1000 + Books to Read: Guest Post: Jaz Primo, Author of the Sunset Vampire Series

*Silence Reigns*
*Time Passes...*

*Eventually, "Miss You" by Foster the People Plays*
*And the Silence is Broken*

Hello, and welcome to 1000 + Books to Read blog, the blog for all of you who have thousands of books to read in your TBR pile! (Hey, that includes me, too!) I'm your blog host, Jaz Primo, author of the Sunset Vampire Series.

Today, we're going to chat about vampires...namely, the ones that appear in my novels and how they differ from traditional vampires found in the literary marketplace today.

One of the foremost aspects that sets my novels apart from the litany of vampire novels found on both physical and virtual bookshelves is how I approach my central heroine in the series, Katrina Rawlings. She's an alpha vampire who grew somewhat stoic and emotionally isolated during her centuries of intermittent relationships. Okay, so you're probably thinking, "Yeah, sure. A lot of vampire novels have strong central heroines with similar backgrounds. So, what else is new?" A fair question. However, what sets Katrina apart from many alpha heroines is the realistic manner in which I approach her personality. Rather than unrealistically pairing off with some muscle-bound alpha male vampire who challenges her at every corner to "tear down her emotional walls," Katrina is instead drawn to a human beta male named Caleb. His kind, sincere nature fits naturally opposite Katrina's control-oriented personality. Each of them are in decidedly opposite places in their personality development, and each finds positive aspects that help to nurture the other towards a more balanced, centered place in their emotional development. It's not so much a case of opposites attract, but rather that each character holds the key to healing the other's ills. As a reader, it's really quite a beautiful and captivating journey to behold as the pages unfold before you.

Yet, the unique personality matching between the main characters is only half of the equation in my Sunset Vampire Series. The other half revolves around how decidedly fresh and different my vampires are from the traditional ones found in modern paranormal fantasy. Oh, certainly, my vampires are former-humans who now sport fangs and enhanced strength, agility, and improved senses. But instead of existing as cold reanimated corpses, my Sunset vampires are living beings. They breathe via functioning lungs, and warm blood flows through their veins. However, their cellular make up is quite different from that of a human's. Their extraordinary cells are sustained by breaking down the blood of other creatures. In addition, their body's cells have the ability to regenerate themselves, thereby granting them nearly eternal existence. Naturally, it stands to reason that with such powerful, self-healing cells, their blood and saliva holds regenerative qualities that can aid in healing wounds or illness in other creatures, most note worthily, humans.

Unlike traditional vampires found in most novels, my Sunset vampires aren't considered inherently "evil" creatures, so holy water, consecrated artifacts, and religious relics don't pose any threat to them. However, while their wonderfully regenerative cells might be immune to old age and disease, they're quite susceptible to potent levels of ultraviolet radiation; thereby making their existence somewhat nocturnal, or at least requiring careful shielding from the sun's potent radiation. It's most assuredly their foremost Achilles' heel.

Viewed in totality, I hope that you will enjoy how nuanced my interpretation of vampires are, as well as appreciate my unique approach to character development in my Sunset Vampire Series. Based upon online feedback from readers, I feel satisfied that my vampire novels appeal to fans of both the paranormal romance and urban fantasy genres. Hopefully, you'll consider giving them a try, too.

*Credits Begin to Roll as "Starry Eyed" by Ellie Goulding Plays*

Well, it's time to wrap things up. Thanks for your time today, and my sincere thanks to Melissa at 1000 + Books to Read for this wonderful opportunity! Perhaps we'll meet each other again somewhere on the Romancing Your Dark Side Paranormal Blog Tour, which continues through October 31st. I now return you to your regularly-scheduled blog reading and Internet browsing. Peace.

*Silence Reigns Once More*

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