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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.
Hey Jeaniene! Cannot wait for the upcoming book….Vlad is one of my favorites so us “frosties” cannot wait.
My superhuman power would be…….ability to shapeshift into any animal. I would love to communicate with dolphins, whales and a whole host of other animals…sometimes I think they are cooler than people!!
Thanks
If I could have any superpower, I’d definitely want the ability to shapeshift into other people. I mean, how cool would it be to change your appearance at will? You would never have to buy clothes or make-up again, you would never have to work out again, you could be anyone you wanted to be at any time, and if your powers worked like Mystique’s from the X-men, you could have a really, really long lifespan. Perfect power, in my opinion. 🙂
This is a hard one. My two favorite superheroes are Superman and Thor. They are super strong, can fly, and can do tons of other cool things. But, I would probably choose to be a regular looking human, who has mind powers, like telekenis or mind control. I could kill with “mind bullets” or something and you can’t even fight me or know what my powers are. This was a tough question!
I would like to have super speed. With speed you don’t really have to know how to fight; you can just evade your enemies attack or run away and even time travel depending on what story we’re referencing.
Flying would be awesome, but “Hulking-Out” would be pretty cool too. Hulk was one of my favorite characters from the Avenger’s movie, and I particularly loved how he was treated. And how Tony Stark kept playing psychologist.
Thanks for the opportunity 🙂
Hi! I love the Avengers movie!!! Everyone in the theater cheered when Hulk tossed Loki around! LOL!!!! Aaannnnddd… I LOVE your books and am super stoked to read about Vlad’s romance. To answer your question I would like to be able to teleport myself and whomever or whatever I was touching to wherever I wanted to be. It seems as I can’t get anywhere on time this would be a handy tool. Also, should I stick my foot in my mouth (it’s been known to happen a time or two) I can just wink out of there.
Thanks for offering up the arcs … I REALLY hope I win, but good luck to all!
Danielle
http://knowntoread.blogspot.com/
Having super tracking senses would be cool… as a mother of teens this would come in handy when I need to track them down in a hurry and I can’t get them to answer their phone!
It’s such a hard choice to make because there are so many great super powers out there, but I guess “All of the above” is not an option. So I’ll have to go with telekinesis, because as annoying as it would be to be in everyone’s head all the time, it is a quite useful and invaluable power. Know one is ever able to defeat a telekinetic because they don’t even have to touch there attacker in order to kill them. Unless they have grave magic. ;P
pyrokinesis Oh man that would be so much fun!! 🙂
Can’t wait till the new book is out.
I have to say my superpower would have to be super speed.
Flying would be my superpower of choice. Years ago I had an amazing dream where I could fly. It was the best dream ever!
Really looking forward to Once Burned! Thanks for the contest!
I wish for the ability to “storybook” myself into the Night Huntress series. Love Cat. Love Bones. Love Vlad. Love Ian. When will Timothy show up again? Hmmmmmmmmmm………..
hmmm.. superpower would have to be telekenesis! No one could even get close to you!
Can’t wait for Once Burned to come out. Love Vlad. Now for my specialty. I think I would be like Kurt Wagner of the XMen. Teleportation. To be able to pop from my home in Indiana to my sister’s in Arizona and take anyone I want with me. I would also take my son to Guam to see where he was born.
If i could have a super power it would be the ability to ready minds allowing me to see how the person is and how they tick. XD
If I could have any supernatural gift, I’d want the ability of teleportation. It would be so cool to walk through a portal and instantly be at my destination.
Hi, Jeaniene- Can’t wait for this book to come out! If I couldn’t be a vampire (that IS supernatural, right?), I guess I’d choose telekinesis. It would be cool to move things around with mind power!
Hi Jeaniene,
Only reason I am looking forward to this summer is to read your book!
If I could choose any power I would choose foresight. While that may backfire or force me to see things I may not want to see, I can’t help it. I am too curious!
Loved The Avengers =)
If I could have any superpower it would have to be teleportation.
1. Think how echo friendly you would be
2. Help save people in a disaster/danger if you can
3. No more air fairs
I would choose shapeshifting – when you’re tired of being who you are, you can change to something different 🙂
I just saw this movie a few days ago and i loved it. The Hulk cracked me up when he beat the snot out of the bad guy. “Puny God” lol.
Anywayz, if i could have an ability it would be either precognition(see the future). If not super healing. Either of those would be awesome.
Supersonic speed and strengh!!
Definitely pyrokinesis.
I would want telekinesis, so I could clean without moving.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com
I grew up on Superman and of all of his skills, flying is the one that I always lusted after. Just the idea of being able to soar above the earth is exhilarating. And, it can be used offensively and defensively when dealing with evildoers..I also remember that hot scene with Cat & Bones in the air…BIG rival to Chapter 32:)
I absolutely Loved Natasha Romanoff in the movie!!! I would love to have fighting and acting 😛 skills like hers! But when it comes to super abilities, I think……telekinesis and amazing mind abilities like Jean Grey from the X-men would be the cherry on top to those fighting abilities. 😀
Hi Jeannie,
I hope our well. If I could have superpowers, hmmm what would it be. Well I would love to shape shifter or have the were power which of course makes you fast and stronger already, with those powers I would love to have the gift of telakenises. With those two powers I think I could give a run on some bad guys and come out the winner.
Teresa K.
tcwgrlup41(at)yahoodotcom
The vainer side of me screams for shapeshifting skills (ah, to fit into anything I want, when I want and how I want. Le sigh.) Alas, I have a much stronger need-to-know persona. So, if I could choose any superpower, it would be one based on strong mental abilities. Preferably mind reading with perfect recall. That unsung hero who never gets killed off because the main characters couldn’t accomplish anything without their help. Like the consummate hacker, but with less typing and more action. 🙂
I love all your books. I would love to have the power to teleport. To be able to visit family and friends all over the world whenever I wanted.
If I could have a superpower I would like to be able to change my form into anything, animals or appear to be someone else, like the blue chick in the X-men!
My power of choice would be super healing (of myself and others).
I would choose to be able to teleport so I can see all the beautiful places on this planet I dream of going to in my life, but know I will never be able due to time and money.
I would love to have invisibility
Shapeshifting!! Definitely shapeshifting 🙂 That way I could fly if I wanted to, ‘hulk-out’ in some kind of massive Alpha aminal… Know what it feels like to hunt, track…
If I had to choose just one super power, it would be the ability to heal others. selfless and Awesome all wrapped in one cool power!! Love all of your books, I can’t wait to read Vlad’s story 🙂
Well, my preferred superpower is mind control I think. I’d totally go over to the dark side and be the evil genius or something xD Every story needs its villian! Much love! 🙂
To start, I’m one of those people who always wanted superpowers as a small child, and so I had my preferred abilities picked up years ago. That said, I would have to go with either electrokinesis or pyrokinesis, and those choices were made long before learning about “Once Burned!” To be able to channel that much raw power would be unbelievable, but I would definitely use it wisely. Another superpower I’ve always thought would be neat would be the ability to have the abilities of fictional characters, so you could channel Hermione’s intelligence or Cat’s fighting skills. The bookworm in me always loved that idea. Anywho, love the Night Huntress world and cannot wait for “Once Burned.”
The ability to take over someone else’s body. What a great way to live life in someone else’s shoes!
I can’t wait for this book!
If I had a superpower, it would be the power of snark like Tony Stark 😉 If not that, I would love to be able to fly. Go anywhere you want, as fast as you want, and not have to pay exorbitant airplane fees.
Hmm…it’s a hard toss up between shape shifting and teleportation. Then again being able to compel/beguile people would be handy as well. That’s why you gotta hook up with a partner!
I am soooo excited for this book, Vlad is one of my favorite characters and he’s just…..awwww.
I would love the power of telekinesis, I think it would be really cool to move things with your mind and I would never have to get off the couch. :0)
The ability to change my form into what ever I wanted. Think of the opportunities for mischief! Be anything or anyone down to their dna level.
If I could have any super power I’d have to be telekenitic. That way I could keep the house clean and read 24-7! Lol!
I’d like the super power to read minds. I’d be able to help my team during the fights by correctly knowing where the dangers would be. I’d never lose a team member!!
My supernatural ability would be time travel.
mljfoland AT hotmail DOT com
I absolutely ADORED Avengers! Joss Whedon will always be my favorite director and I was very impressed with the meshing of all the heroes in the movie.
As for my super power, I would want to be able to find anything. Find my a super weapon, an evil villain, a cure for cancer, my cell phone… It’d be the perfect power. Who knows, maybe I could even find the serum to give me more super powers, or is that cheating? Thanks for the giveaway, though I already have Once Burned pre-ordered, I can never have too many copies and I can never have it soon enough.
Awesome give away, thanks heaps. I have been trying not to think about Once Burned too much because it gets me all excited and it still seems so far away. But if I could have a super power I would love to fly, I would never walk again!
I would like to be able to teleport to anywhere in the world.
Great giveaway! I would love to be able to shape shift into any form.
Thanks Jeaniene for the review and for the giveaway!!!
Superpower I would prob use the most would be, teleportation.
Thinking of all the commuting time I could save and spend reading or with family and friends.
😉