Thursday, October 14, 2010

Blog with Bite Presents Monique Martin


Welcome to the Hysteria!
Blog with Bite would like to present Monique Martin, our featured author for the Halloween Hysteria.

 And without further ado...Ms. Martin...

Character is everything. For me, as a reader and a writer, it's all about the people or demons or those special few that are a little of both. I want to connect with them, to care what happens. I want to want to spend time with them and I want my readers to feel the same way about my characters.

The big three in Out of Time: A Paranormal Romance all came alive for me. They found nice empty spots in my head (there are a few for let) and took up residence. Simon, the repressed professor of Occult Studies, Elizabeth, his young adventurous assistant and King, the vampire mobster who's looking for a sign from God.

In fact, it all started with the villain, King Kashian. I was watching a documentary about 1920's Chicago. The gangsters and the mob, bootleggers and bad, bad men. And, it came to me. What if the underworld of crime was actually controlled by the underworld of demons. And, King Kashian was born, er, well, sired.

I've always loved vampires. I mean, what's not to love? Dark, brooding, powerful, and tortured.  Add a hot buttered side of handsome and you've got me. Oh, have you got me. And, when I created King, the leader of the mob in 1920s New York City, he fit the bill. He's stylish, powerful, ruthless and a bad, bad, man. Half-man. Well, you know.  I wanted him to be a counter-point to the hero. To challenge him. And, he did. In spades!

I've always thought that the villain or antagonist is just as important as the hero. If he's boring or two-dimensional, the hero's journey isn't nearly as satisfying. King became so much more than just a hot vamp. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I love his back story (I don't want to it for spoil you) and even considered giving him his own book. He's as real as Simon, the hero, and on his own journey for redemption.

King's got family issues (don’t we all?), his competition wants to see him dead (again) and he's looking for that special someone to spend eternity with (literally). He's lonely and driven and, I hope, sympathetic, despite his, well, killing and things.

Vampires are such fun characters - so powerful and seductive. They're temptation personified. And, there's no limit to the way you can use them. They can exist in any time period, have nearly limitless experience and fall anywhere from gentle to monstrous.

I know it's de rigueur to have more heroic vampires these days and I'm breaking form a bit by having King as the antagonist in Out of Time. But, I really believe that a great villain can be as compelling as a great hero.

Who are some of your favorite villains? Any vampire villains you hate to love? I'd love to hear from you. Post away and share your vampire love/hate hate/love.

Thanks again to the gang at Blog with Bite. Happy Halloween!

Answer Ms. Martin's question for a chance to win a copy of OUT OF TIME in eBook format. Two winners will be chosen.


Contest Deets:

  • Two winners for this particular contest
  • 18+ only
  • Commenting on this post will earn entry into this contest, but please answer Ms. Martin's question to be eligible. Not following directions will result in your comment not counting.
  • Winners will be chosen using Random.org
  • Following BlogwithBite.com is not required
  • Extra entries will be offered, separate comment for each entry please, if you leave multiple entries in one comment it will only be counted as one entry
  • Contest ends October 31st, 2010 11:59 CST
Extra Entries:
  • Follow BlogwithBite.com {GFC, Email}
  • Like BWB on Facebook {Leave name last initial}
  • Add a HALLOWEEN HYSTERIA button to your sidebar {leave link}
  • Spread the word in any way, twitter, facebook, post, sidebar, etc. {leave link}
  • Reviewed Infinite Days or Masked by Moonlight for BWB 
  • Comment on any HALLOWEEN HYSTERIA posts {between now and Oct 31st} 

49 comments:

Unknown said...

I love Damon from the Vampire Diaries and I loved Spike from Buffy the Vampires Slayer. They both are very handsome and hot. Please enter me in contest. Would love to read this book. Tore923@aol.com

justpeachy36 said...

Anne Rice's L'stat is my favorite! He's something else...

Please enter me in the giveaway.

justpeahy36@yahoo.com

Sandy said...

I'm kind of partial to Lestat myself. I hated him in Interview with the Vampire, but had a complete change of heart when The Vampire Lestat came out :-)

*Great blog, btw, Monique :-)*

Sandy

Unknown said...

Hi Monique -
Nice interview.
I didn't watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer a lot, but I did like Spike. In one of Christine Feehans' 'Carpathian' series books, a twin brother of another convinces his twin that he is bad/evil/turned (for a reason); then that 'bad/evil/turned' Carpathian gets his own book [terrific love/hate there].

Lea Ellen {night owl in IL}
borg_66@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

This book does sound sexy and intriguing! Wonderful interview.

The Phantom Paragrapher said...

Id have to Say Spike from Buffy and Damon from Vampire Diaries and Eric from True Blood. OMG What am I saying ? I love all the Bad boys in Vampire books lol.
Im a GFC Follower .
Paula
paulazone@live.com

Melanie Nowak said...

Monique - Thanks for the interesting insight into the creation of your book. It sounds like a compelling read!
Best wishes!

Linda said...

Hate to show my age, but my favorite vampire was Jonathan Frid, as Barnabas Collins, in Dark Shadows. I think that's the only "soap" I ever got caught up in.

Monique, I'd love to win a copy of your book. See you at TSW.

Melanie Nowak said...

My favorite vampires that had the most influence over me would have to be:

Lestat (Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles) I totally related to his character in having that split of personality between being the flamboyent showman wanting to own the stage and yet feeling outcast and alone - desperately seeking understanding & unable to personally truly relate to those around him. Even at his most reckless, I felt a desire for him and kinship with him that I will never forget.

and

Spike (Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer). The amazing evolution in his character was just profound to me. I loved him as a bad boy, and I loved him when he was willing to sacrifice everything for love. James Marsters deserves such praise for the way he embodied that role... and I enjoyed watching the body he did it with
;-)

My current favorites... sorry, but I have to pick 2 of my own, from my series ALMOST HUMAN (how can I not? LOL)

Cain, for his strength... and his weakness. He is mature, noble and kind, but still vulnerable to temptation and imperfect. I love a man who isn't afraid to admit his faults but is still imposing and a force to be reckoned with. Very sexy to me.

and

Sindy, I love writing her villianous character. She is a venomous bitch, but she also has vulnerable insecurity that she would rather die (again)than let show. She is sexy & fierce, yet still multi-faceted.

When I write and when I read, I don't just want to be entranced by the vampire... I want to be the vampire. My favorite characters are always those that have an intensity that I can connect with.

~ Melanie Nowak
www.MelanieNowak.com

L.C. Evans said...

My favorite vampire of all time was Barnabas Collins of Dark Shadows. As we said at the time, he was "Far out!"

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

Spike and Eric (from the early on Southern Vampire series). Great to love to hate. :)

The book sounds great! Count me in! :)

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

I'm a GFC follower

Melissa (Books and Things) said...

Have the button on my sidebar at Books and Things

Melissa (Books and Things) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Vampires I love, to hate, to love is Lestat via Tom Cruise in Interview with the Vampire. Cruise was really good @ playing Lestat. He also had had some Awesome Lines. I got this from IMDB.com "Evil is a point of view. God kills indiscriminately and so shall we. For no creatures under God are as we are, none so like him as ourselves."

Stephmartin71(at)yahoo(dot)com

Judy said...

Lestat is my all time vampire!! I do not like him when he is giving Louie so much grief. He can be a brat when he gets in his moods.

Judy
magnolias_1@msn.com

Judy said...

I am an old follower with GFC.



Judy
magnolias_1@msn.com

Rosie said...

Okay, first let me say I'm dying to get my hands on this book. I love the 20's time period and to have it involved in a vamp book makes it even better. Woohoo!

As for your question. I'm still a huge fan of Angel as Angelus. He did bad so good!!!

rosie0512 @ hotmail . com

k_sunshine1977 said...

my favorites? barnabas collins, dracula, lestat, and jerry dandrige (from fright night)! i think my computer screen just fogged up.....:)

k_sunshine1977 said...

i follow bwb through email

k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com

k_sunshine1977 said...

i follow bwb through gfc as well

k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com

k_sunshine1977 said...

i also like bwb on fb (kisah j)

k_sunshine1977 at yahoo dot com

Heather said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heather said...

I follow on gfc under the name you_were_almost_right
littlebearries@yahoo.com

Heather said...

I tweeted this as well:
http://twitter.com/littlebearries/status/28403657669
littlebearries@yahoo.com

Heather said...

A vampire villain I hate to love? Lestat, but I do, at least in Interview with a Vampire

A favorite villain? The Morrigan (all three of her aspects) from The Hounds of the Morrigan by Pat O'Shea

and Vlad Tepes from The Historian.

littlebearries@yahoo.com

PinkStuff28 said...

I hate to love Daemon from Vampire Diaries

PinkStuff28 said...

Liked you on Facebook :
(Jenny M)

raluk.93@gmail.com

PinkStuff28 said...

I follow BWB (PinkStuff28)

raluk.93@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Greetings, Monique. I just found your blog and I'm so excited I did =D To answer your question about who my favorite Vampire villan is well, that will have to Lestat' from Queen of the Damned. He's hot, sexy, and his entire aura and countenance sucks me in. I also love Edward from Twilight because well, he's cute, romantic, and I think we have alot in common ;)
***PLEASE ENTER ME IN YOUR CONTEST***
here's my email: jfuller3@liberty.edu

Lucy D'Andrea said...

Awesome Giveaway count me in!!

- Favorite Villain: Angel in Buffy the Vampire Slayer! :)


- I follow the blog
- I liked BWB on Facebook: Lucy D'Andrea


lucy.dandrea@gmail.com

Andrea I said...

Favorite vampire Dante Baptiste from Adrian Phoenix's Makers Song series.

Dracula is the classic to hate.

GFC follower.

andrea.infinger@gmail.com

Andrea I said...

Like BWB on Facebook.

Andrea I

andrea.infinger@gmail.com

Andrea I said...

Subscribe via e mail.

andrea.infinger@gmail.com

Andrea I said...

Commented on Scott Nicholson post.

andrea.infinger@gmail.com

Andrea I said...

Tweeted.

http://twitter.com/lillieblue613/status/28898257650

andrea.infinger@gmail.com

Miss Delirious said...

Love Eric Northman because he is so nasty and hot. *shudder!*

Love Damon Salvatore because of that wicked glint in his eyes (and those abs..... again... *shudder!*

gem.wood@gmail.com

Jamie Manning said...

It's a toss-up between Damian in Vampire Diaries & the now-Strigoi vampire Dimitri in the Vampire Academy series...both so devilishly evil and hot!

Megan said...

Bad guy vamps I love, Damon from Vampire Diaries, Eric from the Southern Vampire Series, Spike from Buffy, Asher from the Anita Blake books, Dimitri from Vampire Academy, OOOH and Stark from House of Night.

megankyser at gmail dot com

Megan said...

I follow you with GFC

megankyser at gmail dot com

Megan said...

I tweeted about the giveaway

http://twitter.com/mekyser/status/28988179120

megankyser at gmail dot com

Megan said...

I like you on Facebook (megan kyser)

megankyser at gmail dot com

Megan said...

I have your Halloween Hysteria button on my blog.

http://amethystdaydreams.blogspot.com/

Mare/TommyGirl said...

One of my favorite villians is Voldemort from Harry Potter. He's just so completely evil and yet very interesting. Vampire villains I hate to love - I love Damon from Vampire Diaries, does he count? And I'll admit it, sometimes I hate that I love Edward Cullen.

tommygirl828 (at) gmail (dot) com

Mare/TommyGirl said...

follow blogwithbite via this email - tommygirl828 (at) gmail (dot) com

Mare/TommyGirl said...

tweeted - http://twitter.com/tommygirl/status/29004343301

lisab said...

I love Luc in Personal Demons! That has probably been my favorite book so far this year!

Amber Riley said...

I'd love to enter the contest.

My favorite vampire villain is Damon from Vampire Diaries (the show - not the books). He's got that whole witty humor thing going for him and he's definitely not hard to look at, lol. Whenever he does something 'evil-vampire' like I'm like "YES! Oh, wait-" Love him.

ralphie1026@aol.com

Monique said...

I just wanted to thank everyone at Blog with Bite for their awesome Halloween Hysteria and to thank all of you for your interest in Out of Time. Good luck in the contest!

Have a safe & happy Halloween!

Monique