Confessions of a Vampire's Lover - An Inside Look...

Hi everyone!

Despite the latest trendy TV shows, vampires traditionally aren’t angst-ridden sexy heroes wearing ruffled shirts with relationship problems. “Authentic” vampires are undead blood-drinking ghouls with little or no social skills. In the past, people (wisely) feared them and entire villages went out of their way to dig up, behead, and stake corpses they suspected of vampirism. (Sound romantic? Not quite.)

Tradition notwithstanding, nowadays almost everyone can embrace the image of a suave, black caped Bela Lugosi (or Christopher Lee, or Frank Langella) wandering around a castle in search of his long-lost love… and so the connection between vampires and romance was born.

My Amber Quill Press paranormal romance, Confessions of aVampire’s Lover offers a different view of a vampire romance. For starters, the novella is told in the first person from the hero’s point of view. The story also makes use of an unusual setting – the beach!

So, how did this story come about? My original idea for the story was: “What if a vampire went to the beach and fell in love?” (It’s sort of a twisted summer romance…)

I’m married to a surfer and one of our trips to the beach got my imagination going. I liked the idea of contrasting typical sun-worshipping beachgoers and surfers with a darkness-loving elusive vampire. (Besides, what could be more mismatched than a die-hard surfer falling in love with a nocturnal blood-drinker?)

Although the story is about a vampire, I wanted to keep the central focus on Brian and Cassie’s relationship and not on the ‘bloodier’ aspects of vampirism. I think there’s a fine line when blending horror and romance into paranormal romance. Too much gore or a “too terrifying” creature can snap the readers (and the characters) out of the romance and into a full-on horror story.

I write horror and romance (you can check out my horror stories on my site or on my blog) so I have a love for both genres. Some people think it’s strange, but writing horror lets me explore characters, settings, and plots you don’t normally find in romance. And every so often, it’s good to mix the two a little and see what happens.

Here’s a book summary, a steamy excerpt, and some great reviews:

Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover

The moment Brian spotted Cassie sitting on the moonlit beach, he was hooked. Beautiful, smart, and sexy, Cassie is the girl of his dreams. She didn’t mind that he spent the hot summer days riding the ocean waves, because once the sun set, he belonged to her–all night long!

Everything is perfect between them–until Brian discovers Cassie’s shocking secret. Can Brian give up the sun, sand, and surf to be with the woman he loves?

Read Brian’s first-hand account of their unusual love story in… Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover!

The excerpt:

As soon as we got to my place, Cassie had me close all the blinds and run a hot shower. She stripped in the middle of the living room and casually tossed her clothes on the couch.

I stood gaping at her like I’d never seen a naked woman before. “You’re beautiful,” I whispered. And I meant it. Her pale skin was flawless, and the sight of her perky breasts made my mouth water.

Cassie stepped in front of me and ran her fingertips down my bare chest. Her touch sent a shiver through me, but for some reason, it aroused me.

I moaned and closed my eyes. Cassie slid her cold hand lower, past my ribs, down to the waistband of my bathing suit—then stopped and pulled away. I opened my eyes and caught a glimpse of her as she headed into the steamy bathroom. For a second, it looked like she was vanishing into vapor. I shook my head to clear it, then followed her in…

Here’s what reviewers had to say:

“In Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover, Kelli A Wilkins writes a story filled with seeming incongruities. It is only one of a dozen reasons her stories are so intriguing and exciting. She manages to put such a variety of characters together, and melding them so perfectly you never notice the things that shouldn’t be possible. Her stories premises always seem to include the unusual, and that is evident in her very unique ways of telling her tales, whether they are fantasy, contemporary, or paranormal. Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover makes for interesting reading, and a story too good to put down. If you want a good look into one of the world of Kelli A Wilkins, then head on over to Amber Quill Press and look for her book Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover.” - Rose, reviewer, romanceatheart.com

“My first thought after finishing Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover was “what a fun story.” Kelli A. Wilkins has spun a fast, entertaining, deliciously wicked tale that was wonderfully satisfying. What makes Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover somewhat unusual is that the story is written in the first person, entirely from the hero’s point of view. I was delighted by Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover. It’s fascinating and sensual with two immensely likeable protagonists. I am fast becoming a fan of Ms. Wilkins’s stories and look forward to reading more of her work in the future.” - Shayna, Reviewer, Joyfully Reviewed

“3 Coffee Cups! “Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover” is a hot read. Cassie is a person who goes after what she wants. I loved the way she could often read Brian’s thoughts and end his sentences before he spoke. Some of their more ardent moments were so visual, I could almost see the intensity on their faces. Kelli A. Wilkins creates two different characters who connect well with each other and with the reader. She pens a delightful story I could read again and still fall in love with Cassie and Brian all over again. This enchanting tale has a way of spreading sunshine to the heart.” - Cherokee, Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

“4 Stars! Wow! Confessions of a Vampire's Lover is one scorching read. When I said that Brian and Cassie couldn’t keep their hands off each other, I wasn’t joking. The sex between these two was so steamy that if it got any hotter, Brian and Cassie would be on fire. At just only 49 pages, Confessions of a Vampire's Lover is one quick read and I have put Kelli A. Wilkins on my must read list.” - Cheryl, Reviewer, Manic Readers

Happy Halloween everyone!

Kelli

PS: Be sure to check out my blog on Nov. 1 for details about my book contest!