Lori H
andeland is a New York Times, USA Today, Waldenbooks and Bookscan Bestselling Author and the recipient of many industry awards, including two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America for Best Paranormal (BLUE MOON) and Best Long Contemporary Romance (THE MOMMY QUEST), a Romantic Times Award for Best Harlequin Superromance (A SOLDIER’S QUEST), the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, the Write Touch Readers Award, the National Readers Choice Award and the Prism Award.Â
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I’ve always been more of a werewolf girl, as evidenced by the majority of my books. However, there are a few vampires I just can’t get enough of.
For instance, every Halloween I watch my very own copy (VHS) of “Bram Stoker’s Dracula.” Gary Oldman as Dracula is both creepy and sexy. When his very old and ugly shadow crawls across the wall, reaching out for Jonathan Harker’s (Keanau’s) back I always shudder. When he tells Mina (Winona) that he has crossed oceans of time for her, I can’t help but sigh. Eternal love just gets me right there.
Then there’s Edward Cullen. I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve got a thing for him. I even have a “Team Edward” shirt, although someone gave it to me as a joke because the only vampire hero I’ve ever written (Jimmy Sanducci in The Phoenix Chronicles) wears the same shirt as an inside joke.
But I like Edward. That brooding angst just calls out to my instinct to make it all better. Once again, his eternal love for Bella (even when she’s WAY too whiny) gives me an ache in my still beating heart. I totally fell in love with Edward right along with Bella. Edward is a bad boy, an impossible suitor, and a sweet, lovable young man Bella can’t live without. The dichotomy is her undoing–and mine.
And then there’s Angel. Another brooder. (I sense a theme.) Sure, Spike was funny, but Angel was my guy. Even when he was Angelus, there was just something about him that made me yearn.
I’m also on the Jean-Claude side of the vampire/shifter debate for Anita Blake. Hamilton’s vampire is smooth, gorgeous and irresistible. In my opinion, he’s the only character in the books who loves Anita the way she needs to be loved. Always. Forever. No matter what.
In my urban fantasy series, Jimmy Sanducci has loved the heroine, Liz Phoenix, all his life. He will always love her, no matter what she’s done, no matter what he has. Maybe that’s the key to my favorite vampires–the eternal, unconditional love.
Below, in Liz’s own words from CHAOS BITES the third book in the series, is a description of a kind of love I think we are all looking for and one that is often found in paranormal fiction.
No matter what he did, no matter what I did, no matter how many others we might love too, I’d feel the same way about Jimmy Sanducci until the day that I died as I’d felt about him when I was seventeen. I couldn’t help myself.
Jimmy and I had shared similar childhoods, even before I’d come to Ruthie’s at twelve, straight from another foster home that didn’t want me. I’d also spent time on the streets, preferred it in fact to the parade of homes I’d been through. The streets might be rough, but they were honest.
Jimmy was the boss at Ruthie’s, and he didn’t much like having to move in with some of the other boys so I could have his bedroom. To welcome me, he’d left a grass snake between the sheets. I’d put the snake in a cage, named him James, then loosened a few of Sanducci’s teeth.
What followed was five years of living in the same house, pretending to loathe each other, while what we felt in truth was developing into something much different. Not long after the lust erupted we fell in love. Jimmy would have done anything for me. It wasn’t until years later that I’d found out he had.
Who are you favorite fictional vampires? What is it about them that makes you yearn?
Web Site: http://www.lorihandeland.com
I have a few favorites. My most favorite is Larissa Ione’s Wraith. He is so sexy and sarcastic – how could I not love him. Then there are Arthur’s Quinn and Frost’s Bones. I admit I love Edward too. He’s just so nice ;). Thank you.
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
I know that some of you might be angry with me, but Edward doesn’t do it for me. I love the real bad boys like Damon from Vampire’s Diaries.
There are quite a few fictional vamps that I love the ones Kresley Cole created in her Immortals After Dark,Angel and Spike from tv as well as Mick from Moonlight,definately Larissiones vamps.Lynsay Sands does awesome vamps .Iv never met a vamp I didnt love .
flanagan@mebtel.net
Thanks for stopping by. I agree, there are so many vamps, so little time.
Lori Handeland’s werewolves and doomsday crew ROCK!!! They are some of my favorite series.
Gary Oldman as Dracula is a fav of mine as well as Angel but Antonio Bandaras as Armand in Rice’s Interview with a Vampire just oozes sex. And I am a huge fan of Jean Claude in Hamilton’s Anita Blake series but Bones of Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series really does it for me. He’s a total badass except for Cat, the love of his unlife.
But good or bad, traditional weaknesses or totally new mythos, I love vamps. And shifters and weres and … well just about anything paranormal. Maybe it is the possibility of true mates, the whole love you forever and they really mean it and it will be true.
Thanks for the interview!
Thanks, Wild!! Appreciate it. I thought Antonio was a great Armand too. I just watched that movie again the other night. Can’t believe I forgot to include it.
there are so many! I like the ones that quietly sacrifice for the one they love. Jean-Claude would be an example. Bones of course, the Black Dagger Brothers, and I might as well add Johnny Depp as Barnabas cause there is no way he won’t be amazing!
My favorite vampire…well, he’s a Carparthian, is Gregory from Christine Feehan’s Dark Magician. He is a legend and everyone is afraid of him. He is dark and brooding. BUT he will do anything to save his people and for his lifemate. He is sex on a stick!!
books4me67 at ymail dot com
HI Lori,
i have to agree the Brahm Stoker’s Dracula is the best,and Gary Oldman was good in the part. I think the best actor to play the part was in the 1979 version and was Frank Langella.
their was just something about the way he played the part that no one before or since has been able to capture. sorry,fan girl moment. :)
also in the movie Legue of Extraordinary Gentleman the actress Peta Wilson played Mina Harker. she was so refined and elegant until she vamped out then she was so creepy. :) by far one of the best female vamps i have seen in awhile.
i hope you and your family have a very Happy Holiday Season.
trvlagnt1t@yahoo.com
If I had to pick my number one favorite, I’d have to go with Ange. Truth be told, he was my first vampire crush and it never dwindled. I have many more that run close seconds, by Angel or Angelus will always have undying (hah1) love!!
I must second the comment about Edward. He’s really not bad boy enough for me, although he gets closer to the mark in the books. In the movies, I think he’s a sap..sorry, Lori!
MJB
msmjb65 AT gmail DOT com
I liked George Hamilton from years ago. Handsome and funny.
Edward doesn’t do it for me. I like Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins and Frank Langella as Dracula.
I love the Dracula with Bela Lugosi. He was so mysterious and alof. I do love the modern ones too. Like Edward from Twilight is is a tortured soul. And Eric from True Blood is so bad. And Bones from Night Huntress series is oh so naughty and funny.
I love Gary Oldman as Dracula. Such a great movie. I like Angel too but I love the evil Angelus more. He was so delicious in his wicked behavior. Eric on Trueblood is also better when he is bad.
Hmmm- that could end up being a long list. I like most of the vampires in Jeanienne Frost’s books, I like Stefan in Patricia Briggs’ books, I like the Wroth brothers in Kresley Cole’s books, I like several of Karen Chance’s vampires, and- you get the picture.
I have never read Lori’s vampire books just one of her wolf books out of order. It was good.
Thanks for the post.
I love em all. The book I am reading at the moment is the Vampire that I love…fickle girl, I can’t choose just one…they are all soooo scrumptous
Although I really love a large variety of vamps, my recent love seems to be Wraith from Larissa Ione’s Demonica series. He is half-vamp/half-demon and all YUMMY!
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Well, of course I LOVE the BDB’s and Larissa Iones boys too and recently their’s Nicolai from Gena Showalters Lord of the Vampires…but I also like Hannah Howell’s highland vampires…mmm!
Hi Lori! I’m a long time fan and love your wolf series! I am always a great fan of whatever vamp I’m reading about at the time. Which makes them too numerous to list. Thanks for the post.
Bram Stoker´s Dracula is indeed gorgeous movie, but my all-time favorite romantic vampire is Clarimonde from old story by Theophile Gautier. She falls for a priest, poor girl, and is killed by young man´s superior. She is gorgeously dressed in Romantic costumes, enjoys sumptuous life – she is superr-rich courtesan! – and drinks her lover´s blood although she does not want to hurt him.