Did you know Ian Fleming, the James Bond writer, wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? That was a surprise to me, years ago when I first noticed his name in the credits of the movie. I love Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the movie. I have yet to read the original story from the book. There must be differences, things changed for the movie version of the story and things added or skipped. How does it end? I have wished for a continuation to the adventure with Jeremy and Jemimah since I was a little girl and watched the movie for the first time. I wanted my own Dad to become an inventor, instead of an Electrical Engineer and I am sure my love for tiny houses started with Grandpa living in the outhouse in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. I love the scene where Grandpa sings about "the traveling life" while stepping his feet out of his outhouse and into the ocean. Posh!

My favourite song from the movie is still 'Hushabye Mountain". Every now and then I pull it up online somewhere just to hear it again. Do you remember the music box/ machine which Dick Van Dyke starts to play at the start of the song?

I haven't watched the movie since the last time I put it on for my nieces and nephew, a few years ago now. It is one of the well-worn videos in their collection. I originally bought it for my nephew, Zack, who is now away for his first year of university and about to turn 18 in just a week.

I found books with the further adventures of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. These were not written by Iam Fleming, the original author. But, they would be fun to read and see where that car takes them next.

Gerry Bartlett Writes the Real Vampire Series with Gloriana St. Clair

Just when you think it's easy being a vampire... gorgeous, never aging, an endless supply of money, the ability to lure men and then snack on them as your devoted slaves...

Gloriana St. Clair is a vampire with curves. More curves than she really wants. She's also a small business owner living on a tight budget. Though she does seem able to attract men easily she doesn't drink blood (usually). She prefers synthetic blood.

Turned vampire while she was a widow working for William Shakespeare (washing dishes mainly), Gloriana was a size 14 when she became stuck in time - at least when it comes to her physical body.

Gloriana longs for real food, chocolate, chips, all of that good smelling stuff. But she really wishes she could just lose a few inches and fit into more of the vintage clothes she sells in her vintage clothing store in Austin, Texas.

Her curves are very much appreciated by her long time lover and vampire sire, Jerry Campbell. A Scottish warrior, stubborn, proud and wtih a few battle scars from his life before being a vampire. Jerry protects Gloriana, though she rebels against it, wanting to be her own, modern woman. For years Jerry hired Valdez as Gloriana's body guard. Valdez is a shape shifter, living in dog form during the years Gloriana worked as a show girl, got over a gambling addiction and then revamped her life in Austin by starting her own small business. In later books, as the series progresses, Valdez becomes his own man... literally. Suddenly Gloriana is faced with a Valdez who isn't just a guard dog and best buddy.

The image for 'Defend the Blueberries' comes from a fan page. (Link below). The Defend the Blueberries campaign started when Gloriana was dating rockstar Israel Caine and some of the media were a little rude about her size - she's no size 6! Gloriana was tempted to jump into bed wtih Ray (Israel Caine) she has been fangirling about him for years Glory has a little shrine in her apartment as well as CDs and posters for Israel Caine. But she stays just friends. Until finding out she was never actually human at all, but started out as a Siren. Jerry leaves for his castle in Scotland, the family home where is parents still live (as vampires).

The Siren part of the plot seems a bit thrown in but Gloriana has always had a fear of the water which she never understood. She also took far longer than other vampires to get used to shifting her shape - which is the best method vampires have to defend themselves. Now Gloriana is discovering who she was, as a siren, and new powers she is able to learn to use.

Gloriana is not all about the men. She has strong women friends along the way. Some closer than others. Florence, is her best friend, someone she can always count on. Even though Florence is a perfect size six and Gloriana does get a little envious at times. Other friends are shapeshifters, vampires, and sort of friends include sirens and a demon who seems determined to hang around even though she really isn't all that much of a friend in any way.

Resources for Fans of the Gerry Bartlett Real Vampires Series

Gerry Bartlett Homepage The homepage of Gerry Bartlett, author of the Real Vampires series, featuring Glory St. Clair.

Real Vampires - Glory St.Clair Fan Site Fan site for Gerry Bartlett's Real Vampires book series.

Kimberly Raye Writes the Dead End Dating Series with Lil Marchette

Lil Marchette is a fashionista vampire. Labels matter and she does like her clothes. But, keep reading. Lil wants her own life. She begins her own dating agency for paranormals like vampires and werewolves (who are real party girls). Lil struggles to keep her business afloat while keeping her vampire status from her friend and solo employee.

Lil meets Ty, of course there has to be a hunky vampire guy... but Ty is not for Lil. Ty isn't a born vampire and only born vampires are able to have children. Lil's parents would never approve and though she wants her own life she can't leave her family behind. Even though they are pretty high on the eccentric level. (Not by their own born vampire standards of course).

Dead End Dating is the ongoing story of Lil as she tries to balance her life, her business, help friends and dating clients and keep her family from intruding into what she has built as her own life, for herself. Plus, she is a vampire and has those kind of needs too.

I don't identify with the world of the fashionable types. It was a big plus for me that Lil is written as a woman who likes life, colour and being her own person. I like Lil because she wants to make something of herself and she doesn't give up. I also like her efforts to pay her bills and get her dating agency off the ground. Things don't always go her way, like someone in a romance novel.

Resources for Dead End Dating Fans

• Wikipedia - Kimberly Raye
• Goodreads Kimberly Raye

SuiteU is closing and will disappear soon. There is a lot of great content there. People who wrote the courses put a lot into them. It's a shame for them to just disappear. Here is the free ecourse for Horror Literature. I'd like to write horror but so far it all starts out all wrong for me. I need a new way to write it.

Horror Literature By Catherine Bitzer

Introduction

Welcome to the lair of horror literature! Dark minds over centuries have scared the wits out of their readers by harping on our most subconscious of fears. Below is a description of what you might expect to find in the course.

FEARS: CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Fear, the greatest ally of horror literature, has had a home in the human heart since the beginning of time. According to H.P. Lovecraft, a horror fiction master whom you will learn more about in the course, said that fear is the oldest and deepest emotion of humankind. And he is right.

Consider for example your childhood. Were you afraid? What were you afraid of? Abandonment? The death of your parents? These are the two greatest childhood fears. …more

Geofiction is a hobby in which people design imaginary places: cities, countries, worlds, even entire universes! Unlike most worldbuilders, geofiction hobbyists do not necessarily create their worlds as a background for a novel or role-playing game, they create them for the fun of creation.

via What Is Geofiction?.

Resources:

Norscand Geofiction Maps
Stadtkreation Urban Geofiction
Geopoeia is a wiki and forum for and about conworlds, geofiction, conlangs, alternate histories, and uchronias.
Unorthodox Creativity: Geofiction
Geofiction Wiki
Martijn Kressler - Artist Geoficticus