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[From VBC: We’re very excited to have Jeaniene Frost on the blog again today. And we’re so anxious for Once Burned, her spinoff book featuring Vlad. It comes out in June and at the end of this post there’s a chance to win advanced copies. With that, we turn it over to Jeaniene.]
I’m fresh off a superhero high after seeing The Avengers this weekend, but aside from my new found love for The Hulk, the movie also got me thinking about the attributes of larger-than-life heroes and heroines. If you haven’t seen The Avengers yet, I’ll describe the members of the team. There’s Ironman, a “genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist” named Tony Stark who fights evil while wearing an incredibly high-tech suit; Thor, demi-god of the planet Asgard, whose hammer-wielding badassery is only eclipsed by his mighty biceps; Steve Rogers’ Captain America, a formerly brave yet scrawny man who was transformed into a superhuman through breakthrough genetic tampering; The Hulk, whose non-mean-green-and-ready-to-ream personality is mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner; Black Widow, former Russian spy Natasha Romanoff who uses her looks, wit, and lethal fighting skills to save the day; and Clint Barton, nicknamed Hawkeye, a S.H.I.E.L.D agent whose skill with a bow and arrow makes Legolas look like a child playing cowboys and Indians. Although not a fighting member of the Avengers, the mastermind behind them is Nick Fury, human director of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D.
What I particularly loved about The Avengers is that three of the six superheroes are regular humans. See, my books feature supernatural creatures – in this case, vampires – fighting evil and finding love with humans. I get asked a lot about compatibility issues in a human/nonhuman relationship and I think the movie gives a great example of how being compatible has more to do with will, perseverance, and bravery than with matching supernatural abilities. Black Widow doesn’t have any otherworldly abilities – or a high-tech Super Suit – yet she’s critical to the success of the Avengers because of her other strengths. Same goes with Hawkeye. Tony Stark, even without his Ironman suit, is still instrumental to the team because of his intelligence. Sure, having the ability to withstand injuries that would kill a normal person (Captain America), or a huge magical hammer (Thor), or enough strength to throw a demi-god around like a rag doll (The Hulk) are also critical, but they’re not enough to defeat the villain and his army without those extraordinary yet “regular” Avengers.
As I said, I’ve played with the same themes in my books. My vampires may have abilities like super strength, telekinesis, mind control, or the ability to fly, but that doesn’t make their human counterparts less extraordinary, in my opinion. Take my upcoming novel, Once Burned. In it, my heroine Leila is a human whose exposure to a massive dose of electricity left her with some unusual abilities; namely, her body gives off voltage and she picks up psychic impressions through touch. While those abilities initially throw her together with my hero, a pyrokinetic vampire named Vlad (yes, that Vlad :)) it’s her mental fortitude that impresses Vlad the most. Without that, Leila would have been merely another tool he used against his enemies. But her inner strength proves so captivating that even the uncrowned Prince of Darkness ends up drawn into the most high-stakes battle of all: falling in love.
I’m going to assume that everyone agrees mental fortitude is important, but just for kicks, if you could have any supernatural ability (flying, mind control, pyrokinesis, telekinesis, shapeshifting, a big magic hammer, Hulking-out, etc.) what would it be? Everyone who answers will be entered to win one of two advance reading copy of Once Burned.
CONTEST DETAILS AND RULES
1. To enter, you leave a comment on this blog post answering Jeaniene’s question above.
2. You do not need to follow Vampire Book Club to be entered, but we sure do like it.
3. This contest is open internationally.
4. Contest closes at 11:59 p.m. CST on June 3, 2012.
5. The winners will be selected using Random.org. Then each will be contacted via email and given 48 hours to claim her prize. If we do not hear from the winner(s) within that time, a new winner will be selected.
6. Entrants must be at least 18 years old or have their parent’s permission to enter. Please review our privacy policy, if you have any questions as to how Vampire Book Club uses your information. (Short version: we’ll only use it to contact you for this contest.)
7. Though unlikely, Vampire Book Club has the right to change or cancel any giveaway at any time without prior notice.
8. Vampire Book Club is not responsible for prizes lost or damage in transit.
9. Big thank you to Jeaniene Frost for providing the two ARCs of Once Burned.
That is a very good question. I would have to say time-control because I constantly think, “What if I could turn back time” or “what if I could take it back”. It is the “What if” that taunts me most of the time. Another thing is that I have this passion for the past. Imagine life before now, before technology and electricity. Imagine the architecture and the fashion; It is like a complete different world. Perhaps, that it is normal at my age or maybe I am just the romantic type. But yes, I would love to have the ability to control time.
I’d quite like some ‘super-speed’. I saw the things that Superman and The Flash could do with it, and I was impressed 🙂
I soooo want teleportation! I want to see my nieces and nephews without the hassle of the airlines and TSA!
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I would like to grow fangs and do some mind control; just like my favorite creatures…Vampires!!!
Teleportation or super fast as a super power so I could drop my kid off at school, visit my mom who lives across the US for the day, and then return home to pick up my child!
Thank you for a wonderful giveaway; I have enjoyed all of Jeanine’s books so far!
I would choose flying. It’s wierd, because I’m afraid of heights, but I would love to be able to fly!
Oh such a choice. What to choose? Flying simply because its amazing! Very thought provoking blog!
Absolutely flying. Oh wait telekinesis…. or shapeshifting. Or….:-) 🙂 🙂
I’d want to be able to fly. Or have a super quick mind, with a mouth to match. 🙂
Invisibility. Oh, the things I’d do. For good not evil.
Gosh, this is a toughie.. I think if I had to choose I would go with mind control. Or maybe even pyrokinesis like Vlad! He is just such a badass 🙂
Teleportation! It would just make traveling so much easier I could go anywhere in the blink of an eye!
I would choose to have the power to know if some one was lying.. I wouldn’t go as far as reading minds because im sure i would end up at an early grave hearing every thought that a man thinks lol
I’d love to have super-healing powers!
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I love to be telekinetic, I know I will often regret it, but it has been my favorite ability since I was a kid!
I would say either shapeshifting or mind control. Although the idea of teleportation is pretty awesome too.
I’ve always wanted spiderman’s web slinging abilities, mostly so that I could get the remote without having to get off the couch haha!
I would like to have the ability to learn everything and every skill instantaneous, Matrix style!
I would like to have the ability to learn everything and every skill instantaneously, Matrix style!
I think shapeshifting would be great!
To be able to move from one place to the next with just a thought.
Well I think the most important power is to know how to love no matter what so I would love to do that
I would like the ability to read minds, and be able to talk to another person through the mind. Sort of like Sookie and like the Fallen books…It would be awesome to be able to go invisible also but mind reading would be my first choice! I love all of Jeanine’s books! Thanks for this guest blog!
This is a really good question. I have wanted powers since I was a kid. I wanted to be an X-Man or a witch. I just watched Avatar the Last Airbender tvshow for the first time. I’m in love with Earthbending. I also just finished the Elemental Assasin Series by Jennifer Estep. The main character is a Stone Elemental. I would love to have power over Earth.
I would definitely want the power of teleportation, to be able to teleport anywhere!
Invisibility! No wait, flying!! I’ve got it! Invisible Flyer. Yup, that’s what I’d pick.
i’d totally want to be able to shapeshift, although mindcontrol would be kind of awesome and super handy haha
I would go for super speed. It seems like it would be really useful in most situations 🙂 I may have to go see the Avengers. You’re at least the fifth person I’ve had recommend it.
My super power will energy. As a mother of 3, work, sports, and the housework. I needs all the energy I can get.
So many to pick from. I would definitely like to have superior intelligence and an amazing wit like Tony Stark. But it would also be fun to teleport – what a time saver! Telekenesis and shapeshifting would round out the list – maybe an owl – though I would never turn down super human strength and some major kick-ass fighting skills. I just saw the Avengers for the third time today so I’m definitely in a super-hero kind of mood.
Oh wow. Thanks for the great post and giveaway! I’d have to say that I’d love Mind control. I grew up with the X-men and Professor Xavier was the strongest 🙂
I’d like to have a lot of supernatural abilities, that would be so cool. But if I have to choose just one, I think teleportation would be the best for me – I hate sitting in traffic and I love to just get where ever it is that I’m going. It’s nice to see scenery sometimes, but most of the time I just want to get there, so being able to go instantly would be great and it might get me out of some tight situations as well. 😀
I would love to be able to heal people. Is there an actual term for it? I want to be able to just touch someone and save their life!
After reading this awesome post, I’m kinda liking the idea of the super-duper hammer LOL Then when you did not want to mess with it you could just throw it in the closet 😉 Thank you so much for the fun and making me smile tonight.
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I would like to be able to mind control so that I can get others to do what I want 🙂
I’m thinking that teleportation or shapeshifting would be the best bet…or perhaps, the power of persuasion! Yeah, that’s it! I could persuade everyone to do what I want…I like it!
I would love to have the ability to heal. It seems a nifty supernatural gift that can be used for great purpose. The Avengers surely need a medic! LOL
I would want to fly! I think it would be absolutely exhilarating to experience the freedom of flight. It’s far cooler than some other super powers out there in my opinion. 🙂
It may be cheating, but I think that I would choose Cat’s ability to “borrow” superpowers. This would give me the ability to try out all of them 🙂
I would want the ability to teleport. I’d never be late to anything again, i always wish for this on mornings you hit every red light lol.
I would want to be like Jean Grey from X-Men. She had telepathic and and telekinetic powers and she was bad ass.
I’ve always been obsessed with fire out of all the natural elements.True to that I would love to be an pyrokinetic.Not that original but I gotta go with the truth! 😛
My answer is always flying. I always wished I could. And I’d have an awesome cape to wear if I had that ability.
I would Love to have the power to control time, not just time travel but to slow it down or speed it up around me
I’ve been a fan of comic book superheroes for a long time. I have played several MMOs based on being a superhero. My favorite power has always been healing. If I could have an ability, it would be healing.
V^^^^V
I’d like to…communicate w/ the dead .. >=] …in a way that wouldn’t scare the shit out of me though. haha
I would like to have speed, the kind of speed that makes you see the rest of things in slow motion. I guess this comes from my love for bikes, only this power would make things safer 😛
Tough decision…I think I’d go with teleportation.
I’d like to teleport.
Great blog with the extraordinary Ms. Frost! That’s a tough question. I think I’d like to be telekinetic although shape shifting sounds like fun too. I am dying to read Once Burned and the release date seems so far away. Thanks for this awesome giveaway!