Legend In The Making



Lorelei Bell is author of
new vampire novel,
Vampire Ascending

Maybe it began with Buffy--which I absolutely love. I don't know, but all of a sudden there is a glut on the market of vampire novels that have a heroine in it, who is almost always a kick-ass lady, equipped with a black belt, knowledgeable in all other sorts of nasty fighting tricks, maybe they have some sort of unusual talents, thus can kick the shit out of all vampires and demons and whatnot, and be fearless in their endeavors.

Ho-hum. I'm neither afraid for her, nor can I actually relate to her.

What I have never liked about this sort of book is when I open up and read about a woman who is stalking vampires, or demons, she has either a special gun, or uses her fists to do the job. I once read that the character broke off the heal of her boot in order to drive it through a vampire's heart. Well, nice to have the money to go out and buy another pair of shoes! But also, she winds up walking lop-sided because the 3 or 4" heal is missing on one boot. That's neither realistic, nor does it make me say, "You Go Girl!" The rough and tumble girl gets very old, very quickly for me. Okay, she kicks ass. I get it. What makes her vulnerable? What makes her likable? Why do I care about her???

I can never relate to that sort of woman and this is why. Once upon a time I tried taking a Marshal arts class, and I hated it and after the second class I quit. I was afraid I'd get hurt. It just didn't work for me. So, I have no experience whatsoever in such things, and am not about to start, since I'm closing in on retirement age, and I'm not going to fake it either, just to get readers.


So, if you have been hanging out at my other blog, or my facebook page, and twitter (where I'll post this most assuredly), I'm just saying that if you have not read Vampire Ascending, and wonder about it, you will find out quickly that Sabrina has issues like all the rest of us. She has money, and boy friend issues, she isn't exactly afraid of her own shadow, but she isn't about to let the vampire have the upper hand, and smarts, in my estimation, win out. 

For instance, Sabrina isn't ready to accept that--in my later books, beginning with the second one especially--that she is a sibyl and part of her job is to kill vampires, demons, and even nephilim. I didn't want her to come out swinging. She actually likes a few of the vampires, werewolves, and even a demon or two. I wanted this to be a Legend In The Making.



the original kick-ass vampire slayer



What I've done is brought every reader in at ground level. Get to know who Sabrina is--a touch clairvoyant--and she has to solve several mysteries and crimes by using her talent as a clairvoyant. There's plenty of action, don't get me wrong. The scene where she goes into a nest of rogue vampires to find her friend--who she loves--and has nothing more than a water pistol filled with holy water is, to me, being overly brave, but I've built up her reasons as to why. Plus, she is hopeful that the vampire magnate, Tremayne, who has hired her likes her enough to come and save her cute little tush. Which he does--and on a Harley (any red-blooded ex-Viking would do this, wouldn't he?). What happens after that . . . well, you'll just have to read it to find out. 

I'm currently working on book 4. Book 3 is in first draft. I'm merely working on #4 because it playing out in my head. But I've signed contract for the second book, Vampire's Trill, and it has a September release. Thus The Legend In The Making continues.

Review: Vampire Empire

Vampire Empire Book One: The Greyfriarby Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith

This is the first book of a well-written trilogy, and we are looking at an “alternative” history, written in an epic/steampunk style. Basically, a plague of vampires have swept over the northern regions of the world. Millions of humans killed outright, and millions more died from disease and famine due to what followed as vampire clans took over, bringing human technology to a virtual halt, leaving them in the steam and iron driven days, driving those who lived in England to reestablish their empire and societies amid the steamy, hot mosques of Alexandria, and other warm regions—where the vampires can't go.

I both liked and disliked this book. I liked the writing style, it was very well written. I liked the romance which was built up, and yet unrealized in this book, but gives promise to its building in the next two installments, no doubt.

We have the main characters, namely Princess Adele, who is not a dainty damsel and can fight along side the men, and manages to fight off many of the vampires in several action scenes. Then there is the Grayfriar who is thought of as a heroic vampire slayer. No one knows his real identity. And during this episode Adele crosses his path repeatedly. He saves her butt, a few times over.

Vampires in this book are looked upon by humans as “things”--not even considered creatures, but even they were not certain as to how they went about repopulating themselves. However, this sort of is reminiscent of how the Native Americans were thought of and treated in “the new world”. At least thinking of it in this way help me cope with their attitude, however I didn't like the vampires in this book. The only one with a shred of decency was Gareth. The vampires in this story are more or less throw backs to how vampires were treated as horrific creatures—evil to destroy—such as was the case in many older vampire novels where the vampire's basic desire was to hunt and attack humans and drink them until they were dry/dead. In this book the vampires pro-create themselves, like any other beast. An interesting twist. However, I was left wanting something more in them than the basic hunt/kill, I-want-to-rule-the-world egos.

Because the authors have re-written history, I will point out the year is 2020—in the future, and that in the year of 1870 vampires swept over the northern regions of the world, taking it over, and forcing the human population toward the equator regions, and keeping those they feed on impoverished, and more like cattle. These vampires are a separate class of beings who do not shun the sun, however can sort of float, and can't take warmer climates. That is why they now live in the northern regions.

I was aghast that the vampires did not have written language or that they felt it was beneath them to have one, and burned all but a few places which housed books, and destroyed most of the museums. They dress in rags taken from those they kill. I really had a hard time with how the vampires were more or less creatures who supposedly had human intelligence, but were so vain they didn't feel that they could enrich their lives by the written word. Plus would rather have constant wars, killing humans—who are nothing more than cattle to them. I really had trouble with this part. No economy—unless you count the humans—no written language, no religion, the social order may barely represent feudalism. Bartering was touched upon later on in the book where we see that Prince Gareth, the first son of the king of this tribe seems to be the maverick, dwelling on his own—in Scotland, away from London—and treats his humans with more decency—even when he feeds. I will say no more, as I don't want to give away the plot entirely.

Because of the fact that vampires had nearly devastated humans in a huge war in the 1800's, developing technologies by humans were atrophied. They managed air ships—which I'm guessing are like helium balloons that float. They are mainly living as though in the 1800's, basically, with coal for heat, and no other advancement possible because of the possibility of war with the vampires is always there. I sort of liked the inventions of “Fahrenheit” blades, in order to kill the vampires.

What I did like about it was the story itself of Princes Adele and The Grayfriar who come together to fight vampires--his pledge of keeping her safe, and we learn his real identity soon enough. Adele is abducted by the vampires under Prince Cesare's command. Cesare wishes to take over his aging father's realm, but his softer-hearted brother, Gareth, who dwells in Scotland, seems to have the upper hand in this and he takes Adele from his brother's clutches. These two prince vampires are as different as night and day, and we readers know by this time who he is—but keeps his true identity from Adele for at least half the book.

I liked the blossoming romance which buds between herself and the mysterious Grayfrirar.

I liked also that Adele had some unusual talents that even she is unaware of, although are not fully explained in this book, but some are introduced.

It has enough pulp action with a steampunk style, bringing in epic political themes of both sides who want to rule the world. It does set up for a heartbreaking romance, with enough sacrifice by the heroes which might appeal to readers who gobble this stuff up.

I don't believe I'll be reading the remaining two books of this epic. I'd have to put this on the next to last bookshelf.

Lurking Vampires, Werewolves, etc.

On Friday, I sent out my novel, Vampire Ascendingg on a disk to the publisher. They will get it, no doubt, this coming week sometime.

After the death in my husband's family, of his mother's passing, two weekends ago, we all needed to get into our normal routines, and my writing now means even more to me and my husband than before. His mother, Barb, was also a writer--unpublished--but she was more interested in seeing me get published. And she did, with my first self-published book, Spell of the Black Unicorn, and was so happy about it. I just wish she could have seen this next one published, as well. I miss her soft voice in my ear over the phone, and sometimes I actually still hear it, and this brings tears, as I know I will never have the privilege of speaking to her again while on this plain. I think it's a shame she never could pursue her writing like she'd wanted to. But, we can't change history, no matter how much we want to.

I've been reading Anita Viljoen's book Feeders, which came in mail only yesterday--all the way from Canada, and I've begun reading it. I'm finding it quite interesting, so stay tuned. I'll be reporting on it at my main blog (Lorelei's Muse), when finished. I interviewed her last month, and that can be viewed from Lorelei's Muse, as well. Plus you can go visit Anita's blog, and check it out for yourself--it should be on my blog roll here, below.

Also would like to pick up a new book by Janet Evanovich coming out this month, and it's a fantasy. One of the characters, Diesel, is from her "Between the Numbers" books, and this sounds very good. It's called Wicked Appetite

Speaking of vampires and the like, my favorite time of the year is coming near.

Yep. Halloween. I hope to have my novel ready to go, by then, it would be a treat to have a chance to sell something around Halloween. But, if not, that's fine. There's always next Halloween. I'd be more set up, plus--if all works out--I'll have the sequel out by then.

Very busy with my writer pal, J.L. Jackson, who we swap chapters with, and that's been working out well too. And I'm glad I've the chance to work with her.

Well, gotta get back to the work. More as it happens.