Thursday, August 30, 2012

State of Unrest

State of Unrest is now available on amazon, smashwords, and all romance ebooks. It is also available in print!!!!

Spotlight on Mythological Creatures (Post 5 of 5) Hybrids


Hybrids:
So, why the focus on hybrids?  Well lots of stories feature hybrids of mythological creatures.  (I am a personal fan of the vampire/werewolf blend.)  What is the fascination with hybrids?  Let’s find out:

First the definition of hybrid (I love the dictionary, can’t you tell!)

Good ole Merriam-Webster defines a hybrid as “an offspring of two animals or plants of different races, breeds, varieties, species or genera; something heterogeneous in origin or composition.”

Let’s look at some ‘real’ hybrids:

·       First, the liger is a mix between a male lion and female tiger.  This combination equal really big kitty cat.  I always thought these hybrids were sterile, but I found in my research that this isn’t the case.  Despite health problems, the child of a liger and a lion lived to adult hood. 
·       Another hybrid I did not realize was a hybrid was the killer bee.  Apparently, someone released some Tanzanian bees into some hives somewhere in South America.  After that, it was viola – Killer Bees.
·       A Grapefruit is the hybrid product between a sweet orange and a pummelo! 
·       They now have an apple that tastes like a grape creatively coined as a Grapple.


There isn’t that much to say about hybrids; however, I will touch on some of the ways hybrids are perceived within stories or movies:

·       A hybrid can be seen as stronger and more dangerous than the original species it originates; on a different spectrum, it can be a defective mix that creates something sick and twisted.
·       The hybrid can show a mixture of attributes of the two species or one species can be dominate.  Those traits can also be evenly distributed.
·       Lots of the times a hybrid is a human mixed with a mythological creature.  Most of the times these mixtures make something that is just as strong the mythological creature but does not have the weaknesses noted in the mythological creature.

In Chronicles of JJ, hybrids are taboo, but at first it isn’t because they view each species as inferior or dirty.  It changes to reflect such a belief, but at first it is due to fear from a prophecy.  All it takes is for one nine-year-old child to speak a prophecy and the world turns upside down.  A glimpse of the effects are revealed in State of Unrest.  Coming out tomorrow (8/31/12)! 

Until then, here are some links!

Eve Langlais (If you haven't read Bunny and the Bear, you should!)
Kresley Cole
Dana Marie Bell
Evangeline Anderson (It's not a witch, darkling, vampire or changeling, but in Pursued (The Brides of the Kindred) the hero is a hybrid of two aliens. It's too good not to read!)

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

State of Unrest Release Countdown!!!!

Only two more days!!!!

Here is another excerpt from State of Unrest!!!!


Matthew cupped her cheek and he kissed her gently on the forehead.  “Abigail, what is it that you want to know?”
“Why are you going against society, all for a wolf that you do not know?”
“I have watched my wolf for three days, as she made herself a piece of the background, attempting to shrink from view of others, hide amongst the shadows that could never dampen her beauty.  I watched you run last night, your blonde wolf howling at the moon as she chased her prey through the woods, and I felt pride today as you spoke for the first time silencing everyone.  I know we do not know everything about each other, but that is our way.  I already know that I love you, how could I not love my other half.”

I am also on The Romance Reviews!!!  Check it out @ http://www.theromancereviews.com/100003406873870

Sunday, August 26, 2012

State of Unrest: Countdown to Release


As the release for State of Unrest draws ever closer...Here is a small excerpt:

“The stories are true, only pure blooded members of the species are allowed to exist?”  Nicholas looked at her in confusion, and nodded his agreement.  Cecily allowed her beast to rise, the bobcat bursting through, changing her in the blink of an eye.  She reveled in the energy that bathed her as she changed from human to beast.  Causing each nerve to tingle as her human body faded replaced with that of her feline body.  Nicholas reached down and petted her head causing a purr to rumble through the night. 
“Run, Little Cat.  I’ll meet up with you after I dispose of our company.”
Cecily laughed to herself and bounded through the trees only to re-circle and come back to climb a tree to wait and watch.
Silly man, I would never leave my mate in danger.

Find out more about Cecily, Nicholas, Abigail and Matthew in State of Unrest, Book 1 in the Chronicles of JJ series!

Let their Revolution begin....8/31/12!



Saturday, August 25, 2012

Spotlight on Mythological Creatures (Post 4 of 5) Darklings


I’ve never actually come across this mythological creature, and while I won’t spoil the story, I will say that Darklings are a made up creature for the Chronicles of JJ. 

Definition of Darkling (Merriam-Webster)
Darkling:  Dark; done or taking place in the dark

Darkling (definition from my website):  species of paranormal creatures that are often confused for demons/angels and fae type mythological creatures.  They can blend with shadows.  Does have fangs and most enjoy the occasional drink of blood, but it isn’t required for their continued existence. Can be killed with complete decapitation and/or injury beyond their restorative capabilities.  Body functions in much the same way as a human’s.  They have increased sense of smell, sight and hearing.  Like most paranormal creatures in any world, they have increased strength, stamina, and certain animalistic qualities that set them apart from humans.  They are able to meld with the shadows, thus the coined term, darkling.  Everlasting scientists believe that they are long distance cousins of the Vampire.  Like most Everlastings, darklings have what most refer to as destined mates, but they refer to them as their bound or bonded.

When I did a web search for Darkling (Google, of course) I found the following:
·       The Darkling: a movie (IMDb page)
·       Urban Dictionary: A term used in the movie "The Covenant", to describe imprints of dead people that show up in the middle of the night and scare the crap outta you! (IMDb page for the Covenant)
·       Apparently it is the 60th episode of Star Trek
·       A rock band
Obviously, I didn’t go past the first page!

Therefore, they are often confused with demons, angels and other fae type mythological creatures, so we will start there:

Demons:
From Merriam-Webster: an evil spirit, a source or agent of evil, harm, distress or ruin.  (Such a bad rep!) 
In most cases, we see demons as denizens of HELL!  Though we mostly have the negative connotation, some authors have actually made demons the good guys in some cases, for example:
Each in their own way have made demonic like creatures more ‘human’ for a lack of better terms.  Check out their websites for some awesome reads!
In addition, Eve Langlais has quite the unique vision of Hell!  I enjoy her series Welcome to Hell!  Her demons are, well they are demons and despite their murderous and sometimes psychopathic ways, you just want to...Oh, hell you just want to do naughty things with them!

Angels:
From Merriam-Webster: a spiritual being superior to humans in power and intelligence; especially one in the lowest rank in the celestial hierarchy.
The good guys or so we consider them.  I am rather fond of the movie Legion, because it makes Angels almost human (What a Twist!!!).  No, I’m not talking religion, I try to stay away from that, but I am saying that in an artistic sense this was an interesting interpretation.  There are many books with Angels as the Hero!  Therefore, here are some top searches:



Fae:
This broad category includes elves and fairies!  There are so many variations of these types that it would be hard to discuss the ins and outs of the Fae.  So, here is a link:  http://www.trueghosttales.com/elves-fairies/  This is actually a cool website full of paranormal information and what not!

Don’t forget that State of Unrest releases August 31, 2012!


State of Unrest Book Trailer:


Up next: Hybrids!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Mythological Creatures Spotlight (Post 3 of 5): Witchlings


This post spotlights on one of my most favorite mythological creatures (some may feel offended by my reference of a witch as a mythological creature, but hold on there is more to this post).  Yes, I read the Harry Potter series and loved every word of them.  Witches are often portrayed as humans with supernatural abilities.  Their differences from humans are defined in terms of the magic they wield.
The first portion will just focus on the history and mythological portion of Witches and Witchcraft.  I will touch briefly on Wicca, which came up in my research on witches, but should be explained separately.


 

What does the dictionary have to say?

Witch [wich]
Noun
1. A person, now especially a woman, who professes or is supposed to practice magic, especially black magic or the black art; sorcer(ess).
2. An ugly or mean old woman; hag.
3. A person who uses a divining rod; dowser.
Source: Dictionary.com

Origins of Witches:

So where or when did Witches crop up?  Hard to say really, but if we take what people considered witches ‘back in the day’ then some people say that witchcraft and witches cropped up in ancient cities.  Many examples appear in ancient texts, such as those from Egypt and Babylonia.:
The creation story from Babylonia (Enuma Elish) has many examples of half-dragon and half-human creatures who gaurrded thier magical garden in the underworld. 
None of the earlier accounts of witches or witchcraft is good and is almost always a pact between a female and the devil.
Historians see European witchcraft as an ideology for explaining misfortune; however, this ideology manifested in diverse ways. Reasons for accusations of witchcraft fall into four general categories:
1. A person caught in the act of positive or negative sorcery
2.  A well-meaning sorcerer or healer lost their clients' or the authorities' trust
3.  A person did nothing more than gain the enmity of their neighbors
4.  A person was reputed to be a witch and surrounded with an aura of witch-beliefs

Éva Pócs in turn identifies three varieties of witch in popular belief:
•The "neighborhood witch" or "social witch": a witch who curses a neighbor following some conflict.
•The "magical" or "sorcerer" witch: either a professional healer, sorcerer, seer or midwife, or a person who has increased her fortune through magic to the perceived detriment of a neighboring household; due to neighborly or community rivalries and the ambiguity between positive and negative magic, such individuals can become labeled as witches.
•The "supernatural" or "night" witch: portrayed in court narratives as a demon appearing in visions and dreams


Death to Witches!

All that bad press back in the day paired with enough misfortune to make the most optimistic person a pessimist turned into mobs of people.  People want explanations for why things are bad or why inexplicable things happen.  They need someone to blame and boom – ‘withces’ are being burned.  Not the only ones but probably one of the most popular if not the most popular were the Salem Witch Trials.

The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693. Despite being generally known as the Salem witch trials, the preliminary hearings in 1692 were conducted in a variety of towns across the province: Salem Village (now Danvers), Ipswich, Andover and Salem Town.

All this bad?

Just like Vampires and Werewolves who have been portrayed as undead blood-sucking ravagers and beasts that killed without reason or regard, respectively, Witches got a bad rep early on.  But with the help of media (now, not then.  We have the Salem Witch Trials from the media of yore) witches range in persona as far ranged as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz to the sweet and innocent Wendy in Wendy Meets Casper.  And while the press wasn’t so kind back in the day, now witches and their like are usually a force of good.

 
My favorite movies/television shows about witches (top ten!)
(Each of the links lead to IMDB database)

10.) The Craft

Wicca (Not to be confused with the above information.  We're talking religion here.)


"Wicca is a new religion that emphasizes growth through harmony in diversity, knowledge, wisdom, and exploration."
(Didn't wanna mess this one up so I just took it exactly as it appears from the website: www.wicca.org )  I believe knowledge is power so provided a link if you'd like to read more.

Yet again here are some great authors that feature witches in their work!  Happy Reading!


All info from: wikipedia, wicca.org, about.com, IMDB

State of Unrest will release on August 31, 2012.  I'm excited about this release and can't wait to release the other books in the series!

As always you can contact me @
www.astridcielo.com or astridcieloauthor@hotmail.com

Up next: Darkling!


Sunday, August 19, 2012

State of Unrest Release Date

The Chronicles of JJ, Book 1 State of Unrest is set for release on August 31, 2012!


In ancient times, their world lived in harmony with each other.  Darkling, Changeling, Witchling and Vampire alike strove for peace amongst all Everlastings.

One little girl’s prophecy changes the course of their world…

In ancient Mesopotamia, a young witch predicted that a hybrid would destroy what was.  The implications of that moment have plagued Arwi-a since her utterance of those words.

Hunted.  One couple will sacrifice everything for the life of their child…

Cecily’s village had thrived in relative peace, despite the number of hybrids within the village, including Cecily, a Witchling and Changeling hybrid.  That all changed when she scents her mate—Nicholas.
Nicolas is a vampire and darkling hybrid on the run from those who wish to eradicate all hybrids.  Guilt follows him for surviving the decimation of his village.
Now they must make a choice—Risk their child or sacrifice themselves and ensure her safety?

Now forbidden love will forever change the game…

When vampire Prince Matthew sees Abigail, the alpha Changelings daughter, he is immediately smitten.
Abigail knows that Matthew is her mate, but how can this love work if it is forbidden?

Their world has been unsettled for centuries…

With love as the catalyst, the Everlastings will enter a State of Unrest.

Enjoy Chapter 1!

Chapter 1


“I’m not a rule breaker.  I always follow the rules and enjoy doing so.  It is in my nature to never question those in authority.   Oftentimes it is thought that I have no mind of my own.  That simply isn’t the case.  I have a mind, one that is exercised to its fullest.  Of course, they’ll never know, because I crave the simplicity of order, despite how wrong I may believe that order.  The way things are, is simply, the way things are.  Do I dream of a time when my private thoughts and beliefs are considered important and the given order of things?  No, for I simply have no reason to wish these things were so.”
Journal of Abigail Belamy
January 5, 1900

Summer 1900
Rural area surrounding Memphis, TN          
Abigail Belamy was furious.  From the moment of her birth to this moment, she had been the perfect princess to her father’s Alpha status.  When he said jump, she jumped.  When he was going to marry her off to that slimy Wolf Changeling Milo Erickson, she had agreed. 
Thankfully, Milo found another specimen to set his sights on.  Apparently, straight-laced and meek Abigail posed no challenge for him, so he set his sights on more feral pastures.  However, this so-called diplomatic endeavor was an insult.  It put her in precarious position to maintain the fragile peace between Changelings and Vampires.  Her father did not want peace, and never had.  Abigail knew her father’s hatred ran very deep.  She never truly understood why he despised Vampires and Darklings so much.  Sure, from her birth it had been the way of things not to intermingle within the species.  There were no explanations for the reasoning of such a radical law.  It may not be in any law book or legislature from any of the species, but it was enforced – swiftly and without mercy.
It was rumored one of the pack females scented a darkling and she instantly became enamored of him.  Apparently, he was her destined mate.  She could not fight nature, so they became a mated couple.  Of course, it was a rumor so the validity of it was beyond Abigail’s reach.  However, if it were true, then the given legislature of mixing between species was as cruel as it was unfounded. 
Everyone knew that mating was a powerful bond, reaching within each other’s souls and tying them together for their existence.  It was considered predestined by those who controlled the universe that these two people should meet and be together.  It was a bond so strong that upon the destruction of one of the pair, the other slowly died his or her soul no longer whole.  Yet when meeting your fated companion if you were to deny what fate had deemed so then you would slowly become mad, no longer a functioning member of society.   Abigail was not especially knowledgeable about mates, having never felt that urge to make someone completely hers, but she had heard rumors of other members of the packs going mad from denying their potential mate.  Abigail could only think of one reason why they would deny their mates – it was forbidden. 
Abigail threw her dresses in the trunk, her mind a whirl of thoughts, most of which she would never reveal.  Abigail took a deep breath and released her tension as she had always done.  This technique was probably the reason she was such an obedient daughter.  Being exactly what her father decided she should.  She walked to the window, overlooking the small village her father preferred to stay rather than the large house allotted the Alpha of all the wolf packs.  The new moon bathed the night’s darkness in dim light, creating an eerie setting to the usually lighted hillside.  Shadows played on the windowpane from the candles that glowed on her desk.  Abigail leaned her forehead against the glass, her breath causing it to fog.  Her perfect, ordered existence was ending.  Her eyes a bright green color reflecting on the glass was an affirmation that her animal side agreed.
Abigail’s life revolved around her father’s status as Alpha, his power not just for that of the wolf changelings, but his elected status as King of the Changelings.  This position ensured that her upbringing was under the watch of all the species.  Her brief fifty years spent being the perfect daughter.  Attending all the functions and behaving properly.  Giving up a normal existence for that of a figurine, something to be looked at, never spoken to, and never befriended. 
A tear spilled down her cheek, as she released her pent up breath.  It was time to become what her father deemed necessary for the changelings.  She knew this move for what it was, despite her father reassuring her that she was the obvious choice.  Despite beliefs she held near to her heart, the world saw females as second class, nothing more than slaves in some instances.  Her father sending her as the diplomat in this last ditch effort to save the fragile peace was a slap in the face to the other diplomats.  She knew it and so did her father who vehemently denied such a tactic. 
***
Summer 1900
New York, NY
Matthew was not happy about being the one chosen to represent the Vampire’s royal family, but he understood his father’s decision.  He was going to be the Ruler of the Vampires one day, so he had to begin learning sometime.  At a young age for a vampire, his 200 years seemed to weigh heavily upon his shoulders.  He looked in the mirror, wondering at the youthful face that stared back at him.  He had always wondered how the humans dealt with losing their youth, slowly withering away and turning to dust in the blink of an eye.  He pitied the mortals that surrounded them, seemingly content with their shortened lives.
Maybe though, they were the ones who had it right.  The farmer his father bought food from was married and had several children.  He had lived so much in his mere twenty-seven years.  What did Matthew have to show for his 200 years? 
Nothing.
He was without a mate and still living with his parents.  While expected of the royal family, it still did not feel right.  Lately he had felt as if something were missing, as if a piece of himself were lost and waiting for him to find it.  He laughed aloud at his ridiculousness.  His mother walking into the parlor pulled him from his wayward musings.
“What has you so upset, my child?” her melodic voice echoed in the mostly empty room.  He looked into the face, so young and wondered what his mother would look like if she aged.  He shook his head, clearing those odd thoughts from his mind.
“I am assuming you mean my unnaturally somber mood.”
She smiled and nodded.  So, he was being noticeably melancholy.  He did not know what to tell his mother.  He was not sure what was making him melancholy in the first place.  “Maybe it is just thoughts of me as a diplomat.  You of all people know that I’m not very diplomatic.”
She laughed her tiny fangs the only outward sign that she was not as human as she appeared.  “Matthew, if there is one thing I have no doubt of it is your ability to be diplomatic.  Son, you have more charm in your baby toe, than most people I know.  Don’t worry.  I can feel that this will be a great moment for you.  Now quit moping about and get ready for your departure,” she reassured him as she leaned down and kissed his cheek.  His mother’s confidence in him made that sickening feeling in his stomach lessen.  If she believed he would do well, then he believed that also.
***
Summer 1900
Outskirts of New Orleans, LA
Arwi-a placed the stone tablets within the trunk to safely hide away things she knew that she shouldn’t take out for prying eyes.  Her eyes strayed to the text as the memories assaulted her senses.  Suddenly she was back, a child only nine years of age floating above those around her.  She could feel the heat emanating from her skin burning her like hot coals from a fire.  Her vocal cords strained from the deep voice pouring out of her mouth.  She could see her mother’s shared horror and pride.  Her daughter had such power, but with that power unspeakable pain. 
The piercing pain behind her eyes as the future played out, her voice rising above the murmurs...
“In this hour it shall be known, that what once was will crumble.  In its place ashes as the hybrid destroys what was….”
The words stopped her vocal cords too fragile to handle the strain the channeling had placed upon them.  She dropped to the floor, her small frame crumbling under the impact. 
What was worse was the knowledge of what was trapped inside…That which she never could speak of, because every time she tried it was as if a veil covered her mind.  The veil mad it impossible to remember the most important parts of the prophecy that each Everlastings now held close to their hearts. 
No hybrids, for they were an abomination.  They would destroy what was. 
Arwi-a fainted as her mind went blank with the truth tickling at the edge of her mind.  When she crawled back to consciousness, the sun had set and the truth was a blur.  She sensed that despite the precautions they were taking to ensure no hybrids existed.  She had seen some of the eradications herself, within her dreams.  The children that died barely old enough to hold their heads up.  Some days the guilt consumed her, but she knew she couldn’t end her existence.  The one who would unleash the truth would come one day and when they did, Arwi-a could finally release the truth.
A burden such as this should never be the burden of a child to bear, but bear it she did. 
Arwi-a moaned as her unconsciousness and the memories faded away.  She crawled to her feet and descended the stairs the small house closing in on her, bringing to the forefront how lonely she had become.
Her life was not here, not in this era, but in the sands of time.  She could have chosen to end her existence, but something kept her from doing so.  Although she wandered aimlessly through the present, she looked forward to a future that included an explanation for the reason she had been so alone.  The reason she couldn’t remember what seemed so important. 
Witches were said to be incomplete until they found their match, what changelings called their mate and what vampires and darklings considered their bound.   Arwi-a lamented her lonely existence having not found her match because she was alone in a world in which she did not belong. However, no relationship, even fated would work in her current guilt ridden condition.  Therefore, she waited for a time when that which she had wrought would end. 
Destroy what was…

NOTE: This book will be the prequel of the series.  




Friday, August 10, 2012

Spotlight on Mythological Creatures (Post 2 of 5)


Changelings:


The official definition:
change·ling:  A child believed to have been secretly substituted by fairies for the parents' real child in infancy.

What it means in the Chronicles of JJ:
Changelings:  known as weres, changelings, shifters, etc. This race of beings share their lives with another soul, usually animal, but there are also tree and other plant changelings that are often mistakenly considered fairies/dryads or elves. Their behavior patterns depend immensely upon their second nature.  For example, cat changelings are cat like and wolf changelings are wolf like.  This race no matter what second nature they possess is destined to mate with one or more persons for life.

Historically speaking....
·       Many references of shapeshifting can be found in Greek and Roman literature including: Ovid and Bibliotheca
·       Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greek and Rome were often associated with animals.
·       Native Americans in particular passed down stories of shape-shifters
·       The werewolf has become a bit of a mainstay in modern fiction

Attributes of a Changeling (Generally speaking)
·       Usually can shape shift into an animal form or an anthropomorphic creature
·       Most have abilities that supersede that of human and their animal form
·       Most seem to have a tie to the moon
·       In Europe it was generally accepted that a werewolf in human for had the following attributes:
o   Meeting of both eyebrows at the bridge of the nose
o   Curved fingernails
o   Low-set ears and a swinging stride.
o   One method of identifying a werewolf in its human form was to cut the flesh of the accused, under the pretense that fur would be seen within the wound

Becoming a Changeling:
Just like with the vampire the ways to become a changeling are pretty diverse:
·       Bitten: Either it can only be caused by a bite by a fully changed changeling or just any old bite at any old time will do
·       Cursed: Someone was cursed
·       Virus or Parasite: One of the most interesting versions of a changeling has to be when a parasite changed the person into a changeling: Madeline Montague’s Wolf (Of Unknown Origins)
·       Born a changeling: A unique and non-contagious by bite species or they can transform someone into a made version of a changeling.

Weaknesses (Not weak in your knees from sexy changelings :)!)
·       Silver
·       Wolf’s Bane
·       Some tales state that the person becomes a raging beast on the full moon, other stories claim that the individual remains self-aware while in animal form.

For more on Werewolves...Click Here!

Can’t wait for some juicy Changelings?  Here are some links (Yes, again!) for some authors that I like to read.


Happy reading!!!! Up next is . . . . Witchlings!

Still no official release date for the Chronicles of JJ: State of Unrest (Hopefully Soon!)

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Spotlight on Mythological Creatures (Post 1 of 5)


As everyone waits patiently for the release of The Chronicles of JJ: State of Unrest (Release TBA), I wanted to shed some light on some of the speciesthat will be running amok amongst the pages!  First up the ever-popularVampire!



vam·pire
noun
1.A preternatural being, commonly believed tobe a reanimated corpsethat is said to suckthe blood of sleeping persons at night.
2.(in Eastern European folklore) a corpse,animated by an undeparted soul or demon,that periodically leaves the grave anddisturbs the living, until it is exhumed andimpaled or burned.

Not sexy you say!!!
Well, we owe our views of vampires mostly from Bram Stoker's1897 novel Dracula that is remembered as the quintessential vampirenovel and which provided the basis of modern vampire fiction.  However,vampire mythology can be dated as far back as possibly prehistoric times.
·       A vase discovered in Persia with a man fightingoff a blood-sucking fiend.
·       Supposedly, Lillith (first wife of Adam) turneddemon that sucked the blood of babies.
However, despite the occurrence of vampire-like creatures inthese ancient civilizations, the folklore for the entity we know today as thevampire originates almost exclusively from early-18th-century southeasternEurope, when verbal traditions of many ethnic groups of the region wererecorded and published. In most cases, vampires are revenants of evil beings,suicide victims, or witches, but they can also be created by a malevolentspirit possessing a corpse or by being bitten by a vampire.

Attributesof a Vampire:
 The attributes of a vampire are wide ranged. Even among television, we have differences of what a vampire looks oracts like.  Some old legends hold that a vampire is a bloated and decayingcorpse.  Some popular books, movies and television shows depict vampiresas beautiful creatures often with a predatory side that makes them dangerous. Most are depicted to have super human abilities from super strength tobeing super-fast.  Whatever the distinction, today's vampires are verybeautiful and just as deadly.  One movie in particular that shows theVampire as less than beautiful: 30 Days of Night. There are others, I'm sure, but this one pops in my head first (Possiblybecause of Josh Hartnett?)  Therefore, we can agree that there is no setof rules when it comes to what makes a vampire a vampire.  

Not even Blood!

I know!  Vampires are blood-sucking fiends! Well, maybe not exactly.  In Sherrilyon Kenyon's series TheDark Hunters, her vampires are known as Daimons and they don't suckblood.  If you haven't read this series -- What are you waiting for? Iabsolutely love it!


Howdo we kill them/ward them off!


In most cases we don't want to ward them off or killthem...Kiss them, lick them, ahem...
But for those that we do we have the following:
Apotropaic: items able to ward off revenants, are commonin vampire folklore.

These include but are not limited to:
·       Garlic
·       Hawthorn or Wild Rose
·       Crucifix, rosary or Holy Water
·       Consecrated Ground (such as those of churches ortemples, or cross running water.  On a side note Ghosts are said not to beable to cross over water)
·       Sunlight
·       Must have an invitation to enter a dwelling(Sometimes it is believed it can be revoked at any time, but other sourcessupport that once given permission can come and go as they please)
·       Mirrors (While most sources say just thereflection is absent, others say it actually wards them away when you point themirror.)

Howdoes one become a vampire?


Just as diverse as the other two topics, is the becoming ofa vampire.  Some popular theories are:
·       A contagion: A virus or chemical/toxin thatcauses vampirism.  
·       Death:  Certain circumstances at deathtrigger the transformation from human to vampire.  Sometimes just a bitefrom a vampire.  Others the person must be drained to the point of neardeath and the vampire then feeds the nearly dead person some of his/her ownblood.  Back in the day in Europe, they thought if the body didn'tdecompose in a way they thought bodies should, then that was a vampire. Of course, we know now that many factors trigger decomposition rates.
·       Born This Way: (Sorry, I couldn't resist (LadyGaga Born this way)) Some even believe that vampires are born and not made, ora combination of the two.
I could go on and on and on, but I won't bore you with everylittle detail!


Somerandom things worth mentioning


1. Porphyria:  This refers to groups of rare disorders that are passeddown through families (genetic).

 

What does this have to do with anything?
Nothing and possibly everything!  Check out theSigns and symptoms of Porphyria:
There are three major symptoms of Porphyria:
·       Abdominal pain or cramping (only in some forms)
·       Light sensitivity causing rashes, blistering,and scarring of the skin (photodermatitis)
·       Problems with the nervous system and muscles(seizures, mental disturbances, nerve damage)
There are lots of other signs and symptoms, but the main onewas the photodermatitis.  A lot like the effects of sun on Vampires,right?  No, I did not make the connection, which goes to biochemistDavid Dolphin who proposed a link between the rare blood disorder porphyria andvampire folklore in 1985.

2.Vampire Bats


Although now mainstream, we didn't actually associate batswith vampire folklore until the 16th century when Vampire Bats were discovered.
Some interesting facts:
1.  Vampire bats feed solely on blood, which is alsoknown as hematophagy.
2.  Vampire bats hunt only when it is fully dark.
3.  The stomach lining rapidly absorbs the bloodplasma, which is quickly transported to the kidneys from where it passes to thebladder for excretion.

Still want more?  Click on the links below:

Vampires:

Porphyria:

Vampire Bat:

Wantto read some Vampire stories?  Below are links to author websites so youcan get more information about their books.  I have personally read mostof these authors!



Thanks for readingand as always you can contact me @
astridcieloauthor@hotmail.com
www.astridcielo.com

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