters knew Edward’s torment. Ann’s light hair clumped together as she pushed the sheep into the barn. Elizabeth pulled the workhorse up the rocky hill while her dark locks flung in her face, but Ann came to assist her sister. Kept weak by hunger and force like Antonio, the former orphans were not strong enough to pull the horse and plow through the slush and rock.

Antonio saw Ann and Elizabeth wrestling below with the horse.

“Father!” He tried to tell Edward, but fell silent on a jab in the face from the ax handle. The workhorse stomped in the mud as the thunder and lightning crackled. The natural sounds deafened Antonio, then the horse reared, and Antonio heard the leather bridal snap.

The horse screamed as it tumbled with the plow and rolled down the hill. His thud echoed- dead as the broken plow was useless. The Welshire Patriarch raced down the terrain towards Ann and Elizabeth. He grabbed Elizabeth. Antonio knew what would happen to them tonight, and he wept at his helplessness. Helpless to help Elizabeth or himself. In hindsight, taking in Ann and Elizabeth was not a good thing to do.

“No!” She cried as Ann ran to the house. “Please!”

Edward threw Elizabeth down the hill, and Antonio covered his mouth for fear the same would befall him. Her little body rolled, crackled, and bounced until it landed on the horse. Antonio barely heard her whimper over the wind, as her legs bent in an unnatural, shape.

Ann continued running towards the house as quick as her small legs and the natural circumstances would allow. Another bolt of thunder rumbled in the sky, and Ann ducked the lightning prick on the thatched roof of the stone home. Ann turned to the barn, but Antonio’s father was on her tracks. The elder Welshire grabbed the golden-haired child by her wet and sun-tipped strands. She was his ward now, and Edward drug her back to the hill’s crest.

Antonio watched the scene unfold from the top of the hill. He looked at his sharpening stone and heard Ann’s screams. Antonio leaped to his feet. His legs moved down the hill and past the smoking home. His hands touched his father’s evil body as sixteen years of anger, frustration, and pain helped him push his father down the hill.

The muddy hillside sank as Edward rolled down the rocky terrain. The old man’s ax ripped from its leather tie and dropped in the mud. Antonio spotted the shiny ax tip in the ground and raced towards it. The father fell into the mud but Antonio was over him with the ax. Now Antonio had the upper hand, and the elder Welshire tried to move from the danger. Antonio reveled in Edward’s turnabout-he was a turtle overturned onto its shell.

Antonio raised the ax over his head with both hands. He let the ax come down to meet his father’s flesh.

****

Antonio sat on the edge of the bed, tired but pleased with himself. He laid his palm against Elizabeth’s sweaty forehead and reached into the bucket of cool water by the bed. He pulled out a wet rag and twisted out the water over the bucket and applied the damp rag to Elizabeth’s face.

“You may come in, Ann,” Antonio called. Ann peeked around the sheepskin curtain that divided the house into two rooms. Ann stepped into the space reserved by the curtain. There was much for Antonio to do, including the disposition of their spineless mother. Antonio continued to apply the wet rag. “Today we will repair the roof, and I will take care of mother.”

Ann said nothing and retreated outside to untied Mother Welshire’s horse from the post. She opened the basket on the horse and pulled out various coins and currency.

“I will take those,” Antonio stood in the doorway. He stepped over, took the coins, and dropped them one at a time into the pouch on his belt. Ann’s eyes widened at the ax hanging next to the pouch, but she led the horse to the barn. Kind as he was to her and Elizabeth, his path towards retribution could not be deterred, and Antonio set off to find his mother.

Antonio reached the slope where his mother mourned the now tiny body.

She fell for that robber’s story! Pathetic!

Antonio’s plotting had come swiftly once his hands touched the ax. No veil or cowardice shielded him now. Antonio took his time getting to the woman. After all ,she had plenty of time to look the other way while Edward did the things he did.

I can take my time. She only has so much time. When Elizabeth no longer needs her…

Mother Eira hovered over the bloody face and kissed her husband’s lips.

Ugh!

“Mother,” Antonio shook his thoughts away. Eira wiped the tears from her eyes, stood, and straightened her long dress. The Welshire Matriarch opened her arms and embraced her son. Antonio tried to resist, then he broke the hug. “Come, Mother.”

****

Antonio sat up in his bed. He heard screaming, right before Ann burst into the house. Antonio tried to make sense of what she was saying.

“The frost came! The frost came early and killed all my crops!” Ann clutched some dead vegetation in her hands. She had labored so long against the unforgiving land, somehow finding joy in making life when hers was so dismal. Ann thrust the crops in his face.

“They’re frozen!”

****

Antonio stood outside the back window of the stone home. Snow piled up to his knees, but Mother Welshire sat inside by the fire and sewed. Perhaps she was not oblivious or uncaring, but simply incapable of doing anything about their humble existence. Goodness is easier said then done. Antonio eyed his mother with contempt. He was no longer concerned with inaction. He loaded a stone into his slingshot, pulled back, then released the weapon The jagged stone hit Eira in the back of the head, and she tumbled to the floor.

Antonio climbed in the window and walked to the main door. He was going to do things his way from now on. Ann and Elizabeth now belonged to him.

Oh no! I’ve tracked snow in the house. Who is there to tell me? Who rules me now? No one!

Antonio opened the door and shoved the body out into the snow. Ann and Elizabeth stood in silence while Antonio kicked at the body to knock it completely outside. He didn’t need to say his plans before them. Had they learned their submissive lesson from Father Welshire, or was it Antonio’s ways that chilled their bones? . He slammed the door shut, locked the cold metal latch, and gave no explanation to Ann or Elizabeth. Why should he?

****

Mother Welshire woke in the snow. Groggy, she sat up and touched the back of her head. Both her hand and the snow around her were stained with drips of blood. Numb from the hours in the cold, Eira’s body shook with trauma and panic. She stumbled to her feet and knocked on the door in time with her still pounding heart. “Elizabeth, let me in.”

The three children raised their heads. Ann and Elizabeth leaned closer to the front window and Eira looked at them.

“Do not move,” She heard Antonio ordered the younger two. “It is for the best.”

“Ann,” Eira banged on the door. The urgency in her voice grew. “Please let me in!”

Snowflakes fell fast and quickly raised the wintry blanket across the land. Mother Welshire pounded on the door with equal velocity. Antonio tricked me. I suspect he was behind his father’s death, too.

“Ann! Elizabeth!” She banged against the wood again. “Do not play this madness!”

No! Antonio is only trying to scare me. A game! What a sick game! I feel so dizzy. No. I knew he was evil.

She collapsed against the door and sobbed, “Why won’t you let me in?” Eira smacked the door in vain. “What did I do? I didn’t do anything wrong! Why are you doing this to me?”

Ann jumped up from the window, and her mother heard the latch creak Eira hoped there was will left in Ann yet, but Antonio approached the window.

“No. Unless you want to join her.”

Mother Welshire rapped on the door, and her fingers bled. The vessels in her hands popped from impact and the cold. Eira tried to stand .

Maybe a window? The barn!

The rising snow and her freezing limbs thwarted her efforts.and she tumbled to the icy ground.

The young girls heard their adopted mother’s cries for a few more hours. Loud, then soft. Weeping, yelling. Slowly the wind carried away the faint moaning and whimpers. Now, there was silence. The snow stopped, and Ann insisted they open the door.

“She is dead, Antonio,” She found her tongue too late. “Let’s not leave her out there.”

“I’m leaving her to be sure,” Antonio warmed his hands by the fire-his plot had been the first step in his letting go. Ann ducked behind the sheepskin wall.

****

The sun rose and Elizabeth woke in the pile of sheepskins by the fire. Antonio slept soundly in his own huddle. Elizabeth caught a dreaming smile on his face, then it was gone. Ann was piled near Elizabeth, but she turned in a restless sleep. Elizabeth stretched and rubbed her eyes. She remembered the horrifying events belonging to last night and winced at a twinge in her leg..

Elizabeth slid from the makeshift bed and took a few sheepskins with her to the door. Her stride was awkward, Elizabeth’s limp would be there forever because of her injuries. She reached for the latch. Could I? Should I?

She slid the bolt carefully, but it squeaked a little. Elizabeth looked to the floor of sheepskins. Antonio stirred, but did not wake. Elizabeth grasped the handle and slowly opened the door.

Mother Eira stood frozen in the snow. A contorted and morbid statue her arms were in the air, and her fists were clenched in their banging position. Frozen blood lined her arms and the collar of her sheepskin. Mother Welshire’s eyes were open. The blue irises were, glazed over with a white frost. Forever was her mouth to be open, too. Her tongue captured midway between the chapped lips, and saliva dangled like icicles from what yellow teeth she had.

Elizabeth opened her mouth to scream, but a strong hand cupped her mouth shut. Antonio whispered in her ear, “Ann is still sleeping.”

He removed his hand, and Elizabeth looked into Antonio’s cold blue eyes. She had not thought of him much before Father Welshire’s fall, but now she did fear him. His own will was his motivation, even when he cared for her. Antonio forced an uncomforting smile, but Elizabeth was captivated by the opal-colored eyes.

They are so mysterious. Deceptive? Frightening!

Antonio shut the door on his mother and returned to the fire.


Visit The Kristin Battestella Yahoo Group for a complete list of Vampfam appearances. Don't forget our contest October 24 at Tabitha Shay's blog!

The Vampire Family at Good Reads!

Hey gang, just a quick fyi about our October Events listing at Good Reads.

Check it out!

http://www.goodreads.com/event/show/19156.October_with_The_Vampire_Family_

Vampire Tagging Already!

Hello Pale friends.

I've been tagged! Although I don't really know what that means blog-wise, kind of like an evil chain of Eternal Press Authors, eh? Alas, I'll tell you six secret things about myself, per fellow author Tabitha Shay. Check out her awesome blog and the nice things she has to say about The Vampire Family at Fall Under My Spell.

So, here we go:

1. I just moved to Mount Laurel, NJ. Still getting used to the area and trying to find some writing time as I get settled. I like the area and its close to my husband's work (there's another new thing, yes I got married if you didn't know!) but its weird to live in a new place. I've got the condo decked out for Halloween, putting my spooky stuff for writing shows and expos to work: black roses, lots of candles, skulls, you know, the usual!

2. I have Lyme Disease. A few of my e friends know this, but it's an unusual illness to have. Sometimes it really interferes with my life and other times I'm just peaches. It's also really frustrating having to explain Lyme to people who don't know about it. It's a very misunderstood disease. I think everyone should get checked for it! For more info, check out lyme.org

3. My current favorite actor is Sean Bean. Another thing most people say, 'Who? Huh? Mr. Bean?' about. All time though I love Montgomery Clift and John Wayne, and my husband was annoyed when all I could do on our honeymoon was talk about Paul Newman's death. My Favorite Movie of all time most ever ever Ever? The Searchers. Never hurts to reiterate these things.

4. I'm a collector, too, isn't everyone? I collect crosses and records, and I suppose books. My mother must be the only person in the world who has given her child money and said, 'Don't buy any more books.' I don't think books are collections though. They are BOOKS. My husband was worried we wouldn't have space for all of mine, but three bookcases later, I made them all fit. And I have to categorize them and shelf them from tallest to shortest. I've also managed to have at least one cross in every room. I used to have one at every window and door. but the oney thinks that's too many. And the records are allegedly ugly, too.

5. I hate cell phones. Sure its useful, but my phone is on when I need to call home in the morning, off when I drive, and on when I call home at the end of the day. I hate it when people drive and talk on the phone. The only thing worse is when people talk on the phone in a check out line. I worked in retail for a few years. It's very tough to do business with cell phones. And ipods. I don't get those. Why go to a public place to converse with other human being if you put plugs in your ears to not hear anything? Am I old fashioned? I had to champion the uses of a record player and classic ambiance in my dining room.

6. I like to cook. I like ironing and sewing. I like being a homemaker and I like being at home. Sure I write a lot of articles about what's wrong with the world and encourage people to be all gung ho! But I enjoy my home and making everyone Italian with proper cooking. Guests will just have to learn to like garlic!