Serena Zane and the Vampire Mythos!

Hi everyone;

Being the total vampire geek I am, I couldn't be happier today than to be able to welcome the wonderful Serena Zane! She has a terrific, and may I say totally hot, new book called Bane, Book 3 in the Dark Warrior series. Check out that awesome cover!

But before Serena talks to us about her book, she's going to talk to us about the vampire mythos. I love how she breaks it down for us, so please read on and enjoy!

Serena, talk to us!

Vampire mythos classic vs. modern

 

Serena Zane
"Passion to die for"

 

Over the centuries the mythos of the Vampire has both fascinated and disgusted us. Like a car accident, we just can't look away. The thought that something so beautiful could be so dangerous is almost irresistible for the human race.

 

As a person, I have a love of all things paranormal: vampires, werewolves, witches, etc... As a writer, the history of each has taken on a sort of morbid fascination for me. Due to the fact that there are so many different legends that have been created about the Vampire, I took what I loved most about each and then added my own twist on the vampire vs. werewolf wars of legend.

 

Zaniac vampires, as I like to call them, are created. In their own sub-culture, a priestess in Egyptian times fell in love with a young warrior. However, he spurned her affections, and as a curse she created the first vampire. Each vampire after that was created from this first 'original'. Zaniac vampires can shape-shift, fly, have heightened senses, mind-control, and telepathy. Silver can kill them. As is traditional, they cannot be exposed to sunlight, are effected adversely by Holy Water, and a good old fashioned stake will take them out. While they can 'fall in love' and do so intensely, there is no such thing as a 'lifemate' unlike in my favorite novels by Christine Feehan.  They do have a marriage ceremony that ties them for life and vampires do not believe in open relationships once married. Adultery is punished by death. However, before marriage, they are rather promiscuous. Zaniac vampires are immune to drugs, or disease, and are of course immortal.

 

The legend I have created to make this my own is a twist on the old vampire vs. werewolf wars. In Zaniac history werewolves were held as slaves by the vampire race. Werewolf blood is like a drug for vampires, creating a sense of euphoria. It is highly addictive. The werewolves rebelled back in the Middle Ages and a great war was started creating a rift between the two species. In the Dark Warrior series, vampire Damon Blake falls for Nikki Adams, who is part-werewolf. This creates numerous issues that Zaniac's can experience throughout this ongoing series. My newest release, Bane, explores how old grudges and beliefs can effect one's life.

 

Just for fun, I have included a comparison chart below of some of my favorite vampire legends. Check it out, and let me know what you think!

 

Vampire Mythos Comparison Chart

 

Authors	Bram Stroker Dracula	Christine Feehan Dark series	Anne Rice The Vampire Chronicles	L.J. Smith Vampire Diaries	Stephanie Meyer Twilight Saga	P.C. Cast House of Night	Serena Zane Dark Warriors & Hunter Diaries series
Pros
Shape-shift	*Fog, bats	*Any					*Any
Invisibility	*	*				*	*
Compulsion	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Telepathy		*			*	*	*
Magical Abilities	*	*				*	*
Flying	*	*	*				*
Preternatural Speed	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Cons or causes Death
Sunlight	*	*	*	*		*	*
Wooden Stakes	*	*	*	*			*
Holy Water	*		*				*
Silver						*	*
Crosses	*		*				*
Decapitation	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Fire	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Starving	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Dependent on Lifemate		*
Loss of Emotion		*		*
Sleeps in Coffin	*		*
Sleeps in Ground		*					*
Created	*		*	*	*	*	*
Born		*			*	*

 

Blurb:

Strife has found the Pack in Boston. A young woman is murdered in an abandoned warehouse. and three other girls are missing . Detective Nikki Adams gets a whiff of something off about the whole case as she struggles to find the killer before more girls end up dead.

Meanwhile Damon Blake, Nikki's boyfriend and full-fledged vampire, finds a medallion with the insignia of the Nostre Dames, his own clan, inscribed on the surface at the crime scene. Slipping it into his pocket he stashes the evidence before a war breaks out between the races, again. The tenuous truce he recently forged with the Pack is in danger.

Nikki knows Damon is hiding something from her as the case escalates, but he won't tell her what it is. She is faced with the fact that he might not trust her after all, even though she has given him her heart.
The Dark Warriors is a series of serial short-stories that continue to drive deeper into the world of the unknown for Detective Nikki Adams. This is the first in a series of steamy, fun, and fast reads that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Bane-Dark-Warrior-Series-ebook/dp/B009D0JR9S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350941375&sr=8-1&keywords=bane+by+serena+zane

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bane-serena-zane/1112937954?ean=2940015680430

Reader Store:
http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/serena-zane/bane/_/R-400000000000000829777

Manic Readers:
http://www.manicreaders.com/index.cfm?disp=bookDetail&bookid=29659
 

 

Serena Zane lives with her husband and son in the Northwest. She works hard, plays hard, and spends her free time studying the Middle Ages in a re-creationist organization called the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc (SCA); and writing her novels.

Zane started writing at an early age with short stories, and poetry inspired by her mother, a strong independent woman who loves to help others, and writes as well. In 2009, she became a member of Romance Writer’s of America. She fell in love with the idea of writing a contemporary action/adventure romance while she attended college to study Criminal Justice. After months of working on homework assignments late at night that made her want to turn on every light in the house, she combined both her knowledge of Criminal Justice and her love for all things paranormal.

To check out what Serena is up to via Twitter friend her @serenazane or check out her website: www.serenazane.com