February Story Spotlight - Bitten
"Centuries teach you patience. To wait quietly in the shadows, biding one's time."
First in the spotlight from "Whispers from the Dead of Night - The Deluxe Collection" is my erotic horror thriller novel "Bitten", which concludes the omnibus.
A criminal investigation...
an erotic obsession...
and the undead...
This Valentine's Day, join Holleigh as she comes face to face with the Valentine Vampire...
Behind the Story
I first wrote the basic plot outline for "Bitten" in 2015, shortly after completing the first draft of "The Jack O'Lantern Men". Inspired by a short story I had written in school, entitled "Clueless", about a US police detective investigating a suspected serial killer (we were tasked with writing a romance, so I wrote an erotic thriller), there were two other key themes that I added to the mix: first being the seasonal theme of Valentine's Day. I planned "Bitten" to be the third of my seasonal novellas, following the previous two exploring Christmas and Hallowe'en respectively.
The second key theme was that of vampirism. I have loved vampires from a very young age - my first encounter being an abridged version of Bram Stoker's "Dracula". Since then I got to know the Count and his fellow undead creatures through novels and films, and fascinating explorations into their history and folklore.
So, "Bitten" was born. The more I worked on it, the more it expanded. In the end, it became a full-length novel - the characters having far too much to say to cram into a novella.
Another fictional love of mine is erotic thrillers. From the first time I saw "Basic Instinct" I thought it a masterpiece. Its blueprint has inspired many themes of erotic thrillers since - the twisting mystery, the passion that clouds the judgement, the dangerous cat-and-mouse game.
We've seen vampires become ever more romanticised in recent years. As we've seen erotic fiction become ever more romanticised. One of my goals with this novel was to strip both of those back, to let some of their raw darkness resurface - a horror thriller, rather than a paranormal romance; a murder investigation into suspected serial murders, each of which took place on Valentine's Day.
Of course, authentically dealing with such themes in conjunction comes with many other themes and plot points to be illustrated and explored, some of which may be triggering - misogyny, sexism, sexual violence, paraphiliae, and trauma. As difficult as these may be to explore, I think it is vitally important that we do not shy away from these issues. To allow fantasy to dominate over very real and tragically everyday experiences can sometimes aid in silencing victims and empowering offenders. In fiction, as in life, fantasy and reality both have their place. Exploring them side by side is sometimes necessary and right for the story you want to tell.
I could have never imagined how topical the issues of misogyny, sexual violence and murder, within the context of the police service, would have been in the year when I finally published "Bitten". It remains vitally important that we don't lose awareness that such crimes are happening in reality every day. Crime and horror writers have often been accused of glorifying violence and disrespecting victims. We do not do that - it is those who live in denial of these experiences that do so, relegating such offenders to monsters in the dark and forcing their victims into silence. We should never stop having these conversations and fiction is as valid a platform as any other from which to consider, discuss, debate, and, most importantly of all, remember and spread awareness.
In order to tell this story, it needed a strong central character. While she remained nameless for several months while I tried various names, PC Holleigh Ryder was always that character. Throughout "Bitten", we explore her progression in her career, her introverted but compassionate heart, her strength and vulnerability, and an insight into her desires and her pansexuality. She is perhaps one of my favourite characters whom I've created.
And what of the other characters? The mysterious Valentine Vampire? There will be no more spoilers from me. You'll just have to crawl under the covers and open the book for more nighttime exploration into this tale of murder, fear and desire...
___
A serial murder investigation draws near its conclusion. For seven years the killer has evaded capture, but the police finally have their prime suspect in custody – a man who claims to be a vampire over three hundred years old.
PC Holleigh Ryder is tasked with the most unsettling and challenging assignment of her career. All she wants is to get to the truth and achieve justice for the murdered women, but this has been no ordinary case and it is far from over.
The vampire has his own endgame in mind, one that may leave the police praying they had left the damned undisturbed in their graves.
*Note to Readers*
Contains descriptions of an explicit sexual and violent nature.
"You have the heart of a vampire. Your soul is as damned in your body as mine."
Preview the opening scene.
Available standalone ebook and paperback, or as part of the omnibus in ebook, paperback and hardcover. Grab your copy now!
Order "Bitten"
Order "Whispers from the Dead of Night - The Deluxe Collection"
First in the spotlight from "Whispers from the Dead of Night - The Deluxe Collection" is my erotic horror thriller novel "Bitten", which concludes the omnibus.
A criminal investigation...
an erotic obsession...
and the undead...
This Valentine's Day, join Holleigh as she comes face to face with the Valentine Vampire...
Behind the Story
I first wrote the basic plot outline for "Bitten" in 2015, shortly after completing the first draft of "The Jack O'Lantern Men". Inspired by a short story I had written in school, entitled "Clueless", about a US police detective investigating a suspected serial killer (we were tasked with writing a romance, so I wrote an erotic thriller), there were two other key themes that I added to the mix: first being the seasonal theme of Valentine's Day. I planned "Bitten" to be the third of my seasonal novellas, following the previous two exploring Christmas and Hallowe'en respectively.
The second key theme was that of vampirism. I have loved vampires from a very young age - my first encounter being an abridged version of Bram Stoker's "Dracula". Since then I got to know the Count and his fellow undead creatures through novels and films, and fascinating explorations into their history and folklore.
So, "Bitten" was born. The more I worked on it, the more it expanded. In the end, it became a full-length novel - the characters having far too much to say to cram into a novella.
Another fictional love of mine is erotic thrillers. From the first time I saw "Basic Instinct" I thought it a masterpiece. Its blueprint has inspired many themes of erotic thrillers since - the twisting mystery, the passion that clouds the judgement, the dangerous cat-and-mouse game.
We've seen vampires become ever more romanticised in recent years. As we've seen erotic fiction become ever more romanticised. One of my goals with this novel was to strip both of those back, to let some of their raw darkness resurface - a horror thriller, rather than a paranormal romance; a murder investigation into suspected serial murders, each of which took place on Valentine's Day.
Of course, authentically dealing with such themes in conjunction comes with many other themes and plot points to be illustrated and explored, some of which may be triggering - misogyny, sexism, sexual violence, paraphiliae, and trauma. As difficult as these may be to explore, I think it is vitally important that we do not shy away from these issues. To allow fantasy to dominate over very real and tragically everyday experiences can sometimes aid in silencing victims and empowering offenders. In fiction, as in life, fantasy and reality both have their place. Exploring them side by side is sometimes necessary and right for the story you want to tell.
I could have never imagined how topical the issues of misogyny, sexual violence and murder, within the context of the police service, would have been in the year when I finally published "Bitten". It remains vitally important that we don't lose awareness that such crimes are happening in reality every day. Crime and horror writers have often been accused of glorifying violence and disrespecting victims. We do not do that - it is those who live in denial of these experiences that do so, relegating such offenders to monsters in the dark and forcing their victims into silence. We should never stop having these conversations and fiction is as valid a platform as any other from which to consider, discuss, debate, and, most importantly of all, remember and spread awareness.
In order to tell this story, it needed a strong central character. While she remained nameless for several months while I tried various names, PC Holleigh Ryder was always that character. Throughout "Bitten", we explore her progression in her career, her introverted but compassionate heart, her strength and vulnerability, and an insight into her desires and her pansexuality. She is perhaps one of my favourite characters whom I've created.
And what of the other characters? The mysterious Valentine Vampire? There will be no more spoilers from me. You'll just have to crawl under the covers and open the book for more nighttime exploration into this tale of murder, fear and desire...
___
A serial murder investigation draws near its conclusion. For seven years the killer has evaded capture, but the police finally have their prime suspect in custody – a man who claims to be a vampire over three hundred years old.
PC Holleigh Ryder is tasked with the most unsettling and challenging assignment of her career. All she wants is to get to the truth and achieve justice for the murdered women, but this has been no ordinary case and it is far from over.
The vampire has his own endgame in mind, one that may leave the police praying they had left the damned undisturbed in their graves.
*Note to Readers*
Contains descriptions of an explicit sexual and violent nature.
"You have the heart of a vampire. Your soul is as damned in your body as mine."
Preview the opening scene.
Available standalone ebook and paperback, or as part of the omnibus in ebook, paperback and hardcover. Grab your copy now!
Order "Bitten"
Order "Whispers from the Dead of Night - The Deluxe Collection"
No comments have been added yet.
