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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.
I’d want the ability to teleport. Thanks for the giveaway.
I’d want to be a shapeshifter. But into different human forms, like Mystique from X-Men or Saiman from Ilona Andrews’ Kate Daniel novels. Thanks for this opportunity and thanks for making it international too! 🙂
I’d want the ability to manipulate water.
I would love to have telekinesis. Think it would come in very handy. Can’t wait for the book!
I would love to fly so I could go anywhere anytime!!
I would definitely like to be a shape shifter, I think that would be too cool. They are very powerful usually.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I can’t choose between shapeshifting and flying.
I wanna fly!!!!!!!!
I’m eagerly waiting for this one! Vlad is such an interesting guy in your books. I would go with mind control. It would be so wonderful to have people actually listen to me.
I’d want to be able to create and manipulate ice.
I would love to be immortal and be able ( Am I cheating?) to give it to whoever I want!
I would love to be able to snag abilities and characters out of a book and put them in reality! (like Bones!)
I want to be able to fly in the air, over cities and wherever I want!
I pick were-wolf
I would pick control over the elements like fire and water.
If I had to choose I would choose teleporting. It would be nice to be able to teleport to any country.
Telekinesis hands down!!!!!!!
Though pyrokinesis would be cool I would want to be able to shapeshift.
I think I’d go with shape shifting or telekinesis.
Th power to develop new powers over times
The power to develop new powers over times
Shapeshifting. Though not limited to animals. I’d go with people along with specific areas of the body and maybe even other elements. Metal etc.
I would like to be able to fly. It would be awesome to get to travel anywhere at any given time.
This is a hard decision. I think the ability to borrow powers from others like Rogue would be interesting.Then I could have several powers to play with. But I would want to be able to turn it off so I could interact with people. If not I would like to be able to teleport.
I think mind control. Thank you for the giveaway
That’s tough because I’d love to own paranormal abilities. But, i think the best is mind control for me. Thanks a lot for this wonderful giveaway!
Id love to have the ability to sense if people are telling the truth at will…
Hi I’d love the supernatural ability of telekinesis. Count me in for the draw. Thanks.
i’d like the ability to fly….that feeling of freedom where i could go anywhere i wanted without the formalities of a visa or a passport
Wow. You can’t make me choose just one. I would love to use mind controling , hearing other peoples thoughts , teleportation for those times when I am extreeeemly lazy..Yea I guess thats it ! :)) Thank you so much for making this giveaway intl..
teleporting would come in handy. would beat paying for gas and rush hour traffic 🙂
I would have no go with mind control.. A terribly sneaky choice, really.. 🙂
I would really like to have pyrokinesis, all the way! Warning: Spontaneous Combustion
I would want magic like Kate Daniels…….
Well first off, thanks for the giveaway! And really what an unfair question. LOL I’d love to control the weather, shapeshift, FLY, teleport, absorb others powers. Too many to choose from. I’m a simple gal. I’d choose to fly. It would totally rock to fly over skyscrapers or mountains. 🙂
I want to be able to use fire with my owm hands! Pyrocinecy. <3
(Noooo… it has nothing to do with VLAD!….hehehe 😉 )
If I could, I’d wish for the gift of foreseeing the future! mmm.. but maybe I’d bore myself out with a perfectly planned out future? :/
Hi Jeaniene, I do hope to win!
Anyway.. I’d want to be a shapeshifter, kind of like succubus blues georgina, y know?
I want to have the gift of… vampire-ishness!
If only…right? (more specifically, be like one of the vampires in your series!)
shape shifting would be great, there’s just something about wolves…love your books
I would love to be immortal and be able to teleport wherever I want when I want! The ability to predict the future would also work so I can be rich and never have to work again!
Very hard to choose but I think I’d go with SuperHands. I can heal all ouchies OR Destroy you if you try to grab the last Jeaniene Frost book off the shelf before me 🙂
I’d love to shapeshift
I think Telekinesis would be great!
telekinesis on any object from cells/atoms etc to big things XD
because then i could fly, heal myself, be immortal, fly, create fire/ice/storms, survive in space, create things (clothes, jewellery, cities) out of thin air… yay telekinesis!
Obviously i’ve thought about this too much XD
Thanks to Jeaniene for her generosity 🙂
I’d want the ability to talk to animals. Everything else would be nice, you know controling an element or flying. But in all reality i just want to know what my cat is thinking and be able to have a conversation with that nice giraffe at the zoo.
I’d like to have control over nature, like over storms, thunder, etc…
Asking too much? hahaha bye and thank you! *kiss*
Hi Jeaniene, I liked the movie too! I want to have the ability to transform in whoever I want, modifying myself.. like, If I wanted to be Cat from the Night Huntress series I would totally have Bones! Who wouldn’t want this power?! 😉
This got far to long as answers go, but I couldn’t just cut it up, I didn’t mean to get so detailed, but hey its honest.
You read enough fantasy (any genre) you of course think of this to varying degrees.
Without a doubt, I’d say the power to be a shield, to repel, to protect.
That has NOTHING, I repeat, NOTHING, to do with Twilight.
I am loyal, and fiercely protective of those I love.
I’ve actually been thinking a lot about that lately due to feelings related to a truck accident that I’m only now recovering from (fyi concussion recovery can take a while).
I was hit while walking with friends, legally, in a crosswalk, and he was texting.
I’m still reviewing the consequences of that accident, and if I would have changed any of it.
My answer has continually been No.
One of the friends that was with me has a 4 year old girl, is a student, and has no support. The other weighed about 110 lbs, is 4’11 (short twig), and has many health problems. Of any of us I had the best chance of recovery.
So I kinda feel like I protected them by taking the hit, even though I didn’t see it coming.
So to extend that, to a ‘power’, that is beyond human, I’d say shield. Physically, telekinetically, or just mentally, it would be an extension of myself.
Not trying to be a melodrama queen, but its my honest answer, to long though, sorry.
*PS. He was well insured, almost done with settlement after 19 months. That’s why I’m thinking about it so much right now, and why I felt I could give a good answer*
I would want the ability to exactly multiply inanimate objects at will (as opposed to not at will, such as the Midas touch). What can I say, I’m a philanthropist.. how useful would it be to be able to turn one apple into 100, with them remaining unaffected on a molecular level? Would solve a lot of world issues.