GEEEEEKKSSSSS!!!

Remember Lisa Loeb?

If you're a teen, you probably don't because she shot to fame about fifteen years ago because of ... her glasses. Yeah, she was a singer, too, but that wasn't what made her novel.

You see, back then, geeks were just that ... geeks. Unlovely, lonely, squirrelly little guys hiding up in their attic playing Dungeons and Dragons. Sure, we had our Angus Young (AC-DC), but otherwise, geeks were better off not seen and not heard.

You doubt me? Well, have you ever seen the movie, "Breakfast Club"? Who got the chicks, huh? Not the nerd. The jock and the grunge dude got the girls ... the geek got his pencil protector.

But then things started changing. First there was "Revenge of the Nerds," and then there was Lisa Loeb.

Lisa Loeb. A good lucking girl who ... wore nerdy glasses ... not just wore them, but made them look good. And, by all accounts, she was a nerd.

Next thing you know, it's cool to be a nerd, a geek, a twerp. Geeks came down from their attics, blinking through their thick nerd glasses as they ventured into the sunlight. Robert Downey Jr., surely not a geek, wore geek glasses. Soon everyone was wearing geek glasses.

So, in a way, perhaps geek glasses are what finally made geeks chic.

I was postulating this theory to my wife tonight, and after a moment of listening and watching me waving my arms around as I made my point, she said, "Women like geeks."

I stopped in my tracks, "They do?"

"Well, some do. Like me, I like geeks."

"You do?" I squeaked.

"Sure, I married one, didn't I?"


Norm

www.normcowie.com
www.fangface.homestead.com
(home of vampires and other biters)

Banning the Bat

I was sitting at a book signing, my books spread out on a table in front of me. A boy walked by, maybe twelve years old, thirteen... I can't tell ages of kids much anymore. His mother was standing back a bit.

Anyway, he was drawn to the covers of my Adventures of Guy series. The book covers are lively and cartoonish, and they often are mistaken as books for the younger'uns.

But my Guy series is filled with a bit more mature of a theme, and as you know I don't like to corrupt the critters (It's okay to corrupt everyone else).

"Actually, that's for a bit older crowd," I said, and then I gestured towards my new book, Fang Face, which was written for his age. "You might like this one more."

He reached out, but before he could take it, his mother grabbed his arm and pulled him away. As she hurried him away to safety, she shot over her shoulder, "We're Christians, we don't support that kind of book."

My mouth dropped open.

Not like that's anything new, but mostly because I'm talking.

But this time no words came out. I was stunned.

She obviously took offense at the topic of Fang Face... vampires... and somehow felt vampires were a threat to her religious views, and that it might taint her vulnerable, young, sensitive son.

Even more, judging from the sneer on her face, she obviously took offense to me, as I am the creator of the book that so offended her sensibilities.

She knows nothing of my religious views.

She knows nothing of my moral compass

She obviously knows nothing of vampires either, because if she'd have given it a thought, she would have realized that the best way to fight a vampire is ... a cross.

You know, a cross. She was probably wearing one.

So how does this diminish her religion? What possible offense can she take to the symbol she holds so dear being held up as the bastion of protection to the threat from the dark side, the undead?

Most of you who know me know I'm rarely at a loss for words. But it wouldn't have helped me to argue with this lady. Obviously, she uses her religion as a platform to lift herself above other people. She uses it in a way not intended. She could have hustled him away without making a loud moral pronouncement on me.

Will this help her son as he casts about for his own moral compass? Will her strict indoctrination lock him into her feeling on the world, or will he turn away from her, rebel and push away from her black and white views on evil?

Will she drive him to seek out the very thing she tries to shelter him from? Forbidden books. Banned books.

There's a reason that some writers try to write books that will be banned. They are popular. People want to read them.

So bring it on, lady. Get my book banned. And I'll see you on the Best Seller lists!

Norm

www.fangface.homestead.com
www.normcowie.com

(exciting day today, It's my anniversary ... 24 years!)

Presenting Fang Face by Norm Cowie

Fresh from Echelon Press for September is Fang Face by Norm Cowie:

"Hilarious, lightning-paced, and as sharp about high school as a bite to the throat. I loved this book, fangs and all." - James Rollins, New York Times bestseller of Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow.

From the back cover:
Erin has bigger worries than how she’ll do on her Trig Final.
A vampire bit her and she’s turning into an Undead.
Things could be worse, though. It cleared her complexion, she can fly and now her parents have to let her go out at night. And being a vampire is great for freaking out her little sister. The downside? … besides being dead, of course … and having to drink blood smoothies … was having to give up tanning and pizza.
And with her new edgy Goth look, jet-black hair and porcelain skin, everyone tells Erin that she’s become beautiful. So much so that the other girls in school have started calling her names…like ‘Fang Face.’
Erin wouldn’t mind checking her new look for herself. But as everyone knows…
Vampires can't see their reflections!

And here's an excerpt from between the book covers:

Alex bolted upright from a sound sleep, her heartbeat beating out a manic drum solo.

What was that? Was it real? Was it part of her dream?

There was thumping on the stairs and running footsteps in the hallway.
"Alex? Erin?" her mom called, her voice filled with anxiety.

Well okay, then. It was real.

"Girls!"

"Mom!" Alex squeaked.

The door burst open and a bright light slashed into her room followed closely by her mother. Her mom looked pumped full of the surge of adrenaline mothers use to lift cars off their offspring. Her face relaxed when she saw there wasn't a Toyota on her daughter.

"I'll check Erin," her father said as he tore past the door, a huge gleaming sword in his hand, chain armor rattling in his haste.

Not really, it was a Louisville Slugger and he was wearing pajamas.

He disappeared and a moment later they heard his squeak of horror.

Yeah, yeah, if you asked him, he would deny it was a squeak. He would say it was a grunt or some other manly noise. Uh, huh.

Her mother looked back at the doorway in alarm. Seeing Alex was safe, Beth commanded, "Stay here," and then bolted down the hallway.

Three seconds later there was a woman's scream. Her mother this time. Either that or Dad was trying to get in touch with his feminine side.

Alex froze, her mind spinning. She had been told to stay put, so like any teenager, she did what she was told without question.

Um...right.

What really happened was she jumped up and crept toward her sister's room. The door was wide open and light streamed into the hallway.

She sneaked a peek around the corner and gasped.

Erin was sprawled on her bed, eyes open and staring. Twin streams of blood pumped from puncture wounds near her jugular.

Want to read more? Like your own copy of the whole book right now?!?!!

The reviewers have spoken:
"This book sucks ... in a most delightful way! Norm Cowie's latest is boy-meets-girl-meets-vampire-meets-wow. Don't miss this gem." - Shane Gericke, National Bestselling thriller author

"FANG FACE made me laugh, and I'm not a Teen. Or perhaps I am, but I'm trapped in a grown-up's body.”- Raymond Benson, author of James Bond, The Union Trilogy

Mr. Cowie, I mean, Norm speaks to being an author...

The best part of writing is it feeds my freak. A writer is a bit of a control freak. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I decide who farts, who bites whom, and it’s up to me what a vampire is like. Does he sparkle in the sunlight? Does he need a straw to suck blood? Does he need SPF eight billion?

The worst part of writing is what I like to call, ‘the other writing.’ Extra curricular writing, like blogs. Anything that takes me away from writing fun stories. I even begrudge ‘Twitter.’ I’d much rather write a story than write about writing stories.

The craziest part of being a writer is signing stuff. I love graffiti’ing all over a book. I was always taught that we should respect and take care of a book. But now, people want me to write on a book … even better … they want me to write something weird or crazy. And I want to sign other stuff, like body parts. I know of a case where one of best-selling author Christopher Moore’s fans had one of his books tattooed onto her leg. Then she came to one of his signings and he autographed her leg. Then she had his autograph tattooed onto her leg. I want that!

What's next for Norm and his readers?

What else? A sequel. Fang Face ends a bit on a cliff hanger, though most issues are resolved in the first. I’m busy working on its sequel, WereWoof. Yep, werewolves, kinda, sorta. Count on more biters and more fun.

Thanks, Norm!

Find Norm here on Teen-Seen or at his website or the fang place blog!

Rumors

Rumors can be nasty, scary things. When I was in eighth grade, some members of a local Satanist cult got arrested after they were discovered doing a pretty gross ritual involving a teenage girl.

That week, rumors flew that the members of the Satanist cult who remained free planned to kidnap a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl from our Valentine’s Day dance and sacrifice her in another ritual. Even the brunettes were terrified. Fortunately, the rumor was just that—a rumor.

A similar thing happened at Boston Latin School last month. Rumors flew that one of the girls who attended there was…a vampire. People said she’d been seen scratching her boyfriend’s neck and drinking his blood. Of course, it didn’t stop there. Someone said the police had come to arrest her. Someone else said she wasn’t the only vampire.

Of course, none of this was true, but after the rumors got so ferocious a few “Goth” teens were bullied, the principal was forced to step in and send a memo to parents and teachers, asking them to help stop the rumors from being perpetuated and to stop innocent people from taking flak.

What was the worst rumor you ever heard? Did you pass it on, or just shake your head in disbelief?

Jacquelyn Sylvan is the author of Surviving Serendipity.

Lost, no, not lost ... Missing

A new book.

Yeah, that's what it's all about.

I was going to blog about writing, or vampires or nose hair ... important things like that - but not today, for I have a new book out!

Missing.

Woo-hoo!

Well, okay, to be honest, it's not MY book, like just me. It's a collaborative work by a bunch of talented authors, including Bob Goldsborough, Luisa Buehler, trouble-maker Joe Konrath and, well okay, he's not the only troublemaker.

No, I'm not talking about me. I'm no troublemaker.

(Shaddup!)

Did I mention its title?

Missing.

And to be honest again ... that's getting to be a bad habit ... due to a glich, I haven't even read it yet. I couldn't get my hands on it until just this weekend. Well, I did read my story ... most of it anyway ... and I'll tell you, it's worth reading just for mine alone.

But I know a lot of the other authors, and we have award-winners and mad-style word-meisters in the group. I'll tell you something about the book. Each of the stories is about missing persons, and we were allowed to use our characters from our own books, our own genres and ... best of all ...

...all of the profits go to charity.

You heard me, er, read me, the profits all go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

So get yourself over to this link and get yourself a copy>> http://www.echelonpress.com/direct/buy-missing.htm


Meanwhile, I gotta get back to reading my own copy.

Norm

www.fangface.homestead.com
www.fangplace.blogspot.com

Glimpse into Missing

Okay, here's a treat for you.

In just a couple short weeks, Echelon Press will introduce the anthology Missing at the Love is Murder Conference in Chicagoland. I'm all excited because it will include a story of mine with the characters from my Adventures of Guy series.

All of the stories are about missing people, and all profits will benefit a missing persons organization.

If you're like that kid before Christmas and you just can't wait, I'm gonna let you take a peek under the wrapping at my story.

And check back here soon - I'm going to post the beginning of Fang Face, humor and vampire and teens and all that.

Here goes:

The MisAdventures of Guy
By Norm Cowie

Thurman sipped his beer and tried to watch the blur of Umberto’s fingers on the frets. After a moment, he gave up and turned his attention back to the television. Umberto had exactly three talents. He was a physics whiz, he could wiggle his ears and he could play Guitar Hero like no one else.

Umberto’s fingers flew with the speed of gas stations raising prices through the twin power guitar solos of DragonForce’s Through the Fire and Flames. Though his fingers were going at warp speed, his face was serene and blissful.

“Know what, man?”

Okay, Umberto had a fourth talent. He could have a regular conversation even while shredding his way through some of the most insane guitar riffs in music history.

“No, what?” Thurman asked, taking another sip of his brewski. His eyes widened as Umberto frazzled his way through a particularly insane twist of chords. The extremely well endowed female demon on the screen pumped her fist in animatronic exultation.

“I was playing around with some stuff in the lab the last few weeks.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. And I think I made a breakthrough.”

“Uh, huh.” Thurman wasn’t really interested. Boring science stuff. He was way more interested in the female demon.

“Really, it was like we overlooked the absolute easiest way. I’m surprised no one thought of it before.”

“What’s that?” Thurman asked disinterestedly.

“Alternate fuel.”

“Alternate fuel?”

“Yeah. I discovered a solution that would totally enable us to replace fossil fuel. And the supply would be cheap, clean, environmentally friendly and work with an internal combustion engine.”
“What are you talking about?” Thurman said, finally interested. Even someone as marginally aware of events as Thurman knew how much a gallon of gas cost.

“Oil, man. We can get rid of oil.”

“Get rid of oil? But, but … how would the people at Exxon get by without their thirty nine billion dollars of annual profit?”

“Oh, poor Exxon,” Umberto snickered.

“Are you serious about all this?” Thurman asked.

“Yeah. It’s all in the transfer agent. All we had to do was find a plentiful energy supply and a way to transfer the energy.”

“So what’s the energy supply?”

“Cortisol.”

“Cortisol?”

“Yeah. Stress hormones.”

“What the heck are you talking about?!” Thurman asked, exasperated.

Umberto took his hand off his guitar and pointed triumphantly at Thurman.

“That!”

(All kinds of great authors in this anthology. Don't miss out! Order at www.echelonpress.com!)


Norm

www.normcowie.com
www.fangface.homestead.com

The Adventures of Guy
The Next Adventures of Guy
The Heat of the Moment
Missing (coming Feb 09)
Fang Face (humor vampire stuff, coming Aug 09!)