Do Vampires Make You Read?

A recent Associated Press Poll revealed that one in four adults read no books over the last year.  Have people become so busy and such slaves to convenience that the first entertainment opportunity to go is reading?  The Association of American Publishers reported an increase in sales of 4.3% in the month of June, which was up 7.9% over last year. So, people are reading something.

An interesting article found in Time Magazine February 19, 2006 entitles Well, Hello Suckers by Belinda Luscome talks about the popularity of paranormal romance and how the genre has grown over the years. #1 NY Times bestselling author Christine Feehan is the person most credited with making vampire novels popular again.

Christine Feehan’s DARK SERIES has gained a cult following and the fans are quite diverse.  Though the books aren’t really for young readers since they do have some sex and violence in them, many older teens have found them and are devouring them.  But, there are women in their sixties who are great fans of the dark heroes, and the action/adventure portion of the tales have brought in a good number of male fans.

Her next book in the series is called Dark Possession and is the current buzz online as fans talk about past books and speculate on the new in their blogs, groups, MySpace and fan sites.  Feehan’s own website, which can be found at www.christinefeehan.com, offers such tempting enticements of the books that it’s no wonder she continues to grow her fan base.  The site has interactive online games and book trailers that appeal to not only to traditional readers, but also to potential readers, a younger crowd that usually spends their time playing World of Warcraft or watching the newest blockbuster.  Feehan also has a MySpace where she currently has over 7500 people signed up. Her newsletter goes out to nearly 100,000 people and her fans have created role play sites where they pretend to be the characters in her books.

The books are highly entertaining and the games and video interest people who might not otherwise choose books for their entertainment preference. 

The DARK SERIES highlights a race of people called Carpathians.  They are vampire-like, but they’re heroes and help to protect humans. If a Carpathian doesn’t find his lifemate he will eventually die, or turn vampire and be evil.  Carpathians are as much vampire hunters and vampire-like.

Dark Possession, which will be released on August 28^th, can be read without having to read the previous books in the series.  This tale has one of the dark-hero-Carpathians so close to dying that he has somehow crossed into another realm and can see the dead. But, his lifemate is in danger and saving her is the only thing that keeps him in the realm of the living.  It’s a tale of duality, redemption and choices as both realms fight to claim the dark hero.  Also, this is the first time Feehan has used an African American heroine in her books. You can find a good amount of diversity in the Feehan books including her other series called the Ghostwalker series. 

Feehan’s other series about a group of seven magical sisters earned her the number one spot on the New York Times bestseller list. 

Without doubt her most popular series is the one that put her on the bestseller list to begin with, the DARK SERIES.  Tales of dark heroes, strong heroines and evil vampires are brining people back to books.