Love Lies Bleeding for 25% off
Speaking of Bleeding Heart, the paperback will be out in early January!
Happy Reading,
Aspasía S. Bissas
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
26 December 2023
Book Sale!
02 December 2023
New Novel by Aspasia S. Bissas: Bleeding Heart
When up-and-coming actor Ash is unexpectedly turned by ancient vampire Emma, he revels in the freedom of his new life. But freedom soon turns to crushing oppression. As Emma’s grip on him tightens, he begins to lose everything decent, everything human, inside him. When he realizes the strange woman who haunts his dreams is the same one Emma wants dead, will he stand by while Emma has her way again?
Mara killed her demons and left everything behind–so why does it feel like she’s still not free? She doesn’t know if she’s being haunted or hunted, but one thing she’s sure of is that she’ll have to face a reckoning for her past. Will she find a way to the future, or lose everything?
Bleeding Heart is a dark fantasy novel about nightmares, illusions, control, and revenge. Old meets new meets ancient in this follow-up to Love Lies Bleeding.
I’m happy to announce that Bleeding Heart has been released as an e-book! Don’t worry, if you prefer a hard copy, the paperback will be out soon.
At the moment, Bleeding Heart is available on Amazon and the Smashwords site (click on the links to download now!)
I just want to thank everyone for your support and patience: I hope the wait was worth it ♥
Happy Reading,
Aspasía S. Bissas
P.S., Feel free to share this post 🙂
P.P.S., Follow me on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com
25 July 2023
6 Words About Vampires
As a writer, I love words. As a vampire fan, I write about vampires. It seems natural to combine it all into one post; and so, I bring you words about vampires…
Related: “Sanguisugent” (adj), blood sucking or blood thirsty. Wikionary says “sanguisuge” is obsolete, but I think it’s due for a comeback.
I’ve written about revenants, if you’re curious to find out more. The word itself was coined in 1814 by Laetitia Matilda Hawkins in Rosanne:
“‘Well, but what is it? What do you call it in French?’ ‘Why, revenant, to be sure. Un revenant.'”
“Philosophy will clip an Angel’s wings,
Conquer all mysteries by rule and line,
Empty the haunted air, and gnomèd mine—
Unweave a rainbow, as it erewhile made
The tender-person’d Lamia melt into a shade.” -John Keats, “Lamia”
Fun etymology: Lamia literally means “swallower, lecher,” from laimos “throat, gullet.” (Source). Read more about them in my post here.
The first use of “undead” was c. 1400, but its use as a noun to mean vampires and other creatures dates from 1904. (Source)
“It’s a reflex. Hear a bell, get food. See an undead, throw a knife. Same thing, really.” -Ilona Andrews, Magic Bites
I know the word exsanguinate from the X-Files episode “Eve,” but it was first used around 1800, coming from the Latin exsanguinatus, meaning bloodless or deprived of blood.
“My first word of the new year was ‘exsanguinate.’ This was probably not a good omen.”
-Charlaine Harris, Dead to the World.
And of course, we can’t forget the word that all the others relate to:
The earliest form of the word “vampire” dates to only 1734, although stories of monsters that rise from the dead and attack the living can be found even in ancient times. The idea of blood-gorged walking corpses goes back to at least the 1100s. There’s some debate as to where the word comes from, but it most likely has its roots in the Old Church Slavonic “opiri.” (Source)
“It was too much, the weight of it all was too much. Maybe that was why emotions were deadened in vampires; the alternative was to be overtaken by them, crippled, left stranded and isolated and trapped by unbearable sensation. How could they hunt if they felt sympathy, empathy, love for their prey? How could they —how could she —live with themselves?” Aspasía S. Bissas, Love Lies Bleeding
Yes, that’s a quote from my own book (I’m sneaky that way). Get my books to find even more words about vampires:
Love Lies Bleeding: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
FREE Blood Magic: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
FREE Tooth & Claw: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
If you prefer a good paperback to an ebook, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
Did I miss your favourite word about vampires? Let me know in the comments…
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
27 June 2023
A Quote, A Review & A Request
Dragonscale Clippings recently shared a review of Love Lies Bleeding:
Love Lies Bleeding by Aspasia S Bissas Although this novel starts off almost predictably (for a vampire tale) it soon develops into something quite unusual. Read more…
Give it a read, and don’t forget to stop by Dragonscale Clippings’s blog and follow and like! Many thanks for the kind review ♥
Speaking of reviews, if you’ve read and enjoyed any of my books, please take a minute now to leave a rating or review (links below). And if you haven’t read my books yet, now is the perfect time to start…
Love Lies Bleeding
A novel about delusion, obsession, and blood.
Paperback available from Bookshop – when you use this link, a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. (It’s also available on most other online book sites.)
Blood Magic
Myth and magic collide in this story about choices, transformation, and retribution.
Tooth & Claw
A dark fantasy story about memory and delusion, violence and consequences; inspired by real events in Belle Époque France.
Feel free to leave a rating/review on any other book sites too!
Thank you for supporting authors ♥
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
16 December 2022
End of the Year Book Sale
It’s that time of year again– the Smashwords end-of-year e-book sale has begun! Get Love Lies Bleeding for 25% off (and as usual, Blood Magic and Tooth & Claw are free)! The holidays are a great time to catch up on your reading (or maybe even complete a challenge). Download my books and get started right now….
Get LOVE LIES BLEEDING 25% Off
Get Blood Magic FREE
Get Tooth & Claw FREE
Happy Reading!
Aspasía S. Bissas
(PS: The sale ends 1 January 2023)
24 May 2022
Lord Byron: The First Modern Vampire
In this post I'll be exploring the life and work of George Gordon Byron, better known as Lord Byron: poet, adventurer, freedom fighter, the original celebrity, cursed soul, granddaddy of goths, and the first modern vampire (probably not literally).“The Giaour”
lines 757–768:
But first, on earth as vampire sent,
Lord Byron, 1812 (published in 1813)
Thy corse shall from its tomb be rent:
Then ghastly haunt thy native place,
And suck the blood of all thy race;
There from thy daughter, sister, wife,
At midnight drain the stream of life;
Yet loathe the banquet which perforce
Must feed thy livid living corse:
Thy victims ere they yet expire
Shall know the demon for their sire,
As cursing thee, thou cursing them,
Thy flowers are withered on the stem.
If you weren’t aware, vampires weren’t always the charismatic, sexy, human-seeming creatures we know them as these days. The vampires of times past were generally monstrous, charmless, and often more like zombies than what we now consider vampires to be (take a look at my post A Further 5 Vampires You May Not Have Heard Of). That all changed with Lord Byron.
When Byron was born in 1788, he had a caul over his face. There are many superstitions about cauls. Some believe being born with one is lucky and the child is destined for greatness, some believe the child will have second sight. In Romania the belief is that those born with a caul become vampires after death.
Byron’s childhood was fairly traumatic by any standards. His father was rarely around (and when he was, his presence didn’t improve anything), his mother was an alcoholic, and his governess abused him. At age 10, he inherited the title Baron Byron of Rochdale, along with the family’s ancestral home, Newstead Abbey, which incorporated the ruins of a Gothic monastery. At some point he found a human skull in the building and took to drinking from it in front of friends, who he’d then dare to do the same.
As his popularity grew, Byron cultivated a “cult of personality” based on his invented romantic and heroic image. He had portraits painted of himself as different characters: Le Corsair, Scottish sailor, Egyptian bandit. He adapted his personality, his clothing, and even the way he spoke, to suit the occasion or who he was with. He presented himself as a tragic outsider with a mysterious past, a character out of his own books, and made sure never to let the persona slip.
Byron was one of the first to write about vampires in English. In his poem”The Giaour” (quoted above) he tells of a man cursed to become a vampire and destroy his own family. In notes with the poem, Byron comments on the belief in the Levant, Greece, and Hungary of the Vroucolachas (or Vardoulacha). After its publication, some expressed fear about Byron’s hypnotic, or vampiric, ability to control his admirers with his poetry.
This image Byron created of himself as the archetypal “Byronic Hero” would influence future literary characters such as Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights), Count Dracula, Batman, and Severus Snape, to name a few, as well as real-life celebrities and rock stars like Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain.
In his unfinished work “Fragment of a Novel” (also known as “A Fragment” or “The Burial: A Fragment) from 1819, Byron’s character, Augustus Darvell, brings vampires into the modern age. Darvell is wealthy, attractive, and blends easily into human society. Although Byron never completed the story, according to a letter by his doctor and ‘frenemy,’ John Polidori, Byron was planning on having Darvell’s friend bury him according to strange and ritualistic instructions, only to come back later and find Darvell alive and wreaking havoc (including seducing and killing the man’s sister).
Speaking of Polidori, Byron didn’t just write about vampires. he was portrayed as one in the works of others. Polidori’s story “The Vampyre” was strongly influenced by Byron’s ideas for the continuation of “Fragment of a Novel” (Byron was also wrongly given credit for “The Vampyre,” and Polidori struggled to correct the mistake). Besides Byron’s influences, the main character “Lord Ruthven” was an unflattering and exaggerated portrait of Byron. Ruthven is a sexual predator who is calculating and cruel. He revels in sin and degradation. Although he looks sickly and cadaver-like, he’s also compelling and hypnotic. In the end Ruthven gets away with everything, while those around him suffer.
Lady Caroline Lamb, a married woman Byron had an affair with and then ignored, got back at him through her novel, Glenarvon. Again, a barely disguised Byron is portrayed as a vampiric (and somewhat ridiculous) character, howling at the moon and dressing as a monk. He seduces and ruins every woman he meets and betrays everyone close to him. Unlike Ruthven, he gets his comeuppance when he’s confronted by the ghosts of all the women he’s destroyed, and then throws himself into the sea out of remorse. Lady Caroline is credited with describing Byron as “mad, bad and dangerous to know”.
Byron and Polidori transformed vampires from the grotesque undead to attractive and charming almost-humans. Bram Stoker was likely influenced by Byron when he wrote Dracula, and ever since, vampires in both print and onscreen are overwhelmingly “Byronic”: tragic, mysterious, dark, brooding, and embodying (or inducing) lust. Literary critic Tom Holland wrote in his 1999 essay “Undead Byron” that “vampires remain recognizably Lord Byron’s descendants.” He also comments, “…the modern genre of vampire fiction may be seen as perhaps the most vital and enduring of all the varied expressions of Byronism.” As violent and bloodthirsty as the modern vampire can be, fans are under their spell, as much as Byron’s fans were under his.
Even in his own time, it didn’t go unnoticed that Byron had more than a few vampiric qualities. People around him complained that he was draining the life from them, and overshadowing them with his “almost supernatural magnetism.” Critics claimed he hypnotized and subjugated his followers. Byron himself felt he was cursed, pointing out that many of the people closest to him suffered misfortune, or died tragically.
Amelia Opie, a woman Byron had charmed, claimed he had “such a voice as the Devil tempted Eve with; you feared its fascination the moment you heard it.”
And like a true vampire, Byron was immune to conventional life and the rules and judgments of polite society.
He was seductive and insatiable, not unlike vampires, although his appetite was for sex, not blood. He was openly bisexual and had a particular taste for married women, but not so particular that he didn’t also sleep with admirers, servants, prostitutes, and his half-sister. It was rare that anyone turned him down.
In a letter from 1819, Byron claimed to have no interest in vampires:
“I have besides a personal dislike to ‘Vampires,’ and the little acquaintance I have with them would by no means induce me to reveal their secrets.”
Reading this, I can’t help thinking that “little acquaintance” indicates that there was some acquaintance. And what secrets of theirs was he keeping, exactly? It’s not difficult to imagine that as he toured Europe and came into contact with many of the cultures that had strong vampire folklore, he might have encountered a creature that wasn’t quite human. At one point in his travels, he was claiming that “spies” were following him through Geneva and Flanders. Were they journalists looking for hot gossip to publish, or maybe something more?
In 1823 Byron went to Greece to fight for Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire. He spent 4,000 pounds (equivalent today to about 477,000 USD or 382,000 GBP) of his own money to refit the Greek naval fleet. He also took command of a Greek unit of elite fighters. Unfortunately, he fell ill with a “fever” on 15 February 1824. Ironically, doctors bled him to treat the illness, which most likely led to his death.
Byron died on 19 April 1824, aged 36. Some say his heart was cut out and kept in Greece, where, to this day, he’s a national hero. In any case, his body was returned to England. He was supposed to be buried in Westminster Abbey, but the Dean of Westminster refused on the grounds of Byron’s “questionable morality.” (They did add a memorial plaque to Byron in 1969.) He was instead buried in the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Hucknall.
This image can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library
Image © 2022 Dean and Chapter of Westminster
His death didn’t end the vampire rumours about Byron. Because people kept insisting that his coffin was empty, in 1938– more than a century after his death– the vicar of Hucknall agreed to open the casket. Byron was inside, naked and well-preserved, The vicar stated:
‘Reverently, very reverently, I raised the lid and before my eyes lay the embalmed body of Byron in as perfect condition as when it had been placed in the coffin … his features and hair easily recognisable from the portraits with which I was so familiar. The serene, almost happy expression on his face made a profound impression on me … I gently lowered the lid of his coffin – and as I did so, breathed a prayer for the peace of his soul.’
And so Lord Byron rests in peace…or maybe not.
What do you think? Did Byron become a vampire, or just play one on the page? Share in the comments…
Celebrate Byron's legacy with some new vampire books:
Love Lies Bleeding: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
FREE Blood Magic: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
FREE Tooth & Claw: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
Further Reading
Wikipedia: Fragment of a Novel
Was Lord Byron England’s 1st Vampire?
On the Very Scary Rise of the First Literary Vampire
Lord Byron’s Image Inspired Modern Take on Vampires
12 April 2022
Drop Everything...
…and Read!
Today is National Drop Everything and Read Day, which really should be an international holiday, as far as I’m concerned. DEAR day happens every 12 April, in honour of author Beverly Cleary’s birthday, but can be celebrated all month and beyond. The goal is for people to take time out of their day and spend it reading a book. Seems like a great holiday to celebrate (I suggest your favourite warm drink as the official accompaniment).
Looking for something you can read right now? I’ve got you covered…
Love Lies Bleeding: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
FREE Blood Magic: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
FREE Tooth & Claw: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
What will you be reading today?
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
15 March 2022
A Vampire's Kindness: Fiction
For those of you who haven’t read it (or who feel like re-reading it): enjoy...
Note to the reader: the following text is transcribed from a document found in the crawlspace of an old row house in Montreal, Quebec. The owner of the building sent it to a local historical association, who are now sharing it in hopes that someone might have more information.
Interview with "Mara," a young woman who claims to be a vampire By J.S., editor at large April 5, 1918. J.S.: Could you please state your name for the record? M: You can call me Mara. J.S.: Is that your real name? M: Real enough. It's the only one I have left. J.S.: Could you tell me what you said when we met earlier tonight? M (does not reply) J.S.: When we met, I asked what a young lady was doing out alone in the middle of the night. How did you respond? M (smiles): I told you that I am a vampire. J.S.: A vampire--like Mr. Stoker's Count Dracula? M: As far as I know, he is fictional. I am not. J.S.: What would you say to those who don't believe in such creatures as vampires? M: Your lack of belief doesn't make me any less real. J.S.: How long do you claim to have been a vampire? M: Most of my life. J.S.: How long is that? M: Isn't it impolite to ask a lady her age? J.S.: Do you drink blood? M: Of course. J.S.: Where do you get it? M: Wherever I can find it. J.S.: From animals? M: No. J.S.: Do you have a reflection? M (gets up and walks to the lavatory. She stares into the mirror over the sink): It would seem so. J.S.: Can you turn into a bat? M (does not reply) J.S.: How many other vampires are there? M: More than your kind would care to consider. J.S.: My kind? You mean mankind? Human beings? M: Yes. J.S.: Do you pay attention to human events? What do you think of the Great War? M: I wish I could be there, in the thick of it. J.S.: Do you mean as a nurse? M (laughs) J.S.: Why do you want to be at the front? Isn't it dangerous? M: The danger is why. It's all death and chaos. People die, people go missing--no one gives it a second thought. Vampires do well in times of war. J.S.: If that is the case, why aren't you there? M: Someone else is there. He's looking for me. I do not wish to be found. J.S.: Who is there? M: You should worry about the illness instead of my acquaintances. J.S.: The illness? Are you referring to the Spanish Flu? There are rumours of epidemic. M: The rumours are correct--the influenza is spreading rapidly. I can smell it in the air. J.S.: You can smell it? That must be handy. M: It helps us to choose. J.S.: What do you mean by 'choose'? M: Most of us prefer blood from healthy specimens. J.S.: And the rest? M: We find those who don't have long. Some consider it a kindness. J.S.: Why are you telling me this? M (does not reply) J.S.: I don't have the Flu. M: No, you have something deeper. In your bones. J.S.: Oh, really? What does that smell like? M: Like sour chalk and dry rot. J.S.: Rot is right. You expect me to believe such nonsense? M: What about that ache that never seems to go away? It's been getting worse, hasn't it? J.S. (reluctant to respond) J.S.: I have an appointment to see a doctor. M: He won't be able to help you. J.S.: How do you know? M: They rarely can. J.S.: Then what can anyone do for me? M: I could prescribe you herbs, but they won't help, either. J.S.: A vampire and an apothecary? That is quite the combination. M: I learned my trade young and found that it pays to keep humans healthy. J.S.: Is that it, then? All you can offer are ineffectual balms? M: I can also offer you a kindness. J.S.: You mean death. M: Some prefer it to suffering. J.S.: What if I refuse? M: It's your choice. You have time to decide, but not much. J.S.: Where are you going? M: I have other business to attend to. I'll return in a fortnight. Tell me then what you've decided. J.S.: Will it hurt? M: I can make it so it doesn't. M leaves and I finish recording our exchange. I don't know why, perhaps for posterity.
I am unsure how to proceed.
Want to read more about Mara? Download my books now….
Love Lies Bleeding: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
FREE Blood Magic: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
FREE Tooth & Claw: Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
(Originally shared on my official site: AspasiaSBissas.com)
01 March 2022
Book Quote and an Ask
If you've read and enjoyed any of my books, please take a minute now to leave a rating or review (links below). And if you haven't read my books yet, now is the perfect time to start...
Love Lies Bleeding
A novel about delusion, obsession, and blood.
Paperback available from Bookshop – when you use this link, a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. (It's also available on most other online book sites.)
Blood Magic
Myth and magic collide in this story about choices, transformation, and retribution.
Tooth & Claw
A dark fantasy story about memory and delusion, violence and consequences; inspired by real events in Belle Époque France.
Feel free to leave a rating/review on any other book sites too!
Thank you for supporting authors ♥
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
22 December 2021
End of Year Book Sale
It’s that time of year again– the Smashwords end-of-year e-book sale has begun! Get Love Lies Bleeding for half off (and as usual, Blood Magic and Tooth & Claw are free)! The holidays are a great time to catch up on your reading (or maybe even complete a challenge). Download my books and get started right now….
Get LOVE LIES BLEEDING Half Off
Get Blood Magic FREE
Get Tooth & Claw FREE
Happy reading…
Aspasía S. Bissas
07 December 2021
Quote of the Day
Gift giving season is upon us and if that’s something you’re into, may I just point out that Love Lies Bleeding makes an excellent gift for book- or vampire-loving friends, loved ones, and distant acquaintances (not to mention the good karma you’ll get for supporting independent authors!)
If you’ve already read and enjoyed any of my books, could you please take a minute now to leave a rating or review (links below)? It’ll help keep your stocking coal-free…
Love Lies Bleeding
A novel about delusion, obsession, and blood.
Paperback available from Bookshop – when you use this link, a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself.
Blood Magic
Myth and magic collide in this story about choices, transformation, and retribution.
Tooth & Claw
A dark fantasy story about memory and delusion, violence and consequences; inspired by real events in Belle Époque France.
Feel free to leave a rating/review on any other book sites too!
Thank you for supporting authors ♥
Cheers,
Aspasía S. Bissas
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