Tuesday, June 27, 2023

T. M. Smith's Top Ten Favorite Vampires in Fiction, Movies, and TV #PNR #ParanormalRomance

My Top Ten Favorite Vampires in Fiction, Movies, and TV

 

Niklaus Mikaelson from The Originals

First, Klaus is hot. Second, let’s face it, he’s moody. Byronic moody. While sometimes I don’t find this trait appealing, on him it looked good. Third, everytime I was convinced he was a despicable person, he did something that made me sigh. Okay. So he went a little overboard with the protect-the-family thing, but he possessed a deep-seated, though a bit perverse, love of them. I have to admit, I cried at the end of the last episode.

Vlad in Dracula Untold (2020 movie)

For the love of his wife and son, Vlad becomes the monster. How noble! How sad! And it’s his wife who convinces him to drink her blood as she lies dying so that he can save their son. Once he drinks, his final transformation is triggered. I won’t destroy the ending. I seem to have a soft spot for vampires who risk all for their families.

Eric Northman from the TV series True Blood

I prefer this tall, blue-eyed Eric to Vampire BillTrue, he is calculating and evil when necessary, but he also has a great capacity for love. When Godric, his maker, meets the sun, Eric falls to his knees in tears. Needless to say, I also got out the tissues.

Angelus from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the spinoff Angel

Angel is another brooding Byronic hero, cursed with remorse and a soul. It’s enough to make a vampire try to be a good guy. His goal becomes redemption.

Spike, also from the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer

He’s a real “bad boy” who turns out to be a hero. What’s not to like? Besides, I fell in love with his spiky, white-blond locks and snarly ways. Though he’s a Billy Idol lookalike, can he sing?

Rein from book one in the Blood Coven Series, The Firebrand by T. M. Smith

Sorry for including one of my own characters, but I admire him. He keeps himself under lock-and-key—tightly controlled. Why? Because he once fell into the blood frenzy. Fighting his way out to become a Firebrand, a warrior in his realm, he doesn’t want to slip up again. Fortunately, Braelyn chips away at some of his legendary control.

Dax, also from the Blood Coven Series

Another of my characters, but he is such a tortured soul I must include him here. Despite his claims to be unrepentant and unsalvageable … Well, you’ll see in book four, The Vampire’s Thirst.

Raphael from D. B. Reynold’s Vampires in America Series

Raphael reminds me of the Don Corleone of vampires, a character who could do justice to Mario Puzo’sThe Godfather. He’s a lord in his western region, but all the readers know he could rule the world. No sweat. But he doesn’t want that. It’s his allies and mate who show him for what he is—loyal. Since he is to them, they are to him.

Rhage from J. R. Ward’s The Black Dagger Brotherhood

Rhage is the right mix of gorgeously handsome, modest, funny, and loyal to his mate and brothers. I love that he eats—all the time. And not always wise nutritional choices.

Count Von Count from the TV series Sesame Street

I could not list my favorite vampires without mentioning Count Von Count. One: I love the accent. I vant to have vone. Two: Mathematicians in a cape are sexy. Three: A vampire who realizes the value of education is bloody smart.

 

 

The Demon’s Fire
Blood Coven Series
Book 2 
T. M. Smith

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Evernight Publishing
Date of Publication: May 26, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-3695-0823-2
ASIN: B0C5S5RCS3
Number of pages: 437
Word Count: 117,584
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Tagline: When fire meets ice, romance sizzles.

Book Description: 

He’s not her type at all…

The commander is a barbarian. Despite a sexy smile and hot body, nothing can smooth the brute’s ragged edges. Besides, demons need a daily dose of sex. Skyler Maxwell has no intention of becoming a food source.

She’s not his type at all…

The chief legal officer of the Alliance is a buttoned-up, prissy human with frost in her veins. But Kole is stuck playing tour guide for her while she’s on his realm. He was ordered to “play nice.”

Together, Skyler and Kole are fire and ice…

She has a bullseye on her back, and the animus demon is her best chance to stay out of the line of fire. Trapped in a hostile environment, they survive mystical monsters and treacherous attacks. Despite the perils and their differences, their romance ignites, proving fire and ice sizzle. 

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Excerpt

Kole sheathed his blade, turned, and offered Skyler his hand. When she placed her pale, trembling fingers in his palm, he drew her close to his body. She raised her chin to stare into his fire-gold eyes.

Kole bent toward her, his lips drawing nearer. When his mouth brushed hers, rather than push him away, she opened to him. Kole’s lips pressed hard against hers, his tongue thrusting inside, his exploration wild, hungry.

Skyler gasped, shocked by either the kiss or her response. Her knees weakened, her hands resting on Kole’s warm chest for support. Short bursts of electricity flowed into her, eliciting soft moans as he pulled her tighter against him, his arousal a hard prod at her belly.

When he withdrew, he met her gaze with confusion. He cleared his throat.

“Choose, Chief Maxwell. Dermott or me?”


About the Author:

After retiring from my career as a teacher and principal, I settled in to write something more creative than lesson plans on split infinitives and inner-school memos on noise in the hallway. 

Vampires, demons, elves, mages, and other magical beings keep me awake at night with their tales of love and adventure. Taking great interest in their lives, I began a paranormal romance series with alpha males who aren't always nice and females who have no problem keeping them in line. The Firebrand is the first book in the Blood Coven Series.

Here are more orts, scraps, and fragments from my life. (Thank you, Virginia Wolf and Shakespeare.) I moved from sunny Las Vegas to the less-than-sunny Pacific Northwest. Here I have adventures with my daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters who also moved to the area. I also enjoy my membership at Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN), a local organization that supports the arts and offers classes and events in eleven different studios. It was at BARN where my critique group began. With equal time given to in-depth comments on each other's works, snarky remarks, and laughter, we have now been together over five years.




 








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