The Book That Never Was: The Vampire Book

Some people have been posting things lately about books and projects they worked on that got scrapped for whatever reason.

Here's one I was working on. I started a proposal but then books like The Everyhting Vampire Book hit the shelves and I decided I would be wasting my time trying to shop it around.

The Vampire Book

Sample TOC

By Roxanne Rhoads

Introduction:

Vampire myths, legends and folklore have existed throughout the ages all over the world. They have appeared in some shape or form in almost every culture and society. Yet it is mainly the 19^th Century European vampire that comes to mind when we think about vampires.

The modern vampire myth was born in literature such as Carmilla and Dracula. These vampires were romanticized; they were the sensual, dark and erotic creatures that that indulged their needs and desires without the constraints and boundaries of humanity. Vampires have no need of  moral, religious and societal rules and restraints. The sexually repressed Victorian era turned the vampire into the embodiment of dark desires and sensuality that represented all the pent up sexuality of the times. The vampire became something not only terrifying but also highly attractive and alluring.

In today’s society the vampire is still the most popular of all paranormal creatures and definitely the most sensationalized and eroticized. Though our society is not as sexually repressed as it was in the days of Dracula we are still bound by human laws and morality, while the vampire is bound by nothing except perhaps their own conscience… if they retain one.

The vampire has become even more popular because of our youth and sex obsessed culture. How perfect… a creature that is immortal, retaining youth and beauty forever, forever able to indulge in the forbidden dark desires and sexual urges that we are taught to avoid.

Already a fan of paranormal tales and ghost stories, I was seduced by the vampire myth at 11 years old when I found a copy of Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire at a yard sale. After I read it I was hooked. Since then I have read every other book in her vampire series plus anything and everything else I could find on vampires.

By my teens I was deeply in love with vampire myth and legend. In my late teens and early 20’s I was into the Goth/vamp culture. My sleek and shiny, black and silver Regal even sported the personalized plate, VAMP.

Since then I’ve matured into a “normal” wife and mother, replaced the white make up with regular foundation and the blood red or sometimes black lipstick with regular pinks and reds.

Deep down I’m still a vamp at heart though. My love for vampires is still there. My darker side emerges from time to time and the vampire is a reoccurring theme in many of my stories and poetry. I love to twist and spin vampire myths and legends into scary, sexy, and sometimes erotic tales.

With this book I will examine the many aspects of the vampire, from history and mythology to the psychological attraction we have to them, what makes their appeal so everlasting? The vampire legend is retold over and over, yet we never seem to tire of these beautiful, horrifying and completely enthralling creatures.

Chapter 1: The Vampire

Creatures of Darkness

Inherently Evil or Completely Misunderstood

The Blood is the Life

Religion and Vampires

Chapter 2: Types of Vampires

Psychic

Life-force

Sexual

Sanguinarian

The Mindless Revenant

Chapter 3: Vampires in the Animal Kingdom

Mosquitoes

Bedbugs

Fleas and Ticks

Leeches

Vampire Bats

Chapter 4: Vampire Myths and Legends from Around the World

Ancient Greece and Rome

Africa

China

The British Isles

Eastern European

Victorian Era

Chapter 5: Vampire Gods and Goddesses

Lilith

Ancient Egypt

Aztecs

Blood Sacrifice

Chapter 6: The Lure of the Vampire

The Psychological Appeal

The Promise of Immortality

Connection Between Life and Death

Youth

The Appeal of Danger

No Restraint

Chapter 7: “Real” Vampires in History

Vlad Tepes, Vlad the Impaler

The Countess Elizabeth Bathory

John George Haigh

Geoffrey Dahmer

Chapter 8: The Beginning of the Romantic Vampire: 19^th Century Vampire Fiction

Thinly Veiled Eroticism in Victorian Writing

The Vampyre

Carmilla

Dracula

Chapter 9: The Erotic Male Vampire

The Extreme Alpha Male

Ultimate Bad boy

Dangerous Sex Appeal

Power

Lifetimes of Sexual Knowledge

Chapter 10: Vamp: The Ultimate Femme Fatale

Early Vamps and Vixens

Sexually Dominant, Brazen, Desired, Free

Vamps of the Silver Screen

Television Vamps

Chapter 11: Evolution of the Vampire

Monsters

The Male View

Romantic Vampires

The Vampire Legend Basics

New Twists and Spins

Chapter 12: Popular Vampire Fiction of Today

They’re Everywhere

Vampires, Werewolves, Witches…Oh My!

Anne Rice: Gothic Queen

Laurell K Hamilton: The Genre Bending Success

Stephanie Meyer: The Twilight Phenomenon

Chapter 13: Early Vampire Films

Silent Films

Classics

The Draw of Cinema Vampires

The Many Incarnations of Dracula

Chapter 14: Vampires on the Big Screen

Actors on the Big Screen

            Bela Lugosi

            Christopher Lee

Mid 20^th Century Classics

Modern Movies 80s and 90s

            The Lost Boys

            Bram Stoker’s Dracula

            Interview with a Vampire

21^st Century Vampire Films

Chapter 15: Vampires on Television

Dark Shadows

Forever Night

Kindred the Embraced

Blood Ties

Moonlight

Buffy and Angel

True Blood

Vampire Diaries

Chapter 16: Today’s Vampire: A Cultural Icon

Ingrained into Modern Culture

Vampire Products

            Vampire Wine

            Vampire Publications

The Children’s Vampire

            Count Chocula

            The Count on Sesame Street

            Bunnicula

Chapter 17: Vampire Role Playing Games

Role Playing Online

Real World Vampire Role Play

Vampire: The Masquerade

Vampire: The Requiem

Chapter 18: Vampires on the Web

Vampire Communities

Vampire Meet Up

Darkness Embraced

All Things Vampire

Chapter 19: Youth Culture and Vampires

Melancholy

Depression

Goth

Emo

Chapter 20: Do They Walk Among Us?

Delusion or Reality

Real Accounts of Vampires Today

Real Psychic Vampires

Blood Drinking

Appendix A: Popular Vampire Fiction Books and Authors

Appendix B: Vampire Movies and Television Series

Sexy on a Budget: Lingerie Alternatives By Roxanne Rhoads

Sexy on a Budget: Lingerie Alternatives

By Roxanne Rhoads

Is your sex life in need of a boost but your budget’s too tight to buy new lingerie?

You can get creative with budget friendly lingerie alternatives by breathing new life into old stuff lurking in your closets and drawers. Don’t fret about the government’s stimulus package when you can use what you already have to create all the stimulation your partner can handle.

Try these budget savvy seduction tips to give your sex life a boost without spending a dime.

What’s in Your Closet?

What ordinary items are lurking in your closet that can be transformed into extraordinary tools of seduction?

How about all those sheer tops that you prudently pair with camis and tanks? The guy in your life will love it if you decide to walk around the house in one of those sheer numbers with nothing else on; it’s what he fantasizes about every time you wear one of those tops. Give the man what he wants- you won’t be sorry.

What else is lingering in your closet waiting to be used seductively? How about those old Halloween costumes? Little Bo Peep, Harem Girl, Police Officer, Flapper? Any can be transformed with a little role playing into something totally new and extremely sexy. Put on the costume and delve into the role of seductress.

Speaking of role playing, there are all kinds of role playing costumes you can easily create out of items you probably have in your closet. Boss and secretary, librarian and bookworm, rich woman and servant, cowboy and country girl or maybe go old school and be an Indian maiden to his rough cowboy.

The possibilities are numerous depending only on your imagination and what is in your closet. Most of us have old work uniforms or strange stuff in our closets that can make some wild and funky sexual costumes. Got scrubs? Play doctor. Paging Doctor Love…Naughty Nurse in Room 69 needs assistance…

Can You Sew?

Girlfriend if you can sew you are miles ahead of us non-stitchers, you can take old clothes, old lingerie, even piles of material and create your own sexy apparel. Grab your needle and thread and channel the lingerie designer inside, just tap into your inner sex goddess for a little inspiration.

Raid Your Jewelry Box

Some men swear there is nothing sexier than a woman adorned only in jewelry…and maybe a pair of high heels. Think beautiful princess, desirable maiden or anything that conjures up images of heavily jewelry adornment. Then ditch everything but the jewelry. Oh so sexy.

Remember when layers of long beads were the thing? Still have any of those super long strands of beads? Wrap them around your body now, sans clothing. Pair with stilettos for a rich look. Just be prepared that beads may start flying when he gets a hold of you.

Classic Stripper Appeal

You probably wear a pair of high heeled boots all the time, with your nice work clothes, out to dinner, over jeans… but have you ever considered ditching the denim and sliding the boots on with nothing other than a matching thong? Strippers know the classic appeal of tall boots and a thong; it’s a look you’ll see a lot in clubs. Black leather boots and a black thong are simply sexy, a completely classic look with a touch of naughtiness. Your man will go nuts for it.

What’s in His Closet?

You might not think there would be anything on his side of the closet that you could wear to turn him on but men are strange creatures and find some things sexy that a woman would never even look twice at. Like his hunting or sports gear. Some guys secretly want to see you in camo…seriously they do. Other guys would be in heaven if you put on their sports jersey.

Many men swear that the sight of a woman in a man’s dress shirt with a pair of sexy as hell high heels is one of the most arousing scenes. Want to spice up the look and add a touch more femininity to it? Add lace topped thigh highs and a pearl necklace. Want to drive him really wild? Wear an old style garter belt with stockings for classic feminine sex appeal under that masculine shirt.

Other totally awesome items with massive sex appeal you may find on his side of the closet include: trench coats, dusters, cowboy hats, silk boxers, and work uniforms. How about his tool belt? Add a tight little tank top and cut off shorts (maybe a hard hat) and you’re a tool man’s fantasy come true.

Have black electrical tape? Explore your wild side and go for a bit of a fetish look by creating stick on lingerie with the tape. X’s over the nipples, strips around the waist, a triangle in a certain area sure to get his attention…

Does your man have the old wife beater style tank top undershirts? Many men, my husband included, have lots of fantasies about seeing breasts popping out of those skimpy manly tops. A few of my husband’s suggestions include cutting the top so the nipples play peak-a-boo through perfectly positioned slits and ripping the top off in a totally passionate way oh and let’s not forget the classic male obsession with wet t-shirts…

There are so many things you can do without spending a dime. Don’t let tight budgets and the economic slump cool off your love life; keep the flames of desire burning bright by using your sexual creativity to put together totally ravishing outfits and sexy scenarios.

Spotlight on Acadian Waltz by Alexandrea Weis

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The Shy Writer Reborn by C Hope Clark

I've been following Hope Clark for years. I subscribe to her Funds for Writers Newsletters- even though I don't use them as much now they were invaluable resources for me when I was freelancing. I found so many contests, writing jobs and resources thanks to her... 

I don't think I would have made it through those early years as a professional freelancer without FundsforWriters.com 

I remember reading some of her original book The Shy Writer, I always through about buying it but usually didn't have the money or I didn't think it would make a difference because I was just too shy to consider putting myself out there.

Now that the Shy Writer has been revamped and reborn, I had to give it a try. I am a point where I'm ready to further my career and get myself out there- no matter how painful...and believe me it's going to be painful.

But The Shy Writer Reborn is going to help me do it.

The Shy Writer Reborn
C Hope Clark

Print Length: 282 pages
Publisher: FundsforWriters
March 16, 2013

ASIN: B00DAMP9UQ

As an introvert and a writer, you feel stretched to choose between the lesser of two evils--marketing to people who'll most likely criticize you, or putting your writing on the back burner. Introverts have strengths that make them marketable, creative, and successful. Forget those people who tell you to change, to put on a different personality, to dance like a monkey before crowds. Here is the support to be a writer and remain who you care to be . . . genuine.

"Shy types, rejoice! Introversion may see, like a major obstacle to building a successful writing career, but this wonderful "covers-all-the-bases" book handily debunks the notion." ~Peter Bowerman, Author, The Well-Fed Writer series.

"Hope has solutions in The Shy Writer Reborn that let you make the most of who you are instead of asking you to change your personality." ~Linda Formichelli, The Renegade Writer: A Totally Unconventional Guide to Freelance Writing Succcess / The Renegade Writer Blog

"As a self-diagnosed introvert, I know the fears of many writers who are literally afraid to follow their passion and be successful. C. Hope Clark shares how to overcome that fear while navigating interviews, pitches, queries and more. If you're a shy writer, this is the book that will help you find and cultivate an audience for your writing." ~Robert Lee Brewer, Senior Content Editor, Writer's Market

"Hope Clark has done an incredible service for authors by writing The Shy Writer Reborn. She guides you through te steps to overcome fears and finally get a book out of your head and on to paper. This book will help a lot of would-be authors realize their dreams. Highly recommended!" ~Stephanie Chandler, author The Nonfiction Book Marketing Plan: Online and Offline Promotion Strategies for Serious Authors

Grab it at Amazon

About the Author

C. Hope Clark is editor of FundsforWriters.com, selected by Writer's Digest for its 101 Best Websites for Writers for the past 13 years. Her weekly newsletters are read by 35,000 readers. She's published in numerous trade magazines and online publications such as Writer's Digest Magazine, The Writer Magazine, Chicken Soup, TURF Magazine, Southern Writers Magazine, 2011 and 2012 Guide to Literary Agents, 2013 Writer's Market, and 2014 Guide to Indie Publishing. 

Hope is also author of The Carolina Slade Mystery Series, published by Bell Bridge Books out of Memphis, TN. Her first in the series, Lowcountry Bribe, won The Silver Falchion Award at the Killer Nashville Mystery Conference, was a finalist in the 2009 RWA Daphne du Maurier Mystery Awards (as an unpublished manuscript), and was a finalist in the EPIE awards for electronic publishing, in the mystery category. Her talents lead her to speak nationally at writers conferences, book clubs and writing groups, and her efforts to overcome shyness led her to also publish The Shy Writer Reborn: The Introverted Writer's Wake-up Call (2013). 

Read more about Hope at www.chopeclark.com and www.fundsforwriters.com

MY REVIEW


The Shy Writer 
Reborn: An Introverted Writer's Wake-up Call by C. Hope Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent resource for writers who are shy and for those wishing to understand the shy writer.

I am an introvert. Creating publicity for myself and my books is something that makes me cringe. I hate being in the spotlight. I shy away from events and conventions all the time even though I know I need to get out there for my books and my business.

But this book helps me tackle my issues one by one and gives advice and even exercises that help the shy writer break out and be able to be in the spotlight. Now that I've read the book I'm going to go back and use the exercises and work on my issues so I can stop being the shy writer and become the successul writer.

Chances are I'm still not going to enjoy the spotlight like an extrovert does but I think I can make it work for me and my books- and that's the most important thing.

I highly recommend this book to all the shy writers out there.

View all my reviews

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What Makes a Good Hero Guest Blog and Giveaway- Ashes by Sarah Gilman

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