The Vampire and the Modern Girl

Bella and Edward. Sookie and Bill. Raven and Alexander.

It seems like today's popular books, TV shows, and movies are all about vampires. Sparkly and non-sparkly, the couples I mentioned earlier - from the Twilight Series, the Southern Vampire Mystery Series, and the Vampire Kisses series, respectively - all have the same basic premise: a human girl falls (usually pretty darn hard) for a male vampire, then proceeds to get into all sorts of shenanigans because of the male vampire.

By "shenanigans," I mean that the human girl is pursued by other vampires because of her relationship with the male vampire. For example, Twilight's Bella is chased all over because her blood "smells good" to other vampires, which she would never have come into contact with except that her boyfriend happens to be a bloodsucker as well. Similarly, Vampire Kisses' Raven is pursued by Alexander's rivals for various reasons, from one being in love with her to another believing that she is actually a vampire to another blaming her for something beyond her control.

But let's take a little trip back to look at the origins of the vampire in literature.

Though he didn't invent the vampire - not by a long shot - Bram Stoker, an Irish author, is widely attributed with setting off the popularity of the vampire in modern literature. Count Dracula was based on a wide variety of oral legends and historical fact. One legend that Dracula was based on was the Irish stories of the sidhe, which, according to Wikipedia's Dracula article, included some blood-drinking women.

But the legends aren't as interesting as the historical people on whom Dracula's legend was based.

The most widely-known of the references is Vlad III Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler. Mr. the Impaler is believed to have killed between 40,000 and 100,000 European citizens by impaling them upon sticks. "Dracula" here is a name that means "son of Dracul," a name earned by his father Vlad II Dracul who was inducted into the Order of the Dragon (a secret society from which the name "Dracul" or "dragon" was derived.)

The second reference, not as widely known and only speculated at by literary analysists, is a Hungarian woman known as Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who killed between 36 and 700 young women during her lifetime - reportedly in order to "bathe in their blood" to preserve her youth and beauty. Bathory was featured in the video game slasher film Stay Alive, where many readers might remember her from.

The vampire in literature therefore comes from a very bloody and violent background. Very Halloween-appropriate. But when it comes to today's popular romantic literature, the background of the vampire starts making a person wonder what the heck happened.

Vampires represent the most bloody, selfish and senseless violence in literature: men who kill those he finds troublesome or useless, women who care only for their own beauty and youth.

But that selfishness in itself may be represented in the selfishness of the heroines.

In Twilight, Bella leaves behind her mother and all of her friends when she becomes a vampire, only contacting her father because she has a child. In Vampire Kisses, Raven wants nothing more than to become a vampire, despite Alexander's warnings that it's not as fun as it seems.

Growing up in the "Me" generation, I know that most people my age think of little beyond their own instant gratification, and the latest wave in popular books only tells me that it's not going to end any time soon.

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse by Kaleb Nation

Sometimes, a book stands on its own, completely aloof from its author. Bran Hambric is not one of those books.

Some people know author Kaleb Nation from his blog, KalebNation.com. Others know him as popular Twilight blogger/vlogger The Twilight Guy. However you've heard of him, the twenty-one-year-old is starting to become more and more popular in media across the United States, starting with his former radio host career.

A lot of things about Bran Hambric are much funnier when you've read even a few blog posts or watched a few of Nation's videos on his YouTube channel, which at the time of this writing has over 39,000 subscribers. For example, knowing about Nation's fondness for gnomes makes even the slightest mention of a gnome in Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse even more hilarious.

Not that The Farfield Curse lacks in humor in any way, shape or form. Nation's humor is similar to that of Kaza Kingsley of Erec Rex fame or even Lemony Snicket, author of bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events novels. In particular, I thought that the fantastical humor of The Farfield Curse was similar to the jokes in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone, a favorite and bestseller across the world.

Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse is a novel for middle-grade readers, appropriate for readers above the age of twelve. (There's a little bit of violence - a shooting in the prologue - and though the description is not graphic at all, it still requires a little bit of maturity from a reader.) However, don't let the middle-grade label stop any older readers from picking up a copy of Bran Hambric. The book is based on a fascinating premise: what if your mother was a criminal? What if her crime was magic? And, most fascinating - what if you inherited her magic?

The book turns darker towards the end with a twist very like a popular YA novel that shall remain nameless, but the book remains believeable - the relationship between Bran and his mother-aunt figure Rosie is touching, just as the very bizarre relationship Bran has with his adoptive family will entice giggles from readers young and old.

In conclusion, Bran Hambric is a creative and clever novel appropriate for younger readers and even better for older readers. The novel was published on September 9, 2009 by indie publisher Sourcebooks Jabberwocky and has since become one of the most popular indie printer books of the year. Order your copy at Amazon.com or learn more at the Bran Hambric website.

And, by all means, check out one of the author's popular blogs. He is, after all, a pretty darn funny guy.

My Top 10 Fictional Couples That Ever Were (Or Weren't) [Pt. 1]

Warning! There will be spoilers in this blog, so don't read unless you're okay with finding out a bit about a book.

In many of the books out in the world there is a power-couple. In the ever-popular and ever-romantic Pride and Prejudice we see one of the most epic couples that ever lived in the pages of a novel: Mr. Darcy and Lizzy Bennet. In the phenomenal series Harry Potter, the hero and title character ends up with Ginny Weasley. In the ever-mocked Twilight (which was once an exceptional book by my standards, until I discovered there was a sequel) there is Bella and Edward, who become an eternal annoyance by the end of Breaking Dawn. These three are just examples of leading epic couples.

Honestly, I'm not impressed. There's just something about the characters with a bit more mystery, whose life you haven't followed with a rabid fascination while tearing through the pages of a book, that sparks a curiosity towards their love life.

This blog is an ode to all the couples from more obscure books, or couples that in themselves are more obscure. I do indeed involve leading characters, and there is one epic couple that most people have never heard of, unless you're a Tamora Pierce fan like myself.

Another aspect of this blog is that of the couples I wish had existed, and one that I'm speculating on. There are many possibilities after you close the book and I'm willing to let my mind wander.

1. Alanna of Trebond and Olau & George Cooper, from the Song of the Lioness Quartet by Tamora Pierce

Status: Were

This would be my epic leading couple from the series. They're my absolute favorite couple of all ficitional times.

Originally in the Alanna quartet, Tamora Pierce had married Alanna to Prince Jonathan, her romantic interest in the first two books. Thank goodness something made her change her mind, because I'd probably be very angry at the never-were-ness of it all.

Alanna and George have such a strong, passionate love that it makes me smile every time I read the books. I love how even at the beginning George saw potential in her and a future relationship, and it was Alanna who had to fight her own inner battles before coming to grips with true love. I mean, it's her series so she gets all the good inner battles. Between hiding her identity, coming to terms with her new-found sexuality, fighting the bad guys, and saving the realm, she manages to find time for personal relationships.

After being with Prince Jon (gag me) and Liam the Shang Dragon (he was pretty B.A., but he died), she finally finds comfort in George. What I love most about this couple is that they went through hell to get each other and survived.

2. Theodore "Teddy" Lawrence & Josephine March, from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Status: Weren't

Oh, boy. This is the one book that I refuse to accept the ending.

I was about ten when I first read Little Women. You could not imagine my disappointment when I read the scene of Jo's final rejection of Teddy, and he left for Europe. I was so convinced that she was making a mistake and had this crazy hope through the rest of that ridiculously long book that Teddy would come back and she would finally fall in love with him.

I guess overall I just don't like the book very much. As much as I want to think good things come to good people, I learned a few things. One, the blonde girl gets the amazing man. Two, only the good die young, as Billy Joel told us. Three, if someone burns the only copy of your masterpiece, you better be in for a ton of pain when everyone tells you it was your fault.

So, years later, I've decided that Little Women is not a book that I enjoy. Meg and John are the only couple I'm satisfied with throughout the actual plot. I am, so ever deeply, part of the sect of Little Women readers that are all for Teddy and Jo getting married and having a bunch of little misfits together.

3. Rose Weasley & Scorpius Malfoy, from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

Status: Very Possibly May Be

She set herself up for this one.

Perhaps it's because I've read one too many FanFictions about this cute little pairing, but they make me so happy to think about. My personal belief is that she was foreshadowing when Ron Weasley told his eleven-year-old daughter that "Grandad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood" in the epilogue. Think about it: Harry was much more forgiving of Draco Malfoy during the seventh book. He had seen more of what Malfoy had to deal with at home and under the rule of the Dark Lord, so he had more compassion for him. Ron, on the other hand, hated the ferret. In the second book, he tried to hex Malfoy for insulting Hermione. In the seventh book, during the battle, Ron punches Malfoy after he and Harry save him. He has a lot more hate for Malfoy than Harry does. It makes for great drama.

He'd want his baby girl far, far away from Malfoy's kid, but you know that's not how great stories work. I see these two starting out hating each other but, having mutual friends and/or responsibilities, they become friends. Then from there, it becomes Ron's worst nightmare.

4. Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Status: Were

I was so proud of this popular book series for creating a gay couple. For this sort of thing to come out into popular culture means we're one step closer to wide-spread acceptance.
In a story that pushes some serious boundaries (siblings in love with each other, true evil, twisted relationships, and a homosexual relationship) this couple becomes the real thing when Jace and Clary's issues become resolved and the dark side is defeated. As it turns out, the siblings aren't really siblings, so the incest problem is out the window. Clary's real, evil, and twisted brother is killed along with the main villain, her father Valentine.

Though they have their ups and downs, in the end Alec gives up on keeping his orientation from his parents and reveals his love of Magnus. Surprising as this is to Magnus himself, he responds rather enthusiastically and they become the first gay couple I've ever had the pleasure of reading about in a mainstream novel. In different books I've come across gay minor characters whose relationships the reader doesn't really see, but in the Mortal Instruments Cassandra Clare puts two important characters into the limelight with their relationship.

What makes them an even more epic couple than the tortured Jace Wayland and Clary Fray is that their love is different. Alec has to overcome his own love of Jace to be able to see what an amazing thing he has with Magnus. He also has to brave the censure and judgement of his parents and all the other Shadownhunters. What makes them epic is that they battle not only demons, but their very world.

Just One Wish by Janette Rallison

I must say, Jeremy Truman's taste in TV shows is rather fabulous. When I was six, my favorite show was Blue's Clues. His favorite show is Teen Robin Hood, which I'm assuming shows the start of his take-from-the-rich, give-to-the-poor career. Teen Robin Hood shoots arrows at the bad guys while saving Maid Marion from danger, and he always manages to make the world a better place. What a role model, I must say, for any young boy.

Every week my little brother and I head to our local branch of the library. It's literally just up the street from us, and we walk or bike. That's where we go to get our books and CDs for entertainment. Even though we have DVR, about 100 channels, and three computers in our house, we were brought up to have an imagination. Reading is always a favorite passtime in our family.

My brother is four years younger than me. I was in preschool when he was born. While he and Feliza fight like cats and dogs, I'm more of the peace-keeper. I get along with both of them.

If one of my siblings ever developed a possibly terminal illness like cancer, I think I'd be a little like Annika, the protagonist of Just One Wish. I'd want to be able to do anything to make them happy, so that their time left was nice.

In this book, Annika shows a lot of courage, which I admire, even though she sometimes should think her plans through. I don't know how if I'd be that stupid or crazy compassionate about getting my siblings their wish. I definitely wouldn't drive to California and stalk a famous actor for them. Mostly because I live across the country, but also because it's a little bit
reckless and a lot bit stupid.

I know her heart is in the right place, and I have been known to do things spontaneously, but there are certain things - illegal things - that sometimes you shouldn't cross the line for.

Overall, though, the book is pretty awesome. A good mix of romance, adventure, fast cars, good will, and family love. It's an interesting read, with lots to think about God and the goodness in the world.

Annika is "not speaking" to God because she asked him to save her brother if He loved her. You know, not the best idea. I'm of the opinion that God doesn't take bribes. Sometimes you just have to go out on a limb and have faith that you'll make it through, and sometimes you just have to accept that God has others plans. According to Billy Joel, "Only the good die young." Maybe that's how it is in life. Annika's brother is an innocent six-year-old who idolizes a TV character that is all about doing good in the world and helping people who are oppressed and defenseless. He tries to do what's good for his family by wishing them to be happy and not for his own recovery. It shows a strength of mind and an acceptance of God's will to be able to be a first grader and sacrifice your own health for those you care about.

If you have a sibling and love them, read this. It puts into perspective the fact that they're in your life and what they mean to you. I'd miss my siblings terribly. Heck, I'm already going to miss my sister when she moves out to live on campus in the fall. Life is short, so spend it with the people you care about.

If the Witness Lied by Caroline B. Cooney

Sometimes, when I flick through channels on TV and find one of those ridiculous celebrity-hounding shows, I wonder what it might be like to live life in the public spotlight. Actors, musicians, politicians - there are many figures that are thrust, sometimes unwillingly, into a very public life.

The most tragic of these, however, are the normal, everyday people who do something "extraordinary" enough to be hounded by the media. The people who are massively obese, those whose penchant for plastic surgery makes them some strange source of public amusement, and those whose lives are torn apart by such tragedy that all the public can do is look on in horror.

YA thriller mastermind Caroline B. Cooney explores the topic with her newest release, If the Witness Lied. The story is about several teenage characters - Jack, Smithy, and Madison Fountain - but the novel truly revolves around three-year-old Tristan, the youngest member of the Fountain family who has reputedly "killed" both of his parents.

Cooney, author of young adult classics such as The Face on the Milk Carton and I Know What You Did Last Summer, ties together her latest teen thriller with delicate threads that weave in and out of the story. Learning the Fountains' tragic past is nearly as thrilling as the adventure that begins when Jack picks Tris up from daycare one day.

The story begins when Jack skips school to save his dead father's precious work boots from his "Aunt Cheryl" and her cleaning binges. After sneaking into his own house, he overhears Cheryl having a meeting with a television producer. Cheryl plans to have Tris and the family filmed for an emotional television series - one that will bring Tris eternally into the spotlight, blamed for his parents' deaths.

From there, the novel launches into the thrilling story of how Jack, his sisters Smithy and Madison, and the family friend Diana save Tris from a televised fate - and the solution to their question, "if the witness lied," will blow your mind.

The final verdict: If you've read and liked any of Caroline B. Cooney's other thrillers - particularly I Know What You Did Last Summer - then you'll love If the Witness Lied. I adored both myself. This book may also be good for YA fans of novelist James Patterson.