10 Weeks of Vampires: Week 2 -- Sex and the Single Vampire
Spoiler warning: there will be many discussions of plot points and characters below, so if you haven't read this particular book yet, you may wish to give it a pass. You have been warned.
THE BOOK
ORIGINAL 2004 COVER
Allegra’s Dictionary of the Paranormal
Dark One n. [Origin: Czech, also known as vampires] A Moravian Dark One is doomed to spend his lifetime cruising the singles’ scene in search of the one woman who can redeem his soul. You think dating is hard? Try it when you’re nine hundred years old and you’ve used every pick-up line in the book. Forming a lasting relationship is even more difficult when the woman who makes your heart sing sees dead people and likes to play with demons.
2009 REPRINT COVER
BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF: HOW THE BOOK CAME TO BE
E-mail dated 23 October 2004:
Hi Katie, I am a fan of your's and have all your books, but I think this one is my favorite, but I do hope Christian finds his beloved. I hope he has a book of his own.
E-mail dated 27 October 2004:
THE SAD PART WAS THAT CHRISTIANS BELOVED DID NOT RETURN HIS AFFECTIONS AFTER ALL THOSE CENTURIES OF WAITING. AS VAMPIRES GO HE SHOWED A GREAT CAPACITY FOR UNSELFISH LOVE. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF HE COULD FINALLY FIND HIS MATE IN A FUTURE NOVEL.ARE WE GOING TO SEE CHRISTIAN IN ANY OF YOUR FUTURE ROMANCE NOVELS?
E-mail dated 27 October 2004:
I was wondering when Christian is getting his story.
It might be an exaggeration to say that the second readers closed the covers of A Girl's Guide to Vampires, they immediately started demanding Christian's story, but it's not really that big an exaggeration. From the very first letter about GGV, people wanted Christian's story, and they wanted it RIGHT THAT SECOND.
I had always intended on writing Christian's book, since as I may have mentioned once or twice, I had a little crush on him, but I was still taken aback by how strongly he resonated with readers, and I was quite literally inundated with e-mails demanding his story. Luckily, by the time GGV hit bookshelves, Christian's book was already written and in production, so I could tell readers to be patient, and they would be rewarded.
Sex and the Single Vampires is one of only two books that made me stop what I was doing to write them. I was in the middle of writing Noble Destiny when suddenly an idea for Christian's story hit me. And worse, wouldn't let go. I did something I'd never done--and have never done since--I set aside the book I was in the process of writing, and wrote the book that demanded to be written. I wrote it in sixteen consecutive days, which until last September when I wrote It's All Greek To Me in six days, stood as my full length novel land-speed writing record.
2011 REPRINT COVER
BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF: THE CHARACTERS
I don't remember what prompted my muse to kick aside Noble Destiny to write Christian's book, but I do remember quite clearly thinking about what sort of heroine Christian needed most in his life. I knew that she had to have been abused, but triumphed over it, and was not a victim in any way. I wanted her to have physical imperfections that she also triumphed over, and most importantly, she needed to have an intolerance of arrogant, bossy men. And I wanted her named Allegra, which was one of my favorite names ever since I was a wee little reader whose favorite book of poetry included The Children's Hour. An aside--one of the funniest scathing remarks I ever saw made about the book was by a reader who snidely pointed out my heroine was named after allergy medicine. She obviously had not been a fan of Wordsworth.
Joy, Roxy, and Raphael also were vital to the story that had to be told, and somehow, in the writing of one scene with Raphael, I mentioned something about him reacting to the subject of werefolk. At the time, I hadn't intended anything by that, but readers started questioning me about him, and why he was reacting so strongly--perhaps it was something to do with his amber eyes? Was he a werefolk himself? Maybe that was why he didn't like Christian? Speculations flew hot and fast. I'm here to clear up any misconception about that scene and say that honestly, when I wrote it, I wasn't thinking about Raphael, his ancestry, or werefolk.
Noelle the Guardian was intended as a secondary character only, with kind of a faint idea that I would match her up with Sebastian in another book. I wasn't tied to that idea, however, which made it harder when people started asking when Noelle and Sebastian's book would be out. Just for the record, I did try to pair them up, but Noelle refused. She's remained one of my most stubborn characters, as you'll see in Much Ado About Vampires. She's also one of the very few characters who crosses worlds, and appears in both the vampire and dragon books.
BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF: THE ORIGINAL NOTES
Below are a few extracts from the original notes I took when plotting the book. You'll notice some big differences between my notes, and what ended up in the book--that's par for the course when it comes to the way I write.
---------ORIGINAL NOTE EXTRACTS---------
Allegra Telford, researcher for the United Psychic Research Associations, global psychic research org. Sent to London for annual conference, representing small west coast chapter because head is ill with food poisoning. While there, her friend asked her to pick up book signed by famed author CJ Dante, who was doing a booksigning at a London book fair. Doesn't read vamp books, doesn't read romance, very grounded and down to earth. Subject to frequent nightmares and night terrors. Doesn't sleep well at night. Has one leg shorter than another due to accident when a child. Sensitive about appearance (not stunning), and a bit of a chip on her shoulder because she knows she's not pretty, but she has a smart mind that men don't seem to appreciate. One green eye, one brown eye (heterochromia irides), slightly deaf in one ear. Medium height and size. Very little sexual experience. Specialty is in manifesting ghosts and haunted houses.
Allie is convinced that it's Guarda's power that's helping her focus her own talents. Roxy and Christian are in the audience and talk to Allie after, convincing her to visit with Joy and talk about what's happening to her. Allie summons: ghost of crabby old Welshwoman she can't understand
ghost of arrogant Cavalier, all long curls and seductive suggestions
ghost of three-legged cat who is always hungry
There Joy tells them both that Allie is clearly Christian's beloved. Both scoff at such a ridiculous notion.
Christian's idea of a Beloved does NOT mesh with Allie. He wants a feminine woman, one who wears dresses and needs his protection and strength, one who acts like a woman, not like a warrior. He wants someone like Joy. Allie tells him girl clothes aren't appropriate to working in haunted houses, and she knows how to take care of herself, thank you very much, and she's not Joy. So he can either take her or leave her, it's no skin off her nose either way.
During one of the sessions for G&E, Allie unexpectedly Summons Christian rather than a ghost. Worried that they'll use him in their freak show, she tries to convince them he's a worthless ghost, something Christian objects to. Since the summoner has control over the summonee until s/he releases him/her, he can't leave on his own. G&E are monitoring her, feeding her power which she can't break without them first breaking the contact, thus she can't release Christian, so she pleads with him on the sly to knock her out. Only with her unconscious will she release him. He is horrified at the thought, telling her that although they have their obvious differences, she might possibly be his Beloved, and he can't hurt her. She points out that both of them are going to be trapped by G&E unless he wallops her. He merges with her, then knocks her out reluctantly. He disappears, she's left to face the music.
She wakes up to find herself in Christian's house (in London). She's confused how she got there; he informs her that he wouldn't be much of a Dark One if he couldn't rescue his Beloved. Meanwhile, Allie suddenly is Summoning ghosts all over the place, every time she sneezes another one appears. Worse, she can't seem to get rid of them, and they follow her everywhere. Soon Christian's house is filled with ghosts.
G&E produce a succubus, who tries to feed off Allie. Christian immediately comes to her defense, which irritates her because A) she's a strong woman who can defend herself, and B) she is trying to protect him, dammit. How can she do that if he's always swanning in saving her?
Christian lectures Allie all the way home, she argues back that she was doing just fine until he upset the balance of things. Love scene. He tells her he can't live without her, that he needs her. She points out he doesn't seem to be very happy with her. He agrees that she infuriates him, and suggests she try harder to please him. She suggests he get stuffed.
----------------------------------
BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF: THE FIRSTS
Sex and the Single Vampires may have been only my second paranormal book, but it started laying in the groundwork for what would turn out to be the Otherworld, with the first real look at how groups of people who lived beyond mortal reality could and did interact with everyone else.
Unlike Girl's Guide, in this book, everything is real, from the ghosts on down to the very first mention of a demon lord (Asmodeus) and demon (Tirana). It set into place the "hokey medieval-speak" that people use when commanding demons, bizarre appearances that demons sometimes chose to take (the thought of a demonic Shirley Temple still, to this day, gives me the giggles), and the very real power that demon lords could wield in the mortal realm.
And it brought Guardians into the world, in the person of Noelle.
Once I had finished writing Sex and the Single Vampire, I had to finish up Noble Destiny. And I did...but two weeks after that, Christian's story was still hanging around in my mind...or rather, elements of it were. And those elements--demons, demon lords, and most importantly, Guardians--kept poking and prodding me until I gave up trying to take a few days of a break, and sat down to write out the idea for a new series, one that would more fully investigate all those things...and some dishy dragons in human form, to boot.
Yup, you can thank Christian for You Slay Me and all the other dragons, because those books are a direct result of writing Sex and the Single Vampire.
CONTEST FOR THE WEEK
The charming Sara at Looming Moon has created a Sex and the Single Vampire book thong just for this contest. It's 12 inches long (will fit in most books, including hardcovers), and features some vintage wooden brown and glass gray beads (to match Allie's eyes) and Tibetan silver findings, including a castle to represent Christian's home.
To be entered to win the Sex and the Single Vampire book thong (book not included, I'm afraid), please send the following to contest@katiemacalister.com:
Your name and e-mail addressBe sure to put Single Vampire Contest in the subject line. Entries without that subject line will be tossed out (I'm running two other contests right now, and the subject lines are vital to making sure my e-mail client sorts the entries into the right contest folder)And last, tell me if you've ever seen a ghost. Again, the answer has nothing to do with winning the contest, it just lets me be nosy in a fun kind of way.
Enter before midnight Pacific Time on Sunday, August 14th. On August 15th, I'll randomly pull one winner from all the entries to receive the book thong.
THE BOOK
ORIGINAL 2004 COVER
Allegra’s Dictionary of the Paranormal
Dark One n. [Origin: Czech, also known as vampires] A Moravian Dark One is doomed to spend his lifetime cruising the singles’ scene in search of the one woman who can redeem his soul. You think dating is hard? Try it when you’re nine hundred years old and you’ve used every pick-up line in the book. Forming a lasting relationship is even more difficult when the woman who makes your heart sing sees dead people and likes to play with demons.
Summoner n. [Origin English] Someone who summons ghosts, poltergeists, and demon lords. Summoners tend to hang around cities like London that are filled with portals to Hell, haunted inns, and other locations dishy vampires might be found lurking. Most Summoners are female, which makes for difficulties when it comes to explaining to the man who haunts your dreams and fills your soul with love why your pet ghosts can be found hovering around even the most romantic of circumstances.
Details, including excerpt and podcast, can be found here.
2009 REPRINT COVER
BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF: HOW THE BOOK CAME TO BE
E-mail dated 23 October 2004:
Hi Katie, I am a fan of your's and have all your books, but I think this one is my favorite, but I do hope Christian finds his beloved. I hope he has a book of his own.
E-mail dated 27 October 2004:
THE SAD PART WAS THAT CHRISTIANS BELOVED DID NOT RETURN HIS AFFECTIONS AFTER ALL THOSE CENTURIES OF WAITING. AS VAMPIRES GO HE SHOWED A GREAT CAPACITY FOR UNSELFISH LOVE. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF HE COULD FINALLY FIND HIS MATE IN A FUTURE NOVEL.ARE WE GOING TO SEE CHRISTIAN IN ANY OF YOUR FUTURE ROMANCE NOVELS?
E-mail dated 27 October 2004:
I was wondering when Christian is getting his story.
It might be an exaggeration to say that the second readers closed the covers of A Girl's Guide to Vampires, they immediately started demanding Christian's story, but it's not really that big an exaggeration. From the very first letter about GGV, people wanted Christian's story, and they wanted it RIGHT THAT SECOND.
I had always intended on writing Christian's book, since as I may have mentioned once or twice, I had a little crush on him, but I was still taken aback by how strongly he resonated with readers, and I was quite literally inundated with e-mails demanding his story. Luckily, by the time GGV hit bookshelves, Christian's book was already written and in production, so I could tell readers to be patient, and they would be rewarded.
Sex and the Single Vampires is one of only two books that made me stop what I was doing to write them. I was in the middle of writing Noble Destiny when suddenly an idea for Christian's story hit me. And worse, wouldn't let go. I did something I'd never done--and have never done since--I set aside the book I was in the process of writing, and wrote the book that demanded to be written. I wrote it in sixteen consecutive days, which until last September when I wrote It's All Greek To Me in six days, stood as my full length novel land-speed writing record.
2011 REPRINT COVER
BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF: THE CHARACTERS
I don't remember what prompted my muse to kick aside Noble Destiny to write Christian's book, but I do remember quite clearly thinking about what sort of heroine Christian needed most in his life. I knew that she had to have been abused, but triumphed over it, and was not a victim in any way. I wanted her to have physical imperfections that she also triumphed over, and most importantly, she needed to have an intolerance of arrogant, bossy men. And I wanted her named Allegra, which was one of my favorite names ever since I was a wee little reader whose favorite book of poetry included The Children's Hour. An aside--one of the funniest scathing remarks I ever saw made about the book was by a reader who snidely pointed out my heroine was named after allergy medicine. She obviously had not been a fan of Wordsworth.
Joy, Roxy, and Raphael also were vital to the story that had to be told, and somehow, in the writing of one scene with Raphael, I mentioned something about him reacting to the subject of werefolk. At the time, I hadn't intended anything by that, but readers started questioning me about him, and why he was reacting so strongly--perhaps it was something to do with his amber eyes? Was he a werefolk himself? Maybe that was why he didn't like Christian? Speculations flew hot and fast. I'm here to clear up any misconception about that scene and say that honestly, when I wrote it, I wasn't thinking about Raphael, his ancestry, or werefolk.
Noelle the Guardian was intended as a secondary character only, with kind of a faint idea that I would match her up with Sebastian in another book. I wasn't tied to that idea, however, which made it harder when people started asking when Noelle and Sebastian's book would be out. Just for the record, I did try to pair them up, but Noelle refused. She's remained one of my most stubborn characters, as you'll see in Much Ado About Vampires. She's also one of the very few characters who crosses worlds, and appears in both the vampire and dragon books.
BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF: THE ORIGINAL NOTES
Below are a few extracts from the original notes I took when plotting the book. You'll notice some big differences between my notes, and what ended up in the book--that's par for the course when it comes to the way I write.
---------ORIGINAL NOTE EXTRACTS---------
Allegra Telford, researcher for the United Psychic Research Associations, global psychic research org. Sent to London for annual conference, representing small west coast chapter because head is ill with food poisoning. While there, her friend asked her to pick up book signed by famed author CJ Dante, who was doing a booksigning at a London book fair. Doesn't read vamp books, doesn't read romance, very grounded and down to earth. Subject to frequent nightmares and night terrors. Doesn't sleep well at night. Has one leg shorter than another due to accident when a child. Sensitive about appearance (not stunning), and a bit of a chip on her shoulder because she knows she's not pretty, but she has a smart mind that men don't seem to appreciate. One green eye, one brown eye (heterochromia irides), slightly deaf in one ear. Medium height and size. Very little sexual experience. Specialty is in manifesting ghosts and haunted houses.
Allie is convinced that it's Guarda's power that's helping her focus her own talents. Roxy and Christian are in the audience and talk to Allie after, convincing her to visit with Joy and talk about what's happening to her. Allie summons: ghost of crabby old Welshwoman she can't understand
ghost of arrogant Cavalier, all long curls and seductive suggestions
ghost of three-legged cat who is always hungry
There Joy tells them both that Allie is clearly Christian's beloved. Both scoff at such a ridiculous notion.
Christian's idea of a Beloved does NOT mesh with Allie. He wants a feminine woman, one who wears dresses and needs his protection and strength, one who acts like a woman, not like a warrior. He wants someone like Joy. Allie tells him girl clothes aren't appropriate to working in haunted houses, and she knows how to take care of herself, thank you very much, and she's not Joy. So he can either take her or leave her, it's no skin off her nose either way.
During one of the sessions for G&E, Allie unexpectedly Summons Christian rather than a ghost. Worried that they'll use him in their freak show, she tries to convince them he's a worthless ghost, something Christian objects to. Since the summoner has control over the summonee until s/he releases him/her, he can't leave on his own. G&E are monitoring her, feeding her power which she can't break without them first breaking the contact, thus she can't release Christian, so she pleads with him on the sly to knock her out. Only with her unconscious will she release him. He is horrified at the thought, telling her that although they have their obvious differences, she might possibly be his Beloved, and he can't hurt her. She points out that both of them are going to be trapped by G&E unless he wallops her. He merges with her, then knocks her out reluctantly. He disappears, she's left to face the music.
She wakes up to find herself in Christian's house (in London). She's confused how she got there; he informs her that he wouldn't be much of a Dark One if he couldn't rescue his Beloved. Meanwhile, Allie suddenly is Summoning ghosts all over the place, every time she sneezes another one appears. Worse, she can't seem to get rid of them, and they follow her everywhere. Soon Christian's house is filled with ghosts.
G&E produce a succubus, who tries to feed off Allie. Christian immediately comes to her defense, which irritates her because A) she's a strong woman who can defend herself, and B) she is trying to protect him, dammit. How can she do that if he's always swanning in saving her?
Christian lectures Allie all the way home, she argues back that she was doing just fine until he upset the balance of things. Love scene. He tells her he can't live without her, that he needs her. She points out he doesn't seem to be very happy with her. He agrees that she infuriates him, and suggests she try harder to please him. She suggests he get stuffed.
----------------------------------
BEHIND THE SCENES STUFF: THE FIRSTS
Sex and the Single Vampires may have been only my second paranormal book, but it started laying in the groundwork for what would turn out to be the Otherworld, with the first real look at how groups of people who lived beyond mortal reality could and did interact with everyone else.
Unlike Girl's Guide, in this book, everything is real, from the ghosts on down to the very first mention of a demon lord (Asmodeus) and demon (Tirana). It set into place the "hokey medieval-speak" that people use when commanding demons, bizarre appearances that demons sometimes chose to take (the thought of a demonic Shirley Temple still, to this day, gives me the giggles), and the very real power that demon lords could wield in the mortal realm.
And it brought Guardians into the world, in the person of Noelle.
Once I had finished writing Sex and the Single Vampire, I had to finish up Noble Destiny. And I did...but two weeks after that, Christian's story was still hanging around in my mind...or rather, elements of it were. And those elements--demons, demon lords, and most importantly, Guardians--kept poking and prodding me until I gave up trying to take a few days of a break, and sat down to write out the idea for a new series, one that would more fully investigate all those things...and some dishy dragons in human form, to boot.
Yup, you can thank Christian for You Slay Me and all the other dragons, because those books are a direct result of writing Sex and the Single Vampire.
CONTEST FOR THE WEEK
The charming Sara at Looming Moon has created a Sex and the Single Vampire book thong just for this contest. It's 12 inches long (will fit in most books, including hardcovers), and features some vintage wooden brown and glass gray beads (to match Allie's eyes) and Tibetan silver findings, including a castle to represent Christian's home.
To be entered to win the Sex and the Single Vampire book thong (book not included, I'm afraid), please send the following to contest@katiemacalister.com:
Your name and e-mail addressBe sure to put Single Vampire Contest in the subject line. Entries without that subject line will be tossed out (I'm running two other contests right now, and the subject lines are vital to making sure my e-mail client sorts the entries into the right contest folder)And last, tell me if you've ever seen a ghost. Again, the answer has nothing to do with winning the contest, it just lets me be nosy in a fun kind of way.
Enter before midnight Pacific Time on Sunday, August 14th. On August 15th, I'll randomly pull one winner from all the entries to receive the book thong.
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Sallie
(new)
Aug 10, 2011 04:47AM
I like all Dark Ones books, the first I read was Adrian's and laughed my head off. My friend was hooked with the book and she let me borrow it. After that I tasked myself with reading them in order. But when I found about Pia and Kristoff, there was nothing else to say. They are my favorite couple of all of your books with Aisling and Drake coming a close second. I'm re-reading their first book right now and loving it. Oh I just sent you my entry for the contest, a ghostly experience that marked me forever and made me a believer.
reply
|
flag
