Vampire Monday: Betsy Dornbusch

Vampires have Staying Power

If I have to think of one thing that keeps the vampire mythos enduring, it’s immortality. (See what I did there?) With that one characteristic comes a whole host of fabulous traits, not the least of which is an eccentric nature. I think a writer does vampires an injustice if they don’t imbue them with intriguing peculiarities and deep-set flaws. Eccentricity lends the sense of depth and age, like scars on an old desk top. Of course, everyone knows vampires don’t physically scar…but scars on the psyche work better in fiction anyway.

Eccentricity also goes hand-in-hand with confidence. Aged vampires are creatures who know what they want and aren’t afraid of their own drive to achieve it. I think the best vampires are mature and self-accepting to an annoying degree (maybe a little like some parental types we know). Which leads me to wonder if sometimes a vampire might be frustrated at appearing young forever? I look younger than my age and I’ve run up against a lack of respect because of it; sometimes people don’t give me credit when I actually have experience and age to back up my opinion.

Immortality lends a whole sense of mystery to a character, as well. In a whole lifetime it’s tough to know someone completely; what would it be to try to know someone who is a few centuries old? I don’t think a mortal can ever quite perceive the immortal in any way approaching entirety. But good stories often leave some questions unanswered, and a vampire is a wonderful vehicle for that device.

But mostly, immortality lends universal tension, bringing up that eternal question: what will the world be like after I’m gone? Vampires are generally succinct observers, even if only viewing humankind as prey. They have an objective, maybe even cold view of the world, which provides the opportunity for the characters, the writer, and the reader, to think in terms of future. I think vampires will always be with us because they transcend the human lifespan.

You can find me online at Sex Scenes at Starbucks http://betsydornbusch.com

My vampire books are Quencher and Quenched, written under the penname Ainsley, and they center around a vampire dating service. My recent sexy space opera is called Lost Prince. All are available through:

http://whiskeycreek.com/torrid

in a variety of formats, including for Kindle. I also have an urban fantasy featuring hot twin demon brothers rebelling against the demon king Asmodai coming out from Whiskey Creek Press in January 2012 entitled Sentinel: Archive of Fire. Early reviewers are calling it “dark and juicy” and a “superb thriller.”

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Betsy will be giving away a copy of one of her books to a commenter. Stop back by to see if you won.