Sunday, October 26, 2014

The Allure of the Vampire



   I've always been fixated on vampires. Ever since I was a little boy, I've loved the mythology behind them - the immortal blood drinker who could only come out at night but had incredible powers of flight, hypnotism, great strength, and the ability to change into a bat or mist. It seemed a seductive way of life, sneaking around in the dead of night, charming an unsuspecting victim, then having to rush home before the sun peeked its face over the horizon or else risk bursting into flames.

   I remember the first Hallowe'en where I got to live out the fantasy of being a vampire. I had The old-style plastic vampire teeth that fit over my own and a tube of fake blood. I didn't have a cape, however, so I borrowed one from a friend. It was the typical plastic, high-collared, long flowing cape that you would buy off the rack at the nearest department store. I walked home with it bundled up in my hands with my head held high, excited that I was going to be Dracula! The cape was what set it all off! I could spread it wide with my arms outstretched and make hissing or blah noises as I closed in on my prey. It was going to be perfect!
   Unfortunately, my mother had other ideas. I was allowed to keep the fangs and the fake blood, but the cape was out - she was worried that I would destroy the thing and it would be returned to my friend in tatters. So on the night of Hallowe'en, I put in my teeth, smeared some fake blood down the corners of my mouth, and headed out into the night with an alternate cape supplied by my mother. It was the one that she was given in the early 70s when she graduated nursing school, and though it had the requisite black exterior and red lining, it bugged me no end that along the collar was the logo for the VON - the Victorian Order of Nurses. Very unvampire-like, my eight-year-old self thought. Fortunately only one house seemed to notice so I still got to play the part of my favourite blood drinker for the night.

   The allure of the vampire never left me as I grew up. I discovered the wealth of books out there and devoured them with a passion. Of course Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles are my favourite and to this day still serve as my personal inspiration for what vampires should be. But I've enjoyed countless others such as John Steakley's Vampire$, Kim Newman's Anno Dracula series, The Night Inside by Nancy Baker, and the grand-daddy of them all, Bram Stoker's Dracula. Oh yeah, and that whole Twilight series too, damn you Stephenie Meyer. I watched the TV shows and movies as well, some wonderful and satisfying like The Lost BoysBram Stoker's Dracula, and Forever Knight, others not quite up to snuff. In some way, though plots, actors, and writers may vary in their take on the vampire, it still feeds the hunger that I have for the blood-suckers and it's rare that I throw down a book or turn off a movie in total disgust...though it has happened.

   We all seem to have different opinions on what our vampires should be like. These days there are so many choices that it's like picking your own meal options at a restaurant. I picture myself sitting at a table with the waiter standing next to me.
   "I'll take the vampire platter, please," I say.
   "Great choice, sir. Would you like sparkling or non-sparkling?"
   "Definitely non-sparkling."
   "Of course, sir. Would you like your vampire able to walk in the sun or out at night only?"
   "Night only, the daylight ruins the mood."
   "Permanent fangs or retractable?"
   "Ummm...permanent, please," I answer as I hand the menu back to the waiter.
   "Excellent, sir. I'll be right back with your appetizer."
   Part of the allure of the vampire is that there seem to be no fixed rules, other than they drink blood and are generally immortal. We are able to customize our vampires to suit our mood or opinions, make them the suave, immortal lover that is able to charm the pants off their lovers, or they can be deadly and repulsive like we see in I Am Legend  and The Strain. Fearsome or seductive, we love all variations. 

   For myself, I love the Ricean vampires. They are prolific blood drinkers with great strength, seductive looks and behaviour. Some can fly while others can read minds, their gifts vary and make each one an individual. All are immortal and some handle it better than others, for despite all their great gifts and abilities, they are still very human in their emotions. That's the allure to me - for all their strength and abilities, they are still as tortured and slave to fragile human emotions. They have chinks in their armor and most of the attraction is watching how they deal with those weaknesses and balance them out with their great powers. The other attraction comes from the guilty-pleasure realm. Though life as a vampire can be hard at times, it also is phenomenally easy. Need money? Pick your victim's pockets or find some rich fellow to drain and assume his fortune. Don't like that person over yonder? Make them tonight's meal. You are also free to live life as you choose, as you now have all the time in the world to do the things you never had time for in your previous life.
   I live vicariously through the vampire in the two series that I've written, Shelter from the Winter  and Winter's Advent. My main character, Brijit, embodies what I think I'd be like as a vampire - bold, confident, and not giving a damn, but at the same time vulnerable and flawed. I try to portray the hurt that comes from losing everything as well as the joy of living life to the fullest. Brijit represents an absolute freedom that most of us will never have but for which we all long, unencumbered by the laws of society and to do as we please.

   So how do you like your vampires? Sparkle or no sparkle? Tortured or at peace with what they are? Please comment below, I'd love to read other's ideas on what makes the vampire so attractive to them.

   As part of the blog hop, I'm giving away a full set of my Winter's Advent series! Please leave a comment below if you're interested in being part of the giveaway and three people will be chosen at random using Random.Org once the blog hop is over. Be sure to leave a means of contact so I can contact you afterward. For more information on my books, head over to www.dw-adler.com.

The blog hop is also offering a grand prize through Rafflecoptor! Click here to enter!

Please visit one of the following authors and bloggers below for more great Hallowe'en blog entries.

  
  


Monday, June 23, 2014

Winter's Advent Book Three, Brijit's Pursuit, Releases July 1 #MFRWauthor

The third book in my vampire erotica Winter's Advent series is set to release on July 1...happy Canada Day to me! Brijit's Pursuit continues the story of the vampire Brijit, two hundred years after the events of The Taking of Brijit.

Brijit is settled in 14th century London, living a comfortable life but haunted by the events of the past. Her life is turned upside down when she meets the enigmatic James and she must decide if the past can stay buried enough for her to find love again.

Winter's Advent is the prequel to my first series, Shelter from the Winter. It follows the early life of my main character, Brijit McRaith, as she deals with her transformation into a vampire at the hands of the madman, Eochaid. Books one and two, Eochaid's Obsession and The Taking of Brijit, are currently available from Amazon.com and eXtasybooks.com.



Please visit DW Adler at http://www.dw-adler.com for more information.


Sunday, June 1, 2014



It's release day! Book two of my Winter's Advent series, The Taking of Brijit is now available from eXtasy Books!

Chained to an Irish hillside, Brijit is at the mercy of the madman, Eochaid. After undergoing a painful transformation at his hands, Brijit must come to terms with her new reality as a vampire and seek help from her doting husband, Fáelán. But will he accept what she’s become or cast her out from his life forever?

http://www.extasybooks.com/the-taking-of-brijit/


Monday, May 26, 2014

Classic COS Ghost Story - A Bed With A Beating

Out of all the ghost stories on the Castle of Spirits website, this has to be my favourite title. :)

A Bed With A Beating

It was about 4 years ago when this happened to me, I was about 10 at the time,and I had just got bunk beds from some friends of the family. Once I got the bed home, I had my Dad place it in the center of my room, I'm not sure why but that's where I wanted it. One night, about a month after I had received the bed, someone or something was punching me in my back, not a friendly tap, but it was as if someone was punching me or throwing a ball at my back. I freaked out, and turned to see what was doing it, but there was no one there. After that I went and slept in the living room.

A few nights later I decided to go back to my bed, and the hitting happened again, but this time, I had a dream. And there was this man in white in it who had white hair and red glowing eyes, and he was throwing a ball at me, sorta like we were playing tennis, every time he threw the ball I missed hitting it, it would hit me, and I would feel it as thought some one was right there punching me in the back. I then started hitting the ball back in my dream,and the ball would hit him,and after a while I guess I won the match because the man (if he was really a man) just disappeared. After that I had no strange experiences while sleeping in that bed, but I still had a feeling that he would come back, so I gave the bed back to the people I got it from.

Alpha Mine by Brenda Sparks


In the shadows of the night, there exists a band of warriors--a group of vampires, known as the Alpha Council. Their formidable leader, Stephan von Haas, has vowed to protect not only his kind but the humans existing alongside them. His duty comes before all else--until a sassy blonde saunters into his life.
When a sensual, dark-haired stranger walks into Katrina Spencer's life, he stirs her deepest desires and sweeps her into a world beyond her wildest dreams. But when Katrina is targeted by Stephan's enemies, reality shifts into something violent and deadly, as she is thrust into a realm where vampires stalk the shadows and vengeance is coming for her. Together they will confront an extraordinary destiny of peril, passion, and dark pleasures. But when one horrid mistake brings retribution, their love may pay the price.
Bio:
Brenda Sparks has always loved all things spooky and enjoys incorporating paranormal elements in her writing. She refuses to allow pesky human constraints to get in the way of telling the story. Luckily the only thing limiting her stories is her imagination. Her characters are strong, courageous, and she adores spending time with them in their imaginary world.
Her idea of a perfect day is one spent in front of a computer with a hot cup of coffee, her fingers flying over the keys to send her characters off on their latest adventure.
Brenda loves connecting with readers. To connect with Brenda or for more information on her books, including excerpts, free reads, and more, go to: www.brenda-sparks.com

The Castle of Spirits Blog - A New Beginning

Welcome to the new Castle of Spirits blog, a companion to www.castleofspirits.com. This blog will feature the new and best-of stories from the website, as well as the latest in paranormal books from a variety of authors. There may also be the odd spooky picture posted where we all get to decide if it is real, photoshop, or lens flare.

Castle of Spirits was founded in 1997 by Rowena Gilbert, an Australian woman who had an affinity for the paranormal. Rowena loved reading regular people's experiences with ghosts and other things that go bump in the night and she grew Castle of Spirits into one of the largest archives of ghost stories on the Internet.

Rowena passed away in 2008 and since then I've taken the reigns and tried to keep the legacy alive. I continue to post new ghost stories as they arrive in my inbox and am now trying to grow the site by featuring paranormal books by indie/self authors and smaller publishers that don't have the advantage of big publishing house advertising dollars behind them.

So come on in, pull up a chair, and let's share our spooky stories.