It’s always exciting to welcome authors to the blog for the first time, so a big welcome to Marie Treanor, author of the Awakened By Blood paranormal romance series, who is a few days from publishing her 3rd book in that series, BLOOD ETERNAL (available on October 4th from Signet Eclipse). I haven’t had the opportunity to read this series yet, an oversight I hope to rectify very soon since the post below has me completely captivated by the character of Dr. Elizabeth Silkon and her investigation into the Vampire with Iron Teeth. Sounds good right? Want to know what’s even better? Marie is giving away a copy of BLOOD ETERNAL today too. See details below.
Click to see the Spooky Legends Master List with links to all the previous posts and giveaways
The Vampire with Iron Teeth by Dr. Elizabeth Silkon
by
Marie Treanor
So you want urban legends? One that relates to my home country of Scotland, perhaps? Involving vampires? I can do that. Urban legends and vampires happen to be specialties of mine. Let me explain.
My name is Elizabeth Silk. I was recently awarded my PhD for my thesis on historical superstitions. My main area of study was Eastern Europe, where vampire myths abound. Like the urban myths of today – you know: scary, creepy or otherwise downright unlikely events that happened to the friend of a friend’s cousin and just has to be passed on – these superstitions circulated wildly, and were passed on through generations like total fact.
My thesis traces many such local superstitions to their source, and discovers mundane reasons for most accusations of vampirism. In much the same way, I can trace one particular Scottish urban myth to its source.
Did you know that vampire legends weren’t limited to Eastern Europe? We had them in Scotland too – like the twelfth century monk of Melrose Abbey who rose from the dead and fed on the blood of the local nuns until one brave monk cut his head off. And back in the 1920s, there were rumors of vampire attacks in rural bothies (basic shelters where travelers can spend the night) – and this was before Bela Lugosi’s Dracula hit the silver screen!
In Eastern Europe, I traced many so-called vampires back to ordinary, if highly unpopular, living men and women. To accuse them of being vampires provided the excuse to kill them.
But my urban legend today is a little different. It doesn’t mention a vampire being killed. It doesn’t even name him. It comes from Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, and despite the fact that it seems to have begun back in the 1950s, before most of the slums were torn down and the families scattered, you’ll still hear kids passing on the story today.
It centers on the Necropolis, an imposing Victorian graveyard populated by the late great and good of the city. In the 50s, a story began to spread among the largely deprived children who lived in nearby Gorbals, just across the river, that the Necropolis was haunted by a vampire with iron teeth, whom they claimed had taken and eaten some of their friends. Or at least friends’ friends, since that’s the way of urban myths! Whatever, the local children took to patrolling the graveyard at night to find the vampire and stop him.
So, typical urban myth so far. These days, despite a bit of vandalism in the Necropolis, the kids you encounter there are no longer vampire hunting, but some of them still repeat the old story. I began to investigate.
Iron teeth was a new one on me: it could relate to obvious metal fillings or false teeth, or even just to strong teeth. Glasgow’s dental hygiene standards were never great! I spoke to people who lived in the area in the fifties, most of whom remembered the stories. Two, who would have been teenagers in the fifties, actually claimed to be part of the vampire-hunting gang. And oddly, although this wasn’t part of the original legend, they both claimed that the vampire took one of their number during such a patrol. In fact, they gave me his name.
I’ll call him Jimmy, since I don’t want to upset his living family. When I checked on Jimmy, I discovered he’d died in 1954, aged thirteen – of acute anemia.
Yes, that stopped me in my tracks too. Was this human tragedy the grain of truth you occasionally find in superstitions and urban legends alike? At this point, I should tell you that I learned many things in Romania which I won’t go into here in case you have me committed. Suffice it to say, those things led me back to my source who’d given me Jimmy’s name. I’ll call my source Bill.
Bill’s an old man now – he’s seventy, but looks ninety. Although his mind wanders about in his past, it’s still clear as a bell. I asked him if he ever saw Jimmy again after the vampire took him. He said no – except in dreams. I pushed further. Once, he saw Jimmy sitting on the end of his bed in the darkness. Jimmy wanted Bill to go up to the Necropolis with him, but Bill was too scared. Jimmy looked really sad and left by the window. Another time, when he was about twenty, Bill saw Jimmy in Sauchiehall Street. Jimmy winked at him. He saw him again on the Citizens’ Theatre roof among the statues there. And once he saw him getting out of a police car. The policeman with him looked a trifle lethargic.
“Strange dreams,” Bill said to me sadly. “Especially the ones when I was awake. You shouldn’t dream while you’re walking up the street.”
In Romania, I’d learned many things. So I asked him, “How do you know you were dreaming?”
“Because I was fifteen, twenty, forty, sixty years old, whatever; and Jimmy was always thirteen.”
You think I’m making this up now, don’t you? Inventing an urban legend of my own? Well, I’m not; I’m a researcher, although much of my research doesn’t go into theses and books any more. I went looking for Jimmy, and I found him.
He still looks thirteen years old. He’s living in a bizarre, underground home beneath Glasgow Central Station, along with an older man who has good, strong teeth – two of which, long, pointed canines, are made not of iron, but of rather grubby gold.
You can read about what Elizabeth learned in Romania and her subsequent adventures, in Marie Treanor’s Awakened by Blood trilogy: Blood on Silk, Blood Sin and the upcoming Blood Eternal (4th October 2011).
————————————————-
About the author:
|
|
|
Visit Marie Treanor online: Want to read more from Marie Treanor http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fallthiurbfan-20%2F8003%2Fb25a1ae8-a470-4be0-8b05-f72786763729&Operation=GetDisplayTemplate |
Marie Treanor lives in Scotland with her eccentric husband and three much-too-smart children. Having grown bored with city life, she resides these days in a picturesque village by the sea where she is lucky enough to enjoy herself avoiding housework and writing sensual stories of paranormal romance and fantasy. Marie Treanor has published more than twenty ebooks with small presses, (Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Changeling Press and The Wild Rose Press), including a former Kindle bestseller, Killing Joe. Blood on Silk: an Awakened by Blood novel, was her New York debut with NAL. In the Awakened by Blood series, Marie is delighted to be able to bring together her long-standing loves of vampire stories and Gothic romance.
Giveaway provided by Marie Treanor via Bewitching Book Tours
One copy of BLOOD ETERNAL by Marie Treanor
Available on October 4, 2011 from Signet Eclipse
Description:
Secrets don’t disappear after seduction…
Elizabeth Silk is struggling to reconcile her passion for the vampire overlord Saloman and her allegiance to the vampire hunters. When a shocking vampire revolt calls Saloman away from her, she refuses to follow him.
To make matters worse, Saloman’s beloved cousin Luk has been found and awakened by one of his greatest enemies. Frenzied with bloodlust, Luk embarks on a killing spree and prepares to expose Saloman’s biggest vulnerability: Elizabeth.
But under Saloman’s regime, vampires have become less concerned with secrecy, no longer willing to hide their power. Rumors are swirling about attacks on humans. After Saloman joins forces with the vampire hunters to consolidate his power, Elizabeth begins to understand her role in the inevitable collision of the two worlds. She could bring resolution between vampires and humans—if she can manage to stay alive long enough to play both sides….
Enter the giveaway via the widget below
**Don’t forget to visit Dark Faerie Tales today for her Spooky Legends guest blog with Joan Francis Turner and a chance to win FRAIL**
About the author
Review: Towering by Alex FlinnMay 18, 2013
Mega Mammoth Paranormal Giveaway–64 books!April 13, 2011
Deadly Destinations: Gina Rosati & win AURACLEAugust 8, 2012
Recent Posts
-
-
Review: Towering by Alex Flinn May 18, 2013
-
-
-
Early Review: Transparent by Natalie Whipple May 16, 2013
Grab our Button
52 Responses to Spooky Legends & Giveaway: Marie Treanor’s Dr. Elizabeth Silkon on The Vampire with Iron Teeth “BLOOD ETERNAL”
I really enjoyed this series, it has a classic feel to it that I love. I have my own copy of Blood Eternal preordered so no contest for me. Will there be more books after Blood Eternal?
I love reading about vampires and this series has been on my list to read but I haven't got that far yet. Sounds exciting.
I would recomend J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood. Can't go wrong wiht the Brothers!
Hi everyone! What a great event this is! Thank you for having me (and Elizabeth!) here at All Things Urban Fantasy!
Thank you, Rain Maiden, what a lovely thing to say
. There are no actual plans for more books, though I can't stop the stories moving forward in my head, so I won;t rule it out either!
Thanks, Jennifer. I hope you get to read it very soon
Hi Moirae, can't disagree with you there
.
Marie
I recommend so many!
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Morganville Vampires by Rachel Caine
Evernight by Claudia Gray
Blue Bloods by Melissa De La Cruz
House of Night by P.C. Cast
Sookie Stackhouse by Charlaine Harris
It must have been a lot of fun to get a degree in such an interesting subject.
I love Nalini Singh's Guild Hunters series, which has angels and vamps. I also like Chloe Neill's Chicagoland vamps.
Thanks for a great post and giveaway! I've never tried this author, so thanks for spotlighting her!
I've read a lot of books in this genre but for some reason I'm pulling a blank! I'd have to second the recommendation for Nalini Singh's Guild Hunters (I just finished Archangel's Blade and it was fantastic!).
Thanks again!
efender1(at)gmail(dot)com
My very favorite vampire paranormal romance series is Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series.
The new one that just came out… Blood Rights is a good vampire story. I can't wait to read the next one.
I am curious about these books. I so need to read them!
I recommend: Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward, Guild Hunter by Nalini Singh, Midnight Breed by Lara Adrian.
I love vampire books and am sorry to see the end of Marie's series. Right now I'm enjoying:
Love at Stake series by Kerrelyn Sparks
Anita Blake series by Laurell K Hamilton
Night Huntress series by Jeanienne Frost
Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris
Black Dagger Brotherhood series by JR Ward
Dark Ones by Katie Macalister
Betsy the Vampire Queen by MJ Davidson
Guild Hunters by Nalini Singh
Argeneau Vampires by Linsay Sands
maria63303(at)gmail(dot)com
Although they are not strictly Paranormal Romance, I really enjoyed Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires series, and Christine Cody's Bloodlands series.
TY for the great givaway chance.
WOW there are so many great reads though of the top of my head..
Jeaniene Frosts-Night Huntress Series
Charlaine Harris-Southern Vampire Mysteries
J R Ward-Black Dagger Brotherhood Series
Molly Harper-Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
MJ Davidson-Besty the Vampire Queen
Gena Showalter-Lords of the Underworld Series
Karen Marie Moning-Fever Series
Jeanne C. Stein-Anna Strong Vampire Books
Rhiannon Frater-The Tale of a Vampire Bride Series
sacredmoon1(at)gmail(dot)com
There are so many. I love the Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton. I have also just finished Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace, which had a different take on vampires. Thank you for sharing with us today and for the awesome giveaway opportunity.
I'm so excited to read this book now.
I would highly recommend reading the Dark series by Christine Feehan.
miztik_rose@yahoo.com
Hi Jasmyn – I must admit I agree with you there
. Wouldn't have minded such research myself – if I'd had the courage and the brains 
.
Erin, thanks for the kind words!
Good news, Melissa
.
Thanks, Maria!
Denise, you're welcome.
Taking in all the recommendations too!
Marie
Hi Marie! Unbelievably after all of the reading I have done, when I need to come up with the name of a series, other than those already mentioned, I am a blank. Oh wait, how about Maggie Shayne's Wing in the Night series. Count me in on the contest please. bpatrick64113@sbcglobal.net
I love the PNR genre! A couple of my favorites series are the Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill and the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris. Oh, and i rally like House of Night too (It's nice to lay back with a good YA every now and then!)!
mleger0546(at)rogers(dot)com
Adult:
Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward
Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill
Midnight Breed by Lara Adrian
Night Huntress by Jeaniene Frost
YA:
Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
Thanks for the giveaway!
The Dark Huntress series is totally rocking as well as the Sabina Kane series. I love Jane by Molly Harper also!
Anne Rice's vampires are some that got me reading about the genre more.
lenikaye@yahoo.com
I would recommend Lynn Viehl's Darkyn series.
Lizzi0915 at aol dot com
I saw Blue Blood being recommended. That would be my choice as well =D
The first one I ever read that was actual vampire romance was Linda Lael Miller's – one of the books is called Forever and the Night – I think its a trilogy – read it so many years ago but I remember it was a sweet romance.
Pabkins @ Mission to Read
I Recommend All Carpathan Novels by Christine Feehan & Dark-Hunter Novels by Sherrilyn Kenyon &
Lynsay Sands Vampire Books are so fun to Read & Kimberly Raye has some Fun one's to read two.all and I can't Forget Maggie Shyne has some Great one's Two you got to read those.
sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com
That's a lot of recommendations – my TBR grows apace
.
Thank you, Mary!
Leni, I have to agree Anne Rice's vampires opened a lot of doors – for writers as well as readers!
Marie
Southern Vampire series and Anita Blake series
audie@wickerness.com
I'd recommend the Morganville Vampire series,the Dark Hunter series, and the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
Skk25@aol.com
I love reading about paranormal characters and vampires are a lot of fun. My favorite is still J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood and I recommend it all the time…. so well written.
Another vampire paranormal series I recommend (and I beleive haven't been mentioned yes since all of the previous suggestions are awesome) is the Regency Vampyre Trilogy by Lydia Dare. Historical romance with vampires. What is there not to love?
Love at Stake series by Kerrelyn Sparks
Southern vampire series by Charlaine Harris
Argeneau Vampires by Linsay Sands
Mark Of The Vampire series by Laura Wright
L.O.S.T. series by Karin Harlow
Dark Day's series by Jocelynn Drake(More of a Urban fantasy)
I see some great book recommendations and agree with a lot of them. I love some many right now like:
Anita Blake and Meredith Gentry series by Laurell K Hamilton,
Charlaine Harris-Sookie Stackhouse,
Argeneau Vampires by Lynsay Sands,
Ashlyn Chase's Stange Neighbors, Werewolf Upstairs, & Vampire Next Dorr, and
Night Huntress by Jeaniene Frost.
There are so many others out their also. I love the first 2 books from this series and am dying to read this book, so please choose me for the giveaway. LOL. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
GFC & blog follower: Chris Bails
christinebails@yahoo.com
Just ordered Blood on Silk today.
Haven't heard of this urban legend before. Very interesting.
Can't wait to read Blood Eternal – thanks for the giveaway.
A lighter series I didn't see mentioned in my fast look at the comments is Michele Bardsley's Broken Heart books, starting with I'm the Vampire, That's Why. I think anyone who enjoys Lynsay Sands would also enjoy Bardsley.
Mickie T
mdturett at juno dot com
Hands down…Night Hunters series by Jeaniene Frost.
Areeths at new dot rr dot com
This book looks awesome!!! I read a ton of Vamp romance books. I think Charlaine Harris' Southern Vamp series is my top recommendation.
GFC follower stephjx
eckstein99@comcast.net
Hi guys – thanks for all the comments!
Rhianna, thanks for ordering BLOOD ON SILK! The vampire with the iron teeth is a Scottish urban legend I came across – not sure it if it ever made it further afield. I haven't heard it from any other source either. I confess I made up the bit at the end about discovering him under Central Station
. But the vampire with the iron teeth haunting the Necropolis, and the kids trying to find him, was the original legend.
Thanks, Mickie! Good to know
. I'm also a fan of Michele Bardsley…
Thanks, stephjx! Hope you manage to read (and enjoy!) it soon!
Marie
I just love vampire stories. Sounds like a great series. Thanks for the giveaway.
sab5723 at hotmail dot com
All right that question is just wrong, I could go on forever recommending vampire stories! Since you want PNR only that helps a bit.
Let's see J.R. Ward's books are sure to make the list. Kresely Cole and Jeannine Frost come to mind.
I agree with everyone else so far…so instead of repeating them I am going to recommend somthing different!
I just finished reading D.B. Reynolds – Vampires In America and it was really, really good!
It's not all vampire, but I recommend the Riley Jenson series.
b(dot)cardone(at)hotmail(dot)com
I love Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series.
so good love bones! I love all of Richelle meads books vampire academy is my favorite always has been!
I am a huge JR Ward fan so I recommend her Black Dagger Brotherhood series.
truebloodfan AT rock DOT com
I really like the Void City series by J.F Lewis. Most people don't know about it but I suggest everyone look into it.
I'm dying to check out the Awakened By Blood series. I'm moving it up to the top of my TBR list
Guild Hunter Series… LOVE IT! its both vampire/vampire hunter/angels
katie_tp@yahoo dot com
I would recommend Chloe Neill's Chicagoland Vampires and Kim Harrison's The Hollows series are my favorites.
Thank you for the chance to win!
methom@earthlink.net
Many of my favorites were already mentioned. I didn't see Tina Folsom's Scanguards vampires series mentioned. It is worth checking out. Thanks for the giveaway! brendem7@comcast.net
I recommend The Dark Ink Chronicles by Elle Jasper, Nightshade series by Michelle Rowen, Blood Singer Novels by Cat Adams, The Real Vampires by Gerry Bartlett, The Undead series by MaryJanice Davidson, and The Vegas Vampires by Erin McCarthy.
I would recommend the dark hunter series. The men in thats series are just so amazing
elizabetcherna2011@Gmail.com
I love this question, I have found some great series to try out! I love the Night Huntress series by Jeanienne Frost
theookdiva2011 at gmail dot com
Ok where do i begin
All books by Michelle Rowen, Glorian St. Clair series by Gerry Bartlett, Bigtime series by Jennifer Estep, Megan Chase novels by Stacia Kane, Vegas Vampires series by Erin McCarthy, Hex series by Linda Wisdom, Highlander series by Karen Marie Moning, Demon Slayer series by Angie Fox, Accidentally series by Dakota Cassidy i think thats all i can think of for now but im sure im missing some good ones