Greetings and Happy October!
As most everyone knows, I write
spicy romances and spooky horror fiction. For some, that might seem an odd
combination, but it works for me. I like to say that “one half of my brain
writes the horror, and the half writes the romance.”
I grew up in a very
rural town in upstate New York and each October I was entranced by colorful
fall leaves, endless corn fields, pumpkin patches, creepy houses, old
cemeteries…and my imagination. I read horror fiction and watched Twilight
Zone reruns, so it only seemed natural that I’d write horror fiction.
(After all, Halloween is my favorite holiday!) Later, I branched out into
writing romance, and of course, paranormal romance.
So far, I’ve written three paranormal romances for Amber
Quill Press (Killer in Wolf’s Clothing, Confessions of a
Vampire’s Lover, and Beauty & the Bigfoot).
Confessions of aVampire’s Lover
offers a different view of a vampire romance. For starters, the novella is told
in the first person from the hero’s point of view. The story also makes use of
an unusual setting – the beach.
So, how did this story come about? My original idea for the
story was: “What if a vampire went to the beach and fell in love?” (It’s sort
of a twisted summer romance…)
I’m married to a surfer and one of our trips to the beach
got my imagination going. I liked the idea of contrasting typical
sun-worshipping beachgoers and surfers with a darkness-loving elusive vampire.
(Besides, what could be more mismatched than a die-hard surfer falling in love
with a nocturnal blood-drinker?)
Although the story is about a vampire, I wanted to keep the
central focus on Brian and Cassie’s relationship and not on the ‘bloodier’
aspects of vampirism. I think there’s a fine line when blending horror and
romance into paranormal romance. Too much gore or a “too terrifying” creature
can snap the readers (and the characters) out of the romance and into a full-on
horror story.
I love combining my two favorite genres into one great
story. (You can check out my romances and horror stories on my blog) Some
people think it’s strange, but writing horror lets me explore characters,
settings, and plots you don’t normally find in romance. And every so often,
it’s good to mix the two a little and see what happens.
Here’s a book summary and a steamy excerpt from Confessions
of a Vampire’s Lover.
The moment Brian spotted Cassie sitting on the moonlit
beach, he was hooked. Beautiful, smart, and sexy, Cassie is the girl of his
dreams. She didn’t mind that he spent the hot summer days riding the ocean
waves, because once the sun set, he belonged to her–all night long!
Everything is perfect between them–until Brian discovers
Cassie’s shocking secret. Can Brian give up the sun, sand, and surf to be with
the woman he loves?
Read Brian’s first-hand account of their unusual love story
in… Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover!
The book link is: http://amberquill.com/AmberHeat/ConfessionsVampiresLover.html
The excerpt:
She draped her arms around my neck and pulled me close, as
if she were hungry for my touch. Her wet lips met mine, and a shock coursed
through my entire body. Cassie’s lips were soft and supple, but ice cold. It
was the strangest kiss I’d ever experienced, and it stirred something primal in
me.
I let out a throaty groan as a hot rush of blood surged to
my cock. I stiffened in an instant and clasped Cassie’s buttocks hard. A
burning desire to have her overtook me, and I fought the urge to push her down
on the sand and shove myself into her—anything to release my raging need.
Cassie kissed me deeper and twisted her tongue around mine.
The world seemed to spin, and once again I felt myself falling under her spell.
I was hers, willing to do whatever she wanted. After a moment, she released me.
“Wait for me on
the beach. I’ll let you take me any way you want,” she whispered, then dove
back into the water.
I made my way to shore as quietly as possible and flopped
onto the sand. My heart raced out of control and my stiff cock ached with every
heartbeat.
I closed my eyes and tried to think rationally. What was
Cassie doing out there? Nobody could see in the ocean at night or safely swim
with sharks after dark. Maybe Cassie was a mermaid. I chuckled at my own stupidity. Mermaids weren’t cold, they couldn’t vanish into thin air, and they
didn’t hide from the sun. That was a vamp—
“Look what I found.”
I opened my eyes. Cassie stood over me, holding something
shiny in her hand. The gold ring gleamed in the moonlight. I took it from her
and studied it. The stone was dark, almost blood red. I handed it back to her
and she slipped it on her ring finger.
“You really should let me explore for awhile. There are a
lot of interesting things down there,” she said.
I scowled. “How did you find that in the water? It’s pitch
black.”
“Don’t ask, Brian.” Cassie straddled my hips and kissed me. She bent close,
offering me her breast. I drew it into my mouth and sucked eagerly. To my
surprise, she felt flushed and warm, and tasted salty, like the ocean.
Cassie gasped and arched her head back. “Make love to me, Brian. I want to feel
alive,” she said as she unzipped my jeans….
***
Here’s what reviewers had to say:
“In Confessions of a
Vampire’s Lover, Kelli A Wilkins writes a story filled
with seeming incongruities. It is only one of a dozen reasons her stories are
so intriguing and exciting. She manages to put such a variety of characters
together, and melding them so perfectly you never notice the things that
shouldn’t be possible. Her stories premises always seem to include the unusual,
and that is evident in her very unique ways of telling her tales, whether they
are fantasy, contemporary, or paranormal. Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover
makes for interesting reading, and a story too good to put down. If you want a
good look into one of the world of Kelli A Wilkins, then head on over to Amber
Quill Press and look for her book Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover.” - Rose,
reviewer, romanceatheart.com
“My first thought after finishing Confessions of a Vampire’s
Lover was “what a fun story.” Kelli A. Wilkins has spun a fast, entertaining,
deliciously wicked tale that was wonderfully satisfying. What makes Confessions
of a Vampire’s Lover somewhat unusual is that the story is written in the first
person, entirely from the hero’s point of view. I was delighted by Confessions
of a Vampire’s Lover. It’s fascinating and sensual with two immensely likeable
protagonists. I am fast becoming a fan of Ms. Wilkins’s stories and look
forward to reading more of her work in the future.” - Shayna, Reviewer,
Joyfully Reviewed
“3 Coffee Cups! “Confessions of a Vampire’s Lover” is a hot
read. Cassie is a person who goes after what she wants. I loved the way she
could often read Brian’s thoughts and end his sentences before he spoke. Some
of their more ardent moments were so visual, I could almost see the intensity
on their faces. Kelli A. Wilkins creates two different characters who connect
well with each other and with the reader. She pens a delightful story I could
read again and still fall in love with Cassie and Brian all over again. This
enchanting tale has a way of spreading sunshine to the heart.” - Cherokee,
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
“4 Stars! Wow! Confessions of a Vampire's Lover is one
scorching read. When I said that Brian and Cassie couldn’t keep their hands off
each other, I wasn’t joking. The sex between these two was so steamy that if it
got any hotter, Brian and Cassie would be on fire. At just only 49 pages,
Confessions of a Vampire's Lover is one quick read and I have put Kelli A.
Wilkins on my must read list.” - Cheryl, Reviewer, Manic Readers
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