Dracula Event: Marta Acosta

"Vampires are the new vampires" according to Dr. Derek Tatum, internationally renowned vampire scholar, and that's one of my favorite quotes.  I've been around paranormal/urban fantasy long enough to hear claims that vampires are "over" (and this comes up every few years), or that werewolves are the new vampires, or zombies are the new vampires.  But there are good reasons for the continued popularity of the vampire myth: it allows writers and readers to explore themes of immortality, sex, death, sin, power... The myth is flexible enough to be used in thrillers, horror, romance, mystery, comedy, fantasy, historicals, scifi, and any combination thereof.- author Marta Acosta

Marta Acosta is the author of the Casa Dracula series, including the just released Haunted Honeymoon, which I absolutely adored, and she blogs daily over at Vampire Wire.

Dracula discussion pt.1

I hope you have all read your copy of Dracula...we might have a test later. Okay, probably not, but I really would like to hear your opinions on this classic tale.  One thing I have noticed while putting this event together is that not many people seem to be overjoyed at the thought of reading the original book. I'll use an email between Michele and I springboard this discussion:

Michele: Seriously, though?  Rereading Dracula is a little...boring.  :-)  It was great the first time through, but now I'm like, a whole half a chapter dedicated to the ship tossing on the waves?  And please, Lucy can be whiny.  And Dracula has so little actual page time.  But while a bit boring, it is fascinating as well, so am glad to be reading it again.

Anna: Dracula isn't the most entertaining book, at least for me. I read it because Stoker was unique to his time and he offers great insight into that age. And his writing style was different. Honestly, I tend to think of Stoker's book as more of a stepping stone for other great writers. Just look at how many authors pick up where Dracula left off, or tell the story from another character.

I'll add to that conversation now and say that Dracula is an excellent historical book and can be quite useful as a glimpse into a different time, but that the style and tone of writing definitely takes getting used to. The pacing is slow and many of the descriptions are drawn out and lack the excitement that modern books are full of. And Michele was right on target when she said Lucy can be whiny! 

That being said, Stoker did something that many authors attempt but fail to achieve..he created a character that endures. Nobody expected a vampire to be a central character in popular fiction, let alone one that would continue to fascinate people for over 100 years. Count Dracula may not have been the first vampire to grace the page, but he certainly helped shape the mythology.

So tell me...were you intimidated by the classic novel status? Are you put off by all the hype? Or do you just prefer to keep to the movies for your Dracula fix?


And on a completely different note, Michele and I have been reading different version of the book and her copy has some really cool old maps. I thought I'd share them with you 1) to get your take on the inclusion of illustrations in historical fiction, 2) because it's fascinating to follow these maps as the story progresses, and 3) it's interesting to see how the region changed from then to now.

Do any of you have a copy of Dracula with maps? Are they different from the ones in Michele's book?

Dracula's Castle is circled in red. [Note: these maps were scanned from THE ANNOTATED DRACULA, copyright 1975 by Leonard Wolf]

Let's talk! What are your impressions of Bram Stoker's Dracula? Was the writing style difficult to follow? Or did you maybe like the journal styled format? What characters did you like best/worst? Did you learn anything new about Victorian England?

iPad and Dracula: The Official Stoker Family Edition

Found this via Paranormal Bites, who grabbed it from  USA Today,  and since it fits right in with our Dracula Event I thought I'd share:

A new version of Bram Stoker's vampire classic is poised to emerge on the Apple iPad next week ($4.99). Dracula: The Official Stoker Family Edition is a Halloween surprise that mixes words, music and video-game-like features.

For the complete article, click here.

I think this is a really cool idea because it will bring a classic story to a new generation. Is Dracula the best vampire story out there? Probably not. It isn't the easiest book to get through because it's told in a completely different style than we are currently used to. But the book is definitely worth reading since most credit Stoker with bringing vampires into mainstream fiction and his story has since been reworked numerous times. I plan on discussing this subject more towards the end of the month but I would love to hear what you think.

What do you think about this new interactive iPad trend? Does this format appeal to you? Are you more inclined to read Dracula now that it has been revamped (pun intended)... again.

Guest: Marta Acosta

What can I say about Marta Acosta?  She's a dear, sweet, snarky bit of Internet joy who writes werewolf haikus in her spare time, not to mention recruiting members for the Naked David Boreanaz Club when she's not battling her arch-nemesis, the Sci/Fi Guy, to Death By Diabolical Mind Games.  Not only is she a fab writer of vamp fiction, she is also the Grand High Pooba of the excellent paranormal blog Vampire Wire.  If you aren't following her blog—what's up with that?  :-)  To promote her latest in the Casa Dracula series, HAUNTED HONEYMOON, she's got a plan, and she's kicking ass!

Make Your Character Kick-Ass without Kicking Ass

It’s said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so it’s a compliment to Joss Whedon’s imagination that hundreds of Buffy Summer’s type heroines inhabit urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Buffy was a wonderful, groundbreaking character: a suburban cheerleader who discovers that she’s the one person of her generation fated to fight demons and vampires.

There was a thrill every time a demon or vampire looked at Buffy and saw her as just another girl…and then Buffy smote that baddie with extreme prejudice while tossing off some snarky teenage quip. I think women and girls responded to her because we know what it’s like to be dismissed and underestimated; we know what it’s like to be “just a girl.”

Buffy always treated her usual normal girl concerns –dating, friends, family, paying bills – with the same importance as she did saving the world.  And we loved her for that. But not every heroine needs to kick ass to be a kickass chick.

Marta, disguised as a sweet ballerina (we know better)

My favorite characters have always been those who use their cleverness to succeed: it’s brain over brawn. I like the underdogs, the ones who aren’t as gorgeous, rich, or powerful as their enemies, but still figure out a way to win battles. I like the mumblers and the bumblers, the oddballs and the losers, the freaks and the frauds. They don’t fit in anywhere, and their desire to be accepted is always in conflict with their greater calling.

The heroine of my Casa Dracula novels, Milagro de Los Santos, is a bright, funny, sexy young woman who tries to make a living by cobbling together freelance writing gigs and gardening jobs. She’s easily distracted by cute guys, parties, and lunatics. She wants to be just a normal human chica, but she can’t help being herself.

After she survives infection by a vampire, she gains physical strength, but that’s never her first option when faced with a problem. Nope, she’s rather come up with some nutty plan to conquer enemies and many of them seem to involve costumes and out-of-control parties. She’s a kick-ass chick who doesn’t have to kick ass.

Buffy was one of a kind, but she couldn’t have done it (and it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun) without her team of eccentric friends.  They overcame fear, physical weakness, and personal issues to fight for a greater cause. Nope, they weren’t beautiful cheerleaders with unique deadly skills, but they were each wonderful, brave, and worthy of love.

Visit Marta at her Website

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