In 2009, inspired by the worldwide phenomenon that was Twilight, author Melissa Holtz wrote her own vampire romance novel in two and a half weeks. Blood That Binds follows Marina, a young woman who's been told she's psychotic because she and her sister have seen monsters with red eyes for their entire lives.
But when Marina is abducted and put up for auction, she discovers the bidders are the very monsters she's been seeing. Vampires need blood donors, and Marina is sure she's going to be sacrificed to one before vampire king Julian Bellamy sweeps in to save the day.
The only problem? Julian might promise safety and free will, but dangerous vampire factions (led by Julian's brother) leave Marina largely trapped inside his house, unsure of who to trust.
The premise and prose will likely remind readers of A Court of Thorns and Roses, which I mention to Holtz during our interview.
She laughs. “I know. Imagine where I might be if I would have published that in 2009. It's still the source of my thinking, ‘What was I doing?’”
Instead, Holtz self-published the book with a marketing budget of $500. While that represents some personal investment, it's a paltry figure compared to many competing titles in the marketplace, which limited the initial exposure of Blood That Binds. However, Holtz recalls that those who discovered the book were eager for more from Marina, Julian, and the rest.
“I had almost 300 pre-orders for book two. If I had been more strategic, I would have finished the series, because that's clearly what people wanted. Instead, I skipped around, writing what I wanted to write. When I'm talking to authors now, I always say that if you're gonna write a series, finish the series.”
The Blood Legends series is now complete at four books. Holtz partnered with Open Road Media to create new covers for the books and give them a real shot at finding their audience. “I think they deserve to have exposure. They clearly have their readers.”
Blood Legends
Blood That Binds
Holtz says the Blood Legends series is perfect for fans of Filthy Rich Vampires by Geneva Lee, Phantasma by Kaylie Smith, and of course Twilight. “Originally, I thought I was writing [Twilight] fan fiction, becuase I was writing that as the movie was coming out, and I had just devoured all of the Twilight books.”
The series, which traces Marina's entry into the vampire world all the way to the Fae Realm, is now finished with Blood That Serves, which published on May 5.
While Holtz has learned to be more mindful of marketing her books and maintaining audience interest since those early days (she even started her own PR and marketing company for authors), she remains focused on the art. “I'll do what I can on my end to showcase my published works, but [Open Road] is going to be working on those so I can really look forward and continue to write.”
If there's one thing Holtz knows how to do, it's write… and write quickly. “On most days I can turn out 2,500 to 5,000 words if I commit to it.” That's 10 to 20 pages per day, and it means she can turn out projects faster than most authors. “When my agent needs a pitch to be written on short notice, she knows she can call me.”
Right now, she's working on a thriller that she describes as “Mean Boys and Girls raising Mean Boys and Girls.” Her cozy, paranormal mystery series The Gin & Tarot Club has been published with Penguin Random House. It begins with An Enchanting Case of Spirits, in which a widow's fortieth birthday party ends with a hangover and a ghost in the bed.
She also has two different duologies set to re-publish on July 28. The first series is Fallen Hunters, a forbidden angel/devil romance.
Fallen Hunters
Fear the Fall
Angel Victoria English thought there would be no greater honor or pleasure than to fight as a warrior for the Heavenly Host during the Holy Wars. But one piercing gaze from a mortal man gives way to sinful temptation, and she soon finds herself exiled to Earth, hunting demons in New Orleans.
What happens when she discovers that the man she sacrificed eternity for is not human at all, but the Great Deceiver himself?
“That book was another manic episode where I could just see it playing out in my head like a music video. So I wrote this entire book based on music in like a weekend. I legitimately did not sleep.”
A second-chance romance featuring Lucifer ("who is a lot different obviously than biblical Lucifer") in New Orleans, Fear the Fall and the sequel, Trust the Fall, follow a star-crossed couple who must defy the deities themselves to find happiness.
And while you might expect a book about heaven and hell to be pretty heavy, Holtz doesn't think of it that way. “It was honestly just a fun book,” she recalls.
The second duology, The Pandora Chronicles, is also available as of July 28. This one is made for fans of young-adult adventures and fantasy books like A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Magician's Nephew.
The Pandora Chronicles
Secrets Legends Keep
Kelsey and her twin brother Chase were adopted as babies by billionaires who gave them everything but love. When they discover they have a living Aunt Sarah in Pandora, Ohio, Chase is eager to rekindle the relationship while Kelsey remains wary of the long-lost woman. The bigger threat, however, might just be Pandora itself, which is as haunted as its mythological namesake…
Holtz is optimistic that this time, her books will find their readers. She mentions that authors all have their own paths. She's had friends who've climbed to the top of bestsellers lists and others who are still waiting for their big break despite obvious talent. Some who've found their niche and some who like to experiment.
“I think it all happens when it's supposed to."
