Admission of the Day

I love vampires!

I don't know where the love of them first came from -- but I'm thinking from DARK SHADOWS (which aired when I was a child. Back in the dark ages). I never found Barnabas Collins particularly appealing (back then, to me, he was an "old guy") but I figure something must have sparked then to send me on a lifelong affair with fanged boys.

The funny thing is I seldom read vampire fiction. I don't know why that is -- maybe because I have a mindset of how I want vampires to be so I don't like delving into anybody else's psyche about how vampires function or what they can do. I've actually written a vampire novel -- MR. PARRISH had been in my head for a long, long time and, finally, several years ago, I decided to attempt to write it -- and I did. There are some folks who have read it and I got good responses -- and one publisher nibbled but, in the end, I turned the "deal" down (long story which one day I'll share. Maybe). MR. PARRISH has been re-edited and I'm about to edit it again -- and then I'll start sending off those query letters. Wish me luck. I'm not sure why I've centered on MR. PARRISH as far as publishing goes -- I've written other novels which have nothing to do with the supernatural at all -- and which, perhaps, are better than MR. PARRISH -- but my gut feeling has always been go with MR. P and see where he takes me.

Anyway, one set of vampire novels I have read is Colleen Gleason's Gardella Chronicles -- there are four books (mass-market paperbacks) out already and one more coming. I started reading these because I saw an interview with Ms. Gleason in the newspaper and the plot and time period interested me so I said why not? Anyway, I've gotten quite addicted to them -- though the vampires in them are never (well, so far) good guys. But, of course, there's Max (think Richard Armitage in Regency period clothing...got it? Let the drooling commence...)

But I digress -- my whole point of this entry today was to discuss TRUE BLOOD which is now showing on HBO. The series is based on the Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris -- none of which I've read. But I have to say I'm enjoying the show -- it's different -- I'll give you that. And, while at first, I didn't find the character of Bill Compton (a vampire played by Stephen Moyer, pictured above) very appealing, he's grown on me and, in fact, has become quite the sexy vamp. The female lead -- Sookie -- played by Anna Paquin -- I'm not so sure about. Having not read the novels, maybe Ms. Paquin is perfect for the part but something about her just doesn't click with me. However, it's not a deal breaker.

Of course, there's the southern thing as well. To the southern ear, people using fake accents are pretty easy to spot -- even though everyone else may think they are dead on. The worst, though, is Tara's -- played by Rutina Wesley. I'm sure the actress is doing exactly what she's told but, quite frankly -- and at the risk of being totally un-PC -- someone like Tara would probably not sound that way at all. Not saying that no one would but, hey, I've been living in the south all my life so there are a few things I actually know to be true.

I've also added a link (in All About Reading) for author Marta Acosta's blog called VAMPIRE WIRE -- "for the latest news on paranormal and urban fantasy books, movies and television..." If vampires are your thing, check it out!