Next Monday, I will celebrate the rerelease of my vampiric version of Pride and Prejudice, Vampire Darcy’s Desire, which I wrote in 2010. The Ulysses Press version is now out of print, and while I wait to reclaim my rights to the book, my contract with Ulysses provides me the option to self publish any of my titles. I know some of you do not like the idea of mixing Austen with paranormal elements. In truth, I was one of you at the time. When Ulysses Press “suggested” I write a vampiric adaptation, I freaked out and denied the possibility. My friends were the ones who persuaded me. They convinced me the publisher would find another author to do the book, and that person may not treat Pride and Prejudice kindly. So I reluctantly accepted the assignment. I should preface this with the knowledge that we were in the midst of the “Twilight” phenomenon and many publishers were jumping on the vampire bandwagon.
Unlike many books associated with “vampire” craze, my book is set in Regency England (1800-1820). Even the legend of Dracula could not serve as a basis because Bram Stoker’s classic was not released until 1897. Therefore, it took me some time to sort out how I wanted to handle the “vampirism” in the book. I admit to being influenced by several other vampire stories over the years.
As a teacher of English for many years, I know that in Dracula, Stoker really is using Count Dracula as a combined symbol of Old World superstitions and modern economic improvements. It was near to the end of the Victorian era, and the people had many fears, among them the fear of sexuality and the British fear of being conquered by an “outsider.” Both are evident in the Stoker classic.
Bela Lugosi-Annex
http://www.doctormacro.com
Dracula is a member of the noble class who must mingle with those of a lower class to survive. As far as feminism is concerned, please recall that in Dracula, all vampires are female (except Count Dracula). Vampirism gives them the male trait of being the perpetrator. However, Stoker’s vampires bear little resemblance to humans. Dracula, for example, has an insatiable thirst for blood. When he kills, he does so purely to sustain his own existence. He has no guilt or moral qualms about killing. Dracula’s immortality imprisons him; he has no companions except those he captures and entraps in his home. A stake or a crucifix or clove garlic are the weapons of choice to be rid of the Count, whereas, fire does not affect him.
At one time, I read Anne Rice regularly. Many of us remember Lestat De Lioncourt, Rice’s main character in her Vampire Chronicles. With Lestat, the reader had a different type of vampire. Lestat possessed the human qualities of having a mind and a spirit. We found in him a vampire who did not kill just to kill. The “hunt” was part of the experience. One might find Lestat discussing philosophy or politics. In fact, he has an unusual collection of talents, and we discovered him to be very passionate. He makes his “lovers” people we might never associate with vampirism (a nun, for example). He seeks friendship from the mortals he turns. Lestat has an eternal soul. Unlike Count Dracula, Lestat cannot be killed by a stake or a crucifix. Lestat even slept in a church in one of the books. Rice has her vampires killed by fire or by being placed in sunlight, where they ignite into flames.
Vampire legends say the vampire must be an animated corpse, who claws out of his grave to feed upon human blood. He is dirty and foul-smelling. Yet, the modern vampire is an immortal creature, who retains his youth and lives forever, something very appealing to our youth and sex obsessed modern culture. He is the eternal bad boy, forever able to indulge in dark desires and sexual urges.
The vampire who exhibits self-control is a new phenomenon. Add a bit of compassion, and one has Twilight (which we must remember, by the author’s own words, is a vampiric Pride and Prejudice). The post 9/11 world does not look favorably on people or beings who hide in plain sight, yet, have the ability to kill us. Therefore, our recent vampires are less likely to be portrayed as monsters. I, seriously, believe the paranormal literature we are currently experiencing is an aftermath of our youth growing up reading the Harry Potter series. Paranormal books are a more sophisticated fantasy.
Historias y Relatos: Baobhan Sith las vampiras escocesas
http://www.historiasperdidaseneltiempo.com
My novel employs the original tales of vampires from the British Isles. Of the Baobhan Sith, or Scotland’s Legendary Vampires.
The Baobhan Sith, pronounced Baa’-van shee, are one of the oldest tales of vampirism in Scotland. Mostly found within the Highland regions, the Baobhan Sith invariably take the form of a beautiful woman. The vampire is customarily dressed in green, the colour of magic and the fairies.
This ghost-vampire was always deemed to be very dangerous to humans.
They also have a number of things in common with the classic vampire:
They are creatures of the night.
They drink human blood.
They sometimes have fangs like the classic vampire.
They are seductive.
They cannot tolerate daylight.
At will, they can shape-shift into another animal form.
They are telepathic and can read thoughts.
However, there are some interesting differences:
The baobhan sith rise only once a year from their graves.
Other names include ‘The White Woman.’
These vampires are all female.
They stalk their prey in forests and other natural locations.
They shun society, keeping to rural areas.
They stalk and hunt in groups.
They invite men to dance with them, before attacking.
Their sharp fingernails draw blood from the victim rather than fangs. These nails turn into talons when they attack.
They reportedly have cloven hooves for feet that their long dresses hide.
A man bitten by a baobhan sith will not turn into a vampire.
Any woman who is attacked and killed by a baobhan sith will return as one of them.
Building a stone cairn over their grave was thought to stop them from rising.
Iron is one of the main weapons used against these vampires.
They are afraid of horses, particularly if the horses are shod with iron shoes. So anyone who remained sitting on his horse while confronting the baobhan sith would be safe.
Blurb for Vampire Darcy’s Desire
Vampire Darcy’s Desire: A Pride and Prejudice Paranormal Adventure
Vampire Darcy’s Desire presents Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice as a heart-pounding vampire romance filled with passion and danger.
Tormented by a 200-year-old curse and his fate as a half human/half vampire dhampir, Fitzwilliam Darcy vows to live a solitary life rather than inflict the horrors of his life upon an innocent wife and his first born son. However, when he encounters the captivating Elizabeth Bennet, his will is sorely tested.
As a man, Darcy yearns for Elizabeth, but as a vampire, he is also driven to possess her. Uncontrollably drawn to each other, they are forced to confront a different kind of “pride” and his enemy’s “prejudice,” while wrestling with the seductive power of forbidden love. Evil forces, led by George Wickham, the purveyor of the curse, attack from all sides, and Darcy learns his only hope to survive is to align himself with Elizabeth, who is uncannily astute in how to defeat Wickham, a demon determined to destroy each generation of Darcys.
Vampire Darcy’s Desire retells Austen’s greatest love story in a hauntingly compelling tale. Can love be the only thing that can change him?
“An engaging and romantic paranormal surprise” ~ JustJane1813
“Jeffers ups the ante even more by basing the core of the plot line on the traditional Scottish ballad.” ~ The Royal Reviews
CreateSpace Store https://www.createspace.com/6621999
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/vampire-darcy-s-desire-1
Nook http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/vampire-darcys-desire-regina-jeffers/1124778221?ean=2940157104719
Every Woman Dreams... 
I really enjoyed this book and have recommended it to many. First off, you know that I love how you weaved the song into your tale and then there is the tormented Darcy who you cannot help but also love. Then there is the electric relationship between Darcy and Lizzy and how they help each other to grow. I really liked the thought of the Regency Slayers and had great fun as our characters extended themselves into the paranormal. One of my favorites. Jen
Thanks for the kind words, Jennifer. I needed them after I received this message:
“I have just attempted to read Regina Jeffers “The Phantom of Pemberley”.This author has thieved Jane Austen’s much loved wonderful characters and turned them into farcical clowns.
It is very hard to believe that this woman taught English for nearly forty years. There should be a law to prevent these “writers” stealing characters from heritage authors such as Austen, subjecting said characters to ridiculous, even sleazy, prose and behaviours.
The first few chapters were enough for me, never never again.”
As the name of the book is The Phantom of Pemberley: A Pride and Prejudice Mystery, I would assume the reader would know Austen characters are involved.
Oh, well, I guess we can’t please everyone. It takes all kinds.
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Harsh! I have entered the drawing on Just Jane 1813’s new blog. I have read other of your books but now need to re-read in order to post a review. I don’t usually read paranormal in my JAFF but with her recommendation and with reading the blurb above, this may become on of the exceptions. I would particularly be interested in how Wickham is handled in reading this small part of the story. (I left this reply on the site to which the link took me in reply to a review Regina copied onto that page. Sheila)
Sheila, there is a magnificent fight scene in a graveyard toward the end of the book.
You will love the triangle between Wickham and Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s ancestors.
This book is, however, sexier in tone that are many of my P&P titles.
Regina,
I loved this book. I’ve always loved the idea of vampires, in fact, they are the third in quantity of books I own, behind variations of Pride and Prejudice and Phantom of the Opera. Your book was great. How could anybody not enjoy the combination of Darcy being a gentleman vampire. I do not know how I missed this post!
I am reworking this novel because I now own the rights. I hope then to write a sequel.
My Scottish husband says he has used the Baobhan Sith, in some of his stories
They are so many interesting tales of the Baobhan sith, Vesper.
Claudine had informed me you were rewriting it so I will now leap into the fray and get this one for myself. I do have one book I am committed to read but after that….
Cross over to the dark side, Sheila. LOL!
As you know, the first “vampire” was a woman — Elizavet Bathory, who enjoyed bathing in blood. Stoker took a lot of the Dracula legend from her story. As well as from Vlad Dracula, or Vlad Tsepesh, who created a forest of impaled (tsepeshed) Turks and other enemies to deter them. (Being married to a Romanian, and of Romanian descent myself, I have long been fascinated with both historical and fictional vampires.) I look forward to reading your account, and La Dracul to anyone who doesn’t like it!
Yes, I often mention that in writing Vampire Darcy’s Desire that I used the Celtic god of the forest, Cernunnos. Pride and Prejudice is set in the early 1800s. Dracula did not come about until 1897.