(If you just want to get to the teaser, skip to the end of the post!)
Slowly, yet surely! Slowly yet surely, I am getting my writing done.
It’s been a long road, but I am glad to say some traction is being made! I don’t know if you guys know, but in 2016, I opened my own store. Since then, a big chunk of my time has been dedicated to that, and getting it into a healthy kick start. At long last, I am now finding myself having time to write again (both here AND in my book!)
Also, would you believe it? I got engaged!!!!! Yes, after 5 years, my future husband and I are going to take that big leap. Though, in a way, it isn’t a leap, because we have had this dedication to each other for years now
Wow. How long has it been since I’ve written on here? Too long, if you ask me. And why have I been away for so long? Welllllll, I’ve opened my own store in South Pasadena! It’s called Dual Crossroads, and is the first step in making my lifelong goals become a reality (be my own boss, and to work in the realm of things I love). The next thing on the list is to make this a profitable business, where it can one day allow me to retire at a comfortable age of 40-50 something. And guess what? In the next two weeks, it’s going to be my one year anniversary since opening the store! (check it out: www.dualcrossroads.com)
Apart from my store news, there’s one thing I need to get back on with: writing the sequel to Demon’s Prize, A Cursed Soul. I was SERIOUSLY stuck for the longest time in a writer’s block, and only recently have I been able to overcome it. I’ve added a few new chapters, and added more content to the ones I’ve previously written. I can barely fathom the fact that it’s been over 4 years since I’ve finished Demon’s Prize, and I had every intention to release A Cursed Soul in 2 years. Well, I may be behind schedule, BUT the book is now a LOT better than it was before. Before it was a book that I, personally, would’ve thought, “Meh. It was fun.” Yeah, that wasn’t going to fly. Now, it’s becoming a book where I’d think, “Sh*t, what’s going to happen next? Must keep reading!” I can accept nothing less.
So yeah. Going to get back in to writing, and keep my readers happy with updates. And to start with that….I’m going to do something special. I am going to let you guys see a sneak peek into part of the first and second chapters!!!! Hope you all enjoy!!
I am writing a bit today, and while i do not have a new teaser for A Cursed Soul that won’t give away too much of the juicy plot, I do have a little something for you from a short story I have yet to release to the public. It’s a Horror Short Story, titled CATHY. Enjoy!
All copyrights reserved by Light and Dark Imagination.
For centuries, the vampire has been the subject of myth and legend. There are actually various types of vampires, but the most well-known is the undead creature that rises from its coffin at night to feast on the blood of the living.[1]
The most famous vampire has to be Bram Stokerâs Dracula. The character of Dracula is believed to be based on the real-life Prince Vlad Tepes III (1431-1476), though many may know him as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad was the second son of Vlad Dracul,[2] and is known in Romania for having battled the invading Ottoman Turks. Vladâs name holds a mixture of history and lore, and (for some) even fear. He is believed to be responsible for more than 80,000 deaths,[3] and to have performed torturous executions upon his enemies. The most famous of Vladâs executions was the of impaled prisoners on the ends of stakes.
âThe end of the stake was usually oiled, and care was taken that the stake not be too sharp; else the victim might die too rapidly from shock. Normally the stake was inserted into the body through the anus and was often forced through the body until it emerged from the mouth. However, there were many instances where victims were impaled through other bodily orifices or through the abdomen or chest. Infants were sometimes impaled on the stake forced through their mother’s chests. The records indicate that victims were sometimes impaled so that they hung upside down on the stake.â[4]
Today, Vladâs history is intertwined with Draculaâs, who has become a pivotal figure in both literature and film. But what other vampires are there besides Dracula in history, film and literature?
Here is my list of the top 10 most memorable vampires from history, literature, and film/TV!
10) Peter Plogojowitz â HistoryÂ
If you looked up âReal Vampires in Historyâ (or similar verbiage), youâd notice this particular name keeps popping up. Peter Plogojowitz was a Serbian peasant who died in 1725, and was thought to be a vampire by the villagers. Not long after he was buried, people claimed Peter visited them at night, with some of them dying not too long after. Even Peterâs own son died from massive blood loss days after he claimed to have been visited.[5] Peter quickly became the subject of one of the most extreme cases of vampire hysteria, as well as one of the first recorded cases of vampirism.[6] It didnât take long before the villagers demanded the vampire be stopped, and got authorities to dig up Peter.
The body of Plogojowitzwas exhumed, and when examined, signs of vampirism were present: the hair and nails appeared to have grown, and there were signs of blood in the mouth. The villagers drove a stake through Plogojowitzâs heart, and fresh blood spurted from the corpse. They then burned the body.[7]
9) Arnold Paole â History
Just like Peter Plogojowitz, Arnold Paole is a historical vampire whose name keeps appearing in the history books. Paole (also like Peter Plogojowitz) was Serbian, and before his death in 1726, he claimed to have been bitten by a vampireâan event that left him feeling cursed.[8] After his death from a farming accident a short time later, people in the village began dying, and all fingers pointed to the recently deceased Paole. When the people dug up Paole, they saw proof that he was indeed a vampire. His hair and nails were longer, and had blood on his mouth.[9] Like something from a modern Dracula movie, the villagers drove a stake through Paoleâs heart, cut off his head, and burned his body.[10] Little did they know that four years later, 17 more deaths would occur, supposedly at the hands of a vampire.
Maybe it was one of Paoleâs victims, come back from the dead?…
8) Lord Ruthven â Literature
If you think Dracula is the first fictional vampire to be written in classic Gothic Literature, think again! That title actually goes to Lord Ruthven, from the short story The Vampyre. First published in 1819 (Dracula was published in 1897), The Vampyreâs vampire is Lord Ruthven. Lord Ruthven is an aristocratic, and suave nobleman who can capture womenâs attentionâwhich is a pity for them since his preference for victims are pure and innocent women.[11] Lord Ruthven also has a desire to worsen humanity, yet unlike most vampires weâve come to know, he is not weakened by crosses or sunlight. He is, however, able to be harmed by mortal weapons.
Lord Ruthven is memorable because he is the first true vampire in English literature, and anyone who meets him ends up suffering, or dead.
Illustration by F Gilbert (People’s edition), 1884.
7) Carmilla â Literature
Did you know there was another vampire novel printed before Dracula? Carmilla (1872) is one of the most influential books of vampire horror, and has the vampire not be a male, but a female named (you guessed it), Carmilla. Carmilla is hypnotic, alluring, and quickly becomes friends with the bookâs narrator, Laura. However, Laura is soon tormented by nightmares of a cat-like creature that comes to her room at night and bites her above the chest. Simultaneously, women throughout the neighborhood mysteriously die.
What sets Carmilla apart from others is the fact that she does not just take a victim and drain their blood in one sitting. She first earns their trust, and even shows signs loveâbut itâs the type of love becomes possessive, which turns to obsession, and eventually kills the one she is focused on.[12]
Carmilla is memorable not solely for the fact she is the first female vampire to be given a lead antagonist role, but also for how she sets the standard for future vampiresâ sensuality and M.O. In fact, if you were to read Carmilla, youâd see how it quite possibly influenced Bramâs Dracula.
Illustration from The Dark Blue, by David Henry Friston, 1872.
6) Jerry Dandridge â Film
Okay, it is time to jump to the modern era! Letâs talk film vampires. If you havenât seen Fright Night (the one from 1985), then go see it. The vampire for this film is Jerry Dandridge. Jerry is, much like his vampire predecessors, charming and handsomeâat least while in his human form. What makes Jerry memorable is becauseâŠwell, thereâs no other way to say this. Itâs freaking Fright Night! Itâs a badass movie.
Donât believe me? Then you must have never seen itâor you only saw the remake.
Here, watch a clip:
5) David â Film
David is a fictional character from the movie The Lost Boys. Played by Kiefer Sutherland, David is a bleach blonde, blue eyed vampire, and the leader of motorcycle gang of vampires. Though he is not the Head Vampire, David is still a force to be reckoned with. In The Lost Boys, David and his gang terrorizes the town of Santa Carla, âthe Murder Capitol of the Worldâ.[13]
What makes David stand out from other vampires is the fact he makes being a vampire seem cool, freeing, and with no one to answer to (except for the Head Vampire, of course). However, alongside that freedom, he fully embraces his evilness, and takes upon a demonic visage whenever he goes into a vampiric frenzy. When it comes to dealing with someone like David, no one is safe from his bloodlust.
6) Angel/Angelus â Television
Angel, the vampire with a soul. Angelâs character first came to life on the popular TV show, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, and is one of the first well known vampires to have a soul. Before Angel, all vampires were seen solely as blood thirsty monsters, with no sense of humanity in their actions. After Angel, it somehow became the popular norm for vampires to have soulsâŠand feelings. Of course, if Angel were to ever lose his soul, he would revert to his evil ways, and be known as Angelus. Angelus is someone youâd never want to meet.
Here is a wonderful fan-made “trailer” that wonderfully summarizes Angel when he became a vampire with a soul:
Angel is memorable because he set in stone the idea of a vampire with a soul. He opened the doors for stories where, âheâs a something, sheâs a human, and they have a forbidden loveâ. Many people may say itâs Anne Rice who started that theme with Louie, but you canât deny it was Joss Whedonâs character, Angel, who cemented it. And speaking of Anne RiceâŠ
3) Lestat de Lioncourt â Literature
Anyone whoâs a fan of vampires knows the characters from Anne Riceâs novels. From Armand to Louis, and the Queen of the Damned, Akasha, these vampires have left a hard imprint on the vampire world. However, the most memorable vampire has to be Anne Riceâs Lestat de Lioncourt. Lestat is bold, stubborn, and engaging. He is also very manipulative, which is shown in Interview With the Vampire. He is the sire of Louis de Pointe du Lac, and Claudia, who Lestat uses in order to keep Louis with him.
Lestat was first brought to film in 1994, and portrayed by Tom Cruise (which is probably the only role I truly think he was meant to play). Even Anne Rice came out enjoying his portrayal.[14] In an open letter, she wrote:
From the moment he appeared Tom was Lestat for me. He has the immense physical and moral presence; he was defiant and yet never without conscience; he was beautiful beyond description yet compelled to do cruel things. The sheer beauty of Tom was dazzling, but the polish of his acting, his flawless plunge into the Lestat persona, his ability to speak rather boldly poetic lines, and speak them with seeming ease and conviction were exhilarating and uplifting. The guy is great.
It is perhaps because of Tomâs performance that Lestat became such a memorable character in the history of vampires. After all, film (if done right) helps us to see things in person, rather than what we interpret with our minds. Itâs exactly that use of visual artistry that makes the next vampire #2 on my listâŠ
2) Count Orlok â Film
Count Orlok, played by Max Shreck, was the vampire in the 1922 silent film, Nosferatu. You could say Nosferatu was Dracula with copyright issues. Bram Stokerâs widow tried keeping the movie from being released due to its unauthorized use of Bramâs novel. To side-step the lawsuit, the producers sold the film to Deutsche Film Produktion.[15] Though Deutsche Film Produktion heavily edited the film, it is through this action that we were given the most visually-memorable vampire in filmâone who can never be confused for Dracula if you stood them side-by-side.
Count Orlok is not a sexy vampire. He is frightening, creepy, and definitely not human looking. He has long, talonlike fingers, visible fangs, large eyes, and bat-like ears. He is also thin, taller than most men, and with equally long armsâwhich only adds to his creepiness as he stalks his victims through the shadows.
You know who Count Orlok is when you look at him. I doubt anyone will argue the fact that he is one of the most visually striking vampires, but he is not the most memorable vampire on this list. That title goes toâŠ
1) Countess Elizabeth BĂĄthory de Ecsed â History
The #1 most memorable vampire has to be Elizabeth BĂĄthory. Elizabeth (1560-1604) was a countess from Hungary, who was born into one of the oldest and most powerful families in Transylvania. Elizabeth was educated, ran various estates (her husband was often away, leaving her in charge), and bore many children[16]âall while reportedly killing young women, and bathing in their blood.
Elizabeth BĂĄthory is attributed with torturing and murdering young servant and peasant women (most of whom went to her castle in hopes of a better life, and employment). Elizabethâs tortures included jamming needles under fingernails[17], stabbing, biting areas of the body, burning with hot-irons (or other metals, like coins), beatings, starvation, and more.[18][19] She would reportedly bathe in her victimsâ blood so to keep her youthful features and prolong her life. The total body count of Elizabethâs victims comes to an estimated 175 to over 200.[20]
With a track record like Elizabethâs, itâs no wonder she is referred to as the Blood Countess, or Countess Dracula.
What do you think of my list?
Is there someone you think I should have mentioned (or not)? Let me know in the comments section! Who knows? Maybe I will make another list in the future.
Let me know what else youâd like me to write aboutâother than the sequels of my books. I promise, I will finish them! :). Whether itâs vampires, werewolves, ghosts, religion, history, etc, let me know what youâd like to see.
[3] Bartlett, Sarah, Guide to the Worldâs Supernatural Places: More Than 250 Spine-Chilling Destinations Around the Globe (Washington D.C.: National Geographic, 2014). ISBN: 978-1-4262-1380-9
[5] DâAgostino, Thomas, A History of Vampires in New England. (Haunted America, 2010). Page 21. (ISBN: 978-1-59629-998-6)
[6] Smith, Evans Lansing, P.H.D, and Nathan Robert Brown, The Complete Idiotâs Guide to World Mythology. (Alpha Books, 2007). Page 263. ISBN: 978-1-59257-764-4
[7] DâAgostino, Thomas, A History of Vampires in New England. (Haunted America, 2010). Page 21. (ISBN: 978-1-59629-998-6)
[12] Reece, Dr. Gregory L., Creatures of the Night: In Search of Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves and Demons. (I. B. Tauris, 2012). Page 70. (ISBN: 1848853858)
[13]The Lost Boys. Dir. Joel Schumacher. Warner Bros, 1987. Film.
[19] Thorne, Tony, Countess Dracula: The Life and Times of Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess. (Bloomsbury Paperbacks, 2012). Page 63. (ASIN: B0085UP9Y4)
[20] Thorne, Countess Dracula: The Life and Times of Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess. Page 66. (ASIN: B0085UP9Y4)
Hey guys, check out this in depth evaluation of my short story THIRST! It’s from a contest I entered to possibly transform the story into a movie.
The writer has created a frightening story of a MAN, now a VAMPIRE, who has left his wife and child for their own survival, as he has been fantasizing about seeing the blood pour from his childâs neck. There is a visceral quality to the writingâŠan emotional immediacyâŠthat immediately hooks the reader and encourages vicarious identification with the protagonist. We feel his emotional pain and soul-Ââsearching, and he writing is so assured that it allows us to identify with a man who has monstrous urges and perhaps has already done or been about to do monstrous things. This is no small feat.
The reader is both intrigued and fascinated with his inability to overcome his desire to hunt, though he has already killed a few times that day. Once he spots a couple, the vampire stalks them, wondering exactly how he will attack, and his razor sharp focus is on the WOMAN. Her companion, a MAN, valiantly fights by holding a cross and praying but he is no match. This very short story is terrifying and interesting and, from an adaptation standpoint, offers very mineable internal conflict for he central character. But to be truly viable for short film or pilot adaptation, the plot also needs to be far more developed. The author notes that Thirst is a prequel to a book series, but judging the material on its own merits, without that knowledge, itâs unclear that the contained narrative here is setting up a larger story and/or building the origin and mythology of a serialized character.
Certainly, an accomplished filmmaker and strong performers could come together to create a contained horror short out of this material, but its success would rely exclusively on translating the emotional immediacy and vicarious nature of the writing to create a heightened emotional experience for the audience; there is nothing on a plot or character level that would sustain. But given how well-Ââcrafted the writing is here on a craft level, it seems clear that the writer could easily imbue the narrative with more distinctive and developed plot points and character beats.Certainly, it might be interesting to actually see firsthand the wife and daughter the protagonist forlornly mentions.
The prologue to the material makes an interesting dichotomy between ancient and modern vampires, specifically noting that, originally, only the Pure Vampires could change forms. Itâs clear that the writer is well-Ââ versed in vampire lore and has assembled a detailed mythology that could quite conceivably gain and sustain reader and audience interest on a baseline level. Again, more development could and should be done here.
In terms of market potential, the obvious has to be stated: vampire narratives have saturated the landscape, often to iconic and hugely profitable results (e.g. Twilight, True Blood, The Vampire Diaries, etcetera). As such, itâs imperative to bring fresh elements and/or a point-Ââ of-Ââview to the table in order to really be in a position to compete on a meaningful and wide-Ââranging level. The material in its current  incarnation doesnât fulfill that mandate, but further development could certainly change that.
Have you read THIRST? Let me know what YOU thought of it! Just leave a review either onAmazon, Goodreads, or evenFacebook!
Jennifer Maimone, author of Demon’s Prize, will be showcasing some specialty items from the Alpha Wolf Series at the Halloween exhibit No Beauty Without Strangeness NEXT SATURDAY!
If you ask her nicely, she may even give you a free page or two from the upcoming A Cursed Soul đ
If you like supernatural suspense books, you will enjoy this book. It has sweet moments, scary moments and even made me laugh a few times. If you want to check out this book, please visit Jenniferâs site.www.alphawolfseries.com
Thank you, Bri, for your review, and everyone else who has read the Alpha Wolf Series! I read every single review I get, so if you want to make one yourself, you can for Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, and even the Nook! đ Night, everyone!
The most famous vampire has to be Bram Stokerâs Dracula. The character of Dracula is believed to be based on the real-life Prince Vlad Tepes III (1431-1476), though many may know him as Vlad the Impaler. Vlad was the second son of Vlad Dracul,
If you looked up âReal Vampires in Historyâ (or similar verbiage), youâd notice this particular name keeps popping up. Peter Plogojowitz was a Serbian peasant who died in 1725, and was thought to be a vampire by the villagers. Not long after he was buried, people claimed Peter visited them at night, with some of them dying not too long after. Even Peterâs own son died from massive blood loss days after he claimed to have been visited.
Just like Peter Plogojowitz, Arnold Paole is a historical vampire whose name keeps appearing in the history books. Paole (also like Peter Plogojowitz) was Serbian, and before his death in 1726, he claimed to have been bitten by a vampireâan event that left him feeling cursed.
If you think Dracula is the first fictional vampire to be written in classic Gothic Literature, think again! That title actually goes to Lord Ruthven, from the short story The Vampyre. First published in 1819 (Dracula was published in 1897), The Vampyreâs vampire is Lord Ruthven. Lord Ruthven is an aristocratic, and suave nobleman who can capture womenâs attentionâwhich is a pity for them since his preference for victims are pure and innocent women.
What sets Carmilla apart from others is the fact that she does not just take a victim and drain their blood in one sitting. She first earns their trust, and even shows signs loveâbut itâs the type of love becomes possessive, which turns to obsession, and eventually kills the one she is focused on.
Angel, the vampire with a soul. Angelâs character first came to life on the popular TV show, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, and is one of the first well known vampires to have a soul. Before Angel, all vampires were seen solely as blood thirsty monsters, with no sense of humanity in their actions. After Angel, it somehow became the popular norm for vampires to have soulsâŠand feelings. Of course, if Angel were to ever lose his soul, he would revert to his evil ways, and be known as Angelus. Angelus is someone youâd never want to meet.
Anyone whoâs a fan of vampires knows the characters from Anne Riceâs novels. From Armand to Louis, and the Queen of the Damned, Akasha, these vampires have left a hard imprint on the vampire world. However, the most memorable vampire has to be Anne Riceâs Lestat de Lioncourt. Lestat is bold, stubborn, and engaging. He is also very manipulative, which is shown in Interview With the Vampire. He is the sire of Louis de Pointe du Lac, and Claudia, who Lestat uses in order to keep Louis with him.
Count Orlok, played by Max Shreck, was the vampire in the 1922 silent film, Nosferatu. You could say Nosferatu was Dracula with copyright issues. Bram Stokerâs widow tried keeping the movie from being released due to its unauthorized use of Bramâs novel. To side-step the lawsuit, the producers sold the film to Deutsche Film Produktion.
The #1 most memorable vampire has to be Elizabeth BĂĄthory. Elizabeth (1560-1604) was a countess from Hungary, who was born into one of the oldest and most powerful families in Transylvania. Elizabeth was educated, ran various estates (her husband was often away, leaving her in charge), and bore many children
