Dead Seed
by R. Vance
Copyright: © 2007
$16.00 Paperback (on Lulu)
$1.00 E-Book HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!!!
ISBN: 9781411658264
It wouldn’t be Halloween without a vampire tale, now would it? And guess what? This one’s been “revamped!” Formally entitled Vampires Don’t Exist, R. Vance has added new scenes, a new first chapter, a prologue, and epilogue, and overall more detail to the existing plot. Since I have not read it in its previous form, I have nothing to compare it to. However, I did check out the Amazon reviews of the old version and they seem mixed across the board. I do have to say that the new book cover is much more fitting (that’s the author on the cover), and even has a Twilight feel to it. The new title has much more impact as well.
Of course, being able to “revamp” your work is an advantage to Lulu’s publishing system, but I have to wonder if it is really worth it. We had emailed R. Vance before writing this review asking why she chose to republish her book but have not received a reply about it to date. But in searching her website, we did find an FAQ where Vance admits she just wasn’t happy with the poor writing, typos, and holes in the plot. One obvious advantage would be to correct typos or improve your book cover, but is adding new chapters and plotlines fair to your readers? It certainly hasn’t hurt the loyal following Vance has who are fans of the book.
I personally would probably just write a sequel or prequel and publish it as a new book. As writers, we always look back at our work after publication and probably think of characters or plots or details we wish we’d written differently. There was one key detail which the title of my first book was supposed to be based upon which I somehow managed to leave out of the book entirely, but since that book was published in 2003, I don’t think that going back and changing it would have any effect on readership. Sure, it would appease me but what’s done is done. I’d much rather move forward and write a new book.
Also, it’s interesting to note that this could cause a bit of confusion. The Dead Seed version of R. Vance’s work is only shown on Lulu. But when you type the ISBN into Amazon, the listing shows the old cover and the old title. The price is also different ($16.00 on Lulu and $18.33 on Amazon for the Paperback), as are the copyright dates. So, I have to wonder which version of the book you actually do get when you order through Amazon. For someone ordering on a whim through Amazon, if they received Dead Seed they might assume they got the wrong book and contact Amazon thinking a mistake was made. Obviously, there are a lot of consequences to think about when wanting to change your book after it’s already been registered with an ISBN. I don’t want to sound like I am ridiculing Vance for her decisions, but others may question the validity of a writer’s choices with a book presented in this manner. Maybe not.
All this aside, I do have to say that Dead Seed is a nice change of pace for the subject of vampires. Dracula, Lestat, Kurt Barlow, and more recently Edward Cullen, vampires throughout literature each have their own traits that make them unique outside of immortal powers and their lust for blood. That’s obviously what makes them memorable. R. Vance’s vampire, called Aimeric, is no different; and he is such a unique and powerful character that I would love to see him again in a sequel. Based on information on her website, there was a sequel at one point but after the “revamp” this is now “not a real sequel.”
Be warned! This book is full of the allure and passion we’ve grown to love in vampires ever since Anne Rice came along, but Dead Seed is no red sexy love story. Aimeric preys on a troubled and suicidal girl named Araylyn with intentions of making her his immortal love slave. Punishment, torture, domination, there’s plenty here to either turn you on or make you blush! Or both.
Overall, this story moves at a very fast pace. Vance pushes through a brutal car accident involving Araylyn, her mother, and her sister in the three page prologue alone. Mom dies. The sister disappears without a trace, and Araylyn falls into emotional turmoil. But don’t fret. Vance’s writing techniques really shine through in the scenes involving Araylyn and the master vampire. Their interactions are drawn out with spine tingling intensity that will have you dog earing the juicy parts to devour again later.
Despite the faults the history of this book has, it’s nice to see an author such as Vance standing strong behind her decisions as a writer. She even has a want ad on her website for an agent or publisher…”I have a passion for writing and I’m not stopping. I’m going with or without you.” Bravo!
I haven’t read the older version and have no intentions to, and if asked, I’m sure Vance would want readers to go with the new improved version anyway. If you savor adult vampire themes with a tinge of heavy erotica and S&M, then you will not be disappointed here. As a Halloween Special, you can download it at Lulu for just 1 dollar!
Hi, this is the author of “Dead Seed.” I contacted Shannon and explained why I hadn’t responded to her email before, and answered a few questions about the book and he said I should post the email here as a followup on the review, so that’s what I’m doing, haha.
Here’s the original email:
My laptop cord got cut in half a while back and I only just now received my new one and have been able to check this email address (the computer I was using while waiting for my cord didn’t like this email address for some reason and wouldn’t let me check it).
I “revamped” the book because, when I first wrote “Vampires Don’t Exist,” I did it in a hurry. See, the story started out as a “just-for-fun” thing on Quizilla.com. It became VERY popular, was on the highest rated list for about a month, it even caused some controversy and drama with readers who thought I was “sick” (one person even ‘kindly’ wished me a horrible death). Anyway, I never intended on making VDE (as it’s called by the fans) a full-fledged novel, but once the story was finished on Quizilla, my inbox became flooded with messages asking me to turn it into a book so they could “keep it forever and ever.” Some even DEMANDED it, lol.
Anyway, I didn’t want my fans to forget me or the story, so I rushed through writing it. I was still immature when it came to my writing. Naive, didn’t know anything about the business at all. I only proof-read it once, and then slapped it onto lulu because (again), I was in a hurry to get it to my fans before they forgot me.
A year or so later, I was flipping through my parents’ copy of the book and I saw all these things wrong with it. The dialogue was cheesy and immature, there were scenes that didn’t make sense or go in order with previous scenes, and the sex scenes were super cheesy (I was a virgin when
I wrote them). Commas galore (I think I still use too many, but back then they seemed to reproduce like bunnies), just little things like that.
Plus, by this time, I had had time to actually go through the story in my head and I kept thinking of these cool new things I could have had Aimeric do to Aralyn while she was still human. Plus, I didn’t think they really connected as well as I wanted them to. So I went back, added some new scenes, and gave them a stronger emotional connection (when Aralyn runs away). I really wanted to show just how obsessed Aimeric had become with Aralyn. I couldn’t do that with a prequel or sequel because, in a prequel,
Aimeric would have already had to have met Aralyn face to face–she would have to know to fear him already. And with a sequel Aralyn would have to still be human.
I talked to some friends and other authors and they agreed that I should just rewrite it, come out with a second edition, and my cousin suggested the title change because she thought “Vampires Don’t Exist” was a little immature, and she thought a fresh title would help make it more interesting.
So, that’s the story of the revamp.
Again, I’m very sorry I couldn’t respond to this sooner.
Also, I’m trying to contact the right people to get the info updated on amazon. I’ve never been good at the business side of this kind of thing before (who to contact, etc.), so I’m trying to figure it all out, but I will try my hardest to get that stuff fixed.
Thanks for your time, and thank you so much for doing the review,
R. Vance