So, I’ve been thinking about this off and on about writing in general, but thought it would be fun to pose the question here with the specifics of vampires. What are some of your pet peeves in vampire literature and movies? Is there something that tends to get done over and over that just rubs you the wrong way? A certain portrayal? A power or handicap that doesn’t jibe.

Personally, I find what irritates me is not so much with the writing itself. It has more to do with rules of one book’s universe used to judge all other books of the genre which are unconnected with that book. An example is “The Three Laws of Robotics” being used to suggest someone else who writes about robots MUST apply the three laws rule to stories about robots even if it is not being written about that author’s universe. I see the same with vampire stories. A vampire “can’t” do this or a vampire “won’t” do that. You’re writing vampires “wrong” or something like that. The truth is, vampires are not real. They’re fiction and while there are certain myths about them, the author can play with the base mythology as they see fit.

I think that’s what first attracted me to Love is in the Blood. It doesn’t follow the European vampire lore, so it can escape all of those trappings. If someone tells us we’re doing vampires wrong, we can tell them these AREN’T your normal vampires. They stem from a completely different mythology and why not give it a look!

Yeah, so, looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Dragon*Con 2012 is right around the corner and both Greg and myself will be there in the Artist Alley. We will have separate booths, but we will be very excited to have you drop by and say hello (and buy something). Aside from us, there are going to be some amazing guests this year; Adam Baldwin, Sean Maher, and Jewel Staite (Firefly), John Barrowman and Eve Myles (Torchwood), a bunch of actors and actresses from Star Trek and many other awesome shows. They’ll also have some amazing artists and authors.

This Atlanta convention covers everything from comics, sci-fi, pirates, crafts, steampunk, anime, manga, and Renaissance. And you can bet your bottom there’s going to be some fabulous cosplayers there! Don’t miss it!

If you have read this comic before, you know that we don’t follow the typical European vampire mythologies. Instead, we are taking inspiration from the Sumerian myths and legends for Love is in the Blood. The rules for this tale will differ from all other vampire stories you have probably read to date.

However, Greg and I are both fans of “regular” vampire movies and literature. I am personally a big fan of the The Southern Vampire Mysteries, aka the Sookie Stackhouse Books, by Charlaine Harris. They are the origin of the True Blood HBO series. They’re great for curling up on the couch and spoiling yourself with a good romantic, sexy, mystery book. The first four books in the series are by far my favorites. I am still following the series, but so far the first four are the tightest as the cast hasn’t expanded too far at this point. One of the things I really respect about this series is the main character, Sookie Stackhouse. She is an incredibly strong, self-reliant woman with a disability that makes it troublesome to interact with normal people. She reads minds whether she wants to or not and that leads to a frustrating life of ALWAYS knowing what something is thinking, even if it’s about her. Imagine dating someone and knowing what they were thinking all the time. She’s not always waiting for someone to come to her rescue her, but instead will try to take you down herself. She’s also not afraid to dump a guy who treats her poorly. That’s an extremely respectable trait for a fantasy heroine!

So, what is YOUR favorite vampire novel, series, and/or movie? What is it about the story or characters that makes it your favorite? With so many different vampire tales out there I am excited to hear your answers!