Vampire Monday: Amanda Ashley

Why Vampires Are (and always will be) Popular

Vampires . . . just the name conjures the image of a tall, dark figure in a long black cape, someone mysterious and deadly, sensuous and compelling. Think of Frank Langella as Dracula – in my opinion, the epitome of a vampire. He’s sexy, polite, suave, and charming, at least on the outside.

Then there is my current favorite vampire, Damon Salvatore, as portrayed by Ian Somerhalder.

Damon doesn’t wear a black cape, though he usually wears black. Damon is first and foremost the kind of vampire that romance writers love to write about – a tortured hero – a man turned against his will, hard on the outside, a bit of a cream puff on the inside. He has the most beautiful, expressive eyes I’ve ever seen.

I’ve been fascinated with vampires ever since I read Interview with a Vampire. Whether portrayed as good guys or bad guys or something in between, there’s no getting away from the fact that vampires are one of the most intriguing paranormal creatures in literature today. Myths and legends abound: They can turn into mist. They can change shape. They are almost indestructible. They can hypnotize you, and read your mind. They are able to move faster than the human eye can follow. They can control animals and the weather. They have the strength of 20 men. They are almost always Alpha males who know what they want and how to get it. The list goes on and on.

These days, it’s hard to find the ugly scary vampires of years ago, no doubt due to the number of romance writers who have taken Nosferatu and changed him into a sympathetic hero. Think of Mick St. John from Moonlight, Edward Cullen from Twilight, Angel from Buffy. Strong on the outside, hungry for love on the inside, just waiting for the right woman to come along.

How can you not love them?

Amanda Ashley
www.amandaashley.net

Amanda Ashley is one of those rare birds - a California native. She’s lived in Southern California her whole life and loves it (except for the earthquakes). She and her husband share a home with a fluffy Pomeranian named Lady, a tortoise named Buddy, and a wild sparrow named Tweety. Amanda and her alter ego, Madeline Baker, have written over 70 books, many of which have appeared on various bestseller lists, including the New York Times Bestseller List, the Waldenbooks Bestseller list, and the USA Today list. Not bad for someone who started writing just for the fun of it.

Purchase Bound by Blood

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Amanda will give away a copy of her book to a commenter. Stop back by to see if you won.