Shane K.P. O'Neill's Blog, page 7
January 28, 2013
Guest feature: Anthony Hogg Interviews Thomas J Garza
Being that this blog is dedicated primarily to the horror genre and especially so to the vampire phenomenon, it followed that I might sometimes consult with real experts on the subject. I have a friend, Anthony Hogg, who hosts a fantastic blog and some groups on social media networks. He has a vast wealth of knowledge on vampires, both in folklore and in books and movies. I often find myself staggered by the depth of this knowledge and have asked for his kind permission to share some of his posts and articles for the readers of my blog, who may not otherwise have seen them. Of course, being the guy that he is, he said yes.
The first post I want to share here is an interview Anthony conducted with another leading expert of the genre, Thomas J. Garza, who lectures about vampires at the University of Texas in Austin. From here on it is Anthony speaking…..
I sent a request for an interview and after he agreed, sent a long a bunch of questions. To his credit, he didn’t shy away from the hard stuff, as his responses reveal. Without further ado, heeeeeeeere’s Garza!
Anthony Hogg: You have an impressive proficiency with Slavic languages, so how’d you go from that to teaching a course on vampires? Is your vampire course ‘bait’ for students to delve deeper into Slavic language and culture?
Thomas J. Garza: My interest in vampires certainly goes back to watching — and loving — the old Tod Browning’s “Dracula” back in the ’60s. But it was my work in Slavic languages that took me to the Foreign Service Institute in the late ’80s after finishing my doctorate at Harvard. While working with the FSI, I was working in Hungary in the summer of 1988, retraining Hungarian teachers of Russian to teach English (anticipating the political changes there). As my birthday fell on a national holiday, St. Stephen’s Day, some colleagues suggested that we drive up to the Romanian border and into Dracula country. Back then, the roads in Sighisoara were terrible, and the final leg of the trip — up the ravine to the castle remains — had to be be donkey. But the trip was worth it, and the affect of standing in the ruins was incredible, a kind of transformative experience of being in such a place, as with Stonehenge or Machu Pichu. I distinctly remember thinking then that when I returned to teaching, I would use this “hook” of the vampire story to get students interested in this part of the world. So, in 1997, a year after getting tenured at the university of Texas, I offered the vampire course for the first time. I certainly use the the theme of the vampire as “bait,” as you say, to get them into the course that covers the history, geography, religion, literature, and film of the Slavic world, but significantly, it is that same hook that keeps them interested, I think, throughout the semester! I always have a sizable quotient of students who go on to take a Slavic language or culture course after the vampire class, and that’s very rewarding.
AH: Speaking of Slavic roots – from a mythic/folkloric perspective – what’s your take on the ‘universal’ vampire? Do you believe vampires are found across the globe, or are they a local, Slavic revenant with unique attributes?
TJG: Vampires, in my experience, are absolutely a global phenomenon, from Asia to Europe, across Africa, and throughout the Americas. The story may vary in details, modes, and/or substance, but there is a “universal” core of the story — at least in the West: the vampire is creature that has returned from the dead (a revenant), and who takes sustenance from a host, who in the process is weakened or killed by it. Slavic vampires have their own characteristics, which vary from Slavic region to another. In the Balkans, for example, vampires and werewolves began in the lore as rather similar entities, and evolved historically into enemies. In Russian, the werewolf stories were very rare, and the vampire has always taken center stage. S/He is characterized not only as a blood drinker, but also since the nineteenth century as a “contagion,” capable of spreading the vampire “disease” to an entire village or community.
AH: You’ve said, ‘As long as we can tap into our xenophobia, then we get into the kind of vampires that make us squeal and jump.’ Why is xenophobia essential for this process? Does this process still have a ‘place’ in our postmodern age?
TJG: It may not be essential, but xenophobia certainly insures that human beings are predisposed to being afraid of anything that’s different from us: The Other. In spite of globalization and a seemingly ever-shrinking world, we are nonetheless terribly complacent in our own lives and tend to be very suspicious of non-conforminty — especially when it’s in the form of another culture. Postmodernism has actually given use a better and more effective lexicon to talk about Othering, especially in the context of the post-colonial breakup of empires. So, while a blood drinking creature will, indeed, always be inherently frightening, s/he takes on a special horror when we think don’t understand it. That’s why the vampires in, say, 30 Days of Night are particularly horrific; they are tribal, pack creatures, who speak a very different language, whereas some the new “integrated” vampires in Twilight, for example, might make some of squeal for very different reasons. I find the vampires and story in “True Blood” particularly interesting in this regard because, although they are also “modern” vampires in a “modern” setting, they have a “back story” — a history — that places them in the larger vampire mythos; and in a place like Bon Temps, which is inherently “créolité,” difference is more likely to be accepted, and “coming out of the coffin” is possible.
AH: What other elements make vampires scary? Why should we revert to the ‘scary’ type at all?
TJG: Besides being creature that we don’t understand, I think the best vampires in literature and film fall squarely into the age old “thing-that-go-bump-in-the-night” category. Here I mean the element of the unexpected or the uncanny that makes our blood run cold and the hair on the back of our necks stand up. In the original Murnau Nosferatu, it’s the anticipation of the arrival of the monster, epitomized by mere shadow of his hand creeping along wall and the accompaniment of live music intensifying our horror; or in Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, it might be the entrance of Dracula into Mina’s room as mist, and then moving under her bedclothes while she sleeps, and waiting for her to notice that she is no longer alone; or the vampire Armand in Interview with the Vampire simply running his finger through the flame of a candle — unaffected. Scary doesn’t always (often?) involve blood and guts. I think the vampire in lit and film has historically presented us with a much more complex creature of horror than, say, Freddy, Pinhead, or Chucky, and thus can be much more subtle and effective in the delivery of horror.
AH: I’ve got your 2010 book, The vampire in Slavic culture on my to-get list, but could you tell us…why is it so expensive? Its publisher, Cognella, is selling it for $129.95 and Amazon, $169.95.
TJG: Aurgh! Yes, I would also like the book more accessible and I know the price is high. It is, though, a compilation and as such requires that the publishers acquire the rights and clearances to use all of the texts, the prints, and the lyrics that are included in the book. I had hoped that the price could be kept under $100, but after I added the Russian songs to the volume, it went over. I’m hoping that as more of the texts that I’ve included in the book become readily available digitally, the price will go down accordingly. Sorry.
AH: A student of yours and I have been discussion on The vampire in Slavic culture’s edition statements and we’re coming up with some contradictory results. There seems to be more than one. Are there other editions of the book?
TJG: There have been two: the original is through University Readers in 2009, and an updated, slightly expanded version by Cognella (a subsidiary of University) came out in 2010.
AH: Which works/authors have influenced your writings on the undead. Which would you recommend as essential reading?
TJG: Certainly my Slavic-centric focus on the vampire story has been greatly influenced by the works of Prof. Jan Perkowski, who teaches a vampire course at the University of Virginia, and originally taught that course here at the University of Texas back in the 1970s. From the nineteeth century, I’m particularly fond of the works of AK Tolstoy (a relative of Leo Tolstoy), including the stories “The Family of the Wurdalaks,” and “The Vampire.” Especially the latter embraces the specifics of the Slavic vampire wonderfully, and was made into a very slick, dark film in Russia in 1991 called Blood Drinkers. But my take on the contemporary vampire is very strongly influenced by the Russian/Ukrainian writer Sergei Lukyanenko, who authored the Watch series (Night Watch, Day Watch, Evening Watch, and Last Watch) in the late 1990s and 2000s. All of these are now available in English translations. I think this series is very good, indeed, in not only bringing vampires into the new millennium, but in giving them a role in the greater historical saga of the battle of Good and Evil on Earth.
AH: The vampire in Slavic cultures is, essentially, a university reader. Considering what I’ve read from you so far, you clearly have some interesting things to say on the subject, yourself. Do you plan on writing your own work on the subject?
TJG: If only there were more hours in the day! I have done a couple of articles that talk about the contemporary Russian vampire in terms of Othering of the Chechens, Caucasians (people of the Caucasus), and Central Asians in Russia, but I would love to do something longer and more substantial in the area of mapping the vampire in Russia. Stay tuned; I promise that there’s more to come!
January 22, 2013
Travis Luedke Feature
I’m back after a brief hiatus and am beginning 2013 with the January interview. This time out I’m featuring a buddy of mine, Travis Luedke, another very exciting writer in the vampire genre.
Travis is the creator of a new vampire series, Nightlife. It follows the lives of a vampire couple as they move from one city to another around the world. I read the first of the series Nightlife: New York over the Christmas holiday and was very highly impressed.
Vampires, strippers, escorts, night clubs, gangs, pimps and corrupt cops, the Nightlife of New York is never boring.
Is she a beautiful blond guardian angel as he imagined, or something else entirely? When Michelle saves Aaron’s life she shares the benefits of her blood (after getting him shot accidentally). He awakes a changed man, living in a purgatory of eternal night, never to see the sunrise again.
Michelle drags Aaron through a hardcore learning curve of vampiric slavery. Forced to adapt to servitude, Aaron is subject to her authority of compulsion. She orders him around like a puppet on a string, a dog on a very short leash. First things first, he must learn to feed properly without creating blood slaves (humans addicted to the powerful drug-like effect of their venomous bite).
And then she puts him to work-a male escort in the sex trade-same as Michelle. Aaron walks a tightrope of strictly controlled feeding regiments and intensely erotic sexual adventures while catering to the neurotic control-freak tendencies of his new master. It’s do or die, Michelle vows to eliminate him if he proves too difficult to control. The real kicker-amidst all these shocking and degrading adjustments, Aaron finds he’s falling in love.
Can he maintain and keep a sliver of his humanity intact? Innocence is a luxury few can afford in the decadent nightlife of New York. In a world where sex, blood, and power over women is so readily accessible, Aaron struggles against the predatory instincts deeply rooted in his new psyche. He must find his way quickly, practicing rigid self-control, or risk the consequences of Michelle’s wrath.
Bio: Travis Luedke is a husband, father, and author of Urban Fantasy thriller, Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction, and Sci-fi. He is currently catching a 3rd degree sunburn in San Antonio, Texas, and loving every minute of it. His recent works include “The Nightlife New York”, “The Nightlife Las Vegas” and “BLOOD SLAVE” the first novels in the Nightlife Series.
Hi, Travis, and welcome. Can you tell us who you are and why you’ve chosen this genre?
Travis: I’m just your average guy with a life-long love of horrific, macabre, escapist literature. It started with Stephen King, Clive Barker, Robert R. McCammon, and Dean Koontz. I loved these authors all through my late teens. I dipped here and there into sci-fi with Frank Herbert, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein, Piers Anthony, Poul Andersen and one of my favorites, Dan Simmons (The Hyperion Series). I even played with Fantasy a bit, L. E. Modesitt and many others. For the longest time sci-fi, fantasy, and horror have been lumped together in libraries and book clubs, so it’s hard not to jump from one to the other.
Where I really “sunk my teeth” in my later years as reader, was this somewhat new category called Urban Fantasy. I read everything I could find, all the YA novels like Twilight, Dresden Files, and the Mortal Instruments series, and I really got into the adult stuff by Anne Rice, Charlaine Harris, Laurell K. Hamilton, Sunny, J R Ward and many others.
This became my focus, adult themed Urban Fantasy. I love to read it, and I write novels that I enjoy reading. I write macabre, perverse, violent, and graphic flights of fancy involving horrific yet sexy supernatural creatures.
Wonderful. I love it when I meet people who grew up reading and loving the same writers as me. So we share a love of vampires. What is it about vampires then that you find so captivating?
Travis: I guess the very long lives they live is fascinating, and the passionate nature of their lives. They are seducers, consumers, and yet often they have an intense internal struggle to retain humanity, to become more than just a predator. It’s intoxicating to envision having such power and superiority over mankind. They also have this dark grace and beauty (as I see them). I know that the traditional vampire is monstrous, but I see that as a facet of those extreme moments. They have the capacity to become monstrous, but that’s not entirely who they are.
Yes, I do agree. I have a strong personal bias towards the traditional vampire and am very thrilled to see someone other than myself endeavouring to bring the traditional vampire back. On that note, Travis, what are you hoping to bring to the vampire legend or genre that we haven’t seen before?
Travis: My creatures are of a somewhat unknown origin. In later Nightlife Series novels we will learn the truth about where vampires come from. I have a fairly unique mythology, but you’ll need to wait until Nightlife Paris and Nightlife London to see how it develops.
It’s certainly not a heaven/hell-damned-for-all-eternity kinda thing. It’s more biological, a blood-borne pathogen. Mirrors and crosses and water and silver, none of this really matters. They don’t do daylight at all, don’t even function during the daylight, but that’s simply an extreme photosensitivity.
My contribution to the genre is a somewhat uniquely styled creature, essentially the perfect predator. They are magnetically attractive to humans, their natural prey. The drug-like effect of their bite is so powerful they can reduce a person to an addict, a bloodslave, in a single prolonged bite of a few minutes. People literally need to be bitten over and over again because the experience is like no other. This addiction is physical and psychological, and there is no cure.
The entire premise of the series is highly erotic. These creatures ooze sensuality at every turn. And they perform with supernatural prowess.
And that leads me nicely into my next question. I have always believed vampires to be very erotic creatures, and yours are definitely so. Was this at the forefront of your mind before beginning this series?
Travis: When I first grappled with the idea of the Nightlife New York, I didn’t really plan a series. The idea came to me to write this book, a book I wish had been written for my reading pleasure. As it flowed out of me at all hours of the day and night, I had to face the fact that it would never be a young adult read. It was too gritty, too sensual. So I committed myself to learning how to embrace that aspect of my writing. I began the process of learning how to write sex scenes. That first novel has since been rewritten about six times.
By then I knew I had plans for a series and it would border on erotica. With Nightlife Las Vegas I tipped over the edge into the erotic twilight zone, and I haven’t really ever made my way back to normalcy.
I have to say, honestly, I thought some of the erotica scenes in the first book were tremendous. It is rare for sexual content in books to turn my head, but Aaron’s first occasion out with Michelle where he first samples the blood of a mortal was just wow. I sat there thinking “I wish I’d thought of this” so needless to say I was highly impressed. Trust me, readers, it’s quality stuff. So my next question, Travis, now that you’re making your mark in this genre, are there other vampire writers that you like specifically?
Travis: I would be hard-pressed to find vampire fiction I don’t like. I am a fan of most, if not all Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, and even the old school horror novel portrayals of vampires such as Stephen King and whatnot.
Considering I have your books and I’m about to start reading them, I am certain I will soon become a fan of your work as well.
You’re making me smile now. I sure hope so. Have any other vampire writers influenced you?
Travis: I have taken influences from Young Adult storylines, Adult Urban Fantasy, Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, and a lot of Erotic Romance authors. The thing you will find about romance authors, they know how to make readers care what happens next to the characters. They are masters of dramatic interpersonal relationships.
I define my writing as Urban Fantasy Thriller with a splash of Erotica (sometimes more than a splash).
And do you have a favourite vampire book or movie?
Travis: I think it would be a toss-up between one of Anne Rice’s novels in the “Vampire Chronicles” series or one of Laurell K. Hamilton’s earlier novels in the “Anita Baker Vampire Hunter” series. It would be very difficult to call one novel a favourite.
In movies, I think the first Underworld film is a good contender for my favorite Vampire movie, either that or the first Blade film. I like action, sex, violence, drama, matrix-type fight scenes, and all the snarky one-liners you can cram in there. And I’m sure somebody will hate me for saying this, but I really enjoyed the twilight books and films. There it is, I said it, I can’t take it back.
Ugh, Travis, your aura will be forever tarnished. Moving on very quickly then… Tell us something about your series.
Travis: The Nightlife Series is about all the seedy corruption found in metropolitan areas blended with two vampires trying to slip between the cracks of society. You have every kind of excess: sex, drugs, alcoholism, prostitution, pimps, corrupt police, gangs, cartels and mafia. Imagine living in these elements night after night, trying to escape the corruption and the debauchery unscathed. It’s a tale of two vampires against the world, and they have no one to rely on but each other when things get out of hand, as they so often do in the nightlife.
The series begins in New York, where we meet Aaron Pilan. This first novel is his coming of age story. He’s young, naïve, inexperienced, but he will soon learn his way. He changes dramatically as we follow his tale of love, sex, and slavery under vampire master Michelle. Michelle is mostly a mystery, she doesn’t like to talk about her past, she would rather forget what she has seen and done. Michelle is a harsh mistress for Aaron, with little tolerance for misbehaviour. They find love and learn to trust each other through their nightly misadventures.
From New York we move onto Las Vegas where our odd couple quickly become the target of an angry mafia boss and his Colombian cartel connections. It’s the quintessential Vegas experience, drugs, alcohol, ménage à trois sexscapades, and Aaron breaks Michelle’s golden rule, no blood slaves, ever. They adopt a pet, bringing the food home with them. It’s a wild ride of sex, violence, violent sex, drugs, gambling, and all the other naughty stuff that goes on in Las Vegas.
Aaron and Michelle survive Las Vegas, and decide it’s time to get out of town, so they are off to Paris, to Michelle’s homeland. Here we will see some new dynamics developing in their relationship, the mistakes and excesses of Las Vegas have left their mark on the couple. Michelle has to come clean to Aaron and start providing some answers, until this moment he didn’t even know her last name.
Doesn’t it sound good, folks? I’m almost ashamed to admit now that I’ve only read the first book. I will hasten to add though, it is the best vampire story I’ve read in years so take note, readers. If you love vampires, as I do, the Nightlife books will more than satisfy you. Travis, if you were meeting someone for the very first time, what would you say to them to pique their interest in your work?
Travis: Here’s the elevator pitch: The Nightlife Series is sexy and violent, and occasionally violently sexy. A quote from a 5 star review: “If you like your vampires vicious and bloody and your erotica with a plot, this is the book for you.”
That works for me. Sounds a little like Bound By Blood too. Have you drawn any inspiration from anyone in the real world for your two main characters, Aaron and Michelle?
Travis: Aaron’s situation at the start of the series is so heartbreakingly similar to many young men today that are basically lost, falling into whatever relationship lands in their lap. I could walk into any mall in America and given enough time and observation, I’d find dozens of 19-20 year olds who fit that mould. So yes, the lost youth of America inspired Aaron’s character in all aspects.
Michelle’s character was inspired by a novel called “A Year in the Merde” about a British man fumbling through Parisian corporate politics, and chasing after French women. All of a sudden I heard her heavy accent speaking to Aaron, explaining all these shocking things. When I pictured her flippant Gallic shoulder shrug, I knew she had to be a French Femme Fatale.
As the series progresses, there are definitely inspirational moments from characters I met in real life. I have known some interesting people, and there are far more true life situations of corruption, excess, and debauchery in my novels than I will ever confess to.
That, for me, is one of the best aspects of being a writer. I love taking aspects or characteristics from people I’ve met and using them in my characters. Though, I generally write my characters with the face of an actor/actress in mind. If The Nightlife Series makes it to the big screen and you have the power to choose who you want to play the roles of Aaron and Michelle, who would you choose?
Travis: I haven’t given much thought to that, but since you asked I browsed through the 100 up and coming actors and chose from “Slither” as Aaron, and from “Taken” as Michelle.
Good choices. Katie Cassidy is a serious hottie, though I pictured Michelle as a little older in my mind. Dustin Milligan would be perfect indeed. In closing then, my good man, is there anything you would like to say to us or share before you go?
Travis: Here in this last week of January the “Erotic Enchants” group at Goodreads has chosen to feature The Nightlife New York as their Book of The Month read. I suggest everyone hop on over to the premiere erotica group on Goodreads with over 3800 members and see what these naughty ladies have to say about the Nightlife Series.
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2344-erotic-enchants
Thanks, buddy. Folks, you can find Travis online at:
http://www.twluedke.com/
http://twitter.com/TWLuedke
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6517376.Travis_Luedke
December 18, 2012
Bound By Blood Chapter 1
Due to a lack of time I will be posting an excerpt from Bound By Blood – Volume 1 on my blog today. Dracula has just suffered his mortal death at the hands of Lucifer and made the transition from human to vampire. Now he turns his attention to his people outside where they are praying for him.
You can download more excerpts from Bound by Blood here.
1476 – CHAPTER ONEWallachia. December 1476. The chapel at Snagov.
Dracula pulled open the door of the chapel. Relishing his new found strength he ripped it clean off its hinges. He strode out into the night. All eyes fell on him. He glared at his people with real menace. They were on their knees in the cold and the rain praying for the repose of his soul.
He laughed at the irony of it. The heady aroma of blood filled his nostrils. The blood of his people. It almost overwhelmed him. He felt the vibration of it in the ground beneath his feet as it pumped through their veins.
The smell of the blood of the dead reached him too. It was a repugnant scent. He realised then that only the blood of the living could satisfy his thirst. That was the price of immortal life. Lucifer warned him if he did not drink he would die. In taking Gabrul he realised that to drink he would have to kill.
His people gazed at him in awe. Some noticed he had recovered fully from his injuries. They were no longer visible on his body. Others observed his naked state. His skin looked deathly pale. The green pupils of his eyes almost glowed in the dark. Two grotesque fangs hung down over his lower lip. They were long and sharp and a touch yellowed. His penis stood erect and long too. It twitched, filled with the blood of his recent kill.
“Thank God,” one of the women few gasped. “He is alive.”
He shot her a stern glance. If she did not look so frail he would have taken her there and then. His eyes scanned the crowd for a better target.He heard cheers from the rear. Vlad Dracula, the scourge of the Infidel, was alive and well. It elated them to see him. Those at the front did not make a sound.
The Maglak warriors knew the scene did not ring true. This man looked like their Voivode. But they knew he was not. They placed their hands on the hilts of their swords, ready to fight.
He could read the thoughts of everyone in the crowd. At first it was a jumble of sounds. A thousand noises in his head. He put his hands to his ears to try and drown them out. The cacophony almost overwhelmed him, as much as the initial scent of blood. He had to fight the urge to run away, but he could not leave. The aroma of the blood around him was far too strong to ignore.
When he looked into the eyes of any one person their thoughts became images in his mind. He heard the individual voices behind them. Perhaps it was something he could control after all. He stepped forward towards the crowd. An acute scent called out to him. Fresh blood. He turned his head in its direction. His sharp eyes focused on a wounded soldier lying further back.
He walked slowly through the crowd. The marble floor inside the chapel had scorched his feet.Now he found relief from the cool wet grass. How had Lucifer walked in there if he could not? Perhaps it was not for him to know. He looked beyond the people to the frozen lake. A walk on the ice appealed to him.
He stopped in front of the abbot. It amused him to scan the mind of the holy man, sensing his fear. The abbot looked up at him, knowing he was a demon. He grinned evilly at the little man. From his fear he derived a twisted pleasure. He thought of killing him there and then. But the blood of the soldier was too strong for him to resist. The aroma wafted across to him on the wind. He had to have it.
The rain lashed against his naked body. The coolness of it felt good on his skin. He closed his eyes to savour the feeling. The rain had its own smell. He had not known this until now. Still it did not begin to compare to the scent of blood.
The people around him gasped. He disappeared into thin air before their very eyes. In one bound he had leapt almost a hundred feet to the spot where the wounded soldier lay. He moved faster than the naked eye.
They looked about in an attempt to locate him. No one could see him at the base of the slope behind them. It was on the boundary where the island met the lake. Then one of the women screamed. The others followed the line of her arm as she pointed to the night sky.
The crowd looked up in horror. They saw Dracula hovering some twelve feet in the air above them. He had sunk his teeth into the soldier’s thigh near to his wound. The soldier dangled upside down in his arms. He screamed for his comrades to save him.
Many of the men drew their swords. The bolder ones jumped up and swung them. When they did they found him just out of their reach. An archer removed an arrow from his quiver. He took careful aim and fired.
Without as much as a glance to the side, Dracula caught the arrow in his hand. He held it there while he drank the soldier dry. The bloodless corpse dropped to the ground. It fell with a thud near a group of women. They screamed as one at the face of the dead man. He looked up at them with eyes that could no longer see.
Dracula then turned to glare at the archer. The man felt a lump build in his throat. His limbs froze at the sight of Dracula’s green eyes. He could not react when the arrow came his way. It moved with real venom through the air. The vampire’s throw drove it through his eye and out the back of his skull.
A chorus of screams rang out. Dracula hung in the air above the corpse and laughed. The people scrambled to get away from him. The urge to get off the small island overrode any other thought in their minds. They fell over each other in a blind panic. The mass exodus moved to the frozen lake. Men and women alike slipped and lost their footing on the ice. The surface was slushy from the heavy rain. With the sudden weight on it cracks began to appear.
“Hurry!” someone screamed, as they looked down. “The ice is going to break!”
“Get off the ice!” another of the men urged.
It was too late. The ice began to splinter and crack. Each new fissure filled the hearts of the people standing on it with terror. Geysers of freezing water shot up into the air. In each spot the ice depressed and collapsed.
A thousand screams filled the air. In their dozens the people fell down into it. Their cries did not last. Each one of them went into shock the moment they took the plunge. Dracula watched as they disappeared from view. The freezing water snuffed out one heartbeat after another. He felt them succumb to their icy grave.
The chorus of sounds in his ears faded fast. The loud voices he could hear became whispers. Then, one by one, they vanished for good.
Only his Maglak warriors and the monks remained on the island. They stayed, intent to fight this beast that possessed their master.
Dracula circled them from the air. He bellowed at them so loud it hurt their ears. “Run my friends! Run while you still can! It is him that I want!”
They turned to see the lone figure of the abbot. All alone on his knees, he muttered a prayer. When the vampire gazed down at him he held up a crucifix to try and ward him off.
“Get thee hence, foul demon!” he commanded. His voice showed conviction he did not know he had. He rose to his feet and held the crucifix up higher.
The Maglaks looked at each other. They waited for one of them to make a decision. In the end they sheathed their swords and ran into the chapel.
Dracula returned to the ground to face the abbot. The crucifix shook in his hands. It seemed he might drop it at any time. The light of the moon shone against the cold metal. The glare stung Dracula in both eyes. He hissed at the abbot in anger. A long stream of obscenities flowed from his mouth. He needed to break the resolve of the little man and get the icon from his hand.
He stepped back from the abbot. It encouraged the holy man to come forward. His fear clouded his logic. He felt sure he had his enemy on the retreat. When a large gap opened between them he broke into a run.
Dracula stooped down and picked up a large rock. He hurled it at the oncoming man. It hit his right foot and crushed every tiny bone below the ankle. The abbot cried out in agony and fell down. The metal cross dropped from his grasp.
In the blink of an eye his enemy was upon him. He grabbed the abbot and dragged him away from it. The holy icon remained there on the ground. It no longer proved of any use to its owner.
“Do you still feel as brave, holy man?” he taunted him. “Is your sweet Jesus going to save you from me?”
“Get away, you foul beast,” the abbot half shouted and half pled.
“I think not,” Dracula grinned. “Not before you lie dead on the ground.”
“In the name of Jesus Christ! Get thee from here!”
The words stunned the vampire. He released his grip on the abbot and stepped back. A brief silence followed. It occurred to him that He might appear. When He did not, he grabbed hold of the abbot once more.
“It looks as though He is not coming, holy man. Perhaps He does not even exist. But I do, abbot. I exist. And I am the truth!”
He placed his palms against the abbot’s temples. The little man screamed at the slightest exertion of pressure. He felt Dracula’s cold breath against his neck. Fear gripped him inside. Was this to be the end?
“Worry not, holy man. I do not want your blood. It is your life that I want. Your precious Jesus can have your soul.”
Dracula increased the pressure. He heard the crunch of bone as he crushed the abbot’s skull like an egg. Brain tissue spilled as a mashed pulp all over his hands. It tempted him to eat, but he knew that he could not.
Through his conversion he knew certain things. The same way a newborn baby uses its instinct to find the nipple his instincts told him of his limitations.
To eat from the dead, for him, equated to a mortal consuming poison. Worse still, he knew the Pope had blessed the abbot. If he had drunk his blood he would have endured a slow and agonising death. Consecrated blood would be acid in his veins. It would rot him from the inside out.
He heard the cries of thousands in the distance. It urged him to leave the island. He glided over the surface of the lake. The bodies of his people remained there, trapped beneath the blanket of ice.
The sounds drew him back to the battlefield. He stopped in the spot where the Turks had ambushed and wounded him. The bodies of the dead lay strewn about where they had fallen. He trod through them carefully.
All around the souls of the dead rose from their broken corpses. Dracula gasped at the sheer spectacle of it. He watched them rise up in the order they had perished. The souls hung in the air above each corpse. There they waited. Soon others would come and claim them.
Then they came. The White Ones and the Black Ones. They were the messengers and soul collectors from Heaven and Hell. A few of the Black Ones glanced at Dracula as they went about their business. He held no interest for them.
He stayed for a time to watch. Those claimed by the Guardians of Hell screamed in desperation. They were aware now of the nightmare that awaited them.
When he came early, Lucifer spared Dracula this torment. He would not feel the agony of the Black Ones ripping at his flesh with their claws. Nor would he gaze into the fiery Abyss before they dragged him down. It sent a shiver through him.
One of the Guardians of Heaven drew close. Dracula stepped aside to avoid it. It was here to claim the soul of Ivan Olescu. He observed the absolute joy on the face of his old friend. The stresses of life and the pain of death had all left him now. It was a feeling Dracula knew he would never experience. The White One took Olescu by the hand and rose up towards the Heavens. The vampire watched the ascent for a time.
Dracula did not find it a pleasant scene. He turned and disappeared into the night. When he had gone, Christ descended to the island and claimed the abbot.
If you enjoyed that, you can read more excerpts here or buy Bound By Blood on Kindle or Paperback.
December 10, 2012
Guest feature with Victoria Embers
On the second Monday of every month I’ve decided I’m going to feature and interview another Independent author from the horror genre, with a particular bias towards those that write about vampires. For my December guest I’m delighted to welcome Victoria Embers to the Dracula Chronicles vampire and horror blog.
Victoria has embarked on a new series called My Vampire Lover. I read the first instalment, Conquest, the other day. It was a short, but insightful glimpse of what is to come. The imagery was vivid and powerful and to my liking. Even though I’m not a fan of vampires and werewolves together, perhaps because this offering is much more adult in content, it was a lot more acceptable to me personally than that which Hollywood has been throwing at us for years. It will be interesting to see what Victoria follows this opening salvo with. Part 2, Redemption, is coming soon.
Bio: Victoria is a stay-at-home mom and believes good romance should make you purr while good erotic fiction should make you scream, but in a good way of course. She embraces her love of vampires and the naughty situations they find themselves in by writing steamy hot romances, as a set of short stories, with a blend of paranormal romance and erotica featuring, you guessed it, vampires.
Hi, Victoria. Can you tell us who you are and why you’ve chosen this genre?
Victoria: I’m a stay-at-home mom and I like writing stories about vampires, so I thought I’d get into sharing those stories online. When I decided to write ‘vampire erotica,’ it was a decision of saying the c**k word or dancing around it and just saying ‘member’ or ‘manhood.’ I realize my stories may not be for everyone, but it’s how I wanted to tell the story. I don’t see vampires being afraid of their sexuality and I wanted to write my stories as explicit and graphic as I think the scene needs to be told while also keeping it classy, tasteful, sensual, and fun.
I agree with you fully on that point. What is it about vampires that you find captivating?
Victoria: Tall, dark, and mysterious. What’s not to like? You may be thinking that most people see vampires as monsters, but some women think of them as the bad boy they’d love to spend an evening with, and I’ve always been like that before it was cool to admit it.
When I started watching the HBO television show, True Blood and discovered I loved the actor who plays Eric Northman, I found other people who shared my interest. I started a fan site and now I talk to friends online who love vampires like I do.
Very cool indeed. I think us vampire writers should have more of such fraternities. So, let me ask you, what are you hoping to bring to the vampire legend that we haven’t seen before?
Victoria: I don’t know about that. I have no idea how many people will want to read my stories. I just want to write a good story that I like, and hopefully others will enjoy. I don’t have any grand aspirations of making my mark on the vampire legend.
Okay, so do you like any other writers in this genre? Have any of them influenced you?
Victoria: No, I’m brand new to the erotica realm. I have a few friends who are writers and have supported me, but most are writing in genres other than erotica. Maybe my friend, Alexandra Anthony who writes a series called The Vampire Destiny may be one who has inspired me to write because she listens to all my ideas. Actually I haven’t read her books because I don’t want them to influence my writing. We talk online a lot about our writing ideas, so I know about her characters and what they are doing. I plan to read her books later after I’ve written a few more stories of my own.
That’s wonderful. I have a particular interest in Alexandra’s books too and am hoping to have her here some time in the future. So tell me, Victoria, do you have a favourite vampire book or movie?
Victoria: There’s too many to list. Probably “The Vampire Lestat” by Anne Rice. That’s the first book I read where I saw that the vampire could be cool and not scary. He could be attractive and irresistible to women. Movies. Probably Dracula 2000 and the Fright Night remake with Colin Farrell. Both actors bring a lot of sexual magnetism to the vampire character they play. I keep watching Fright Night over and over. I never thought Colin would make such a great vampire.
I have to admit to being a big fan of Mr Farrell’s myself. He brings something extra to every part he plays. And Gerard Butler for that matter too. Okay, back to you. Tell us something about your series.
Victoria: In the first instalment of this erotic short story series, Caroline, a werewolf and golden guardian of the realm, has discovered a new love in her vampire captor. She’s willing to risk everything, even her life, to prove to him she loves him and has forsaken all others including her family and her pack.
The next story I’m releasing later this month is called “Redemption (My Vampire Lover #2).” In it, we hear from the hero Raphael who is a vampire and prince to the realm. He faces a great challenge. After giving his blood to Caroline to drink, Raphael knows her life is hanging between life and death. Will she survive? And if so, what will she become being born as a werewolf pure blood? Raphael knows he must work fast to protect Caroline from his father discovering her existence while he also figures out how to save her.
I’m writing My Vampire Lover as a serialized series of short stories. With countless real life distractions, I have the attention span of a ferret. I have heard other Indie authors say that it is very tough to write a full 80,000 or 100,000 offering of an ebook. I learned recently that an ebook that size is called an Epic. That was too scary for me and too much pressure and I am a very impatient person when it comes to getting tasks done. So with that in mind, I thought releasing each story separately would be something I could accomplish, start small and build on it. I decided it would be better to put a story on Amazon than to wait and write a big book, possibly not ever finishing it. It may not be the smartest approach, but I’m writing and meeting new people. It’s been a wonderful adventure so far.
Perhaps I should have thought of this myself. My two new ebooks are both over 125,000 words. Staying on the subject of your series, if you were meeting someone for the very first time, what would you say to pique their interest in your work?
Victoria: I’d have to find out if they like vampires first and then if they like steamy stories about vampires, so I probably wouldn’t say anything to them about my writing. I’d ask them if they have kids instead. I’m a rather shy person and I find it’s easier to let people talk about themselves than for me to talk about myself unless they ask me something.
I would never have guessed that from your writing. I have always believed vampires to be very erotic creatures, as mine are too. Was this at the forefront of your mind before beginning this series?
Victoria: Of course. Why else do you think I named the series, My Vampire Lover? But yes, I think of vampires as erotic. I can’t help it. I talk with my friends about what actors would play a great vampire in a movie. Writing has probably helped my obsession with vampires, and having an outlet to do something creative is really enjoyable.
And the fact you bring vampires and werewolves together…is this dictated by current trends?
Victoria: Maybe. I didn’t think of it that way when I decided to make the heroine a werewolf. However, I will say that in the first story she is bitten by her vampire lover, so it’s possible she won’t remain a werewolf. We shall see what happens as the story unfolds.
Yes indeed, I look forward to it. And finally, Victoria, is there anything you would like to say to us or share before you go?
Victoria: Conquest (My Vampire Lover #1) is available for a free download at Smashwords if anyone is interested in checking it out after reading this interview. Here’s the link – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/256625
Thank you, Victoria. I wish you every success with your series and will be following it myself with great interest. For anyone interested in learning more about Victoria, this is where you can find her online…
Victoria’s Blog
Victoria on Facebook
Victoria on Twitter
My Vampire Lover series on Facebook
December 5, 2012
The next big thing
My good friend, Carol Bond, came to me last week and asked if I’d like to participate in a Blog Hop entitled, The Next Big Thing. For that I’d like to thank her and invite you to check out her very own blog at http://www.theunseenpromise.blogspot.com.au/
Her books, The Tarkeenia Sagas, are coming next year. I’ll be one of many looking out for and looking forward to those.
The Blog Hop requires me to answer 10 questions about my own recent release, Bound By Blood, which is available in two volumes from Amazon. All titles can be found there.
1. What is the name of your book?
The Dracula Chronicles: Bound By Blood – Volume 1 & 2
2. Where did the idea for the book derive?
The concept for this book and series evolved over many years. I had always wanted to write about Dracula, both as a man and as a vampire. I created the premise of this book, Lucifer trying to ascend again to Heaven through the destruction of the institution on the Catholic Church, solely for that purpose.
3. What genre does your book fall under?
For the purposes of publication I have labeled it Gothic horror. But this book crosses many boundaries and can also be described as an historical adventure, a romantic tragedy, and a paranormal fantasy with a good helping of erotica too.
4. What actors would you choose to play your characters in a movies rendition?
Isn’t this what we all dream about as writers? When I build the lives of my characters I often envisage the face and mannerisms of great actors while I write. I’d love to see Benecio Del Toro as my Dracula, Stellen Skarsgaard as Mihnea, Michael Wincott as Varkal, Alice Krige as Ilona and maybe Joely Richardson as Ruxandra. Of course, I wouldn’t be averse to seeing Brad Pitt in there somewhere.
5. What is the one sentence synopsis for your book?
A new epic series that chronicles the life and times of the real historical Vlad Dracula amidst the ongoing battle between the Powers of Light and Darkness.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an Agency?
I have always wanted to go it alone and self-publish. I spoke to publishers and agents in the past and this made me even more determined to go my own way. My series is eight chronicles, which will eventually be over a dozen books. I couldn’t risk accepting an offer on one that might affect the future of the others. This project is my life work and I have to protect it as such. Therefore, I am content to go it alone and maintain full control over the project.
7. How long did it take to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I actually wrote the first seven or eight chapters of this back in 1992, along with about 20 chapters, which are now part of Chronicle 6, Reckoning Day. I sat down to write this book proper in September 2006 and it took about 7 months in all. It is a very big book though, and hence why it is now in 2 volumes.
8. What other books would you compare this story to – in your genre?
I read a lot, but am not familiar with any other books I can draw a comparison with. I’ll have to leave that to other people to decide. All I can say is, this book began life 20 years ago and has been a serious project for the last 6. In that time I wasn’t aware of any other books like it.
9. Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I would attribute it to my love of Dracula and of all things historical. I actually wrote Reckoning Day and The Gates Of Babylon before Bound By Blood. It was my dear friend, Dr Peter Cutler, in New York who suggested I give my reader the vampire first, so that is what I have done.
10. What is it about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
There is so much about this book to catch the eye and far too little space here for me to write about it. Essentially it is a sprawling historical adventure, a journey through the ages that is packed with action, horror, erotica, romance and the paranormal. There is a lot here for readers of all types of genre. My hope is, in blending them all together in the chronicles, that there will be something on every page.
Unfortunately, with my busy schedule of late in launching and promoting my books, and in approaching others who were equally busy, I was unable to find anyone else to pass the baton to. So, once again, my thanks to Carol Bond. I hope, if nothing else, this gives a better insight into what my project is all about.
December 3, 2012
Bound By Blood – My Thoughts
With Bound By Blood finally coming out this weekend past, I felt it a fitting time to express my thoughts and feelings on the book, as it is now and while writing it. Owing to its size I have had to split it into two volumes, but both are available as I write, so the wait is over.
I had so much fun writing this book. I wrote the first chapters back in November 1992, but didn’t touch it again until September 2006. With a complete re-write of the original and an extra seventy chapters of the new, Bound By Blood, is a finished product at last.
I have opted to begin the series with this book, Chronicle III. This is where my reader will see Dracula as a vampire for the first time. A dear friend suggested to me that my readers probably wouldn’t want to wait until a third book before they saw a vampire. He was correct of course. Even though the first two books are laced with some stomach-churning horror, I will not release Chronicle I: The Gates Of Babylon at least until the summer in 2013. I promise it is worth waiting for though.
To have the opportunity to cleverly manipulate famous historical figures and events to suit my purpose is so inspiring for someone like me. I use the context of the story to expose the shortfalls of the Catholic Church in that period, the weaknesses of that institution and the corruption of the men at the helm. As a Catholic myself this was a little challenging, but exciting nevertheless.
The story allows me to play with such amazing characters as:
Henry VIII
Catherine of Aragon
Anne Boleyn
Thomas Wolsey
Elizabeth I
Emperor Charles V
Francois I of France
Pope Alexander VI aka Rodrigo Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Giovanni Borgia
Niccolo Machiavelli
Pope Pius III
Pope Paul V
Pope Sixtus IV
Pope Clement VII and
Martin Luther among others
In all areas of the book I have striven to use real people where possible. Even though some people may find how I have used some of my characters as somewhat controversial, I am sure you will still find them very engaging. In every scenario, and in whatever setting I have placed my real historic characters, I have striven to portray them as real people with real emotions and feelings and I have tried to show them in their true light.
But it is the fictional character, Jean Pelou, who steals the show. I needed someone special to see out the closing sequence of chapters to the story, and chose him. He is inspired by two of my favourite movie characters. The first came from Sam Neill’s Brian de Bois-Guilbert in Ivanhoe and Hugh Jackmans’s Van Helsing. I tried to mould those two images I had in my mind into one to create Pelou. He certainly turns out to be the hero of the piece.
This is where Dracula’s journey through the ages begins. His descent into darkness is complete. He is at one with Lucifer. With Dracula and the other members of his entourage I have endeavoured to add some new dimensions to the vampire genre and indeed, to take the vampire to another level. This was no easy task in light of the production line of great vampire movies and books over the last two decades. I am confident I achieve this despite that fact. My Dracula is certainly like no other that has gone before. At least I like to think so.
Bound By Blood is not just a vampire or Gothic horror novel. It is also an historical adventure, a tale of paranormal fantasy, and a romantic tragedy laced with erotica. I am sure there is something there to attract readers of every genre.
Best wishes
Shane KP O’Neill
December 2, 2012
Bound by Blood Official Launch
In the early hours of Saturday morning, December 1st, the official launch for Bound By Blood took place on Facebook.
It was a really fun event with a great turnout. There was music, discussions and competitions where a lucky few were able to win copies of the book.
You can see what happened by visiting the Facebook Event Page, as well as finding out what people suggested when asked: ‘If there were a film adaption of Bound By Blood, who would you cast as Dracula?’
What do you think, do you agree with the suggestions?
Thanks for those who took part in the event, I hope you enjoyed it.
November 26, 2012
Birth of the Monster – Free Download
For a limited time only (November 26th to the 30th), you can download the prequel to the Dracula Chronicle series; Birth of the Monster for free on your Kindle.
BOOK #0 – BIRTH OF THE MONSTER
Dracula sits astride his horse, surveying the battlefield below. He has defeated another Ottoman army and won back his throne for the third time. Confident in his victory, he is unaware of the events about to unfold and the plans Lucifer has for him.
Prequel to the forthcoming The Dracula Chronicles series.
The re-creation of a legend by Shane KP O’Neill
There are few names in popular culture today as famous as that of Dracula. I would go as far as to say that in the western world the name conjures up an image of one description or another for anyone who hears it, anyone above the age of twelve at least. For me personally, as a youngster anyway and even now to an extent, I see the face of Christopher Lee, who will always enjoy immortality as the on-screen icon. Of course, the name Dracula is not limited only to western culture.
For his iconic status in the modern age I guess we need to thank Bram Stoker, who gave us Dracula the vampire for the very first time back in 1897. From that time forward, his literary classic haunted the imaginations of his countless readers. Of course, over a dozen actors have taken up the mantle of Dracula on the big screen, beginning with Max Schreck’s Nosferatu in 1922. Notable mentions to those who have followed in his footsteps and helped cement the legend that is Dracula would include Gary Oldman, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Jr, Gerard Butler, John Carradine and the best of all, Christopher Lee.
And then there is Dracula the man, the true legend, but about whom so little is known by the wider audience that is captivated by the on-screen vampire. This was a man famous in his own times, as the ruler of Wallachia – one of the three main states that form modern Romania today. He was a man famed for his brutality, even in his own day, and whose method of punishment brought him notoriety long after he was gone. When people hear the name Vlad the Impaler, they are a little more familiar with the man I am describing.
So, when the legend already exists, and there are few bigger than this one, how do you create something new? How do you breathe life into a subject that has already had so many incarnations be it on screen, in books or in historical texts? What can you write that will capture the imagination of those that already adore Dracula and survive the obvious scrutiny that is sure to come? It goes without saying that any such undertaking is never likely to be easy. If it is to succeed then it will have to be something special and something that stands apart.
The first question anyone ever asks me when he/she learns I am a writer, is naturally, “What do you write?” When I tell them the subject of my books is Dracula, I always see the scepticism in their eyes. Even if it is unintended it is always there, and this is the point I am trying to address. How do you write on a subject that everyone holds a pre-conception of, in a way that is not only going to capture their attention, but also their imagination? If they take the time to investigate further and allow me to explain the concept and premise of my books, then the expression and the look of doubt inevitably changes. And it is then I know I have something in my possession that will draw interest over a wide spectrum and possibly see the birth of a new legend.
I have always had my own love affair with Dracula, with both the vampire and the famed voivode. He has intrigued me for decades and given me many a late night trying to understand and know the man he was. I have always wanted to write, but more significantly, I have always wanted to write about him. I wanted to write about both Dracula the man and Dracula the vampire. Even in the earliest days of my project I knew it was going to need to be something grandiose and epic in scope. And that is what I set out to create. Nine years on and three books later, The Dracula Chronicles is well on the way to achieving this.
My task, therefore, was to formulate a concept where I could focus on building the world of Dracula the man and move into fantasy with Dracula the vampire and successfully blend the two together. I based my premise on the aftermath of the first Great War of the Angels. This war is a consequence of Lucifer’s jealousy upon the creation of mankind, which causes a great divide in Heaven and results in him and those that had sided with him to be cast out. To end the carnage, God agrees a truce with Lucifer. One of the terms of the truce is that they would contest the soul of every man, though without any physical interference. If at any time Lucifer controls a greater number of souls then he can return again to Heaven and oversee the end of mankind.
When it seems that Lucifer might triumph, God sends His son who is then crucified to free man from sin. This undoes all of Lucifer’s work and leaves him in the same position as he was after the truce. However, on the day of the Crucifixion the Catholic Church is born. Fourteen hundred years on Lucifer comes to believe if he can destroy the institution of the Catholic Church then he can turn man against God once more. The candidate he chooses for this immense task is the young Vlad Dracula. In the moment the young Dracula breathes life, so does his half-brother to a gypsy woman on the other side of the country. The Powers of Light bestow the baby Andrei with great power as a balance to Dracula.
This is the point where I build the world of Dracula the man and create Dracula the man. There have been a few noble attempts by others to do this and I am aware of another in progress at the moment. However, the best effort I have read was that written by Michael Augustyn. But even then, his book fell short of what I was looking for personally in Dracula the man. 
So with the first two tomes, The Gates Of Babylon and Descent To Darkness I have created his world. I have built a profile of a most amazing man with his struggles, his conflicts, his loves and his triumphs. Despite the image the history books convey of him, my readers will fall in love with Vlad Dracula. I daresay he will be as popular with readers, despite being the antagonist of the series from Book 3 onwards, as his brother, Andrei, who is the protagonist of the story. It is in Book 3, Bound By Blood, that I give you Dracula the vampire, as created by Lucifer. He then begins his journey through the ages to bring down the institution of the Catholic Church.
So for those of you out there who may have been waiting for something new from Dracula, or even just a return to the traditional vampire with a little something different, I give you the Dracula Chronicles.
A prequel to the series is available now to give a feel for the Chronicles, with Bound By Blood coming out on December 1st. I invite you to join Dracula and I on our journey through time.
