Home of the Alpha Showdown, and one-stop shop for urban fantasy, paranormal romance and fantasy news and reviews.
[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.
If I could have any superhuman power it would be the ability to transfer empathy or feelings into others. The world has gotten off on being big, bad, and scary. We rarely let ourselves glimpse into the lives of those who are suffering or in pain. Many times evil people get off on hurting those weaker or smaller than themselves. I think an awesome superpower would be to transfer feelings from one individual to another. Whether that be sadness, love, pain, or even fear I think people would develop a deeper understanding of one another of they felt what the other person did or does.
I would like the power to heal another human being using only touch. As a massage therapist, I see so many people in pain or sick, and I have often wished that I could take away that illness just with my hands… If I were a Vampire, I would go around curing everyone I cared about, and all the kids on the cancer ward.
I would like to be able to get things done with a twitch of my nose.. like in I dream of Jeanie.
I would love ‘Immortality’ that would do me nicely! p.s. Avengers was just perfectly awesome!
I want control over the elements like an elemental witch! That would be so rad!
Thanks for the oppertunity!
Amanda P
http://www.paranormalromancenovel.com
I think the best superpower would be flying. No more trouble reaching the highest shelves at the grocery store. And no more security lines at the airport. Awesome. And I can hardly wait for Vlad’s book. I always liked his character.
I think the superpower I’d love is to be a vampire, just because of Frost’s books – they’re amazing! – but since that doesn’t seem to be an option I’d think it’d be either flying or mind control. (My inspiration for them are obviously Jeaniene Frost’s books).
Ummm, I really can’t wait to read the book, I’ve been going through a serious Frost withdrawl lately ;p Thanks for the giveaway, and I will now proceed to sleep with my fingers crossed until June 3rd! 😉
If I could have any super power it would have to be something like Telekinesis or an Empathic ability I would love to be able to manipulate things with my mind and also be able to be a healer of the mind and emotions to help people through emotional periods and help them see and think clearly while being able to handle what they are feeling 🙂 I wouldn’t like a power where I could actually control someone or take their will although sometimes being able to “green eye” someone would be handy! Lol
Thank you for the chance to win I love love love Jeaniene Frosts books can’t wait for Vlads story!!
I would want immortality with a shot of mood control. It would allow me to not only live forever, but to make unhappy, stressed out folks the ability to enjoy life.
I would love shape shifting.To change into a strong animal (wolf)and help someone in trouble. I’ve always wanted to do that. To have that closeness to family and love ones. I there was a real thing as shape shifter I would sign up to become one. Thanks
If I could wish for any superpower, I’d love to be able to fly! 🙂
I think I would like to be able to shape shift. I just think that would be fun but only if it didn’t hurt and I could control then changes.
for me it would have to be flying so i can go any were in the world.
thanks for the giveaway love your books.
wow this is a tough question! I think Immortality would be fun. Cause then you could do almost anything you want without fear of dying.
If I could have one “super power”, I think I’d choose to be able to do things with the snap of my finger! In this busy world we live in, it sure would be nice to be able to clean my bathroom in a “snap” – (pun intended!). 🙂
I would have to say that I’d like to be able to control the moods of others. In a good way. I like the idea of calming or relaxing people because there’s a lot of high strung people in this world.
If I could have any superpower, I’d either want to be able to fly (because I looove traveling, but can’t always afford it–and it would be a nifty party trick :P), or I’d love the ability to understand/speak every language that has ever existed. I mean, I know being Linguistics Lady may not be the most badass superhero, but hey, being a supernerd could come in handy 😉
Also, SUPERLOVED the AVENGERS!! RDJ as Tony Stark? *swoons*
I’d love to shape shift. I think that would be too fun.
books (dot) things (at) yahoo (dot) com
I’d pick mind control. That one has the most appeal & usefulness to me. Thanks so much for the chance to win!! Vlad is my favorite character of the Night Huntress novels! 😀
I’d probably go for a telekinetic ability, but one that was powerful and easily controlled! That way to only could I move large things, transport myself etc. but could also move very, very small things so could heal too. Yep, I’m teddy and trying to get away with more than one superpower really!
Loved the avengers too and can’t wait for Once Burned!
Ooooh, picking a super power is a hard one because there’s more than one that I would want. I saw the Avengers last night and am so stoked about superhero-ness. It was fantastic. I would pick the option of having super vision. The ability to see clearly for miles as well as optional x-ray vision as well. My eyesight is so-so. I’ve been wearing glasses for 25 years and my biggest concern as I get older is worsening vision. I love love love to read. Not listen to books on CD or ipod but to see the words and read ’em. So…somebody come hook me up with super-vision, ok?
Hmm, thinking upon any type of ability; Transportation/Travel based, Time-Based Abilities, Elemental/Environmental Control/Manipulation, Psychic/ESP, Fundamental, Biological, Magical, Mental, Physical, Physics/Reality based, Energy, Flight, Illusion, Emission, or Divine.
I would honestly have to go with Nullification.
The reason for this, is think about it. With any ability comes not only the OMG I could do this and that to help; or it would be so cool to hear peoples voice. But there is also the bad or negative that comes with it. The voices that won’t turn off, the having to run and hide, the Government wanting you to work for them or they hunt you, the hordes of people wanting you to heal them, etc and on and on. Yeah it would be cool for a few hours or even a day to have some of these abilities, but to have them permanently, no it would suck. The hiding and feeling like a freak would wear on you. It would be lonely and not something I would wish for.
Thus the reason I say Nullification, at least that way I would not have to worry about anyone using something on me and could live quietly with out having to feel like a freak or hell even know I have the ability. I mean, who wants someone who kills their ability….then again, at least I could be friends with everyone this way.
I would actually want two superpowers – one for the world and one for me. For the world I would like to have the ability to create empathy between two people, factions, or countries so that each would know exactly how the other feels. I think this would help a lot with world problems.
For myself I would like to have the ability to teleport so that I could see my kids and grandchildren in WA, MI, and NH! It would be really nice to be able to see them any time I wanted to instead of once every 3 or 4 years.
I have always thought it would be very handy to be telekinetic. Such a skill would come in very handy.
I would choose invisibility because I am an observer. Not in a perverted way lol-I am just a people watcher. Plus, it would be a great gift to have to sneak out of uncomfortable situations and random ex boyfriend sightings! I imagine smuggling aboard planes to Spain, Scotland, all those lovely places I will never get to visit because it is too expensive to see them all!
I would love to be able to move things with my mind.
telekinesis is a power I would love to have 🙂
Right now… hmmm, I would actually love to be able to teleport my buns anywhere I need to be. To NOT have to deal with public transportation, or car maintenance, or customs, or my parents’ complaining that they have to pick up their mid-twenties-aged daughter on the other side of the city for whatever reason… WOULD BE AWESOME! 😀
My favorite superhero has always been Rogue from X-Men. The ability to temporarily absorb other people’s power (non too unlike Cat, except minus the fangs) would be awesome. But then there would need to be other super-people around to borrow powers from.
I would like to be a shape shifter the idea of being able to change my body appeals to me a lot. May be then I wouldn’t have to diet .
I would like to be able to control emotions. I would like people to be able to feel what I am feeling or the other way around. So many situations could be fixed if people could just BELIEVE what someone is telling them through feelings. There are a few actions that might be all that much better too! 🙂
I want to be like that guy from Sylar from Heroes who had all different powers.
I would want to be able to shapeshift, into both other people and animals.
First, I have to agree. Loved that movie. And I think I’m in love with Thor. LOL Now for which super-power, I’d have to say I’d probably want either Telekinesis or having the power to either freeze or blow up things. As you can tell, if you are also a Charmed fan I’d also love Piper’s power to be able to manipulate energy – either by freezing or speeding it up which would give the power to blow it up. 😀
I would like to have the ability to read another persons mind. Not like Edward in Twilight where he can hear everyone at the same time, but if I concentrated on that one person I could hear what he/she is thinking. I wish everyone was just honest and they could say it how it really is, not just lie or say what they think people want to hear. I would take that truth right from them!
I would like to fly or shapeshift. Or both if that was possible! 🙂
I would enjoy being able to freeze time. I could sure use a few more hours in my day–and more sleep!
Great contest for the International ^^
For the question…why just a one ? ^^ hum pyrokinesis ! Fire make great show ♥
Can i pick to be a vampire hybrid like Cat? She can pick up other supernatural abilities and kicks ass 🙂 but if I had to pick just one, it would be flying. I would love to be able to just pick up and go, no more waiting in the car or at the airport 🙂
I can’t wait for this book to come out. I got introduced to your books by a friend and have been hooked and finished all the books with in just a few months! I love them!
If I could have just one supernatural ability I would want it to be mind reading! I would love to be able to hear what other people are thinking sometimes.
I would have to take rapid healing. I hate being hurt and it would be nice to just stub a toe and not have to worry about the pain and discomfort.
I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of being able to shape shift.
If I could have any supernatural ability, it would be the ability to heal others.
My first thought was I’d love to be able to time-travel, but I doubt you’d be able to make any changes, and while immortality might be fun, I think I’d get bored. So I think I’d like to be able to fly or teleport. Most useful for everyday life.
If I could have any ability it would be a toss up between flying (cause I detest traffic) or shapeshifting because I love werewolf stores and that would be awesome.
If I could have any supernatural ability, I’d want to be omnilingual so that I could always communicate, no matter where I was or who I was with!
There are so many supernatural powers to chose from. I think I would like to be able to fly. It would be an awesome way to travel and a great way to escape and relax. Just take to the air and unwind.
Thanks so much for the chance to win. I love the whole Night Huntress World and all the characters. Vlad is one of my favorites and I can’t wait for Once Burned to come out.
I would want the ability to shapeshift.
If I could have any super ability it would be shape shifting. Oh I would have so much fun with that. Or the ability to turn thoughts into reality. You think this really fun idea and bam it’s there. OoO the fun I could have.