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Guest Post by Author Linda Robertson + Giveaway
Filed in Giveaways , Guest Post , Linda Robertson , The HEA Lover Posted on January 14, 2011 @ 7:00 am
57 comments
We are very happy to have author Linda Robertson here at Book Lovers Inc again. She the author of the wonderful Persephone Alcmedi series. Arcane Circle, book 4 in this series, was released in December and today she’s not only here to celebrate her latest release she will also tell us why she thinks that vampires rock. Be sure to stay tuned till the end because we have a little surprise for you at the end of the post. Please give Linda a warm but still rocking welcome.
I’m delighted to be here at BOOK LOVERS INC today celebrating the release of the fourth book in the Persephone Alcmedi series: ARCANE CIRCLE. Also, I’d like to let you know that I’m part of a new group blog that is often deliciously naughty. www.word-whores.blogspot.com Because I get to post on Wednesdays, I am the Hump-Day Word-Whore. (** “word-whore” meaning that the seven of us on the blog are all authors who sell our words—and no they aren’t necessarily all dirty words)
Over at the new blog we have a weekly theme and this week we’re taking turns talking about TIME. I, of course, immediately thought, How can I link this to my favorite creature character, the vampire?
In the end, I wrote a different time-related post for the Word-Whores, but I brought this fun post to you here at BLI. Enjoy!
“I’ve crossed oceans of time to find you.”
So long as they don’t meet up with the business end of a wooden stake, vampires have all kinds of time. Yeah, oceans of it, metaphors of the subconscious aside.
What does that longevity actually do for a vampire?
Stereotypically, vamps acquire power and wealth, but there are plenty of bad-boys with a heartbeat that have those.
What else? What could a bloodsucker spend time working on that would have a killer benefit?
Well, vampires must feed. The hours won’t turn into hemoglobin, but those endless nights are spent in the pursuit of it, so…why not develop a skill that makes the acquisition of food easier or more thrilling.
Yes.
To sate their hunger, they must get close to a living person. Stalking the dark edges and attacking the weak is for the fearful and the unskilled—but when the predator can hide in plain sight, that gives license to a different strategy altogether. One of choice.
As the vampire mingles among the populace pretending to be just an ordinary man—it’s my analogy and I say this vamp is a heterosexual man—he can select the most adored, or the smartest, or the most beautiful…but inevitably he must lure the unwitting blood donor away for privacy. Again, since it’s my analogy, let’s say the prey is an attractive female. Suddenly, the feeding has more possibilities.
This kind of hunt requires the quick creation of attraction, and this enthrallment must be so strong that all sense of reason submits to this desire. Unless our vampire was of the ilk of Hugh Jackman, Daniel Craig, Chris Pine, or Viggo Mortensen while mortal, then producing the level of instant enticement I’m suggesting probably takes decades of work.
Gratuitous inclusion of hunky men:
So, apart from our vamp being gorgeous, how does he manufacture this immediate magnetism?
Flirtation. Seduction. Romance. It’s the combination of a look, perhaps an action or a gentle touch, and soft words. By and large the vampires we love most have made the art of seduction their paramount survival skill.
Yup. Those extra lifetimes allow a horny undead guy to perfect his pick up lines and become proficient in the romantic department. (This explains the trio of baby-eating wives that the old vamps typically have hanging around as well as the recent engagement of Hugh Hefner.)
I’d like to offer you two examples from Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula, 1992, showing the romantic expertise that Vlad (Gary Oldman) has honed with time.
Example One: “The Power of Romantic Words.”
Vlad establishes himself with Mina (Winona Ryder).
“Please. Permit me to introduce myself. I am Prince Vlad of Szeklys.”
Taken aback, Mina replies, “A prince, no less.”
“I am…your servant.”
*dreamy sigh*
It’s not something many men of that era would have said. Hell, it’s not something many men would say now. But he’s so far beyond those conventions he’s willing to reveal how smitten he is and make it clear he will cast aside his authority and serve her.
Those words damn near got him an all access pass—but they’re not just a function of language to Vlad. Having decades of pining and loneliness to fuel him, standing before the reborn image of his one true love, the earnestness he applied was sincerity incarnate. It convinced the proper late-Victorian-era Mina to throw down her moral standards and her caution. Her petticoats dropped onto that pile soon after.
(author aside: Hey, all you mortal guys. Hello! If you’re paying attention you’ll understand that that was one of those statements that, should you be able to pull it off with as much candor as the fangboy, it is guaranteed to get you bonus points with the ladies—and not just the ones who get off on being a dominatrix.)
Example Two: “Not the Best Way to Get a Girl, but it Worked for This Vampire.”
Vlad and Mina at the cinematograph.
That’s my favorite scene from this flick. It portrays a strict sense of decorum descending into reckless freedom, kind of like the end of the Victorian era itself.
Vlad was prepared to bite and claim, then he stopped. Did he realize that he didn’t want to just “have” Mina like the ungrateful brides back at Castle Dracula? Did he feel something very mortal? Perhaps he understood that he wanted Mina to love him for who he was, just as Elisabeta had loved him. Conceivably, his centuries of watching human nature allowed him to understand that he could retreat—leaving his prowess and virile manhood well established—and follow it with a show of remorseful submission that would pave the way for the object of his desire to truly open her heart with rainbows of forgiveness….
(**author blinks at that mouthful she just fervently typed…re-reads it, judges it ok with a shrug and moves on.)
Whatever the reason, the next thing we know, he’s on his knee before her and she joins him. Their gloved hands go sliding all along the wolf’s soft white fur, sliding together and apart like lovers on a fireside pelt.
Hold on.
Vlad attacked her and then, moments later in a pose of submission—one rather like some hunky man-candy in the park making maximum use of his bandana-collared and Frisbee catching pooch—he lured her back to him?
Yup. This wouldn’t work (and shouldn’t work) for most.
I’d like to think that even in the final days of the Victorian period it took more than a spiffy suit, dark glasses, top hat, and walking stick ornamented with one’s own personal dragon crest to gain instant exoneration. Or, possibly, like me, Mina was a sucker for a handsome man with long curly hair.
Inexplicably, Mina takes that step beyond reason. She is inescapably drawn to him. Her sense of reason bowed out while desire took over.
When our darling prince whispered, “He likes you,” I don’t think he meant the wolf. Then he followed it with, “There is much to be learned from beasts.” Moments prior, he behaved like a beast, and now he’s telling her that he can teach her so much.
And we know what this beast wants to teach her:
And that is exactly what we’re talking about here:
The vampire’s ability to make his lovers go all starry-eyed and yielding because he has earned the gift of inducing ecstasy. A fella who’s got a few centuries “under his belt” has had time to perfect some titillating tricks utilizing parts of his body that aren’t necessarily “under his belt.”
So, tell me, awesome BOOK LOVERS INC visitors,
if YOU had mastered time, what would you want to learn to do?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Giveaway
Linda is offering a complete set of the Persephone Alcmedi series to ONE lucky commenterAll you have to do is answer Linda’s question or leave a meaningful comment about the post.
(You can read our full giveaway policy here)
Please leave us a way to contact you.
(Email in blogger profile or twitter name – no way to contact you – no entry). This giveaway is open worldwide!
Giveaway ends on Saturday January 29th
and we will announce the winner on Friday.
Good luck!
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Difficult question….
I think I'd like to learn lots of languages so I could go anywhere in the world and just be able to talk with people in their own language.
Great post btw, now I want to go watch the movie yet again.
If I could, I think I would take the entire time to find the fountain of youth. If my time doesn't work out, maybe my life could just last! :-p
That lools mega interesting. Count me in, please! And thank you for the chance!!
Twitter name: @VamPoet,
legally_write@hotmail.com
Oh, where to start? 🙂 I would love to learn so many things. Languages and medicine, both of which I'm fascinated by and have an affinity for. Also, art…to master painting and travel the world. Just for starters. 😉
I'm at sweetbrier at shaw dot ca
SULLIVAN McPIG–You are too cool! Thanks for stopping by! You make a great point in learning languages so you can go /anywhere/! And I want to watch the movie again too.
JADE–Thanks for coming by! The fountain of youth? Are you, by chance, all gung-ho about the new Pirates of the Carribean movie? Stranger Tides. I think the plot has much to do with finding that fountain.
SARA–Thank you for being here! Medicine is a great answer. You'd have the time to wrap you head around so many aspect of it and make connections maybe not yet considered!
wow, that is a really good question… hmm!
i would have o go along with the art comment from above. i'd love to learn to master all forms of art, anything and everything from sculpture to watercolour!
thanks for the chance to win!
stampitchick at yahoo dot ca
love the topic and you are so right. I think that is what lures most of us to stories with immortal men. They have had women all over the world and for centuries no one has been able to tame/claim their hearts, until he meets you…now that is power 😉 I would also learn many languages.
I have been eying this series for a while and winning the first book in the series would be most awesome!
huh, it's a good guestion =) I think I would like to learn a lot more about the space. I can't accept that tha space is endless xD I know it sounds a littl ebit weird, but I'm a huge fan of astronomy.
And I would like to know more about India. I would give everythink to get there once and learn about their culture =) But in real life I know I will never see India.
Thanks for the giveaway and the post 🙂
mikki-mano at hotmail dot com
I like that question. But my simple answer would be, If I could master time, I'd like to study the different languages and learn them all. Spanish itself has so many different dialects between the different parts of the world on it's own. To learn them all and to read and write in each is to me, a wonder. Latin, Arabic, Russian, French.. there are so many rich stories through cultures through history, to go back and learn would be my goal.
I would want to know everything! I am one of those people who hates not knowing the answer to something. Thank goodness for my I-phone! It lets me look up everything at moments notice.
Thanks!
KAtie
bigferret at email dot com
I think medicine would be a big thing for me, since my hobby is studying pandemics. But, I would also have to add,anthropolgy, into it. It is fasicinating to see how cultures change over time.
I would love to read your book.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
TINA– sculpture! Yes! Seems that that would take years, decades, to perfect.
SHARON– Language seems to be a big hit today! 😀
MIKKI-MANO– Space or India. I suppose if you had mastered time the long trek to a distant planet or world wouldn't be so bad. I hope you get to India some day!
FAIRIEGODMOTHER– And here I thought you would say you'd hone your stalker techniques! HA! Naw, really, I think the language answer is great. I'd have to live somewhere to immerse in their language to learn it I think, and having time to do that would be wonderful.
KATIE– Sounds like you're a candidate for a permanent student! I'm in that boat. I could take classes for ever and not hate it so long as I was learning something.
DEBBIE– pandemics! Wow, that's a pretty fine point on a hobby. If you mastered time anthropology would "be" your life. Hadn't thought of that.
THANKS TO YOU ALL for commenting!
Lady Linda,
yeah, but if you learn the language and all the stories, you can learn the ways of the ninja 🙂 stalk you silently as you write and when you have writer's block, I'll throw marshmallows at your head 🙂
what the heck, I'll go for the contest too. if I win, loads of goodies for new peeps that don't know of you yet 😀
Colleen -cfreeman624@gmail.com
I would, hm could I not just read, and read, and then read for a couple of more centuries 😉
Or just practice and practice on writing some great novels.
FairyStalkmother– That is true. However I would suggest that chocolate chips might do more than marshmallows.
Blodeuedd– Thanks for stopping by the contest! I'm with you, I'd want to read, read, read!
It seems to me that at least in the last few centuries, the world keeps changing so much, so rapidly, that it would be a full time job throughout time just keeping up with all of the new technological advances. Every few years it seems like there's some completely radical new skill to learn. That's assuming of course that we don't do something horrific and slip back into the stone age, LOL.
jen at delux dot com
Hi Linda –
I think I'd want to refine the ability to speak telepathically and train others in the skill. I already have this ability with my husband. Even when we're oceans away from each other I can send him messages.
Other than that I'd like to use the time to find the cure for all forms of cancer.
Thanks for the huge giveaway.
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
JEN M– You make a good point. Technology does reinvent itself every few years and its hard enough for us mortals to keep up.
VICTORIA– Y'know, that would kick ass. I have to believe there's something to it. I have a bunch of boys, and there have been many times that I'm doing something and stop and think one of their names (as I've discovered something they can do to help) and they come to me from where ever they were (their room, living room) and say, "Yeah? What'd you want?" They're sure they heard me holler for them!
Thanks to both of you for coming to the party here!
I would learn to not do anything at all. The absolute luxury of the time to do nothing. *sighs with contentment*
robin [at] intensewhisper [dot] com
If I had mastered time I could stay in shape, read as many books as I wanted, learn as many languages as possible, and I think the list could just go on and on.
jlynettes @ hotmail . com
Robin K–ahhh the time master would be also a relaxation master. Good plan!
Sablelexi–a great list! If I had all the time I wanted, I don't think I could limit it to one thing either.
Thanks for joining us here!
HMMM, that's a good question. Good thing I've had my two cups of coffee already or my brain would be mad at you 🙂 I would have to say Time itself. My husband wouldn't need to work so hard, I'd be able to go to school and do what I've always wanted to and would be able to spend more quality time with my children and family. That's the biggest one for me. As my kids grow, I'm always concerned that I never spend enough time with them. When they are grown, I'm gonna miss being the most important thing to them. Time with my kids, extra time to play games, read stories and be silly
june111@att.net
Hi June– thanks for coming by today! I know what you mean about wanting more time with the kids. Life is busy and demanding and more and more it seems I'm overseeing homework when I'd rather be playing Sorry or Star Trek Scene It.
Wow, awesome giveaway….and INTERNATIONAL!!!!! Cool!!!
Well, I would love to spend time researching history, visit all the places, museums, libraries, it would be absolutely fascinating.
Valerie
in Germany
Hi Valerie! Thanks for being here today! Researching history would be cool I'd love to go to Egypt and see the pyramids and the Sphinx. Any particular time period/area appeal to you?
I think if could manipulate time I would want to complete my music education. I played the piano young, but felt it was a chore…now that I'm older I play for me but wish I were better so that I could indulge others.
Learn! Music, languages, art, and whatever I'd want to do based on what I find with those things!
If I could master time I would be able to read sooo many more books.
I have been wanting to read this series, but have so little time.
kissinoak at frontier dot com
Read more! And if I could travel back and forth through it, I think I'd use the opportunity to witness history being made in different places and times.
meredithfl at gmail dot com
CLMcCune–MUSIC! Yes! What a cool, cool thing to spend the time doing.
Melissa–Learning! Here, here!
Estella–There are so many awesome stories out there just waiting in books…it would be nice to have enough time to enjoy them all!
Meredith– Oooo, I like your out of the box thinking! Traveling back and forth through time to witness history.
Thanks to all of you for hanging out in the comments with me!
I want the mundane approach to mastering time where I can actually finish all these projects I start and have the house clean 😉 OK plus then I would make more time for reading!
It has been one of those weeks and I love the sound of this series. I have seen it popping up on all the blogs and it sounds awesome!
terilhack at gmail dot com
If I could master time I too would read more, and travel in the spare time. Work and school fills the days but I actually want to go places too. I live no where near any of these amazing book signings but mastering time, eh, I would totally go and see great books then be back in time to study 😉
The series looks so great! I cannot believe I had not seen it around my local bookstore! I will have to tell them about it!
Thank you for the giveaway.
kasuranna(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
I would want to learn languages, physics, medicine, and anything else to kill time. Also learn how to relax would be my #1 thing.
chicky_baby23__2000@yahoo.com
If I had all the time in the world I would never stop learning. I think I would take up everything from Scuba Diving to Knitting to theoretical physics to playing the guitar and the list goes on, I don't think I would ever be bored!
snicklefritzjerald(at)hotmail(dot)com
If it was possible, I'd like to understand human nature enough to help prevent war.
Thanks for an interesting column. (Email in profile.)
okay, I answered these posts before and its not showing up so I may have hit the wrong button… If it shows up later and this is a duplicate–well, as best as I can remember–forgive me.
TERIL–a practical approach! I can appreciate that! And reading.
KAYA–I, too, would want to travel more. Well wait, no, I'd want to be other exotic places more, but I could do without the airports, flights, cabs, etc. And PLEASE please tell your local store!
MELINDA–Physics? /physics/? I need a relaxtion course just thinking about physics! 🙂
REBS–Never stop learning! I totally agree!
LSUReader–That's very noble. If you had the time to truly understand human nature, you could write a book that really explains men to women and explains women to men. That might help avert some war! 😀
If I had mastered time, I'd want to learn to speak many languages so that I would be comfortable interacting with people as I traveled the world. And I could read books in any language, that would increase my TBR pile a lot, LOL.
Barbed1951(at)aol(dot)com
Barb– If I was taking a poll, languages would be the winner! A wise choice indeed! Thanks for participating!
Language was my first choice as well. I have always struggled trying to learn foreign languages, and with unlimited time, i could finally master them all.
I am just generally a curious person, so I don't think there is a limit to what I would check out. I'm a science geek, so there is so much to check out.
Thanks for the contest.
heatwave96(at)hotmail.com
Language is my first choice too. So much can be lost in translation. Would be awesome to read classics in their original language. After that I would master music.
bacchus76 at myself dot com
I absolutely LOVE this series!!
What kind of research did you have to do for the book? Did you pick places that really exist?
What other kind of research did you do for the magic parts?
jessbess2505[at]yahoo[dot]com
I would want to go to many different places, meeting people and seeing what their lives are like.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com
Uhm… I would like to learn diferents cultures and languages and the secret of making money, so i could travel the world to see diferents places and people and helping them 😀
Thanks for the giveaway! 😀
sweet.sayumi@yahoo.com.br
Languages are certainly the big hit around here for what to learn with all the time you ever wanted! Heatwave16 and donnas both cited that, while -petit hinted at it as she and Maureen both cited the 2nd most chosen thing: traveling!
JESSICA–With the exception of Seph's house which I've never pinpointed the location of, most of the places in the books really exist. Especially the downtown Cleveland ones. Also Samosky's Pizzeria is a real place we like to go in Valley City; the Lodi grocery is a real place I've been to. The restaurants, the May Co. building, the George Enescu statue all real. I have pictures on my website under MY CLEVELAND tab. 😀
I researched the magic by researching magic, wicca, paganism. The "light-show" that magic has in fiction isn't a real part of those religions, but it's fiction and you need a little pizzazz. 😀
Thanks for asking! Glad you enjoy the books!
I didn't realize so many people would think of the exact same thing I did when I saw this question- my first thought was that I would love to learn as many languages as I could.
b(dot)cardone(at)hotmail(dot)com
If I could master time I would want to learn everything…but I would probably start with learning all the languages/dialects in the world.
throuthehaze at gmail dot com
I would want to learn a lot of languages and travel different places and meet different people. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com
Master time? I like the sound of that:) I would learn as much as I could, and also relax as much as I could seeing as I have time on my side:)
k_anon[at]hotmail[dot]co[dot]uk
I agree that knowing various languages would be very helpful. I would love to travel all over the world and explore every bit of it. Knowing the languages would sure help. Of course, all this supposes that I would have access to unlimited funds to pull this off…
linda(at)gordonvalley(dot)com
hum good question I'd like to
learn more languages than the one I know
finish my black belt in karate
learn investment banking so I can make money
catch up my scrapbooks
read all my tbr book stacks
I am sure I can come up with things to take up time.
Your series sounds fantsatic and I have it on my wish list.
Q: if YOU had mastered time, what would you want to learn to do?
A: To learn to have a bit more patience? 'coz am so short in that department…
Cherry Mischievous
cherrymischif-warrior [at] yahoo [dot] com
What would I like to learn if I mastered time? Ooo, good question.
Language would be great but I really don't think I have an ear for them. I'd love to learn how to play an instrument – despite my tone deafness. Hey, if Beethoven could do it without hearing, why not?! 🙂
I'd also love to learn to travel in time and visit some historical figures – see what Cleopatra was really like!
Mel S
notanotherbookblog(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk
Actually I don't think I would like to be able to live forever or flitter back and forth through time.
Just think of the problems that type of thing could bring with it. Refer The Time Travellers Wife and so on.
I think we have to try and make the best of the time we already have and not try to live in the future.
Sorry if I am pouring cold water on peoples ideas !
Carol T
buddytho {at} gmail DOT com
I think I would attempt to read the language of the body. The easiest may to read someone who doesn't speak the same language as you is to interpret expressions and posture. To become a master at that would give you the ability to grasp insights and conclusions you may not have normally reached. You could also manipulate your own posture and facial expressions and movements to obtain a certain result, too. I would love to be able to do all that.
patronus89013 at yahoo dot com
oh wow, I've a lot of hobbies and a thounsand things I want to try like diving, painting, singing (*cough* I would need a lot of time for that one), but most of all I would travel around the world and explore it…
wish you all the best and thanks for a fantastic post!! I fell in love with Vicious Circle and I can't wait to read on!
greetings, Ina
Oh Linda…I would love to learn more about things I like to do but can't because college, and/or other things got in the way. I would take art classes, learn how to play the piano and the guitar, and probably take cooking lessons as well! That would be fun. And of course, because there are "so many books, yet so little time" I would read, and read, and read 🙂
jen7waters(at)gmail(dot)com
I want to learn all the languages of the world that I can travel anywhere and read as many books can I.
Thanks for the contest.
artgiote@gmail.com
Wow, I didn't realize so many comments were made after the fact! Thanks to you all, again, and congrats to lingeorge who was the randomly selected winner!!!