Katie Salidas - Guest Post

Vampires can often be more human than you think.

Why I write about Vampires

by Katie Salidas

We all have our niche. Our thing we really like to write about. It may be broad and encompass an entire genre. Some people like to explore the depths of high fantasy and create whole new worlds. Others may take a different approach and focus on a specific type of creature. I fall into the latter group. I find vampires fascinating. In fact every story I’ve written has included those creatures of the night in one way or another.

Vampires are the most chameleonic of all the supernatural creatures. They can be anything from the dangerous predator stalking you in the night to the sexy bad boy you wish would take a nibble at your neck, and everything in between.

So, what kind of vampire did I choose to write? The human kind.

In the Immortalis series, I took the vampire and gave them back some of their humanity. In fact you might find them to be the most human of all the supernatural creatures, often having the capability of being more caring and compassionate than the humans you’ll meet in this series.

Rather than make them simple bloodthirsty monsters, I wanted them to rise above it. I wanted them to deal with their very real need for blood (yes they do have to kill to survive), but not let it make them a slave to their cravings. Alyssa, the main character for example chooses to hunt criminals (rapists being her favorite midnight snack). While she feeds as often as she needs, she still manages to maintain a real friendship with her human friend Fallon. Beyond the blood lust, my vampires are capable of very strong emotions. Love being quite intense. It’s that intense love and connection that Alyssa (the main character) feels for her mate that is central to the plot of my recently released, Soulstone.

In Soulstone, Alyssa must fight her clan, and the Acta Sanctorum to save her mate’s immortal soul. It’s a battle that begins at page one and doesn’t end until the last page. All the while, you’ll be taken on an adventure with the wolves and witches of Boston, break into an old church to steal an ancient magical tome, and fight alongside the Olde Town Pack to take back their territory from the Acta Sanctorum.

As you can see, writing about vampires and making them my own is both fun and fulfilling. I can live the fantasy as well as shape it. It’s the best of both worlds. The biggest payoff though, is seeing others fall in love with my vampires as much as I have.

If you care to read more, why not sample a chapter or two on my website.

Katie Salidas - Written in Blood