The Lure of the Vampire and a Paranormal Pleasures Giveaway

The Lure of the Vampire

There were vampires…and the people who loved them, long before Twilight. It’s just now…they are EVERYWHERE.

Why? For the most part- Teenagers.

In the marketing world it is said if you can create a product that teenage girls want then you’ll be rich. It’s true, teenage girls rule the world. At least when it comes to sales. Vampires are the hottest thing since sliced cheese. But why, why have teenage girls (among others) suddenly fallen so deeply in love with pale (sometimes sparkly) immortal guys with fangs?

The truth is that the love of vampires isn’t something new at all, this generation has just found a new breed of sullen bad boys that sparkle while generations before have loved the angsty bad boys (and girls) that had more bite and less glitter-though the angst seems to be a given. Must come with immortality.

The seductive lure of the vampire has been there since the first tale of vampires being more than blood thirsty monsters were spun back in 19^th century Europe when sex was taboo and darkness still lingered in a blooming modern world. Stories emerged like Dr. Polidori’s “The Vampyre”, Sheridan Le Fanu’s “Carmilla” and the tale of the most famous vampire of all time, Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”.

Before these literary vampires hit the scene vampires were considered to be monsters, walking corpses, and blood thirty beasts of myth and lore. These 19^th century “modern” tales of darkness, intelligence and seduction introduced the vampire that was cultured, friendly, seductive and above all mysterious and full of desire, full of need. Vampires of 19th century fiction were romanticized; they were the sensual, dark and erotic creatures that that indulged their needs and desires without the constraints and boundaries of humanity such as moral, religious and societal rules and restraints. The sexually repressed Victorian era turned the vampire into the embodiment of dark desires and sensuality that represented all the pent up sexuality of the time. The vampire became something not only terrifying but also highly attractive and alluring.

As a teenager my generation had Lestat and Louis, vampires from the once reigning queen of vampire fiction, Anne Rice. Her books spoke to a lost generation that wanted to be something more than what society would let them be.

I still her adore her Vampire Chronicles but I’ve moved beyond her vampires that were so compelling, needy and self loathing to vampires that embrace their “otherness” and use their powers without fear or self hatred. And damn they are sexy as hell when they accept who and what they are -for example Bones in Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series- he never apologizes for being himself and that makes him so appealing.

Anne Rice’s vampires are still beautiful and enlightening…and they will always have a special place in my heart-like that first love that you grow up and away from but I like my fanged men with a little more bite and a lot more sex.

These days I appreciate vampires that are a little rough, less self loathing and with a lot more sex appeal-real sex appeal and the very real ability to have sex.

There are plenty of vamps in the literary world to suit my tastes and fulfill my fanged needs. Like I said before-they are everywhere. In every flavor imaginable.

To me no other "monster" comes close to being as sexy and erotic as the vampire. While men usually write the vampire into being savage and monstrous, women love to be seduced by the eternal bad boy, the epitome of dangerous sex appeal.

Many of my own works contain vampires, including my short story collection Paranormal Pleasures Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction. This collection of ten of short erotic paranormal stories contains tales of vampires, witches and demons- in fact eight of the ten tales feature a vampire.

The sexy bad boys (and girls) of my collection tend to revel more in their fanged glory than try to deny to true nature. Which to me, is a huge turn on.

What about you- what do you love most about vampires?

Leave a comment telling me what draws you to vampires and you’ll be entered to win an eBook copy of Paranormal Pleasures: Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction.

Paranormal Pleasures: Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction is available in print at Amazon, for the Kindle, Nook, and in many eBook formats at Smashwords and All Romance Ebooks

Title: Paranormal Pleasures Ten Tales of Supernatural Seduction

ISBN: 978-0615470382

Price: $7.99 print $5.99 ebook

Publication Date: April 2011

Publisher: Bewitching Books

Level of Sensuality: sizzling, explicit

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.

Michigan Author Roxanne Rhoads and Ebook Giveaway

After going to all the trouble to plan Michigan month- rounding up and scheduling authors and giveaways it didn't even occur to me until the last minute to schedule a day for myself.

Hello? I'm a Michigan author, that's the main thing that inspired my decision to showcase other Michigan authors all month. It's not like I picked a state out of a hat and decided to showcase it.

So today to wrap up Michigan month I am going to talk a little bit about my experiences living here my entire life and about my books (of course).

I'll also be offering a couple pdf's of my books whose stories are based in Michigan.

I have lived in Michigan my whole life and have alternately loved and hated it.

I love Spring, Fall and Summer here- it is so beautiful.

Autumn in Michigan by rkramer62 flickr CC

I think my favorite time is autumn- the colors are phenomenal and the smell of dying leaves (sounds odd but it's a slightly sweet nature smell) mixed with the clean crisp air and the wafting aroma of bonfires makes me feel so at home and comforted. The variety of leaf colors combined with the greens and blues of the pine trees mixed with the purest blue skies and big fluffy white clouds make Fall in Michigan extraordinary- and if you happen to combine all that with the backdrop of one of our many beautiful lakes- it is truly an exquisite sight.

I couldn't imagine living anywhere else- I've tried. My husband and I have spoken about leaving but Florida and Georgia (his former stomping grounds) are just too hot for a cold blooded Michigan girl like myself. I love Tennessee but driving through the mountains would surely kill me. And I don't mean falling off the mountain either though after I had a panic attack behind the wheel I am sure I would probably end up at the bottom of the mountain. Not good. Plus the bears. No thanks I want to be able to garden and let my kids play outside without worrying about bears rambling through my yard.

I love the magic of New Orleans but I don't want to live there- visiting from time to time is fine.

So I'm stuck in Michigan because I haven't found anyplace else that feels like home. I just wish I could leave for the winters.

Machinac Island at Christmas Time by Mackinca Cowgirl Flickr Creative Commons

I love snow fall on Christmas Eve- there is something truly magical about snowfall on Christmas Eve. Then waking up to a white Christmas day just feels right.

winter scene by rkramer62 Flickr CC

After that I couldn't care less about the snow. I turn into a grumpy old bear and want to hibernate. All my life in Michigan and I have never been skiing, snowboarding or snowmobiling. My husband, who is from the south, has done all of it- numerous times and he's only lived here for a combined total of maybe 12 years. He even goes ice fishing and hunts. He's taken the kids to do a lot of the outdoor stuff- good thing so they get the experiences. Me, I stay home and huddle under blankets. I have always wished I had a big fireplace to lounge in front of all winter. It would make me happier if I could do winter right. Instead I sulk all winter waiting for spring.

My roses

Once spring comes I am alive again and ready to dig in the dirt and plant my seeds and plants.

My backyard

Then there's summer- gardens, lakes, parks, nature, hiking, camping, going up north...that's all part of a Michigan summer.

Tawas shoreline by Linda N. Flickr CC

When I was a kid my first step dad had a cabin up north and his (adult) son had a big boat up in Tawas- so most of our summers were split up between Harrison and Tawas. Harrison had a lake that I would go swimming in and it had a river flowing through it to go canoeing and tubing. And Tawas...being on the water like that was wonderful. Whenever I get close to one of the Great Lakes and smell that slightly fishy aroma I am transported to my childhood once again. Being at the Great Lakes is like many people going back to the ocean. They are immense and amazing.

I wish I could give my children the up north experiences I had as a child but we don't have a cabin or a large boat like that (hopefully someday). I have sent my son on plenty of boyscout camp outs where they have went up north and to the U.P. (upper peninsula) so he's had the experience plus he goes up north with the hubby for deer hunting every fall.

Now I need to get the other two to see the state.

A couple of my stories take place in Michigan- Renata and The Questioning Concubine which are in Torrid Teasers Volume 59 available through Whiskey Creek Press Torrid are both set in the beautiful downtown area of Flushing.


Cemetery Seduction is also set in the Flushing area. Cemetery Seduction appears in the Midnight Showcase Dark Tales Digest.

I am currently working on a set of novels based in Flint- featuring vampires and all sorts of Others.

Today I am offering a giveaway of a set of pdfs

of

Torrid Teasers Volume 59

and

Dark Tales Digest

to one lucky winner

To enter just leave a comment on this post with your email address

Winner Announced Next Wednesday

Here are my other books:

My Eternal Press Books

My Xcite Books

Other releases through various publishers

Eternal Desire for your Kindle