I am very excited to be welcoming Kate Baxter author of the Last True Vampire series to the blog.
A Glimpse Into the True Vampire World
World building is one of my favorite parts
of writing. The rules are mine to make. The characters, creatures, setting,
social hierarchies, and systems of magic. I am the god—well, goddess—of my
world. The puppet master. The creator! (Insert maniacal laughter) Okay, so I
got a little intense there, but all kidding aside, world building is where I
let my creativity loose and it’s where I feel like I shine as an author. So I
thought I’d pull back the curtain and give you a little rundown of the true
vampire world.
Vampires
My vampires share many similarities to the
common mythos. Sunlight will kill them (Except for Claire, Mikhail’s mate.
She’s special.), they need blood to survive, they’re preternaturally strong,
and exude power. They can compel humans and sometimes other supernatural
creatures. Unlike other vampires, though, mine aren’t technically undead.
They’re long-lived, and once they’ve consumed blood, their hearts begin to beat
again, their lungs and body functions return to normal, which makes it possible
to eat food. How could I deny them a slice of pizza every once in a while?
*grins* Likewise, once a vampire is turned, they become fertile which means
they can make cute little dhampir babies! Because my vampires can’t be born.
They can only be turned by being drained of blood and drinking the blood of a
vampire. I can’t make it too easy for the race to replenish itself. LOL!
Dhampirs
These not-quite-vampires are just as
complex as their counterparts. Like vampires, they group into covens. Safety in
numbers and all that. They have the ability to live just as long as a vampire,
but they’re not quite as strong or powerful which makes them more fallible.
Also, my dhampirs rely on vampires to survive. Through a bond that connects
them all, dhampirs siphon the life force of vampires in order to subsist. They
need blood, but only three or four times a year. They can go out into the
sunlight and only have one set of fangs as opposed to the two sets of a
vampire. They’re easily mistaken for humans. Unlike vampires, dhampir males are
infertile so they can’t reproduce.
The
Sortiari
(Sore-tee-are-ee) AKA, the bad guys. Or are
they…? In the true vampire world, I like to think that there are no truly good
or bad characters. Rather, they serve their own agendas. How the reader chooses
to interpret that is up to them. I’m a fan of that gray moral area. The
Sortiari are a secret society of mundane and supernatural creatures who’ve
appointed themselves the guardians of fate. They do what they can to shape the
world around them for the better. At least, they think it’s for the better. But
just like all of us, they’re not without fault.
Berserkers
These immortal warlords are the bad-asses
of the true vampire world. Immortal, and virtually unkillable, the only way to
send them to the afterlife is by lopping off their heads. They share the least
in common with humans and are more in touch with their animal natures than even
vampires or werewolves are. Without giving too much about their history away, I
will say that the only berserkers in existence are male, making reproduction a
tricky issue. They’ve got a serious grudge about that, too and are bound and
determined to make someone pay for it. I can’t wait to reveal more about their
history and backstory to readers!
The
rest of the supernatural world
Though so far readers have met only a few
supernatural creatures in the true vampire world, it doesn’t mean that there
aren’t others out there waiting to be discovered! Werewolves, witches, seers,
mages, faeries, and more are waiting for their time to make an appearance. I’m
so excited about this world and the creatures/characters in it. With every new
book, new opportunities to expand the world present themselves. Like I said,
this is my world and I’m ready to explore it!
I for one am keen to see what else Kate Baxter will bring to the series and to read The Dark Vampire very soon! Be sure to check out the other stops on the Blog Tour below!
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