Vampires - Romance to Rippers: An Anthology of Tasty Stories, Volume 1

by Scarlette D'Noire (Contributor), Terri Reid (Contributor), Karen Dales (Contributor)

RANKED AS AN AMAZON BESTSELLER IN TWO CATEGORIES!
Vampires! Sixteen authors give you a glimpse into the dark worlds of lost love, murderous rage, and undeniable sex appeal where deadly quests and blood lust spanning centuries of time reign supreme. Explore some of the most unique vampires to exist on this side of the grave. Essays, excerpts, and short stories from award winning authors Karen Dales, Kurt Kamm, Bertena Varney and more including veteran horror writer Carole Gill. They will entertain you, thrill you, and bewilder you as they reveal the dark secrets of the most beloved creatures of the night, including eleven times bestselling author Terri Reid creator of the Mary O'Reilly Series. There is something for everyone in this book from Paranormal Vampire Romance to Vampire Horror.  So, which will it the romantic vampire, the revenant vampire, the elemental, the fanged vampire, or the mythological female vampire? Begin reading and find out!

Carole Gill

"In the attempt to find the just measure of horror and terror, I
came upon the writing of Carole Gill whose work revealed a whole new
dimension to me. The figure of the gothic child was there. Stoker's
horror was there. Along with the romance! At the heart of her writing
one stumbles upon a genuine search for that darkness we lost with the
loss of Stoker."

Dr. Margarita Georgieva ~ Gothic Readings in the Dark

Karen Dales

ANGEL OF

Siren Books Best Novel of the Year

Best Horror Novel of the Year
SHADOW OF DEATH

Sizzling Hot Books Best Novel of the Year, Runner up



Kurt Kamm

CODE BLOOD

2012 International Book Award

2012 National Indie Excellence Book Award

2012 USA Best Book Award

HAZORDOUS MATERIAL

2012 Hackney Literary Award

Genres: Vampires

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 16, 2013

About the author

Scarlette D’Noire

Scarlette is originally from Chicago and now resides in Florida.
A lover of all things chocolate and vampiric, when she isn't attacking small children dressed as mice she can be found sitting at her computer on several social networks claiming to be working on several books in the Vampire Historia Series and Psychological Horror short stories.

Work by Scarlette D’Noire:


Short Stories:

Vampire Historia: The Making of Marea
Sleep, Little Pigeon
Shattered

Anthologies:

Vampires, Romance to Rippers an Anthology of Tasty Stories
Vampires, Romance to Rippers an Anthology of Risqué Stories


Scarlette D'Noire is a nom de plume used to protect the identity of the author, so she may avoid prosecution and bring Vampire Historia a Series of Revelations and all her other dark little tales to light without consequences.

Reviews

[Kristen]

Vampires Romance to Rippers an Anthology of Tasty Stories
This is a fantastic anthology of current authors exploring the entire genre of vampire literature. From Gothic to angst-ridden to romantic, these short stories run the full range. As with any anthology, there will be some the stand out over others depending on the reader. Here are some that stood out to me, in no particular order.
“Stillness (The Vampire’s Lament)” by Audry A’Cladh – This stood out first because it’s the only poem in the collection, and second because of the haunting quality of her writing. This was one of those pieces that I read through, paused to hold onto the moment just a little longer, and read it again. By far, one of my favorites.
“More Than Friends” by Terri Reid – As a long-time reader of Terri Reid, I was excited to set her name in the list of authors for this collection. And she did not disappoint! Her characters are so richly defined and easy to relate to. Rarely, if ever, will you find a weak, fainting damsel in distress. No, her female leads are strong women who will do what it takes to get the job done, and this story was no different. I was only disappointed that it ended so soon, but that’s the trouble with short stories. Perhaps she will continue this storyline in a longer format? Please?
“Dark Comfort” by J.B. Stilwell – I enjoyed this excerpt as it gave a new twist to the idea of vampires becoming acceptable as members of society. Her writing style is easy and comfortable – almost as if you are sliding back into a conversation with an old friend. Even though I had not read the book leading up to this excerpt, I found it very easy to relate to the characters & their struggles. As soon as I finished this story, I immediately downloaded the first book in her series.
Overall, I enjoyed reading all of the stories with all of their different viewpoints of the vampire genre. I think that the best part about any collection like this is finding new authors to follow. I found quite a few!

[Linda]

This anthology provides the reader with 18 different short stories and 1 poem on vampires, Like all anthologies, you get a mixed bag of tricks, because everyone has different reading preferences. My one complaint about this volume is with the included six excerpts. With the exception of "Touch the Sun", an excerpt that was more of a prequel discussing the vampiric origin of the fictional character of Narain Khan, the excerpts left me disappointed at the lack of any conclusion normally expected in a short story. However, the remaining stories more than made up for that frustrated feeling. My favorites in the anthology were "The Guest" about a vampire living with a group of monks; "A Different Kind of Vampire", where a trio of cave explorers find more than they were bargaining for; "The Merciful Miracle", about a vampiric appearance during the Christmas season; and finally "More Than Friends" about a supposed vampire stalker. This last, written by Terri Reid, is the only author that I have previously read, being a fan of her paranormal Mary O'Reilly series, and the story definitely did not disappoint me. As a matter of fact, I can see her expanding on the characters in this story. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and I am sure that if you are a fan of vampires, you will find at least one of these tales delightfully wicked. Disclosure: I was provided an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Haney Hayes]

This is a must-read for fans of dark, fascinating, and romantic tales of the undead, offering a diverse collection of stories that will captivate anyone who craves a delicious blend of paranormal romance, horror, and supernatural suspense.

[CCAM&GZM]

Vampires ... No matter that are still some people who say that the subject is for girlies and youths, for the ones without other loftier preoccupations, it cannot be denied that people were fascinated by the existence of these supernatural beings not only from the ancient times, but from the whole surface of the earth, and the scientific discoveries have not diminished it at all. Maybe is about the eternal life (immortality?), or the power over others, sensuality till paroxysm, or just the unknown of everything that is hidden in the night? From personalities and artists that you cannot deny their value and knowledge to the devourers of commercial literature, we are all somehow drawn to this mystery.

For those who have not yet discovered the red taste of the myth, Vampire Romance to Rippers comes to meet them.

The anthology was well thought out and organized. It begins with an essay that will give to both, beginners and versatile readers of Urban Fantasy, benchmarks regarding the vampire literary approaches, but also provides some (very briefly, but no less welcome) information about the earliest historical mentions of the myth.

The following texts come to exemplify those said in the first work. Benefiting by the works of some known and awarded authors, but also of some younger (literary age) ones, you will get a glimpse of the vampire in its various classical and modern states. The variety of the typologies, the vampire in love, the misfit, the beast, but also the punisher, the tormented or satisfied with what it became, the one in the change phase that vampirism involves, offers great chances for every reader to find something for his taste. You’ll not miss the passion, the despair, nor the massacre, the blood in waves, the good intentions or redemption. It is something for everyone.

Featuring short stories or excerpts from novels or larger works, the anthology is able to fulfill its purpose: to spell you and drag you into the dark (or not so much) world of vampires.


http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/2013...

[✨✨ Claire✨✨]

I like anthologies.
Theyre normally a collection of short stories not needing much concentration and a great quick fix to quench the reading bug.

This was a little different than the ones i have read before - but by no means is that a bad thing.

There were 16 stories, or sometimes excerpts from a wide selection of authors - some i hadnt heard of before but will be definitely looking for more work by them.

The stories that were told and completed were fulfilling.
The excerpts and the short stories that left you with more questions than you should...a little bit less more so.

But all in all, a good read, good variety of techniques of writing, complete array of how vampires are perceived and received.

Read on behalf of Bewitching Tours for an honest review

[Patti]

If you can't get enough of vampires, no matter their differences, you will like Vampires Romance to Rippers An Anthology of Tasty Stories. Nineteen short stories/excerpts of lustful, alone, lost, or sexy vampires and their victims(?).

These tasty tidbits are offered up to tease you. Many are excerpts of novels, a few are very short stories, and all have varying views of vampires. From sweet to bloody there is something for most every vampire lover out there. Many will leave you craving for the rest of the story.

If these tasty tidbits leave you lusting for more, you can search for your favorite offering by author after each tale to see what more the author(s) have for your reading pleasure.

All in all a delightfully shivering offering for vampire lovers everywhere.

[Karissa Kartes]

This anthology gives a wide variety of different ways to view a vampire. I personally enjoyed the introduction, which gives an interesting dip into some of the past accounts of vampires in history. Each author gives us a different way to view vampires. Some of the stories were easier to get into than others but everyone has their own likes and dislikes in a story. One of the things I liked most was being introduced to new writers! I have been following one writer for some time now but after reading this I now have a couple new ones to look into! I would definitely recommend this anthology to all vampire lovers! Looking forward to more!

[Novalea]

This anthology introduces you to a variety of authors and how they view the differences in vampire lore. In this book it starts you off with an Introduction you get a taste of different short stories, samples of books and even a poem. It was an enjoyable quick read. Some of the stories I found did not hold my interest I think this is because of the fact that I enjoy a certain type of vampire story and tend not to stray from that, but if you want to experiment with different concepts behind the vampire or find a new author to enjoy there work this book is perfect for you.

[S.I. Hayes]

Cheers to what I hope will become a new venture in Anthologies! This book and it's companion (Risque Stories) is chock full of interesting tales excerpts and prose, as well as papers from researchers in the field of Vampire Lore. All compiled to give you a taste of the new work that is out here in the realm. From a monastery with a mysterious guest, to Dracula's Fourth Bride, there is intrigue and fun to be shared. I can't wait to get my hands on some of the books that were featured!

[Mandy - Reading in the Happi Bat's Nest]

ARC received in exchange for honest review

If you like vampires then this is definitely the book for you. The wide range of styles kept me interested right to the end. And while some of the stories just weren't my cup of tea, there were others I enjoyed immensely. All in all a well put together anthology that's just the thing for vampire fans.

[Kelly Grosenbeck]

A few of the stories in this anthology were a bit graphic, but as a whole the book was great. I enjoyed all the stories and really liked all the different nuances in details relating to vampires from each story. I would recommend this for anyone that likes vampire romance.

[Katherine]

Enjoyable short stories

My favorite one was the last story by Terri Reid - definitely the by our of at the short stories. I
The prologue to the book was a bit wordy; I wanted to get to the meat of the book, and ended up skipping part of it.

[Deborah Welgoss]

This is a great anthology exploring many types of stories and a good variety of authors. It's a fun read and has something for everyone's tastes.

[Andy]

http://taliesinttlg.blogspot.co.uk/20...

[Tina]

Wonderful anthology of vampire stories. Excellent way to find new authors.