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Vampires and Christians.
Oh, my!
I’ve had several radio interviews lately and this question seems to come up every time. How can I possibly write a Christian story surrounding vampires? Let me see. I could say, how can you write a Biblical story about shepherds and giants? Oh, that’s been done. David and Goliath. Let me try something else.
How can you write a story about a giant fish swallowing humans and later vomiting them up unharmed? Oh, yeah, that’s been done, too. Jonah and the big fish (Note: the Bible never says it’s a whale!) Or, how about a really big boat and a really big flood and all of humanity dying except for a few/ Or, the one about fire falling from the sky to destroy a huge city filled with evil, and . . .
Well, you get the picture. All of those things Happened. They’re not just stories. Stranger things have occurred in our past than the possibility of mixing vampires and Christians.
What is really going on here? What most people are really asking is, how can you dare to write a story about horror and evil and bad things that happen and things that go bump in the night and mix it with the sterile, good feeling, kum-ba-yah world of happy, docile Christians?
Well, in case you haven’t watched the news lately or searched the Internet or read this thing called a newspaper, we don’t live in Eden. We live in a crazy, mixed up, evil, depraved world and Christians were never called to be docile and meek and gentle in the face of such evil. This is why in Ephesians we are told to put on the “whole armor of God”. Last time I checked, the fiery darts of Satan were a little bit more dangerous than someone throwing a tribble at you and the furry creature being deflected by your Bible.
We do not live in a safe world. Christians who think we are safe and insulated from the evil that is consuming our society are clueless. We need to wake up and smell the brimstone. Satan is alive and well and is taking this world by storm. In fact, a vampire would be eaten alive by some of Satan’s demons. After all, they just drink blood. Demons are after our souls!
But, enough of my pontificating. Let me tell you, the reader, in the language of a writer why I chose vampires. What are the qualities of a vampire?
They suck the life out of innocent victims.
They are seductive and hypnotic.
They eventually control their victims.
They shun the light.
They are cold and emotionless creatures of the night.
They can only be attacked by the power of the cross.
It takes a blow to the heart to kill them.
And, the victim is insidiously and slowly drained of their life until they become one of the undead themselves.
Now, let’s look at the nature of that dreaded word uttered by crazy, fundamentalist, born again, evangelical, nutcase Christians: sin. What is sin like?
Sin sucks the life out of innocent victims. Only, we aren’t really that innocent. Like the vampire’s victim, we can see the evidence of the “bite” but we choose to ignore it until it is too late.
Sin is seductive and hypnotic and in time, will come to completely control our thoughts and actions.
Sin controls its victims. And, in case you don’t know anything about the book of Romans, everyone has sinned, everyone is in sin’s control. People are NOT basically good. We are basically evil and if you doubt that, go drink the koolaid.
Sin shuns the Light. Jesus said “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Sin and it’s servants thrive in the darkness and fear the Light.
Sin is cold, emotionless, and ultimately destructive.
Sin can only be defeated by the power of the cross.
Sin can only be defeated by a change of the heart.
Sin slowly drains a person of their life and their relationship to the Creator of the universe until there is nothing left but darkness and spiritual death. Sin makes every person who gives into it fully the walking dead.
So, you see, vampires are a metaphor for sin. Get it? If you don’t read the book!
Okay, so now that I have highly offended those of you who are convinced that right and wrong are relative and good and evil are purely situational, go read my books. I dare you. I dare you to entertain the possibility that what I have just said is the truth. You know, there is such a thing as absolute truth. Even when someone says that truth is relative they are doing so because they believe that statement is absolutely true.
And, if you are a Christian and you are safe and warm and cuddly I dare you to read my books. I dare you to see a world that is far from safe and far from cuddly. I dare you to see the world that Jesus saw when He walked among us. He saw the darkness all around. He saw the darkness growing. He decided to stop the darkness with the power of His sacrifice on the cross. We owe it to Him to fight the darkness devouring the world around us.
Join the fight.
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Barring a visit from Ike, I will be at the Barnes & Noble on Airport Blvd. in Pensacola this coming Saturday from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M. The store is celebrating its tenth anniversary and has invited several authors for book signings. I will be there with free copies of “The 13th Demon” for anyone buying a copy of “The 12th Demon” and a free tee shirt. So, if you are in the area come by. If you know someone in the area, call them and tell them to come in out of the rain and buy a book!
I’ve had two very interesting radio interviews in the past week. Paranormal Palace last week and Paranormal Book Club Monday night. Both were interesting and I greatly appreciate the hosts for their kind words and questions. I always enjoy these interviews but never know quite what to expect. As an author, you are waiting for someone to talk about how much they hated your book. So far, that hasn’t happened! As a Christian, I am waiting for those caustic, derogatory phone calls but so far they haven’t come. Most listeners are gracious and interested in your work.
You can check out the entries below for the upcoming interviews as I have three or four between now and Halloween.
I had a little scare this past week. My physician contacted me and told me I might be diabetic. Now, if you don’t know me, I am overweight. I’ve been obese all my life except for the ten years I was able to run 10 miles a day before I hurt my back. We measured my A1C test and found out my average glucose for the past three months was 135 with normal being 100 or less. But, I recalled that since the first week of may I have been to meetings or conventions or vacations in:
Rome, Georgia — Dynamic Communications Workshop
Los Angeles — Book Expo America
Walt Disney World — Star Wars Weekend
Panama City Beach, Florida — Vacation
Walt Disney World and Orlando — Christian Booksellers Association
Celebrity Cruises to Alaska
On each one of these trips, my eating pattern was decidely NOT normal and I am sure the sugar I ingested throughout the day brought that value up. So, I went and got one of those finger pricky thingies and started testing my glucose. I also started on Weight Watchers.
Good news!
My fasting glucose is consistently 80 which means I’m normal
I’ve lost 16 pounds in the past 17 days!
So, things are looking up. Again! What did I learn from this? Writing a book can be fun but a lot of work. But, the promotion and book signings and conventions just might kill you!
Stay Healthy.
