We’ve always been
thrilled by the supernatural, haven’t we? It’s that sense of mystery, that
knowing that “there has to be something more to the story” that always drives
us wild. It incites our passions, fears and sense of wonder. But, if just for
the purposes of this guest post, I could ask you to forget all the technology
and hustle-and-bustle of the world around you. Forget about twitter and
facebook (God forbid!)
Imagine what it must
have been like for people a thousand years ago, when they couldn’t wiki this or
google that. They had to come up with reasons as to why the sun would come up,
how pregnancy worked, and even how to act. Our imagination as a people was
vivid and we were terrified. The Dark Ages were dark in more than just name.
For instance, did you know
that werewolves and vampires were actually the same kind of creature? When you
start looking at their ancient origins though… well, that’s usually the point
where things get really murky. Vampires specifically have been around since
Ancient Egypt, and most likely, even before recorded history. The lore on them
is impossibly long.
They’ve been described
as astral creatures with no ties to humanity, thought-form creatures that are
fully evil and feed on human souls, and they’ve even been considered to be
demons. For purposes of this writing though, let’s talk about the most common
form of vampire. The revenant.
Even the word sounds a
little creepy, doesn’t it? The modern image of a vampire might be tall, dark
and handsome, but the roots from which all of this came from… it isn’t sexy at
all.
Revenants are a
category of undead or unnatural creature. They’re the parent category for nasty
things like ghouls, zombies and vengeful spirits. But you wouldn’t want to make
out with a zombie though, right? The vampire specifically, has been changed so
much throughout history that we don’t even know what was ever the real lore
behind the legend.
The weaknesses of a
vampire have become pretty numerous: Silver, holy water, holy wafers (a former
popular one that has lost a lot of its oomph), crosses, sunlight, herbs,
garlic… You name it, it’s probably been added to the list of weaknesses. But,
the ancient legends pretty much paint a picture of a vampire being invincible.
So how do we go from
invincible to being deathly allergic to pizza toppings and jewelry? I bet it’s
because of people who think it’s great to make vampires sparkle in the
sunlight. Now! Before you all get incited to riot and barrage me with rotten
fruit, it’s important to understand one thing! I’m a huge fan of sparkly
vampires; they’re just not vampires.
They’re sparkly, super-strong, super-fast, something elses. And that werewolf?
Not a real werewolf, but we will have to hit that one on another day.
At this point you might
be asking yourself: “Why is he jumping around? What does Twilight have to do
with the origins of vampires”
Okay! Here’s the thing:
When Ms. Meyer wrote her series, she reinvigorated an entire genre. She also
gave a new generation the vehicle to easily enter the supernatural realm. But,
if you ask younger kids, they can’t really tell you what is or isn’t
traditional for vampires. No biggie, it’s just entertainment. She’s putting her
own creative spin in. In her doing so though, she is helping mold tomorrow’s
writers and storytellers. So if in a hundred years, all vampires sparkle and
their eyes shimmer depending on what kind of blood they consume, we all know
why. I’m just saying!
When Bram Stoker wrote
his timeless classic, Dracula, he used Prince Vlad Tepes as a template for his
monster. And don’t let the modern day vamps misdirect you, Dracula WAS a
monster. Stoker used a lot of revenant lore to power his story, and in my
opinion, it was pretty awesome. But even when he used it, he was playing a game
of telephone with the legend. He helped transform the legend we would recognize
a hundred years after him.
In Eastern Europe,
around the time Stoker was writing his work, vampires were seen as grotesque,
unsightly things. But he chose to make Dracula a really suave dude, in a bad
ass cape. The book was literary gold and we all wanted more. Thus, the vampire
myth was only attached to
Dracula-types and we lost the ugly vampires.
Like I said, it’s just
entertainment (or is it?) but it’s
pretty amazing that in less than 150 years, an entire piece of very established
folklore has been morphed in such a way. I have a grandfather who remembers
hearing about Dracula, thinking it was a new idea. He probably thought it was a
craze. Yet here we are, dying to get another bite.
After that pun, you can
all now throw your rotten produce.
From what I understand,
the first line of this thing is where I say something really interesting that
wins you over. After all, they say that you know within seconds of meeting a
person whether you like them or not.
So...yeah... I got nothing. But if there is one thing I know, it's that through stories we discover the world, learn about history and traditions; and in doing that, we become who we are as an individual.
Since I was a very young child, my only dream was to become an author one day. I wanted to reach people with my words, maybe even entertain them. I wanted to touch their lives and give them something to think about. After all, I am a loveable blowhard kinda guy... that's gotta be entertaining, right?
In my life, I've done many things; from supervising sales for a retail giant chain to being a Deputy Sheriff. You would think that a person who had been shot at for a living would be brave enough to write a biography without all the sarcastic quips. Unfortunately no, that's one of my main flaws as the above mentioned blowhard.
Anyhoo, please feel free to drop me a line! If you loved the book, I wanna hear about it. If you hated every word of it, please make sure to let me know, but please avoid the CAPS LOCK! The font can be a little... demeaning. Make sure to have fun guys! They say you only live twice; and if that's true, we're at least half done.
Wait, that can't be right...
So...yeah... I got nothing. But if there is one thing I know, it's that through stories we discover the world, learn about history and traditions; and in doing that, we become who we are as an individual.
Since I was a very young child, my only dream was to become an author one day. I wanted to reach people with my words, maybe even entertain them. I wanted to touch their lives and give them something to think about. After all, I am a loveable blowhard kinda guy... that's gotta be entertaining, right?
In my life, I've done many things; from supervising sales for a retail giant chain to being a Deputy Sheriff. You would think that a person who had been shot at for a living would be brave enough to write a biography without all the sarcastic quips. Unfortunately no, that's one of my main flaws as the above mentioned blowhard.
Anyhoo, please feel free to drop me a line! If you loved the book, I wanna hear about it. If you hated every word of it, please make sure to let me know, but please avoid the CAPS LOCK! The font can be a little... demeaning. Make sure to have fun guys! They say you only live twice; and if that's true, we're at least half done.
Wait, that can't be right...
**********************************************
Love sarcastic vampires? Do you feel the unexplainable need to give
giant, brooding werewolves a hug? Are you a furry? You might be a Keeper fan!
And if that’s the case, you might want to find out more about the
series or the madman who wrote it! Here are some links. You can stalk me,
threaten me, or just tell me how much of an all around nice guy I am.
The Facebook (Along with god-awful status updates and personal
musings)
The Twitter (The time is 9:21pm and I can’t find a sandwich!)
Twitter Handle (@kpftwin) and direct link, if you prefer convenience… but who does?
Amazon Author Page (Makes it easier to find other works)
Goodreads Author Page (Fancy online library for the win!)
The official email address (in case you really love it or hate it
enough that it deserves an email. Cryptic!)
And don’t forget to pick up the first book “The Keeper: Awakening”.
It’s free, the only deal better than that is if I was paying you to download it. If I had that kind
of money, I wouldn’t be selling my blood and plasma on the weekends… Anyhoo,
that can be found at:
Amazon
And if ya like that one, please check out “The Keeper: Revenge”!
It’s out and waiting for ya at:
Thanks for reading my post! You win the internet! But seriously,
thanks for giving an unknown writer a chance. You took time out of your life to
take a chance on my words, and that is something really indescribable. Well,
not that I don’t possess the descriptive ability to, I mean, I should. I write
for a living.
You know what I mean! I’m out of here before I pull out any more
corny jokes! Be safe Keepers!
Elizabeth is a brilliant loner with a troubling secret she doesn't even
know. As if the trauma of her mother being abducted before her eyes as a
young girl wasn't enough, the small town she lives in thinks she’s
crazy. That all changed when she met Michael, a mysterious and handsome
man who identified with her like no one else before. Michael’s long
time friend Vincent visits and drops the bombshell of a lifetime on
Elizabeth and her world becomes completely unraveled.
Vincent’s information has revealed the world for what it is; a place where the impossible is real, and myths and legends walk slyly in shadow. A world that Elizabeth will learn she too is a member. Now, the three are caught up in a thousand year long conspiracy they never could have imagined. The three must rely on one another and the secret connection they all share if they have a chance to survive.
Warning: This book contains mature content and is intended for mature readers 18+.
*********************************************************
When Klein divided the supernatural community and threw the gauntlet
down, Liz and crew warned everyone. They watched and did their best to
protect the world. No one could have counted on the sadistic vampire's
plan, and no one could be ready for it.
Now, the world is drowning in the vile Hela poison. Supers are panicking in the streets, old forgotten legends have reemerged expecting the end of the world, and the long dreaded end might be upon all of us.
Liz is finally together with the tortured Vincent, and they’re genuinely happy. But the two may never know true bliss. The great lie, the world behind the veil, might be revealed.
If that happens, not even Michael, nature's favorite werewolf, may be able to restore the balance.
But there is something else that is emerging from the mask of mystery. Two ancient enemy forces are about to fight a war; their battleground?
Earth itself.
Warning: This book contains several love scenes and is intended for mature readers 18+.
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