Crow and raven women in fiction

A common theme keeps popping up in my stories—crow or raven women. I’m not sure why this is happening, but my fascination with these beings probably has something to do with my love of Celtic myths. The Irish hero Cuchulain had many encounters with the Irish battle goddess, Morrigan. She is his nemesis. Ravens and crows are prevalent in Celtic myths. They are associated with battlefields and death, prophecy and the Otherworld. In some versions of the King Arthur myth, upon his death, Arthur turns into a raven. Crows and ravens play an important part in the lives of the ancient Celts.

Celtic goddesses embodied war and fertility and had a fierceness and danger that other goddesses lacked. Even the serene Brigit had her hand in warfare—she inspired blacksmiths that created farm tools as well as weapons. The aspects of the Celtic goddesses reflect what we know about Celtic women. Roman writers called them more fearsome than even their men.

Since I write a lot of Celtic-themed stories with warriors and otherworldly creatures, the crow and raven women that appear in my tales are important to the story. Though different incarnations of the battle goddess, my crow and raven women have some similarities. They are neither good nor evil, but they are unpredictable and make trouble for my hero and heroine. They can change their shape into a crow or raven or have feathered wings.

I am doing something a little different in a story I am working on with one of my crow women. She is not a Fae or goddess, but was human until dark magic transformed her. This is also the first time one of my crow or raven women is the heroine. And the story is set in ancient Greece, not one of my usual Celtic settings. I draw on Greek mythology for this tale, which also has its share of crow and raven myths.

Authors, do you have a favorite theme that appears in most of your stories? Readers, do you have a favorite theme in the books you read?

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

A Greek vampire, Celtic kings, vengeful goddesses, an ancient faery curse…

All three books of my Dark Goddess trilogy are available in Print and Ebook. Set in dark age Scotland, I mixed history with a Samhain/Beltaine myth that revolves around an Irish clan and the goddesses Brigit and Cailleach.

http://kelleyheckart.com/BookShelf.html

Favorite paranormal creature?

I’m working on a new series and trying to decide which paranormal creature I want to use. Vampires have been really popular, but I hear they are on their way out, though I find this hard to believe. Vampires have fascinated humans since Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Then Ann Rice’s popular vampire novels changed the way people viewed the creatures of the night. She was the first author to write erotic vampires. And recently it was the Twilight series that became popular with women of all ages. I think vampires are here to stay. I have had a vampire, a Greek vampire, in one of my series so I’m not sure about vampires for this series I am working on now.

Werewolves have also been quite popular. I have to admit that I lean toward werewolves for the series I am working on. True werewolves, not shapeshifters that can change at will, but the ones cursed to change at the full moon. Bloodthirsty beasts. Killers. What fascinates me about this type of creature is that for the rest of the month, the werewolf is human. I think it’s that beast within theme that is so attractive to me—that mixture of innocence and danger.

Faeries and angels are also popular. I have written faeries before so I want to do something that I haven’t done before. There are so many types of paranormal creatures to choose from that I will have to do some more research and decide what is best for my series.

Do you have a favorite paranormal creature that you would like to see in stories?

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

A Greek vampire, Celtic kings, vengeful goddesses, an ancient faery curse…

All three books of my Dark Goddess trilogy are available in Print and Ebook. Set in dark age Scotland, I mixed history with a Samhain/Beltaine myth that revolves around an Irish clan and the goddesses Brigit and Cailleach.

Do vampires make good heroes?

I have been wondering about this lately because I am working on something new and might want to draw a link between vampires and werewolves. So I started comparing the two to see which would make a better hero.

The oldest vampire myth, which is Sumerian, talks of a horrible creature called the Ekimmu, a vampire-like creature that resembled a reanimated corpse. Souls that died in a violent way in ancient Sumeria were believed to come back as vampires to torment the living.

Modern romance novels paint vampires in a much different light and I don’t know if I’m buying it. Sure, these modern vampires are a lot better to look at than their ancient, hideous counterparts, but maybe it’s an illusion so they can easily lure their victims. In Twilight, 200-year-old Edward pretty much stalks teenage Bella. That’s kind of creepy. Vampires are undead, natural predators and they are loners who prefer to hunt and live alone. Is that the essence of a hero?

Werewolves are human for the most part and they are alive. Wolves are social animals, run in packs and they mate for life. If I were a Twilight fan, I would have been in the Jacob camp. He just seemed like a better match for Bella and made a more believable hero.

Which one makes a better hero? Vampire or Werewolf?

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'
http://www.kelleyheckart.com
http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/ Check out my long hair hotties!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Three different women, one ancient curse…

Technorati Tags: Kelley Heckart,vampires,werewolves,heroes,twilight,edward,jacob,romance writing,writing heroes

Brenda Dyer Interview

1)    WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE READERS TO TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR STORY?

I would like my readers to come away with a sense of satisfaction of a story well told—LOL, or shown as we writers are always prodded to do. But more than that, I hope my readers feel the deep love my hero and heroine share. Also, I would love for readers to think of my characters even when they are finished the book. Think of them and smile.

2)    DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER PASSIONS BESIDES WRITING? IF YES, WHAT ARE THEY?

I love gardening. I get so much joy out of it. For me, a perfect summer morning starts with my coffee out on the deck, looking at all my flowers, smelling the different fragrances, and watching the bees and hummingbirds. I also like to grow my own vegetables. I get such satisfaction from making a raspberry pie from my own raspberries, or having fresh peas from the garden, or potatoes. I love it!

Another passion of mine is drawing and painting. I'm terrible at drawing people—unless they are cartoons. I stick to animals usually: horses, birds, and wildlife, like deer or raccoons, but let's not talk about raccoons, lol. I'm at war with them right now over my raspberries.

3)  IF YOU HAD ONE WISH, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

One wish, huh? Well, if this was real life, I would have to say world peace. LOL, makes me sound like a contestant for Miss America. But since this is for the interview, I'm going to say my one wish would be for my novel to get published and for readers to LOVE it. LOL, I guess that's two wishes, eh?

4)    WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW? WHY?

This is an easy question to answer. The show Supernatural. The reason for this is simple: two hot—and I mean hot—guys fighting evil. Sam and Dean Winchester fight all manner of paranormal creatures. This is right up my alley!

5)    ARE YOU A CAT OR DOG PERSON? DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS, AND IF SO, PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THEM.

I'm a cat person. We have four. Their names are: Author, Tinkerbell—we call her T—Neens, and a beautiful black and white cat we rescued. We named him Lucky. Along with our cats, we have two miniature horses named Kiwi and Ebony, a miniature goat named Cody, chickens, two budgies, and fish. I think that's it. Let me go check . . . . yep, that's it.

6)    WHERE ARE YOU FROM?

I live in Canada on Vancouver Island. It is located on the west coast. I absolutely love it here—well, except for all the rain we get in the winter. The weather here is very mild. We rarely get snow in the winter, which bugs me cause I love snow, but I'm sure I wouldn't if we had it month after month. The summers are beautiful.

7)    WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE YOUR FIRST BOOK?

What inspired me, hmmm? Well, I guess what inspired me was a romance novel I read—it was fifth in a series, my favorite character—and I was so disappointed with the way it ended so I wrote my own ending, lol. Then something really strange happened. Ideas started popping into my head. Not about the novel that had annoyed me, but something totally different. I ran with it, and before I knew it, I was writing the rough draft for my MS. I've never aspired to be a writer, in fact, I hated creative writing back in high school.

8)    IS THERE A MESSAGE IN YOUR NOVEL THAT YOU WANT READERS TO GRASP?

You know, I never thought there was a message in my novel until I read this question. And yes, there is a message I would like readers to grasp. Tolerance for other races and how damaging rumors and lies can be. In my novel once upon a time, vampires and humans shared the earth as friends—two different species working together in harmony. That fell a part when when demons—housed in human bodies—whispered lies to humans, saying the vampires were trying to kill them so they could take the earth as their own. Humans believed these lies and turned their backs on vampires and started executing them until vamps went into hiding. The world went downhill from there. Vampires and humans became estranged from then on.

9)    NAME ONE PERSON THAT YOU FEEL SUPPORTED YOU OUTSIDE OF FAMILY MEMBERS.

You!

10) WHAT WAS THE HARDEST PART OF WRITING YOUR BOOK?

The hardest part of writing my book has been the whole thing, lol. Writing doesn't come naturally to me. It's hard work, but I so enjoy it.

11) DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING FROM WRITING YOUR BOOK, AND WHAT IS IT?

Yes, I learned that I can accomplish anything if I set my mind to it. I know this sound cliché,  but it's the truth.

Thank you very much, Tabby, for giving me this opportunity. I enjoyed it very much.

It was great to have you Brenda.

Tabitha

Make The Voices Stop

Lately I haven’t had much time to write and my characters aren’t very happy about it. I continually hear them screaming at me, that is when I can hear them over the kids. LOL! I have only written one chapter in a week’s time and it is gnawing at me. I…

(Craigen) “You need to toughen up woman and get on the ball. You think you have a tough life? Have you looked at mine lately?” He leaned in the doorway, brows raised and his arms crossed over his chest.

“Crap! Craigen, you scared me to death! What do you want? I'm trying to write a blog here.” A sigh escaped my parted lips as I leaned back in my chair.” This was all I needed, more distractions.

(Craigen) “Oh, you have time to blog but no time to write the rest of my story. There is a demon out there that needs to be dealt with. He is murdering women remember?”

“Yes I know that, I wrote the story. But right now I need to get this blog finished. So give me a break and…”

He crossed the room, snatched my laptop, then stared me down with his intense green eyes.

“Give that back.” I reached for the computer but he held it up and out of my reach. A cocky smile curved the edges of his lips.

(Craigen) “Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that. What is wrong with your head? To write such an evil and vile being? It is rather disturbing!”

“If it wasn’t for Nyx you wouldn’t have met Lyric, and if I remember correctly, you really seem to have taken a shine to her.” I put my hand out. “Give me the damned laptop! I am too busy for this nonsense.”

He tossed the laptop on the desk and turned his back.

(Craigen) “I am merely protecting her. Nothing more. This is about you helping me kill Nyx!”

“Oh, did I hit a nerve?” A giggle sprang from my mouth.

(Craigen) “Don’t play games with me woman. Just get yourself together and write the damned story already. My hand itches to smite that vile demon.” His fist slammed into the wall.

“Hey, you need to stop acting like a spoiled child. I have enough kids in this house.” I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself.

(Nyx) “Did someone call me?”

“Oh, great!” Just what I needed Craigen and Nyx in the same room. The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife. “I don’t need your vile thoughts distracting me right now! I'm busy.”

An evil smile crossed his lips and those eyes. Damn it! Those eyes.

(Craigen) “So help me Nyx, if you so much as touch her I will kill you right here!”

(Nyx) “I was talking to Tabitha. I know my sweet, I have that affect on women. They all want me and I think you do too.” He leaned against the wall and crossed his legs at his ankles.

“I…uh…well…”

(Nyx) That’s what I thought. Say it beautiful. Mind, body and soul.”

His eyes never left mine and the urge to say it pulled at me. My body heated and I wanted to reach out and draw him close. “Mind…”

(Craigen) “Stop this now! Nyx I am so going to kill you and do it slowly. There will be no mercy, you will pay for your crimes. Tabitha snap out of it! I won’t let him have you too. Without you all hope is lost.”

I shook my head to clear the fog. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me. Thanks Craig.”

(Craigen) “I don’t remember saying you could give me a nick name. So just cut that crap out.”

“You are so touchy. Chill out.” I lowered my head into my hands as a twinge of a headache pulsed at my temples.

(Nyx) “Its okay, your time is coming beautiful.” He pointed at Craigen. “He can’t watch you all the time. I have the perfect place for you.” His palm rested on his chest. “I was thinking right over my heart.”

“You vile bastard, leave!” My anger raged out of control and I reached for the paperweight on my desk. He ducked and it crashed into the wall, shards of glass fell to the floor.

(Nyx) “For now, but I will win in the end. I always do”

“I am writing this story and you will definitely not be wining this one. I have a evil plan of my own for you.”

(Nyx) “Oh, I like a strong and confident woman. It is so much more fun breaking them.” An evil smile curved his features and his eyes turned crimson.

My breath caught in my throat. “Damn it Craigen! No throwing knifes. That flew right past my head.”

(Craigen) “Sorry, but he was getting too close. I had to do something. I don’t want to worry about you having a mental bond with him too. Anyway, I got rid of the demon scum.”

“Yeah, well thanks. Now can I get back to my blog?”

(Lyric) “Did she start writing again?”

I slumped over, crossed my arms on my desk and lowered my head. “Great.”

(Craigen) “No she is writing a blog. Whatever the hell that is. I guess it is more important than catching a killer.”

(Lyric) “There is nothing more important than catching a killer.” Her eyes bore into me. “What is wrong with you Tabitha?”

“Maybe if you guys would go away for the next twenty minutes, I could finish this and write the next chapter. But at this rate I am not going to get anything done. You know your love scene is coming up in about two more chapters.” A grin tugged at my features. I knew that would at least get rid of Craigen.

(Lyric) “Really?” Her eyes glazed over. “I…uh…”

(Craigen) “No way!”

“Why you guys are obviously falling in love?”

(Craigen) “That’s fine Tabitha. I'm out of here. You better hope he doesn’t come back because I am pissed and I may not come to you rescue!”

“I think I can handle Nyx I did create him.”

(Craigen) “That is one of the things that makes me wonder about your mental state.”

“Okay, I have had enough! Craigen I will call you when you are needed.”

(Craigen) “Women! You need to get your head straight and get this story finished before I lose my patients with you!”

“Well, at least he is gone.” Two down one to go.

(Lyric) “Do we really get a love scene?”

“Yes, hun and it is going to be amazing.”

(Lyric)” I don’t think he thinks so.”

“He will, you drive him crazy. He just refuses to see it, but I will make sure he does. You deserve a good man, and Craigen is one of the best. He will give in. I promise.”

(Lyric) I…will..uh…leave you to do that blog thingy you are doing.”

“Hey, Lyric, hun, be careful. You almost ran into the door.”

(Lyric) “Yeah, sorry.” Giggle.

“Okay where was I. Yeah, I haven’t gotten much writing done. Wait what was that noise? “Nyx, what do you want?”

(Nyx) “You.”

“Oh, really, you smell so good. Don’t look at me with those sexy blue eyes. I swear if you don’t leave I will kill you in the next chapter!”

(Nyx) “Fine. But your time is coming.”

“Okay, to hell with the blog, guess I have to go and write the next chapter before they all drive me insane. See the crap I have to deal with? I’m not even alone in my own head. Sorry about the blog guys.”

(Craigen) “See, knew we could get her back in the game. She really needs to stop slacking.”

(Lyric) “I think we need to give her break. She has been so busy lately. You want her to write the story well don’t you?”

(Nyx) “I don’t really care as long as I win in the end.”

(Craigen) “Keep dreaming, Nyx. You lost the first time we battled and it won’t be any different this time.”

(Nyx) “We’ll see.”

“I would say you guys need to learn to get along but that will never happen. So I need you to all shut up!”

(Craigen) “Fine we don’t want to drive the writer of Soul Extraction crazy. She already has a few screws loose to even invent this story. We’re out of here.”

Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake

Pictures are left Craigen, middle Nyx and right Lyric.

Character Inspiration

Writing ideas come from the strangest places. I have heard writers tell me they had a dream or even a person just popped into their head out of nowhere, and they were inspired to write their story. One thing I know for certain, writers are a strange bunch. We can weave the most extravagant tales from nothing. And yes we hear voices. LOL Ok most would say that’s a mental disorder but it’s not for a writer. That’s how we get in touch with our characters and take them from an idea to the characters you know and love dearly. So let’s take a ride through the mind of a writer, Watch out this might be a little scary. HeeHee.

Let’s start with character. The characters in a book are the backbone, they are what holds the story together. Finding your characters is the first thing you must do before you start writing. Where do you find them? Characters can come from anywhere. Mine usually start in my head. I think about what I plan to write, not the whole story just a general idea. That helps me to think about my characters, what they will face and what kind of characters I need. Do they need to be strong, helpless, sweet, evil? Ok now you know the type of personality you need. Once I do this it helps me picture them in my mind. If you are writing about the girl next door, I can almost bet she won’t be a tall red head with a voluptuous figure. She will look like the average person. So for me personality plays a big part in who my characters are and what they look like.

My alpha male in A Vamp To Remember is tall, dark and handsome. Sounds typical right? Well this is where you make them just a little different. Zan is over six feet tall, has long black hair with metallic silver streaks and his eyes are dark almost black with silver encircling them. This is what I mean when I say make them just a little different. You don’t have to take drastic measures just give them something that makes them stand out in a crowd. His eyes alone would do that for me as a reader. I write paranormal and the characters in this genre can get pretty bizarre at times, so remember to give them something that connects them to the reader. They have to be believable. It can be as simple as the big bad monster that falls in love and shows a tender side to the woman that has tamed the savage beast.

Now you have a general idea. Let’s take it a little further. I like to look for pictures of my characters and hang them in front of me while I write. It really makes my characters come to life. It’s amazing you look at pictures and think nope not him. Then all of a sudden you find the one you have been looking for. That’s when you realize you knew what he looked like all along. This really helps me connect with my characters on a deeper level. I know you are thinking a picture come on, but you would be shocked how inspiring a picture can be.  I find myself staring at them and wonder what next? Sometimes they answer and sometimes they just stare back. LOL

We talked a little about their personality. Let’s talk about really getting to know your characters. How do you do that? The best place to start is a character chart. It will ask your characters questions you never thought to ask. What are their likes and dislikes? Goals and hopes? Fears? Motivation?  These are just a few, there are too many to list. I will give you a link to a good character chart at the end of the blog. You won’t need to use all the questions asked on a character chart but they are handy to have around. They are helpful when you need a personality trait or description. It’s also helpful if you are in the middle of a chapter and you forget his eye color. LOL Yes it happens to the best of us.

Most writers form a bond with their characters. I know it sounds weird but this is the case with me. I grow very close to my characters. I have had writers even tell me they felt a loss when a story came to an end. They become real in a writers mind. But I think you have to form this bond in order for the characters to come across as real to the reader. If you force characters you don’t believe in they will come across as forced. Then the story just falls flat. You need to feel the characters are close friends in order for them to intrigue the reader and tug at their emotions. If the reader loves your characters the odds are they will love the story as well.

Characters can be found everywhere. All you have to do is open your eyes and look around. They are the people you see in the grocery store, the mall, at work or passing you on the street. Inspiration comes when we open our eyes to the real world and watch others at a distance. Watch the way people act, move and talk. It really is amazing what we miss as we go about our daily lives. Open your eyes to inspiration it’s all around you.

I would love to hear where you find inspiration for your characters.

Character Chart:

www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html

Happy Reading and Writing

Tabitha Blake

In my head I hear voices screaming to be heard. So I write their stories. My characters speak to me and lead me through their joys and sorrows.
Tabitha Blake

The Tortured Hero (Picture is Craigen From Soul Extraction my Current WIP)

Today I thought I would talk about how I created the hero in my current wip, Soul Extraction. He is the epitome of the tortured hero. Poor guy is a mess but a very sexy mess. It takes many layers to create a true tortured hero and you have to peel the layers away as the story progresses. Opening one wound at a time and a good character will fight you all the way. If your character has a damaged past they are going to refuse to tear down walls and be open, even with the woman they believe could be the love of their life. Most tortured heroes would rather walk away with their defenses up than give in and open themselves to the possibility of getting hurt again. This is where you find the battle of wills begins. However, remember this creates tension, which is good. It can be helpful when it comes to conflict, sexual tension and internal conflict. It ratchets the story up to a new level.

What makes a good tortured hero? Well he is someone that has had a tragic past and wants to put it behind him and forget it. The problem lies in the fact that it isn’t that simple. Every time he turns around there is something that reminds him about the agony he carries with him. Most of these heroes try to shut themselves off from the outside world and live a solitary life. The problem is they still want the companionship but don’t know how to get over the emotional rollercoaster they ride everyday. That is where the heroine comes in and he is torn and usually fights the feelings the meeting opens up in him.

Craigen from Soul Extraction has many such wounds and is torn between the past and the present. A former angel that is now labeled one of the fallen. In his grief, he turned to drinking to ease his pain, which works until he is summoned by God to take down Nyx a sexual demon steeling women’s souls. Nyx is part of the reason he ended up one of the fallen. Three hundred years ago, he was sent to earth to catch Nyx. Craigen finds himself protecting a beautiful human and looses his heart to her. Following his heart he falls in love and is chased from the heavens by Michael the archangel. She becomes pregnant and dies in childbirth, leaving a gaping wound in his heart. He has lost everything, the love of his life and his angel status, a cruel reminder of his mistakes. Then he is called to take Nyx out for the second time and if he does, he will be welcomed back into heaven with open arms. But in the process, he meets Lyric the heroine and everything spins out of control again. He tries to push his feelings aside but they gnaw at him continually. When Nyx come after Lyric his protective nature takes over. He refuses to allow the past to repeat its self.

I love to write the tortured hero. All my heroes have had past that have left a deep seeded wound. In my opinion, they make the best heroes and bring tension to the story. A sexy hero that fights his feelings makes for some great sexual tension. They also demand the reader to sympathize with them, it makes them real. Flaws bring out the reality of the character. We are all flawed in one-way or another and a perfect hero is not very believable. I like my heroes to be damaged because it makes the tension high and the passions even higher when they go over the edge. They have been denying their feelings for so long that when they finally let loose watch out it is going to be intense.

To write a good tortured hero you have to have a good back-story. The thing is you also have to write it good or it is just an info dump. You have to weave it in little bits at a time and not just one big clump of info or you are going to loose your reader. In my wip S.E. the info about Craigen comes out in small bits all through the story, not in one big lump of info. This is very important. You also have to remember there has to be a reason to tell the back story, not just okay I’m going to give up the back story here just for the heck of it. In Soul Extraction Lyric tells her back story after she is attacked by Nyx and Craigen asks why she became a FBI agent. He is trying to distract her from her racing feelings. The problem is he opens up a whole other situation as he listens to her reasoning. This does not happen until chapter twelve so by this time you know Lyric and like her. This is very important, if the reader does not know the character yet then they won’t care about the back-story. There is a method to the madness of writing back-story.

When I start to write a character I look for things that will inspire me. I look to movies, music, and books. There is so much in this world to inspire you. Sometimes it may just be a walk in the park or sitting alone with your thoughts. I also love to search for pictures of my characters to look at while I write. It makes my characters come to life, for me at least. I find myself looking at them and waiting to hear them speak to me. I also do character charts for each of my characters and this breathes life into them too. It answers questions about them you never thought to ask.

Here are some links:

The song that reminds me of Craigen, poor thing. He lost the only woman he ever loved and she haunts him now. This song is perfect for the emotions he carries with him.

My Immortal/ Evanescence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5anLPw0Efmo

Character Chart, it will be the first one that comes up. It is a great tool, keeps you on track, and helps when you wonder the little things about your characters.

www.epiguide.com/ep101/writing/charchart.html

I would love to hear what you think about reading or writing the tortured hero. Do you think they bring more tension to the story? I personally want a strong alpha with a tortured past.

Till Next Time, Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake

Why Do Women Find Vampires So Sexy?

I decided as a paranormal writer to tackle the question everyone is asking and scratching their heads about. Why are women so fascinated with vampires? Well vampires have always had a following, so it’s not a new trend. The difference is men told most vampire stories and they depicted the vampires as a blood sucking monsters. The vampire was known as evil, scary and repulsive. Then women writers decided to reinvent the vampire. They became suave, charming and the bad to the bone alpha males women are going crazy over. They are sexy, romantic, powerful and the ultimate bad boys.

Women have always been attracted to the bad boy type. What woman doesn’t like a guy in a leather jacket, tight jeans, and throw in a scar or two and you have the ultimate bad boy persona. That’s nothing new look at James Dean he was one of the first bad boys. Bad boys are the ultimate challenge, they do what they want, when they want and no one stands in their way. They are dark and mysterious, you never quite know where you stand with them. They keep it fun, exciting, and just a little bit dangerous. Women want to tame the savage beast. For any woman to bring a man like that to his knees it must be love. I have to admit I love to read about a dominant alpha male. I like them strong and demanding. I think it is an escape from the norm and is the fantasy of many women now hooked on the vampire craze.

Women love a man that demands respect and oozes confidence. Vampires are the ultimate when it comes to power. They are physically stronger, faster and are hard to kill. The only way to kill a vampire is burn them or remove their head, they can survive almost anything. Women thrive on knowing their man can protect them and these guys are like Mac trucks. Don’t ever mess with a vampire’s mate if you plan to live to see another day. A vampire will gladly give his life to keep the woman he loves out of harms way. Women love a man that would be willing to die for them, it is the ultimate sacrifice.

Vampires are hopeless romantics, they cherish their women. They know how women want to be treated, but I guess when you have lived for hundreds of years there is plenty of time to figure it out. The thing about vampires is they have only one true mate. Not to say there haven’t been a long list of women in their life, but what do you expect from a man that is hundreds of years old? They can make the direst situation romantic that is true chivalry. How can you not fall madly in love with a man that has searched for hundreds of years for you? You are the only one that he wants to spend eternity with. One of the biggest pluses is a vampire never cheat once bonded, you are the only one they will ever want. Their love is eternal and knows no bounds. Women want a prince charming and the vampire comes quite close.

So I don’t really think it is the vampire women are looking for, it is the traits of the vampire they are after. Women want to be swept off their feet. They want a whirlwind romance. They search for a man that is strong and can give them the security to know he will always keep them safe. I think taming the bad boy is a challenge and adds a little bit of danger to the mix. As a writer, my bad boy characters keep my books exciting and the heroine guessing what will happen next.

So, what is so bad about being powerful, almost immortal, always in control and incredibly desirable? Well according to many vampire lovers nothing. They are one of the most seductive creatures in paranormal romance and my personal favorite. What do you find sexy about vampires?

Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake

The Creep Factor

It takes a little bit of a dark side to write a paranormal romance. You have to push the limits of a regular romance into the odd and unexpected. Its more than just writing a vampire or werewolf novel, readers expect to read something new and exciting. You have to weave a dark and twisted tale to keep the reader interested. Because if you don’t you fall into the category of just another vampire or werewolf tale. They want a new spin on the old traditional creatures and I don’t blame them. When I read a paranormal novel that takes the same basic creatures and turns them into something I never expected, curiosity draws me in.

Examples:

A vampire that faints at the sight of blood.

Vampires that are from Atlantis.

Vampires that drink only bagged blood.

Demons that run a demon hospital.

Vampires that can go out in the sun.

Demons that fight for good and not evil.

These are just a few that take the mundane and change it up to keep it interesting.

I am asked all the time where did you come up with that idea. The problem with answering that question is I don’t really have a good straightforward answer. Usually I just say from the dark recesses of my mind. I definitely have a dark side to my mind. I really enjoy the creep factor and that is the reason I write paranormals. I love to watch horror movies and thrive on the moments that make you jump. One of my crit partners is always telling me, “it’s a great story but really creepy.” When I hear that, I get overjoyed because I have done my job well.

One of my favorite parts of writing paranormals is the fact that there are no set rules. Your characters can be anything you want them to be. How can someone tell you your wrong when you are writing about mythic creatures? You are only limited by your imagination. The only rules you have to follow are the ones you apply to your story. You can’t tell the reader one thing and then halfway through tell them something different. Then you loose the reader but this goes for all stories. A reader wants consistency. They need balance to the story to make it believable and yes, even a paranormal needs to be believable. Your characters need to be consistent through out the story or readers start to question you as a writer.

My favorite part of writing isn’t what you would think it is. Most would say it is all about writing the dark but sexy hero or heroine. Well for me it is all about the resident evil in my books. I love to write the vile bad guy, I thrive on his dastardly deeds. I’m not sure what that says about me. HaHa! The evilness just flows from my mind to the keyboard and I tend to write the bad guy well. My bad guys are some of the vilest people that you would ever meet. They live to destroy and have no mercy for anyone. It is somewhat scary I guess I have a true dark and demented side that comes out in my work. Nevertheless, I think all authors are just a little twisted. How do you explain the stories we weave? Not everyone is capable of telling a tale like we do and some of us are just more twisted than others. I fall into the more twisted than others category. On a scale of one to ten, I would be a twelve. Of all the genres to write this is the only one I want to ever write. I feel joy when I weave a great paranormal tale. Now that we have journeyed through the dark corners of my mind and you know the creepy side of Tabitha, I hope you come back next week for more. If you dare to delve deeper into what makes me tick.

Happy Reading and Writing,

Tabitha Blake