by Camela Thompson

Trigger Warning

Domestic violence has been plastered all over the news with a big focus on the NFL's disciplinary actions. Before the video of Ray Rice pummeling his future wife in an elevator was made available to the public, the outcry was at a dull roar. After the video, people were rabid. While I think the recent outrage has led to more public awareness - which is always a good thing - it's sad that it took a video to spur people into action. When people turned on the victim for her to decision to stay in the relationship, I was angry - not with her, although I feel afraid for the child - but with the people verbally bashing her. The hope that the NFL roast was a signifying landmark in a shift away from victim blaming was dampened. 

A History Of Blame

I was reading a very well written article by Rebecca Onion, and it went into great depth about the "Can This Marriage Be Saved?" column in the Ladies' Home Journal. The advice being doled out by the experts was shocking. Throughout the 1950's - the heyday of the quintessential American housewife - there were were examples of women writing in because their husbands had hit them - even in front of their children. Overwhelmingly, the psychologist's advice was to stop doing things to anger the husband. The magazine's focus was about educating women in the skills necessary to keep their husband happy (cooking, cleaning, and sewing, of course!). The experts consulted advised focusing on these skill sets and drawing together lists in the morning of chores, prioritizing the husband's demands to avoid irritating him.

It wasn't a unique perspective for that time. Watch clips of The Honeymooners on Youtube as the live studio audience laughs along to Ralph threatening to punch his wife so hard she's sent into orbit because she neglects to provide him with a hot meal. 

Alice: "You seem to have forgotten that I am a woman."

Ralph: "I forgot that you're woman? How could I? You're always yappin'!" 

*Laughter*

Paradigm Shift

I asked my grandmother if she knew of people abusing their spouses when she was young. She grew up in a small logging community, and everyone knew everyone else's business (supposedly). It surprised me when she said she couldn't remember one story. At first she argued that people were less violent, and then she remembered a man who murdered his family. The abuse was still happening. It was just hidden.

My police officer friend has seen a change in willingness for people to become involved. Neighbors are less likely to turn up the volume on their television to drown out the sounds of violence and more likely to pick up their phone. I have seen a shift in how open people are about discussing the topic. When stories are heavily featured in the news, there is open discussion. At work, our Fantasy Football team debated what to do with Adrian Peterson after hearing the allegations of child abuse. People had frank discussions about spanking and physical violence. It was a far cry from the days when my grandmother was shooed from a room at the age of thirteen so the adults could talk about someone who was "in a family way."

Supporting The Victim

I hear people ask, "Why did s/he stay with him?" whenever there is a case of domestic violence on the news. People are so quick to point to the victim and say, "S/he could leave if s/he wants to." 

If it were as simple as getting hit once and then using that interaction to decide whether to stay or leave, the question might be valid. Unfortunately, things are not that simple. If a relationship started out as overtly abusive, more people would leave. Instead, it's a slow build that could start with years of humiliation, isolation, and ridicule. The abuser tells the victim they are worthless, stupid, ugly, and will never find someone else. When a person tells you these things enough times, you start to believe them. Reality gets warped, and confidence goes out the window. The physical violence could happen years into the relationship. After being groomed and manipulated into believing they are worthless, that first slap happens, or maybe he or she gets grabbed so hard there are marks the next day. And of course the reason they get hit is also the victim's fault in the eyes of the abuser. "I love you, but you shouldn't make me so angry."

I have seen this happen with beautiful, vibrant friends. They stay with someone who isolates them and devalues them, and they begin to believe it. They lose sight of who they are because they are so busy changing to make their emotionally or physically abusive partner happy. Which ultimately fails.

"Why would she stay with him?" is just another way of saying "It's her fault because she stayed." We're still blaming the victim. We need to stop.

Let's keep that anger focused on the abuser. If enough people band together and shout at the top of their lungs that abuse is wrong, maybe the victims will see they don't deserve that kind of treatment. Maybe a kind friend will encourage them at the right moment, and they will find the courage to leave. Instead of disparaging the victim, let's focus on harsher legal penalties for abusers. Let's focus on shunning the @$$hole who raised their hand to their partner.

If you or someone you love is in an abusive relationship, there are resources you can call on. Here are just a few of the national organizations:
http://www.thehotline.org/
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/fv-centers
http://www.nrcdv.org/

Your local police department will typically also provide a list of local resources. As an example, here is a link to the Seattle Police Department page:
http://www.seattle.gov/police/safety/dv/resources.htm

by Camela Thompson

In addition to diversifying the content on this blog and introducing more personal elements, I have decided to change the schedule a little bit. Instead of posts on Monday and Thursday, I have decided to post topics on Monday and Wednesday and do a character study on Friday. I hope you enjoy getting to know my  characters a little better - although with this first introduction, I'm not sure "enjoy" is the right word. Mark Porter is Olivia's Stalker in All the Pretty Bones.

An Excerpt

"Mark didn't like feeling the darkness when he was close to his girl. He forced a deep breath in and willed his body to relax against the telephone pole as he looked up to her window. Olivia was exquisite when she cried, and the bastard had made him miss it. She was mopping at her eyes. A grow rumbled in his chest. It was ending too soon. She got her despair in check and turned away from him. 

She was always beautiful, but she was radiant when her broken shards came to the surface. It made him want to do things to her—make her beg and grovel at his feet, shower his body with tears. He knew she wanted him. Olivia was afraid of the power they would unleash as their bodies met. That was why she resisted him. She was always so reserved and proper. A female of worth: that was what drove him on after ten long years of waiting for the right moment. He nearly roared into the night, tormented by the fact that he had never so much as stroked her body. He needed to claim her. She was his.

Before she ducked out of his sight, Olivia paused and walked back to stare out the window. Mark was certain the light was too bright in her kitchen for her to see into the darkness, but he could swear her amber eyes sought his own. He could almost feel her skin shiver as she rubbed her arms and pulled the blinds down over her disturbed expression. The spinning in his chest slowed and he smiled up to her. She always sensed him—somehow knew he was near. 

She belonged with him."

Mark Porter 

There are reasons Mark is the way he is, but those reasons don't take away from the fact that he is frightening. When someone's reasoning doesn't fit into the normal realms of logic, predictability goes out the window. He is muscular and mentally unstable, but take away the darkness he carries with him and you would have a normal looking man. When I picture Mark, I picture someone who would go unnoticed were it not for the feeling that something about him is "off."

What do you think about Mark so far? Would you like to meet additional characters?

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by Camela Thompson

I was over at my friend's house visiting and she excitedly showed me a new application on her phone. With a single click, she could see where her husband was in the city. Sure enough, a screen popped up with a map, zoomed in, and showed him as a little pulsing blue dot at the corner of a major Seattle intersection. It was a really positive thing for them because he was in charge of dinner and knew when she had left work - he was free to work on projects or video game with his friends until an alert sounded. But.. As someone who has had a stalker in her life, the application raised some worrisome thoughts.

I love technology. I work for a technology company doing nerdy technologically advanced things. The job isn't where it stops  - I check into the Internet on at least 4-5 devices every day. By all rights I should glow in the dark! Between the Xbox One, iPhone, Kindle, Laptop, and iPad, I am wired to the Internet nearly all the time. Even my camera uses GPS and the wireless network. The Internet helps me connect to people - which I love. The Internet and all the connected devices also make it easier than ever to find people and look into their personal lives. This isn't necessarily a good thing.

The Internet is Not Private

I can't count how many times my friends and I have said something to the effect of, "I am so glad I'm not a teenager right now. I would get in so much trouble." When I was younger, I made a higher frequency of stupid decisions. Because I'm older than camera phones, most of those decisions won't haunt me. Kids these days have it rough. One dumb decision to take a nude selfie can launch a smear campaign across the Internet. Trust is given away more freely when we are young, and most of us learn the hard way to become guarded. That lesson can come at a very steep cost these days. Web services take snapshots of websites. Posts live on even if they are deleted. Think hard before you upload anything to the web. It's not just a matter of personal safety - employers and agents perform Google searches on prospective employees/writers before responding to query.

Device Security

It's very difficult to make any device secure, but there are steps you can take to make yourself less vulnerable. Do this before there is a problem, and you are a less attractive target. Make sure your devices have passcodes that are changed periodically and have an autolock feature. If you walk away from your phone, tablet, or laptop, locking the device can help deter someone from manually installing a keystroke or GPS program. Be cognizant of how you are accessing the web. Sometimes it's safer to have your phone connected through your wireless provider network than the wifi network at a cafe. Unsecure networks are an easy way for someone to hack into your system. Turning on the "ask me" feature so your device prompts you before connecting can prevent issues when you move from home to the cafe or work.  Anti-virus software is very problematic and reactive, but it's better than nothing. Make sure the program also has firewall protection and enable it.

What If I Have a Stalker?

I am not an expert, but your local domestic violence center can help you or point you in the right direction. They have wonderful resources. 

I was speaking with a childhood friend on Facebook who happens to be a police officer in a high tech area. He told me that his department is seeing an increase in hacked accounts and GPS software installed on victims' phones. Another big concern is Social Media. A stalker doesn't have to be very high tech to find out a lot of information on Social Media. Many stalkers friend or follow their victim under an alias or hack directly into the account. Check-in applications, enabling GPS, or posting where you are at any given moment are great ways to let your stalker know where you are. If you suspect you have a stalker, the best advice is to stop using Social Media. It's very easy for a stalker to assume a false identity and get information. At the very least, turn off any check in or GPS applications even if you feel your account is secure and set your posts to private.

Another thing to consider is computer and email security. It might be best to go to a public library to look up local domestic violence resources (even if you have never had a relationship with your stalker, you absolutely qualify for help), and establish a new email account if you need to reach out to someone. Some cell phone providers have wonderful programs that give victims of domestic violence phones with prepaid minutes so they have the ability to call for help. For more information on Verizon's Hopeline program and how you can help, click here.

The Upside

The bad guys use technology, but so do the good guys. Keeping a log of your stalker's activity can help police obtain a warrant to monitor their cell phone usage. Police can cross reference against a log and verify that the individual is spending time where they have no reason to be unless their intent is to harass their victim.

Do you think about Internet privacy? Has technology been used against you?

by Camela Thompson

During the cover reveal party for All the Pretty Bones, I got some really great questions. The first question was: 
"Where did you get the idea?" 

I explained that I had a stalker when I was fourteen. Since living through that experience, news articles about stalking cases grab me. I feel for the victims and get angry with our legal system. I realize that we can't proactively arrest people before they commit an offense, but there should be harsher penalties for engaging in intimidation, threats, and stalking. There are too many women and men who end up seriously injured or worse, and maybe - just maybe - this would happen less often if the punishment carried more weight. It wasn't a big reach for me to wonder what would happen if the wrong person was pushed too far and had nothing left to lose.

I also was asked how similar my experience was to what my main character faced. It was a really great question, and it made me very thankful that things ended as well as they did. The question also made me think back to when I would read books and wonder who in the author's life influenced their main characters. Fiction has a lot of influence from reality and I have heard a few writers say that they divulge more in fiction than their memoir - and they feel safe doing this because the context has changed so much the circumstances would not be recognizable. I can't speak for all authors, but the real world influences on my work are so altered that the end result is merely a vague impression of what I started with. Characters are composites of real people, fictional characters, ideals, and research - never a single person. The same can be said for scenes and plot.

Unfortunately, my stalker had a violent streak and was cruel to animals. He was very clear about what he wanted to do to me, left death threats in my friends' lockers, and isolated me from my peers. He was so menacing that no one wanted to risk being hurt, so I sat alone near the principal's office clutching my backpack and an apple, too nervous to eat. It is hard to put into words the chill that ran from the base of my spine to the tips of my fingers when I walked out of my house to see the man who had been following me from class to class. That moment will always stick with me. It was the moment he crossed the line from being someone frightening at school to the man who knew where I lived. The threat was no longer left behind when I went home.

Being stalked was awful, but it could have been a lot worse - and it was for my character, Olivia. I'm thankful that I was able to start moving on after a year of fighting. Olivia was stalked for 10. I went through the legal system. Olivia went rogue. I would also never claim to have experienced anything paranormal. The differences go on....

It feels really good to be able to say my experience was channeled into a book. I found the silver lining and something positive was created from something negative. The feelings and emotions revealed in the book are pretty personal, but the circumstances are difficult to compare. 

by Camela Thompson

I have been posting a lot about vampires, and I have to confess that I've hit critical mass. Vampire Fest 2014 seemed like a good idea at the time, but that's not all there is to my book or myself. Don't get me wrong. I have enjoyed blogging about the legends and even scribbling out a couple poorly drawn cartoons. I've covered some of the classics, many of my favorites, and a few of my pet peeves, but I've been ignoring several issues that I feel passionate about and are featured in my writing. 

All the Pretty Bones is about a woman who has been stalked for a decade before learning she has terminal cancer. Years of living a restricted life, hiding in secure buildings to avoid injury or worse, have taken their toll. The diagnosis is the last straw: she decides to kill her stalker. While she is preparing for a confrontation, women are being murdered and they all look strikingly like Olivia. The primary homicide detective on the case is also her ex, and finds himself struggling between being a good father and saving the woman who broke his heart.

Where do the vampires come in? 

Writing is an interesting process. My original idea was nothing like the end result. This is scary to admit, but it's the truth. No matter how much I map things out, they can take a turn for the better and lead to revisions. Reading an article on a local news website got me thinking about my own experience with a stalker and I wondered what would push someone to make a really drastic decision. As I sat down and wrote, things changed. I love reading paranormal books, and that influence came out in my writing. Murders started taking on mysterious qualities and characters had inhuman traits. The incorporation of mythology into the story was an organic part of the process. But if I'm really honest, there was a big reason why I was excited about the incorporation of vampires. 

Vampires live forever, heal from most injuries, and are powerful. They also are immune to disease. No matter how sick or damaged, if there is a vampire in the picture, there is always a chance at healing. Sure, I'm ignoring all of the death and danger that comes with the monster, but the prospect of strength and health is seductive.

Why do I like vampires?

The reason why I like watching and reading about vampires is simple. I have systemic lupus. Without going into too many details, let's just say I was never picked first for team sports and I know my way around the doctor's office.
I'm not telling you this so you feel bad or to make things awkward. It was important for me to share why I needed my character to have a chance. I work really hard at eating right, exercising, and making lifestyle decisions that help me lead a pretty normal life. But. It would be nice for there to be a cure that simultaneously makes you stronger and faster. I'd give up sunlight for that, although I'm not sold on draining people.

Things are going to get real.

I've decided to open up more about the inspirations for the book and talk about topics central to the story. We're going to talk about stalkers, illness, vampires, and more. It will be tough, but it will be rewarding. Are you up for the tough topics?

Please feel free to leave your comments! I welcome any feedback.

Do you love paranormal thrillers? Do you like reading about vampires, murder, and mystery? Would you like to participate in a book launch? If you answered yes to these questions, I would love to hear from you!

We are scheduling a tour for All The Pretty Bones. The tour runs from October 16 to November 16. We are looking to schedule book reviews, author interviews, character interviews, promo posts, book excerpt posts and guest posts (we have .pdf copies of the book for reviewers). If you would like to participate, please click on the image above or here to sign up.



Title: All The Pretty Bones

Author: Camela Thompson

Genre: Paranormal Thriller

After ten years of living in the shadow of her stalker, a diagnosis of terminal cancer pushes Olivia Kardos to take matters into her own hands. Her final days will not be spent isolated from the world nor hiding like a hunted animal. It’s time for Mark Porter to die. Going against a trained killer alone would be foolish, but the handsome arms dealer who offers to help her has a dark secret of his own.

Homicide Detective Sean Howard has tried to push his ex out of his mind, but his next case brings her crashing back into his life. A woman is found exsanguinated and brutally stabbed in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood and she could be Olivia’s doppelganger. As more women are murdered and the similarities grow, Sean can’t shake the feeling that Olivia is next.

In a world where demons and vampires lurk just beneath the surface, what you don’t know can kill you.

By Camela Thompson

Like most modern vampire and werewolf creations, Hemlock Grove takes a unique spin on existing mythology. I haven't read the book yet, but the Netflix original series speaks to Romanian and Romani origins. The terminology and creature construct for their vampire, however, is Slavic (the strigoi is the Romanian vampire). The Upir can be found throughout Ukraine, Russia, Poland, and other Slavic regions with minor variations in legend and spelling. As an aside, the show's mythology gets more confused when considering the vargulf, which is Norse. 

The Upir is probably a combination of the Slavic pagan mythology and superstitions that carried over once the Russian Orthodox Church was established. People who committed grave sins or did not believe in God were excluded from burial on church grounds. It was rumored these people were witches in consort with the devil and possessed prior to death. Bodies buried in unholy ground were also said to decompose slowly.

In keeping with Upir mythology, the vampires on Hemlock Grove can walk in daylight and appear as normal humans. The Upir are born with either a caul or other physical deformity, such as a tail. They feed off the emotions of others, creating chaos and pain for their personal nourishment. The Upir also feed off others. As in: eat them. In Hemlock Grove, a person is born an Upir rather than transformed, and bleeding to death (or perhaps just dying) is the final step in their transformation. This doesn't necessarily conflict with Upir mythology since the Upir raises from the grave. Where the book and the mythology do diverge is the victimology. Most Upir myths involve the consumption of small children before devouring the entire family. Hemlock Grove opted for a more sympathetic version. Kind of.

Despite his malicious tendencies, Roman Godfrey is an interesting character. I find him to be a conflicted soul without the tedious introspection and brooding we see featured so frequently. He's screwed up, angry, and not purely evil. He isn't good either. Far from it. But I suppose that's what makes it interesting. Olivia, played by the gorgeous Famke Janssen, is a fabulous Upir. An ice queen with a shriveled little heart hiding in there somewhere. Many of the characters are odd and broken. I enjoyed season one and feel that the werewolf transformation is amazing. I can't recommend season two after seeing the finale.

Have you seen the series? What did you think of their interpretation of the vampire?

It's time! It's really time!!! I get to share the cover for All the Pretty Bones, the first book in The Hunted series.

All the Pretty Bones

After ten years of living in the shadow of her stalker, a diagnosis of terminal cancer pushes Olivia Kardos to take matters into her own hands. Her final days will not be spent isolated from the world nor hiding like a hunted animal. It’s time for Mark Porter to die. Going against a trained killer alone would be foolish, but the handsome arms dealer who offers to help her has a dark secret of his own.

Homicide Detective Sean Howard has tried to push his ex out of his mind, but his next case brings her crashing back into his life. A woman is found exsanguinated and brutally stabbed in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood and she could be Olivia’s doppelganger. As more women are murdered and the similarities grow, Sean can’t shake the feeling that Olivia is next.

In a world where demons and vampires lurk just beneath the surface, what you don’t know can kill you.

Inspiration for the Cover Concept

Mark liked to leave little shrines on her vehicle, in front of her building, or shipped in boxes. The first time he left her one she found it beautiful. A perfect replica of the Yellow Crane Tower with its upturned eaves and thousands of tiny tiles etched into ivory. Until she looked closer at the tiny struts and beams that were propped into an intricate tower the height of her hand. Each of those little interlocking pieces was a bone from something small. Sometimes he left muscle, sinew, or a little fur to accent the structure, but there was always a note.

You belong with me.

The Cover

I think the designer did a fantastic job! What do you think?

I will be sending out the first two chapters of my book to people who sign up for my newsletter.

By Camela Thompson

The witty Michael G. Munz tagged me a couple days ago on Facebook in one of those chain posts threatening explosions or the ghost of a demented little corpse to show up if you don't participate. The threat wasn't explicit, but we all know little creepy ghost children are part of the deal. To spare my dogs any trauma inflected by Emily the ghost, I will bestow upon the world my list of books that have stuck with me over the years. 

The Shining - Stephen King

The first time I read The Shining, I was terrified of my bathroom. There were at least three late night trips to the loo that had me staring at the shower curtain. Stephen King has a gift for story telling which is reflected in both the quantity and quality of his work. The man is a genius.

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

I switched schools my sophomore year of high school, and the change in curriculum was staggering. I went from never studying to spending four hours each evening trying to catch up. Oddly, I loved it. This book was the first book I sat in a classroom and discussed with my peers with passion and interest.

Le Petit Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The school I switched to in my sophomore year was actually a seven year school (combined middle and high school) that required students to take a foreign language throughout. Stepping into a school so late in the game was frustrating, but I was stubborn and determined to catch up to my peers. During an assignment, I was required to write an extended ending to Le Petit Prince. My teacher cried when she read it and insisted on sharing it with the other classes. It was the first time I truly felt as though I could keep up.

The Complete Guide To Dogs - Unknown

My poor mom. She gave me this book as a gift and ended up with a twelve year old girl hawking paintings and saving up for her own show dog. I think Bob the Bernese mountain dog is still her favorite dog of all time and I learned a lot about losing and winning the right and wrong way through dog shows, so it kind of worked out for the both of us.

Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card

This was my introduction to Science Fiction and it was amazing. Enough said.

The China Study - T. Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell II, Howard Lyman, and John Robbins

In 2007 I became very ill and was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus. Later I was also diagnosed with a rare mast cell disorder that essentially makes my body not recognize food properly. This book changed how I looked at food and led to several years of veganism. I am no longer vegan - it didn't work for me because my body developed too many allergies (all grains, all legumes, and many other foods) - but I still make thoughtful choices about what I eat because I recognize the impact my food choices have on my health. As a result, I have been able to avoid the standard medications and all of the lovely side effects  that come with them.

Anne of Green Gables - Lucy Maud Montgomery

This book stands out as the first time I fell in love with a fictional character - Gilbert Blythe. Anne was pretty great too, but Gilbert had me speed reading the series. It didn't hurt that my grandmother's family hailed from Prince Edward Island.

Hell House - Richard Matheson

This book is on the list because it's terrifying and it was my introduction to Richard Matheson, the same man who gave us I Am Legend. I haven't read a book by Matheson that I haven't liked.

The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

How is it possible to read this heartbreaking story without feeling something profound? I sobbed.

One for the Money - Janet Evanovich

This series has brought me a lot of joy and is something I can share with my mom, mother-in-law, and grandmother. Evanovich has so much to offer to a wide audience. I wish I were half as creative. Who would think of a bounty hunter and all the fabulously strange potential that could come with the profession?

Surprised at the lack of vampires? I was shocked. 

Now I get to choose who continues this post (I'm cackling and making my coworkers nervous again). Z.D. Gladstone, you're on deck!

One of the best things about vampires is the leeway in mythology. They aren't real, so the author/creator has carte blanche to make the monster as horrific or beautiful as they choose. With so many flavors, how is it possible to choose just one favorite vampire? I thought about it for quite some time, and I could not land on just one. My favorite vampires aren’t necessarily reflective of my favorite books, movies, or television shows; they just happen to be characters that stand out. Here are my top five in no particular order.

Selene (Underworld)

There are countless movies that showcase male vampires with lethal talents, but there are very few female vampires depicted with their wits about them. Typically, they are vapid beauties with a screw loose and bats in the belfry. They are just nucking futs (*cough* Drusilla *cough*). Then there’s Selene. Finally a woman who is smart enough to sniff out deceit while kicking ass. Bonus points for looking phenomenal in leather pants.

Pam (The Southern Vampire Mysteries/True Blood)

There are a lot of vampires to love in The Southern Vampire Mysteries, but my favorite has always been Pam. I love her sarcasm, dry delivery, and affection for pastels. True Blood’s Kristin Bauer van Straten did justice to this wonderful character. With the dry delivery, it’s hard to tell whether Pam’s caustic comments are the result of wit or a really twisted take on reality. She consistently sees the writing on the wall first and revels in a little bit of carnage.

Gabriel Bolivar (The Strain)

I can hear people asking, "Who?" as they read this post. Gabriel is a philandering rock star turned vampire. He seemed well suited to The Strain's play on Romanian strigoi mythology from the start with his goth look (did anyone else think of Marilyn Manson?) and live hard attitude. The guttural snarls and declaration of "MINE!" didn't hurt either. 

Watching this show made me envision the creator being dragged to a vampire chick flick and emerging with a desperate drive to bring the myth back to its predatory origins. These vampire-meet-alien creatures with their projectile mouth gear take it to a new level, although the biology does remind me of an amped up Jared Nomak from Blade II. If you like your vampires violent, you will love this show. And did we just witness the introduction of the moroi in ninja form?

Spike (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

If you want insights into my fascination with Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Big Bad, check out this post. Otherwise, we’ll just suffice it to say that I like a man with an inflated sense of ego and witty retorts.

Damon Salvatore (The Vampire Diaries)

I've outlined the reasons Damon Salvatore is so enticing, but the simple truth: he’s gorgeous! The series wouldn't have made it off the ground without him. See also my fascination with an inflated ego and witty retorts.

Who are your favorite vampires? Who would you remove from this list?