REDEMPTION
Book One Penton Legacy series
By Susannah Sandlin
Following a worldwide pandemic whose vaccine left human blood deadly to vampires, the vampire community is on the verge of starvation and panic. Some have fanned into rural areas, where the vaccine was less prevalent, and are taking unsuspecting humans as blood slaves. Others are simply starving, which for a vampire is worse than death—a raging hunger in a creature too weak to feed.
Immune to these struggles—at first—is Penton, a tiny community in rural Chambers County, Alabama, an abandoned cotton mill town that has been repopulated by charismatic vampire Aidan Murphy, his scathe of 50 vampires, and their willingly bonded humans. Aidan has recruited his people carefully, believing in a peaceful community where the humans are respected and the vampires retain a bit of their humanity.
But an unresolved family feud and the paranoia of the Vampire Tribunal descend on Penton in the form of Aidan’s brother, Owen Murphy. Owen has been issued a death warrant that can only be commuted if he destroys Penton—and Aidan, against whom he’s held a grudge since both were turned vampire in 17th-century Ireland. Owen begins a systematic attack on the town, first killing its doctor, then attacking one of Aidan’s own human familiars
To protect his people, Aidan is forced to go against his principles and kidnap an unvaccinated human doctor—and finds himself falling in love for the first time since the death of his wife in Ireland centuries ago.
Dr. Krystal Harris, forced into a world she never knew existed, must face up to her own abusive past to learn if the feelings she’s developing for her kidnapper are real—or just a warped, supernatural kind of Stockholm Syndrome in which she’s allowing herself to become a victim yet again.
Susannah Sandlin’s REDEMPTION is the first in the Penton Legacy series. Book two, ABSOLUTION, will be out September 18, and book three, OMEGA, on December 18.
Guest Post:
A Zombies versus Vampire Throwdown
I realize this is a
risky business, holding a zombie-vs-vampire throwndown on a blog clearly biased
toward shambling dead things, but you’ve gotta take risks in life, boldly take
a stand, and if someone eats your brains along the way…well, those are the
breaks.
The Official Guide to
Paranormal Throwdowns (yeah, I made that up) says that four categories should
be considered: Strength; Intelligence; Sex Appeal; and Longevity.
Shall we begin?
STRENGTH:
Zombies are strong, no
doubt about it. They aren’t speedy, but they’re focused like lasers. Usually,
what they’re focused on, you don’t want to give up (like your frontal lobe),
but they are focused. Vampires also are extremely strong, and were it not for the
focus business, they might take this category. But they’ve been known to get
distracted by something like, oh, an open vein or a bleeding paper cut. ADVANTAGE: Zombies.
INTELLIGENCE:
Zombies are probably
smarter on the whole than the world of fiction has portrayed them, but
still…they like to travel in packs, which is classic follower (not leader)
behavior. They can’t carry on a decent dinner conversation and, well, their
social skills suck, which isn’t good for their longevity. Vampires, on the other
hand, have had centuries to refine their manners, and know how to make
themselves so appealing that their victims are virtually panting to be
victimized. That makes them smart. ADVANTAGE:
Vampires.
SEX APPEAL:
I have one word for you:
worms. Oh, and two other words: brain breath. ADVANTAGE: Vampires
LONGEVITY:
Zombies and vampires are
both hard to kill, which improves their chances of them hanging around long
enough to eat you. Zombies are impervious to most human weapons, giving up the
ghost (heh) only for fire—and, possibly, hand grenades and land mines. Any
random limb chopped off tends to keep on moving independently of its body.
Vampires, on the other hand, can be killed any number of ways, including
beheading and a little wood to the heart. And unless they are abominations that
sparkle in sunlight, they don’t sunbathe well even with SPF 50. ADVANTAGE: Zombies.
THE RESULTS:
Obviously, vampires and
zombies excel in different ways for different purposes. If your goal is
eradication of humanity and nonstop brain-noshing, well, Zombies FTW. However,
if you’d like to exchange some body fluids for urban companionship and some mind-blowing
romantic interludes, gotta go with Vampires FTW.
Which side would you bet
on?
Thanks Susannah for being on the blog today! I can't wait to read your new book!
About the Author:
Susannah Sandlin is the author of paranormal romance set in the Deep South, where there are always things that go bump in the night! A journalist by day, Susannah grew up in Alabama reading the gothic novels of Susan Howatch, and always fancied herself living in Cornwall (although she’s never actually been there). Details, details. She also is a fan of Stephen King. The combination of Howatch and King probably explains a lot. Currently a resident of Auburn, Alabama, Susannah has also lived in Illinois, Texas, California, and Louisiana. Her novel Redemption won the paranormal romance category in the 2011 Chicago North RWA Fire and Ice contest, and is the first of three in a series that debuts this year.Website/Blog: http://www.susannahsandlin.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/susannahsandlin
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susannahsandlin
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5828129.Susannah_Sandlin
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