Article Directory: http://www.ArticleSlash.net

Elena: transformed, the golden girl has become what she once feared and desired. Stefan: tormented by losing Elena, he’s determined to end his feud with Damon once and for all—whatever the cost. But slowly he begins to realize that his brother is not his only enemy. Damon: at last, he possesses Elena. But will his thirst for revenge against Stefan poison his triumph? Or can they come together to face one final battle? Collected here in one edition are the third and fourth volumes of The Vampire Diaries, a riveting conclusion to the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

About the Author

L. J. Smith has written more than two dozen books for children and young a (more…)

The first book in a new trilogy from L. J. Smith! Elena Gilbert is alive—again. When Elena sacrificed herself to save the two vampire brothers who love her—the handsome, brooding Stefan and the sleek and dangerous Damon—she was consigned to a fate beyond death. Until a powerful supernatural force pulled her back. Now Elena is not just human. She has powers and gifts that were bestowed on her in the afterlife. What’s more, her blood pulses with an overwhelming and unique force that makes her irresistible to any vampire. Stefan wants to find a way to keep Elena safe so that they can make a life together. Damon, however, is driven by an insatiable desire for power, and wants Elena to rule as his princess. When (more…)

As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I’m sure that Stephenie Meyer thinks it’s kind of cool that so many people love her work, but, as an aspiring writer, you should not want to write a book exactly like hers.

Why? You say.

Because, anybody who reads it will just think you’re a big copycat, that’s why. Of course, this won’t stop the slew of imitators coming out with their own badly written versions of the popular Twilight books. But, your novel doesn’t have to be one of them.

The truth is, Ms. Meyer has done her share of fiction reading, and still managed to come up with a unique story in the crowded vampire genre. Sure, people are ragging on her for not being a great writer, but whether they liker her writing style or not, her characters and story have some unique qualities.

If Ms. Meyer’s story didn’t have some special uniqueness, then it wouldn’t stand out from all the other vampire romance novels – and there are lots of them. As an aspiring author, what you really want to do is capture the same kind of magic that her story has. Creating this originality means you need a good imagination and willingness to expand on the vampire legend a bit.

I know this because I’ve written my own black vampire novel. I’m from a different generation, so I was inspired by the Ann Rice vampire series, which taught me that you can make vampire characters behave and say things that go beyond old stereotypes. I mean, having a vampire wear a cape and go around saying “I want to suck your blood” is quaint now days.

When I wrote my black vampire book, I hadn’t read any other black vampire books, and I didn’t want to recreate an Ann Rice style novel. No, I wanted my vampires and story to be unique, which I think I achieved.

So, here’s some things to keep in mind while working on your own vampire book:

Know Your Audience

Who are you writing this book for? Who will be your typical reader? Teen or adult fiction? Before you begin, you need to know this. Now, your audience for your story may expand, just like it did for the Twilight books, but you should stick with writing for your core audience.

Vampire Characters

Who exactly are your vampires? What do they look like? What kind of habits do they have? Edward is brooding and walks slowly. If you want to create a romantic male vampire, please don’t create one just like Edward. The audience for these types of stories already have Edward. What unique type of romantic vampire can you bring them?

My leading male vampire is handsome, charming and laid back. But, he does have this hidden dark side to him, because he does kill people to satisfy his bloodlust. Deciding whether or not your lead vampire will kill people, or, be a “vegetarian” is an important characteristic. It will affect his relationships with any mortal women he’s involved with.

What kind of vampire powers will your vampires have? Most vampires can fly, but what else can you think of that’s a cool power? You can take an existing vampire power like telepathy and give it an interesting twist. My vampires can stand some daylight, but only if they do something specific. You can weave these special powers subtly into your story, which creates a sense of authenticity for the reader.

Mortal Female Lead Character

Who is the leading mortal woman in your story? Why is she encountering her vampire? Is it love at first site, or does he have to win her over? There must be something that stands out about your leading lady – a reason why he’s strongly attracted to her. If you can’t make your leading lady appealing enough, then your story is going to be a let down. The reader must feel a connection between this mortal woman and the lead vampire.

Supporting Characters

You can have a variety of strong vampire, mortal and other mystical characters in your story. Before you begin writing, sit down and create all of the supporting characters you want to appear. What is their role in the story and why are they there?

Some supporting characters can add lots of color and drama to a story, while others are just minor characters that keep the story interesting. Don’t take these characters lightly. Creating strong supporting characters can take your story to a whole new level of excitement.

Create characters that you like writing about, and don’t worry if you don’t see them in someone else’s story. The New Moon part of the Twilight series features werewolves. My story doesn’t have these characters because I don’t want to write about them. Yet, my story is fine without them.

Do you know who the Wampati are? No? That’s because I made them up and they only appear in my story.

Location of the Story

You need to make decisions about where they live and who they live with. The location where the action takes place is a big part of the story. It’s important that you pick a location that you’re comfortable writing about. Picking a particular big city, or rural area, just because you saw it in a movie may mean you’re going to struggle with authenticity.

Writing a novel, especially a fantasy one, requires that the author get into the feeling and mood of the story. If you’re not comfortable with the location, your characters aren’t going to be either. Create a location that’s close to home, or somewhere you visit often. You can even make up a town or city to your liking. You should be able to see this place clearly when you close your eyes. When you’re writing about a location you’re familiar with, your story will flow better.

Story Plot

Creating an interesting story is essential. You can have great characters, but if you put them into a slow, plodding story, your readers may valiently finish the book, but probably not want to read anything else you write ever again. I think a lot of new novel writers struggle with this.

But, Stephenie’s books aren’t that great and people are raving about them.

Yes, maybe Stephenie Meyer isn’t a great writer, but she obviously got something in her plot right. She created compelling characters and put them into a storyline that resonates with millions of females (and some men) – both young and old. To be fair, her books are written for tweens and teenagers. Many adults just happen to like the Twilight storyline too.

It’s unlikely that you’ll have the same good fortune as Stephenie, so just focus on creating great characters, and putting them into your own original vampire story. If other people, besides yourself, truly enjoy reading your novel, then you’ll have accomplished your goal of writing an entertaining vampire book.

Check out my black vampire novel here:

[http://www.donnamonday.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donna_Monday
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Write-a-Novel—Writing-Your-Own-Bloodsucking-Vampire-Novel&id=3301854

“A human woman marries a vampire in this well-crafted, traditional supernatural romance… fans of vampire fiction will find plenty to savor here.” –Kirkus Discoveries

A human woman marries a vampire in this well-crafted, traditional supernatural romance. Carmen is a painter who has never had much interest in love until she meets mysterious, bewitchingly handsome and boundlessly wealthy Adrian Tallinn. He owns the office building where her art has been commissioned, and after they meet sparks fly. Their romance progresses quickly. When Carmen wrecks her car after a seemingly demonic woman rushes into her path, Adrian buys her a new one. When someone burns down Carmen’s house, Adrian takes her into his guest quarters. (more…)

In 1966 I was a young child already interested and aware of the paranormal.  I was excited when I heard that a vampire based television show, Dark Shadows, was about to make it’s debut on television.  Many children in my school were buzzing about the show and wondering if their parents would allow them to watch.   My parents did allow me to watch when I returned home from school in the afternoon and I was hooked!  Dark Shadows revolves around a groundskeeper, employed by the Collins family, stumbles upon a chained casket that he can’t help but open.  Inside the casket is a 200 year old vampire Barnabas Collins who drinks from the living and falls in love with the family nursemaid.  This was the beginning of my obsession with vampires.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Fast forward to 1997 and I was equally intrigued by the story of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.  I had read dozens of books and seen some vampire movies since I fell in love with Barnabas Collins but none of them satisfied my thirst.  Buffy is a seemingly normal young woman growing up in California when she is approached by a decrepit old man and told that she is “the chosen one”.  Buffy learned to fight and kill vampires and a host of other demons, wherewolves, robots and more.  Buffy was the first female heroine who was strong enough to fight the supernatural beings and survive and as a bonus she had an odd but devoted collection of friends who helped her with the good fight.  After seven great years the series ended much to my dismay.

The Twilight Saga

During a much needed vacation at the beginning of 2009 I stumbled across a movie called Twilight in a movie theatre in San Diego, CA.  I had never heard of the books nor did I know anything about the author Stephenie Meyer but I was always up for a good, juicy vampire story.  Twilight did not let me down and when I left the movie theatre I went directly to the bookstore and purchased the book.  Three books and one more movie, New Moon, later I am just as hooked.  I identify with Bella Swan who is the odd duck at both her old school in Arizona and the new school she reluctantly attends in Forks, Washington.  Bella meets and falls in love with a gorgeous vampire named Edward Cullen and the story revolves around their romance and Edward’s mission to keep Bella alive.  It is both a heart warming and heart breaking story but it is compelling.  I’ve read the books several times and I never tire of them.

True Blood

In 2009 I saw commercials for a new HBO series entitled True Blood.  Based on the The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris.  True Blood is both a romance and a thriller.  Each season is twelve lovely episodes long and the storyline is very loosely based on the books.  I saw the pilot of the series first and raced to the bookstore to purchase the series.  At first it was hard for me to warm up to the main character telepathic Sookie Stackhouse.  However, as the story evolved I began to understand Sookie and like her I fell in love with her first boyfriend vampire Bill Compton.  Sookie matures in each book and handles the up and down of the supernatural world with grace.  As time goes by Sookie meets and becomes attached to an assortment of characters both human and supernatural.  The books and television show never bore me and I look forward to new material on television and off.

Now I’m looking forward to new books, television shows and movies coming out of the next few years.  Vampire lovers will be delighted with the selection and I hope this trend and interest in vampires continue!

© 2009, Davis Virtual Assistance.

From Publishers Weekly

Sands spins off this paranormal romance series debut from her popular Argeneau books (Bite Me If You Can, etc.) with her trademark wit and passion. On a well-deserved vacation from her fast-track job as a lawyer, Samantha Willan is looking forward to hanging out with her sisters at their family’s cottage. Rogue Hunter Garrett Mortimer has been sent by the Council to search for an errant vampire who has been biting mortals. When the two cross paths in the middle of nowhere, romance intrudes on Sam’s R&R and Garrett’s mission. Sands maintains the heart, sass and steam of her other novels, providing plenty of plot-driving backstory, but never letting it overshadow the love and passion. With sexy immortals (more…)

After seven hundred years of life, Marguerite Argeneau finally has a career. Well, the start of one, anyway. She’s training to be a private investigator, and her first assignment is to find an immortal’s mother. It seemed simple enough, until Marguerite wakes up one evening to find herself at the wrong end of a sword. Now she realizes she’s in way over her head. Julius Notte wants to protect Marguerite, and not because someone just tried to take her head off. She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s his lifemate and he’s determined to woo her. It’s been over five hundred years since he last courted a woman, but surely the techniques haven’t changed. Now if only he can keep her alive—so to speak—so they can have that happil (more…)