Guest Author Marting Sharlow

About Martin Sharlow

Martin Sharlow was always a storyteller. In his youth he used to play roleplaying games and usually he was the game master. That allowed him to create and modify stories and then tell them to his captive audience in the form of a game. Because of this and the many fantasy books he read, Martin went the next step and started writing fantasy novels.

Recently, however, Martin changed genres to vampire romance as he got bitten by the vampire bug. This happened after picking up one of the latest novels and finding himself hooked on it. Today Martin has written two vampire romance novels, and is in the process of writing many more.

Martin currently lives in Vancouver, WA with two of his three children, who help to keep him grounded in reality.

You can visit Martin Sharlow at http://www.wix.com/targoun/martin

What led you in the direction of vampires? What other genres would you like to explore?

Most of my adult life all I read was fantasy. A few times I tried science fiction, and usually it didn't keep my attention. In only a few cases did I find much interest. I read a couple of Stephen King books. But overall it was just fantasy. Well, as one could guess that could actually get boring over time. As a writer, I started hearing more and more about Twilight, and other movies and books. Like usual I tried to avoid it. That is, until some authors I met and liked put out a couple of books. People were raving about them, so I figured I'd at the very least check them out and see what all the hoopla was about.

Big mistake. Next thing I knew, I had read all three books the author had put out in the series. Guess what? It wasn't enough. I started watching vampire shows like True Blood, and I started reading other novels as well. Being an author, it didn't take me long to realize that I wanted to write this. I love to create and explore, so I wrote two different series in response. Shades of Twilight being one of them. I actually have a third that is only partially done as well.
Well, like I said, I started out in fantasy, and I want to go back to that and continue exploring there as well. Vampires are currently where I'm at and maybe in time some fantasy again. I'm also looking into vampire erotica, but that seems a bit hard for me at the moment. Maybe in the future. I'd like to think as an author that I'm flexible and can move around to different genres. In the end, I have to take my fans' desires into what I write. At the moment that's vampire so I'm here for the duration, which is good, as I'm enjoying the genre.

Martin Sharlow, Shades of Twilight Synopsis


Melissa has waited her whole life to move out and start her own. This is her first summer after graduating and now she has her own place and a job. Everything she wanted is starting to happen.

Until the accident.

When the most gorgeous guy she has ever seen saves her life, he also forever changes it. What do you do when you find out that life as you have always known it isn’t real, and the man you love is a vampire, out to save you from something worse?

Shades of Twilight by Martin Sharlow, Excerpt
The lights came back on in the theater, and still half the people hadn't left yet. The first portion got up and left the moment the credits came up, but the rest sat in their seats and talked about everything they'd just watched. A few of the last people leaving let their eyes linger on Michael as they walked out, but most didn't even seem to notice him any longer. I guess they were more wrapped up in their new world of vampires and werewolves. I couldn't blame them, really. Bella's world looked all romantic and fun. Somehow even with a horde of vampires trying to kill her, the movie seemed to make it a cool thing. I realized that, had I been Bella and that was my life, it wouldn't seem so cool anymore. At the moment, though, it did. Her romanticized life seemed preferable to mine, and yet a part of me knew I wouldn't leave mine right now even if it were possible.

I looked over at Michael to see him sitting there staring at me. I wondered what he was thinking, if he thought I was his Bella, or was he just amused that I had the need to escape into fantasy. I noticed a kernel of popcorn stuck on his shoulder, then one in his hair, and couldn't help wonder how they got there.

"Are we done yet?" He asked with a bit of hope in his eyes. "Or are we going to go get another ticket and watch it again?
He looked so adorable right now, just sitting there with popcorn in his hair. I wasn't sure what it was or why he so appealed to me right then, but without thinking I found myself pressing my lips against his silky soft ones. His lips warmed to the touch of mine, as we kissed.