Paranormal romance and something called 'romantasy' are a thing now; and people wonder I'm not writing now?

Sometimes, I enjoy entering Goodreads giveaways. I win more than you’d think. I’m sometimes unsure if the book would interest me if I do win, but if not, I'll donate it to my local library or give it to a friend.

One thing I’m noticing more and more is a category called ‘romantasy'. Now, I had to look up what that was all about because it was a new one on me, but as I expected, it wasn’t something I would be interested in. Apparently, it focuses on a ‘magical world’ with morally grey areas for the ‘love interest’. What does that mean? Honestly, it sounds the same as paranormal romances, also a category I have no interest in, which apparently is about having romances with vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts....it just gets weirder the more I go on, so I’ll stop here.

Needless to say, I’ve written a couple of books about vampires. Still, humans having vampire qualities (which can be taken in a less literal sense) feels less weird than having a romance with a werewolf because a werewolf is essentially a wolf, which is an animal. Think about it.

Although it’s insisted that these two categories are different, I fail to see how. I also don’t care. Either way, there’s a mighty big psychological study just brewing at the surface of this one, because one has to wonder why so many young women are drawn to these dark, non-human romances in the first place.

Other than the fact that our world is clearly fucked ten ways to Sunday, choice in entertainment may just be Exhibit A in this trial. Not to mention that a lot of young people now have AI relationships, as in ‘dating’ a NOT REAL person, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that they can’t even have a fictional book that teeters on the side of realism. Of course, is it simply an escape from reality? Maybe if I were much younger, these categories would have more of an appeal. And in the end, it's really none of my business what people choose to read. I'm just happy they read at all.

Art imitates life. And here we are.

The Rock Star of Vampires 🧛‍♀️ (Updated)

The Rock Star of Vampires was my third book and the first time I tackled the topic of vampires. I would later follow it up with Her Name is Mariah. 

With this book, I explored the idea that perhaps vampires aren't so different from everyday people: with only a few exceptions, one of which was their need to drink blood. I compared it to most people's need for specific vitamins to maintain balance. Also, my vampires had heightened senses. For example, they can see the pollution on trees, have enhanced taste buds, and hear sounds from miles away.

Here is a quick synopsis of the book:

Did Hollywood get it wrong? A year after transforming into a mortal vampire, Ava Lilith continues to have a lackluster life. The new dietary requirements and the intensifying of her senses aside, she continues to face unhappiness rather than the glamorous and provocative lifestyle that television and movies would suggest. She then learns of an underground society of immortal vampires, led by the mysterious 'rock star of vampires' Cloaked in shadow, this Immortal sect controls the major powers of the world - from business and finance to science and politics - all manipulated for personal gain and to keep their existence concealed. Ava finds herself drawn to this secret world where she could live forever and pursue all her dreams. But what will she lose, in order to gain immortality?

Her Name is Mariah 🧛‍♀️ (Updated)

Her Name is Mariah is the second of my two vampire books. The first one was The Rock Star of Vampires, and it received such a warm reception from readers. I was inspired to follow up with one of the more prominent characters, Mariah Nichols. This young woman is strong-willed and cold as ice. 

Mariah Nichols was adaptable. She lived through her parent's bitter divorce, a childhood of neglect, and the discovery that her only sibling was transgender: so the concept of turning into a mortal vampire was just one more adjustment in an already chaotic life.

But when tragedy rips through Mariah's heart, she realizes what it takes to survive in the world. She must become like an animal and run on instincts, not emotions, or so she thought.

Her name is Mariah, and this is her story.