Monday, February 13, 2012

Valentine’s Blogfest, Day 6: First Fight

Warning: This blog contains major spoilers for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, so if you’ve never watched and plan to … beware. Today we're talking First Fights. 

Innocence Lost.

1998: Season two, episode 14 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer broke my heart … and the heart of many viewers, along with that of Buffy Summers. In the episode “Innocence,” Angel loses his soul, and he turns viciously evil.

It wasn’t like Buffy had a relationship with Angel like she later did with Spike – fighting infused her liaison with the uber-sexy blond vampire. With Angel, it was more brooding and mooning, but when they were together … pure swoon.

And then she gives it up, experiences pure passion and Angel loses all control. What’s the message? Buffy was a “bad, bad, girl.” I cannot stand stories that “punish” a woman for her sexuality.

Still, after that break with Angel, it was hard to build back the trust, and truly it never was the same again, was it? Although the doomed couple tried, it went completely downhill from there. That’s the part that’s so difficult in fiction – and in real life – how do you come back? The key is to make the odds not so insurmountable. And not quite so bad. We understood and liked Angel after all he did, but that fear of “what if” always lurked.

In my erotic paranormal series, The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf, it’s Trevor – the were – who does most of the running from heated situations. If I break it down from a psychological perspective, it’s within his innate nature. He yearns for freedom, and at the same time craves the closeness of his family, his pack. Here’s a fight from book 2, Chains of Silver:


“Don’t push me,” Trevor said, and moved to bump his chest against Lawrence’s much taller form. “You’ve had your say. You have no idea what it feels like. I need to watch over her before her first shift. What if something happens without her knowing, when she’s with him? In that case, the hunter may become the hunted. And I can’t lose her again.”

“We all know how you handle potential separation, and loss, don’t we? And, if you don’t remember, we have plenty of unfinished business with Madame Teresa, which I have you to thank for.”

“For crying out loud. That again?”

“What do you mean, ‘that again?’ You don’t owe a favor to a high priestess of Voodoo. You don’t have to dig up a dead Queen’s bones.”

“You want some bones? I can find you bones. What else am I good for as a wolf?” Trevor responded.
   
Available via Amazon, and other e-retailers.

If one’s good, two’s better … then three has to be CRAZY, right? As part of my prizes, I’m giving away a daily prize of an electronic copy of one of the books from my backlist, and a few Grand Prizes:

1)    $25 See’s Candy gift certificate
2)    Certificate for a pound of See’s Candy
3)    $10 Certificate for Ravenous Romance

Oh, yes, you get your own sweets! Leave a comment with an email address so I can contact the winners. (1 winner for each prize. Daily winners also will be entered into the Grand prize.)

Don’t forget to visit the other authors on these hops, and come back tomorrow for more “firsts.”




Vampires for Valentine's




For other participants on the "With Love, Valentine's Day Blog Hop," visit the Main Event Page.

12 comments:

  1. Thank you for the contest. and for being a part of the blog hop! :D

    Judi
    arella3173_loveless(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  2. Love that excerpt! The last line is awesome. :-)

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  3. Wonderful excerpt. Like the chip on the were's shoulder.

    I think of Buffy as more of an Urban Fantasy set in Southern California than a YA paranormal romance - so Angel's turn was harsh, and crippled Buffy emotionally for the remaining years of the show/series - she never recovered a form of normalcy after Angel hurt her. But I still think Whedon missed the boat - or didn't have a chance to fully sail it with Buffy. She had several more layers of growth she didn't get a chance to show viewers. If Buffy were a book series - I'd say by the end she would have fond the kind of mature deep love she could handle (I just always wanted that love to be with Spike - lol!) - and still be a slayer. (That's what fan fiction is for, I guess).

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  4. Great Excerpt. Thanks for the giveaway.

    midiamuniz@yahoo.com

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  5. Trevor sounds like he'd be a difficult character to write. But so much potential for a great story! Thanks for the excerpt and give-away.
    diannewrites2(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  6. Thanks Sarah ... when thinking about where to stop my fight scene, it seemed like the perfect spot.

    Denny -- I won't post it here, but have you read the spoilers/interview from Whedon about the latest Buffy comic book? I've always been a major fan but -- without seeing it -- I think it goes WAY too far.

    Dianne -- Trevor's actually very passionate, so he's a bit easier to write. Which makes me think, Lawrence, the vampire, is always so level-headed. Hmmm.... what will make him lose control?

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  7. Happy Valentine's Day!

    Thanks for participating in such a great hop!

    mimirose41209 at hotmail dot com

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  8. Happy Valentine's Day. Valentines and Vampires, Hmmmm...
    DebP
    r.d1@myfairpoint.net

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  9. I love Buffy! I still watch Angel every morning (on TNT) as I'm getting ready for work. Buffy's break with Angel was heart breaking. HOWEVER, I think her worst brush-off came from that jerk Parker Abrams. It was great when cave-woman-Buffy got to knock his noggin--something many women would like to do to the jerk who done us wrong!

    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

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  10. Thanks for being on the Blog Hop! I am enjoying discovering authors that are new to me! My list of TBR books is growing leaps and bounds. Thanks!!
    Mel
    bournmelissa@hotmail.com

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  11. I am in the same boat as Mel. I have discovered so many authors that have some very interesting books and are new to me. My tbr wishlist keeps growing as well.
    Patricia
    panthers.ravens@yahoo dot com

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  12. Sarah,

    You were the official winner of the book for day 6! I'll send you an email, cause you know I have it!

    Louisa

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