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Rumors are flying throughout the publishing industry.  Readers are looking at me askance.  “Can it be true?” they whisper.  Has Teresa Medeiros—author of charming fairy tales and numerous stories about cuddly kittens—truly succumbed to the seductive lure of the vampire?  Has she turned her back on the sunlight to take a walk in the shadows, accompanied by a dangerous hero who could very well be the ruination of her?

And my answer can only be..."Well, duh!  What woman wouldn’t want to take a walk on the dark side with Julian Kane?” I eased into the genre with AFTER MIDNIGHT, then decided to embrace my first full-fledged vampire hero with THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME.  (Needless to say, embracing Julian wasn’t any great hardship on my part ) I’ve always written and loved dangerous heroes and I’ve never found it difficult to understand the appeal of the vampire hero.  (Especially not after seeing Frank Langella’s portrayal of DRACULA during my formative teen years!)

The vampire is the ultimate Bad Boy, the consummate Alpha hero.  Power is one of the most delicious aphrodisiacs and what greater power is there than the power over life and death?  There’s something wickedly sexy about a hero who has the power to kill you but can’t resist kissing you instead.  His hunger for you is all-consuming and he could literally die if you don’t satisfy him.  What beauty wouldn’t want to tame such a beast?

But I definitely don’t believe THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME represents a rejection of my straight historicals.  I was told by an editor years ago that the primary theme that runs through all of my books is redemption.  That theme comes to ultimate fruition with Julian because he is literally a man in search of his soul.  I knew from the start that I’d never be able to tell his story if I couldn’t bring the same humor, love, and light to it that I’ve tried to bring to all of my books.  For me, it’s the contrast between the light of true love and the darkness that tugs at all of our souls that makes a story like Julian’s worth the telling. 

So how about you?  Does the idea of cuddling with a vampire hero make you shiver with disgust or delight?  Do you mind if an author spreads her creative wings occasionally?  (Even if they turn out to be bat wings!) And if anyone wants to discuss or ask questions about THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME, fire away!  (I just ask that if there’s a SPOILER in your post, please post SPOILER at the top, then scroll down a bit before posting.)

http://www.teresamedeiros.com

1) You never have to worry about him coming home and saying, "What's for dinner, honey?"
2) When he says, "I'll love you forever", he means it

3) Black can be very slimming
4) No more worries about West Nile Virus with that bat flitting around your eaves at twilight
5) Instead of making the bed every morning, you can just close the lid

6) He'll never have garlic breath
7) You can spend all day at the mall shopping while he's sleeping
8) A Transylvanian henchman is cheaper than a maid or a gardener

9) When he promises to "make love to you all night," he won't roll over in fifteen minutes and go to sleep
You discerning readers may have noticed that there are only 9 TOP TEN REASONS FOR LOVING A VAMPIRE. That's because I want YOU to come up with #10! Just post your entry in the Comment section and I'll announce my favorite one at 7 PM Central time tonight. The witty winner will receive an autographed copy of THE VAMPIRE WHO LOVED ME! These are the rules:
1) You can submit more than one entry but please only do ONE entry per Comment to make for easier reading.
2) ALL Comments are welcome. Your Comment doesn't have to be a contest entry.
3) Squawkers can enter but can't win. (Sorry, Xtina!)



http://www.teresamedeiros.com

SOME ENCHANTED EVENING
Originally uploaded by Christina Dodd.
10. Reading SOME ENCHANTED EVENING teaches you how to catch a prince or, if you're an underachiever, an earl.
9. The "Desperate Housewives" episode is a rerun.
8. SOME ENCHANTED EVENING can easily be read while vacuuming.
7. Hardcover of SOME ENCHANTED EVENING always checked out of the library.
6. No commercials
5. Trying to confirm your suspicion that Christina Dodd and Lisa Kleypas are really the same person because the cover of SOME ENCHANTED EVENING is the same as SECRETS OF A SUMMER NIGHT except for that lady dressed in the red gown on the terrace.
4. No calories.
3. Reading SOME ENCHANTED EVENING the only way to stop humming the song from the musical now stuck in your head.
2. Beat the rush before Oprah recommends SOME ENCHANTED EVENING.

And the top reason to buy SOME ENCHANTED EVENING (ON THE SHELVES THIS WEEK):

1. Your husband will never know what hit him.

CTY-full
Originally uploaded by Christina Dodd.

Look! I figured out how to post the cover of CLOSE TO YOU on the blog!

I wouldn't have gone to all that bother except
CLOSE TO YOU IS #32 ON THE NYT!!! THAT'S FIVE WEEKS, PEOPLE!!!!