Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Nancy Gideon’s Haunted Open House Giveaway Blog Hop


Vampires: Dead, Undead, or Something Else
 by Roxanne Rhoads

In most myths, legends and even in plenty of popular fiction vampires are described as either dead or undead, sometimes referred to as walking corpses. 

No heartbeat, no need to breathe, no need to eat food or drink anything other than blood.
Honestly all that doesn’t make a whole hell of a lot of sense to me.

For me vampires are different and extraordinary creatures- and not dead at all. Just different.

I can understand them being described as dead in the early incarnations. Because before the Gothic literature of the 1800s romanticized vampires early myths and legends portrayed them as monsters- grotesque walking corpses. More like today’s zombies than the sexy, romantic and sometimes sparkling vampires that we often envision them to be.

I see being changed into as vampire as a transformation, not death- at least not completely. It is death and rebirth. A catalyst that transforms a person from human to Other. Changing from human to vampire is the death of the normal human life but not a true death.

I simply can’t wrap my head around the concept of a vampire being dead because of several things.

One they need to feed to “survive”. If you need to survive then obviously you’re not really dead, are you? 

Another thing- rapid healing abilities. If you can heal, how can you be dead? Dead things don’t heal.

Other things I don’t agree with are the cold skin and lack of heartbeat and breathing. I think vampires are evolved and don’t need to breath as often as humans and their hearts don’t beat like ours- and the slowness of their heartbeat and breaths has something to do with the whole immortality thing.

And the cold skin… when they get cold that just means they need to feed, if they are fully fed their skin is just as warm as ours.

That brings me to the need for blood. As I mentioned I see vampirism as a transformation, a disease or mutation that changes the human body into something else, something more. It changes the metabolism and the higher functions of the body. To keep these processes going the body burns up its blood supply and constantly needs to be replenished.

The other powers of vampires- the glamour and mind control and all that, even the teleportation and shape shifting that some can do…well that goes into the magic slot. 

I think vampirism is one part disease two parts magic.

In many of my stories the vampires defy the normal vampire conventions. They eat, they walk in daylight, they have heartbeats, and they breathe (usually). I try not to describe them as dead or undead and I don’t often stick them in coffins or in the ground.

In my book, Hex and the Single Witch, the vampires are all a little different from each other. Some have issues with sunlight, some do not, some have silver sensitivities some do not. 

This is because there are many species of Others (fae, demon, shifter, witch, etc) than have interbred with humans over the centuries. When a human is turned into a vampire the dormant powers inside them become active. Most humans will never know they have “Other” blood inside them until the catalyst of becoming a vampire brings that dormant power to the surface. In addition vampires also gain some of their abilities and powers from the vampire that made them, their sire. The result is a species of vampires that have a wide variety of powers and abilities. Which is why they are so hard to track, kill or fight- you never know what you’re going up against when you deal with a vamp.

A 100% human with no “Other” blood inside will not survive the change into a vampire.
In the Vehicle City Vampire series I wanted to take all the myths, legends and variances of vampire abilities, mix them all up and create an explanation as to why vampires are so different. I hope that readers will enjoy my take on vampirism.


You can win- an ebook copy of each book below-
winner's choice of eformat




Hex and the Single Witch
Vehicle City Vampires Book One
Roxanne Rhoads

Anwyn Rose is descended from a long line of powerful witches yet she can barely cast spells young witchlings have mastered. She has one functioning witch gift, the power of knowing, which has enabled her to find a position as a Detective on Flint’s Preternatural Investigation Team.

It’s a new era in Vehicle City. After the auto factories shut down, the human residents left the city by the thousands making it the perfect new haunt for supernaturals of all sorts, especially vampires- who now ran the city.

Paranormal crime is on the rise. An old evil has slithered in along with a serial killer, who appears to be a vampire, and is draining young women in the city.

Anwyn is on the case with her sexy partner Detective Mike Malone. Complicating things is her relationship Galen, a vampire who looks more guilty than innocent, although Anwyn trusts her instincts even if her power is on the fritz.

Mysterious spells, compromising situations, and a possible demon on the loose make it hard to focus on the case, but Anwyn has to make things right before the human police execute the wrong vampire.

Hex and the Single Witch contains magick, a little bit of mystery, a lot of supernatural mayhem, and a sexy love triangle that will leave you wanting more.





Paranormal Pleasures 
Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction
Roxanne Rhoads

ISBN: 978-0615470382

Publisher: Bewitching Books

Summary:

Ten tantalizing, erotic tales of vampires, witches and demons grace the pages of this short story collection by Roxanne Rhoads.

Step into the darkness and let these tales tempt and tease to satisfy your paranormal cravings.

Eight of Roxanne Rhoads' previous eBook publications appear in print for the first time, along with two brand new, never before published tales of supernatural love and lust.

Extended Description

A Last Goodbye

New witch Marissa is learning the ropes of being one of The Others. One of her mentors is vampire Deirdre, a tall beauty who really irritates Marissa. Marissa is extremely pissed when she shows up to Dante's Ball and finds Deirdre there with Marissa's recent ex-boyfriend, Jeff. The one she was encouraged to break up with because of his humanity. Deirdre explains her reasons for bringing Jeff and offers to help Marissa say goodbye to him in a way none of them will ever forget

Overkill

Vanessa is tired of her boyfriend Simon’s promiscuous vampire ways and stakes him, repeatedly- not close enough to the heart to kill him but close enough to make it hurt. But now she’s had a change of heart and considers embracing the sexual world of the vampire instead of being jealous of it.

Witch in the Middle

Ariadne is a witch torn between two men, a vampire and a human. Her heart doesn’t want to choose but the men force her to make a decision that could break her heart, unless with the help of the Goddess all three of them can come to a mutually acceptable…and enjoyable agreement.

When It Storms

Devon’s witchy girlfriend becomes insatiable every time a storm rolls around and he’s more than happy to give her exactly what she needs.

Monster Inside

Shannon’s never seen her vampire boyfriend, Logan, vamp out before. Then one night he has to kill to save her life. Can she ever look at him the same way again?

The Questioning Concubine


Elita, a pure blood witch, has come home to find who or what killed her parents and to take her rightful place as the head of the coven. After five years of investigating and exhausting all conventional methods at her disposal, she decides to do the one thing a good witch should never do—summon a demon. The demon is not what she expected. Elita is soon swept up in his power… and her own.

Renata

The residents of the sleepy little town of Flushing, Michigan had no idea a vampire lived among them, seducing and drinking from all the men in town. Renata walked among them, blending in, taking only what she needed. One night, while she was on the prowl for fresh blood at a carnival, a handsome carnie caught her eye. She had no way of knowing he was a vampire hunter and was there for her.

Sea of Blood

Liana made Nerissa a vampire centuries ago in the islands of Greece but she’s never tired of her companion or the way she hunts her prey.


A Halloween to Remember


What says Halloween better than a wild party at an old Victorian mansion complete with its own cemetery? Perhaps meeting the man of your dreams thanks to the magic of Halloween.

Adena can’t believe her eyes when she spots Dimitri in the library- he looks like something straight off the cover of a historical romance novel-the type of guy she’s always dreamed of. Too bad he disappears before she has the chance to introduce herself. When she finally spots him again later that night she decides she’s not letting him get away again. Adena thinks she’s finally found the one. Until she wakes up alone the next morning- in the cemetery.

Halloween magic brought them together but will it be strong enough to keep them together?


Witching You A Merry Christmas


Witch Vicki has been leery of vampires ever since she was attacked five years ago. Daniel's a vampire and he's been secretly in love in with Vicki for two years ever since becoming Vicki's partner in The Guardians a supernatural group of paranormal crime fighters. Daniel loves Christmas and hopes the spirit of the holidays will soften Vicki's hatred of vampires and help her see him in a new light. Will he get his Christmas wish?

10 comments:

Laura S Reading said...

Thank you for sharing this great event with me.

bn100 said...

Intriguing stories

Holly Letson said...

Thanks for the chance!

JeanMP said...

Enjoyed reading your post.
Book blurbs sounds really good.

Heather Hand said...

I like your take on vampires - I look forward to reading the book.

Thanks for participating in the giveaway.

Nay Nay said...

Loved your ideas on vampires. I often thought some of the same things. Glad to see I'm not alone in thinking vamps are not dead. Thanks for being part of the hop and for the chance to win. <^_^>
reneebennett35 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Meghan said...

Thanks for the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

I am looking forward to reading the book and thanks for the great giveaways.

Daniel M said...

sounds great thanks for the hop! - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

jmcgaugh said...

Sounds like a great read. Thanks for the giveaway!

 
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