Paranormal Perceptions ~ Perceiving the Vampire
The Paranormal Perceptions series was created to gather some of the most interesting authors that are using paranormal elements in their stories. Every author has their own perceptions and provides their own insight on all things paranormal, ranging from urban legends and paranormal research, to myths and inspirations. This week on the guest series is author of Hex and the Single Witch, author Roxanne Rhoads. (@RoxanneRhoads)
Vampires: Dead, Undead, or Something Else
In most myths, legends and even in plenty of popular fiction vampires are described as either dead or undead, sometimes referred to as walking corpses.
No heartbeat, no need to breathe, no need to eat food or drink anything other than blood.
Honestly all that doesn’t make a whole hell of a lot of sense to me.
For me vampires are different and extraordinary creatures- and not dead at all. Just different.
I can understand them being described as dead in the early incarnations. Because before the Gothic literature of the 1800s romanticized vampires early myths and legends portrayed them as monsters- grotesque walking corpses. More like today’s zombies than the sexy, romantic and sometimes sparkling vampires that we often envision them to be.
I see being changed into as vampire as a transformation, not death- at least not completely. It is death and rebirth. A catalyst that transforms a person from human to Other. Changing from human to vampire is the death of the normal human life but not a true death.
I simply can’t wrap my head around the concept of a vampire being dead because of several things.
One they need to feed to “survive”. If you need to survive then obviously you’re not really dead, are you?
Another thing- rapid healing abilities. If you can heal, how can you be dead? Dead things don’t heal.
Other things I don’t agree with are the cold skin and lack of heartbeat and breathing. I think vampires are evolved and don’t need to breath as often as humans and their hearts don’t beat like ours- and the slowness of their heartbeat and breaths has something to do with the whole immortality thing.
And the cold skin… when they get cold that just means they need to feed, if they are fully fed their skin is just as warm as ours.
That brings me to the need for blood. As I mentioned I see vampirism as a transformation, a disease or mutation that changes the human body into something else, something more. It changes the metabolism and the higher functions of the body. To keep these processes going the body burns up its blood supply and constantly needs to be replenished.
The other powers of vampires- the glamour and mind control and all that, even the teleportation and shape shifting that some can do…well that goes into the magic slot.
I think vampirism is one part disease two parts magic.
In many of my stories the vampires defy the normal vampire conventions. They eat, they walk in daylight, they have heartbeats, and they breathe (usually). I try not to describe them as dead or undead and I don’t often stick them in coffins or in the ground.
In my newest book, Hex and the Single Witch, the vampires are all a little different from each other. Some have issues with sunlight, some do not, some have silver sensitivities some do not.
This is because there are many species of Others (fae, demon, shifter, witch, etc) than have interbred with humans over the centuries. When a human is turned into a vampire the dormant powers inside them become active. Most humans will never know they have “Other” blood inside them until the catalyst of becoming a vampire brings that dormant power to the surface. In addition vampires also gain some of their abilities and powers from the vampire that made them, their sire. The result is a species of vampires that have a wide variety of powers and abilities. Which is why they are so hard to track, kill or fight- you never know what you’re going up against when you deal with a vamp.
A 100% human with no “Other” blood inside will not survive the change into a vampire.
In the Vehicle City Vampire series I wanted to take all the myths, legends and variances of vampire abilities, mix them all up and create an explanation as to why vampires are so different. I hope that readers will enjoy my take on vampirism.
Story strumpet, tome loving tart, eccentric night owl...these words describe book publicist and erotic romance author Roxanne Rhoads.
When not fulfilling one the many roles being a wife and mother of three require, Roxanne's world revolves around words...reading them, writing them, editing them, and talking about them. In addition to writing her own stories she loves to read, promote and review what others write.
Roxanne is the owner of Bewitching Book Tours and operates Fang-tastic Books, a book blog dedicated to paranormal and urban fantasy books.
When not reading, writing, or promoting Roxanne loves to hang out with her family, craft, garden and search for unique vintage finds.
Visit her online
Author blog www.roxannesrealm.blogspot.com
Book Blog www.fang-tasticbooks.blogspot.com
Bewitching Book Tours www.bewitchingbooktours.blogspot.com,
Facebook www.facebook.com/RoxanneRhoads
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Roxanne can also be found on Linked In, Goodreads and Google+