In the world of vampires

Dear Reader,

I’ve spent a great deal of the past two years fine tuning the realm I created at seventeen, and it’s resulted in a multi-tiered world that has run away from me in so many avenues, but for now I’ll just focus a little on the origins of one set of my characters in this complex puzzle that is slowly unfolding, and a little of where that beginning brought them today.

These beings aren’t what I’d consider typical vampires. Their origins shaped who and what they were, but humans had already given a name for what they were in essence after their unwilling transformation. This race and the movie monster vampires do have some similarities, though their founding is much different.

My vampires must drink human blood, and they are immortal, but that is where most of the labels end. Two thousands years ago they were created by one of the highest beings in this realm. Their sole purpose was to purge the earth of evil souls, to eliminate their existence that plagued the human realm.

The moment a malevolent soul’s life was extinguished and released from its physical shape, these formless essences would know. It was like a beacon to them, and also their nourishment. They would seek these energies out and absorb them.

It was a simple, good life. However, they weren’t the only things in this vast universe who survived on the souls and blood of those who broke the laws of nature.

In a jealous fit of rage, a powerful demon cursed the race, giving them frail human bodies that while were shaped as adults, their minds were no better than a toddler’s, if they were that lucky. The demon gave them an endless hunger for human blood, but no knowledge on how to get it.

He threw them into the middle of infinite desert that stretched in every direction. When first stranded, there had been thousands in numbers, but through their long peril so many died before they were found by not only the person who wanted to help them, but the only one who could. Their Creator felt the need to make up for the horror unleashed on the traumatized people.

With only a scant few hundred left, he decided they deserved the same chance at life as the humans whom populated these lands, who had been no help to the newcomers. They too should be given the ability to grow as a people, to find their own way. He gave them basic skills in every area he thought of that would best allow these abused victims of a war not their own, to survive among the humans. He bestowed upon them the simple benefit of manipulating energy, a singular power that gave them limitless possibilities.

He gave each an extra ability of their own, one original to only them they called a Primary power in addition to the secondary. They have passed these on in different forms and combinations through breeding, right down to the generations of today. With a warning to closely monitor their kind, their children and grandchildren, the nameless man sent them on their way, to do what they would. They were given a chance, just like humans to either live well or to pay the consequences in the next life.

The few hundred looked around at their new physical world with a critical eye, and began to form what they today call the Council to ensure that humanity was kept safe from themselves. These vampires who had started the establishment with the best of intentions had set up rules in ‘stone’ that were later corrupted by their own offspring. The Originals could barely control anything that happened after a few centuries, their dreams and hopes for their race were crushed beneath corruption and greed. Many withdrew from the fold as far as their own laws enabled them.

Their enforced followers stuck closely to those same now warped laws, mainly because they had learnt well the consequences of fighting, which were dire indeed. The Council required drastic threats to be carried out to retain the fear needed to have power over the rest. To disobey this government is to run the risk of Roguedom. To be declared Rogue is to be stalked by psychic, rigidly trained Hunters, who have no rules to bind them from tormenting their target as they see fit. They went out of their way to make it unbearable, and pass down judgment given by those in the Council.

A derivative of the Council, the next tier down is the Coven. A Coven typically has two Leaders who are usually mated, and they tend a smaller group of vampires. They were given the power to make their followers no more than puppets, to be led by mental and forced blood bonds tighter and stronger than any shackles. These ways of life weren’t a debate, but vital to the continuation of their lives.

So there’s a little about my world. It's mostly Erotica right now, so I don’t get to write much about this side of my realm, and I really enjoyed having this chance to do so. This is also some of another series I had begun, and one day might actually be a novel or two, for there is much more to this piece of their history I would've gotten into, but then this long post would be three times as long, lol.

Cheers!

Kayden McLeod

The truth about the strange and unknown

I have the distinct pleasure of working a few floors down from another author, Imari Jade. I’ve been speaking with Imari for over ten years now (as we both smoke and take the usual siesta at work to talk of our works in progress) and consider her a great friend and confide in her my ideas and developments. It was during one of these smoke breaks that I discussed the idea of writing a tale of a man escaping from hell, but he has to go through [my version has a varying amount of levels, so sue me] before he can escape. Steal the idea if you like, it’s not original – hello Devine Comedy! – but I’ve been told that there are no original ideas anymore, only original ways to tell the story.

Imari asked me if I was up to date on Dante’s work. Now I’ll admit I haven’t attempted to read “The Devine Comedy” since high school, and I really didn’t attempt to read it then either, but the fact remained I didn’t plan to read Dante’ because I have—God forgive me for daring to break from the pack—my own ideas of hell. And that statement spurred our subject, which I share with you, about the stereotypes of “monsters” and the importance of getting it right.

So let’s first discuss stereotypes and my utter hatred for them when writing fiction. Hi, I’m Trent Kinsey. I’m a white male, of said age with brown hair, a beard, blah, blah, blah. I say this because I’m sure my physical characteristics matches some serial killer profile or that of a sex offender. I’m neither, but do you see where I’m going? Each of us matches some profile or some stereotype, but it doesn’t mean we belong to it or that we are it. I strongly believe the same of our loving monsters and paranormal freakies. For example: I say vampire and you say…Hates sunlight…Drinks blood…can change into a bat, mist and in some corners of the world, a wolf...etc. Or how about our friend the werewolf (one of my absolute favorites I might add) and you’d say…Silver bullets…Changes during a full moon….etc.

I can go on like this for pages and pages, but I think the idea is starting to form. We’ve been programmed to believe in the strength and weaknesses of our paranormal figures because it’s what’s been said in every encounter. Movies, books and camp-fire stories all use the same slate when describing our favorite—or most feared—creatures. Why is it such a bother if a vampire can walk in daylight? Or, is it so bad if someone changes to a werewolf during the day?

The answer is no,' but the conundrum of the answer is that the author has to create reasons for why this one creature is different than the stereotypes. Let me say that again so it will sink in and take root—The author has to give reasons why a creature is different than what the reader expects. Now, I’ve never met a vampire and though my friends will disagree with me, I’ve never met, nor am I a werewolf—it’s the beard that throws my friends off. I will admit I’ve seen ghosts, angels and demons, and I still believe I met the devil one night working the grave-yard shift at a convenient store years ago, but I digress. The fact remains that what we discuss are creatures that I doubt others have met and if they did meet said creature, the thing wouldn't tell you how to kill it. So why are we extremely stuck on the stereotypes if none of us really know how to kill a vampire, or when a werewolf changes? Better yet…Who’s really been to hell and came back to tell us not only what it’s like, but how to escape it?

A Fresh Beginning

Dear Reader,

Welcome!

I’ve created this Blog specifically for Eternal Press authors, staff and affiliates to discuss and promote everything Paranormal. This is our world, how we see it, and will be filled with our views and thoughts on everything from vampires, witches, and beyond. Authors like Tabitha Shay, Dee Owens, Trent Kinsey and myself will be using this page as our personal literary canvas.

As well on this Blog there will be Promos and discussions for EP books that fall into any Paranormal Genre. Erotica, Romance, Horror, Science Fiction, or anything in between. I’m going for an open and friendly atmosphere, and I certainly hope we can achieve it!

Hope you enjoy!

Kayden McLeod