End of Sue Dent/ Vampires and Verevulf Veek: So How is it Okay For Christians to Read?

Now I'm no theologian and no expert on the genre, but I will attempt to answer one of the questions often asked about a book about vampires and werewolves that appeals to Christians: Is it Christian? Remember, this is just my opinion, but I hope it will be helpful to any who read it.

Firs of all I want to let you in on my on preferences. I don't care for horror at all--not in literature nor in movies. It just doesn't interest me, although I could go further at another time, another place. My preferences run to historical fiction, fantasy, and mystery, and I have many friends who have no interest in any of those genres. I have never read any other book about vampires or werewolves. The only vampire movies I have seen were a couple of the old black and white ones and George Hamilton's Love at First Bite, which I thought was pretty funny. Oh, and a couple of Abbott and Costello movies, also pretty funny. Werewolves? I saw Michael Landon's I Was a Teenage Werewolf, those black and white movies with Lon Chaney Jr., and Michael J. Fox's movie. That's it, and that's all I cared to know. So my knowledge of the lore and how others have portrayed the beings is extremely limited. I can't tell you how Sue's characters stack up next to any others, although I do know that she has added her own touches to the legends. And why not? From what I hear, so did Anne Rice (and I have no intention of reading her older work to find out more about it--I'm pretty sure her pre-conversion books are too erotic for Christian mores).

Initially I was drawn to buy a copy of Never Ceese after reading a couple of reviews written by Christian reviewers. And originally I bought it for a teenager I know who was deeply interested in dark things like vampires and all the Goth stuff. My hope was that this would help turn her back to more Godly things. It wasn't dark enough for her at the time (which really worried me), but she liked it and also read some other titles that I found. I'm happy to say that this girl has done quite a turn-around spiritually in the couple of years in between; I don't know if Never Ceese was a part of it or not. It may have been. Since then, I have seen messages left for Sue on Shoutlife, messages written by fans of the Twilight series who love her stories. Never Ceese came out before those books, so this wasn't any jumping on the band wagon for Sue Dent. Coincidence? I doubt it. I can't help but believe that God had a hand in the timing so that an alternative would be there for those who are drawn to such a genre, to such stories, an alternative with a Christian worldview.

How is this a Christian worldview? First of all, there are some Christian elements even in the old superstitions of the older vampire/werewolf stuff. Why is there such an aversion to crosses and all things holy? Yes, I know, there's garlic and wolf's bane, too, but the cursed ones cannot abide any mention of God or scripture and are kept at bay by crosses. This reminds me of a passage from C. S. Lewis' That Hideous Strength, where the workaholic Mark is asked to desecrate an image of Christ on the cross (I don't have the exact details; someone borrowed my book), at which point he started wondering why this was so important to them. Mark never even thought much about Jesus Christ before, just rejecting him out-of-hand, but the insistence on rejection and hateful treatment of the image seemed overkill. Why such rage at the pitiful image? It's the same thing with the atheists in America who are so enraged by any referenced to God or Christ, no matter how innocent it might be (I had many Hindu and Buddhist students who thought the teaching of the Bible were valuable, and they didn't understand this venomous attack against all things Christian, either). So it is with the aversion to all things Godly in the vampire/werewolf mythos. The very fact that crosses and even the name of God or anything to do with the Bible cause them pain leads us to the cause: these are curses from the Devil and the demons--at the very least a deep oppression from them--that can not stand anything holy. Neither do they like the daylight: creatures of darkness under the curse of the Prince of Darkness. The light will bring to light the deeds of evil.

One of the new elements Sue Dent add to her story is the possibility of redemption. I like this because it is true of the character of God: none of us are beyond His redemptive power. Her beings are still able to be saved from eternal damnation as long as they don't curse another human being, that hope that saves Penelope early on and leads her to encourage Richard and Ceese in the first book. Throughout the second book, Richard and Ceese are both able to speak of God and the Bible, even touch and read the Bible, and although there isn't any preaching scene, the truth of redemption through Jesus Christ is still there. Merideth and Penny both ask Ceese and Richard if they have made the decisions and accepted Jesus as Savior. I won't tell you the answers received, but suffice it to say that the importance of salvation through a relationship with Jesus Christ is there.

Is this a book for everyone? I doubt it. But if you know someone who is into such things as vampire lore or the Twilight phenomena, even Harry Potter, I suggest considering the books for them. They will thank you for it. Just don't try getting in their faces afterward--follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as to how much to speak of spiritual things with them. I believe it's a good gift for non-Christian fans of such genres also. While Christianity is there, it doesn't clobber anyone over the head in a way that might turn off non-Christians. It is basically a good story that comes from a Christian world viewpoint. I remember once reading a comment Sue left for a young fan at shoutlife where she told her not to worry too much about writing something with a Christian viewpoint because for a Christian that just comes naturally. I'm not sure if that's totally true, but I think it holds for those who are walking closely with the Lord. Is it for everyone? Again, I doubt it, but I have also seen some reviews from people who didn't expect to like it, others who don't care for horror, but who were won over by Richard and Ceese. Then again, I don't think these books are really horror, even if Never Ceese made the short list for a Bram Stoker Award (for those who are ignorant like me, Bram Stoker wrote the original Dracula). It's one of those in-betweeners that can appeal to a cross-over of several audiences. Think about it. If not for yourself, for someone you know.

DON'T FORGET--I'M GIVING AWAY A COPY of Forever Richard and Never Ceese. If the winner already has Never Ceese, I will choose a second name for that book. I think you can read Forever Richard and figure it out without having read the first book, but it helps to know the previous story. All comments on all of the week's blogs will count in the drawing on Tuesday, Sept. 22. So you might end up with more than one entry.

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: The Writers Cafe Press (January 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934284033
• ISBN-13: 978-1934284032
  

You can purchase Forever Richard from the publisher, The Writers' Cafe Press (free shipping in the U.S.), Barnes and Noble , Amazon.com, or get an autographed copy from Sue here. If you want a copy of Never Ceese, you can order directly from Sue Dent herself at the Forever Richard site, but it's on the NEVER CEESE page. It's available in stores everywhere: I just don't know which ones. You might try asking for it at a local bookstore; even if they don't have it, they should be able to order it since it is distributed through Spring Arbor (main distributor for Christian book stores) and through Ingram for regular book stores.


Sue Dent's blog and website can be found at http://www.foreverrichard.com.

Forever Richard--the Saga Continues

(WARNING: If you haven't read Never Ceese yet, there will be some spoilers, but I'll try to keep them to a minimum.)

Forever Richard picks up the saga of those suffering siblings Ceese (Cecelia) and Richard Porter. Both were cursed way back over 200 years ago; Ceese was cursed by a werewolf and Richard by two vampires. The story began in the novel Never Ceese, which I reviewed in former blogs here and here. So the saga continues right where Never Ceese ceased. It's hard to write anything at all here without giving away the ending of the first book, but you all an probably guess that Ceese and Richard found some sort of redemption or else there couldn't be a sequel. Yes, they are both pretty much normal people now and can talk about God without wincing. Even read the Bible. So shouldn't they just go on about their business and live happily ever after? Well, it's not that simple. In the first book there was this very evil scientist who used Richard's DNA to become a vampire himself. Immediately, he cursed poor drug-addict Josh who was just trying to be helpful for once. So there's a new wrinkle. The result is that the whole crew travels to England on Richard's dime in hopes of taking care of Josh's problem. And for some reason, soon to be reveled, Ceese has incessantly talked about "going home" since they left the hospital.

There are a lot of humorous bits scattered throughout the tale: often at the expense of Rodney, Josh, and their buddy Kyle. This motley crew are unlikely heroes, but they come in handy for both comic relief and some surprising contributions along the way.

Back in England, there are surprises galore for Richard and Ceese, and the rest of the gang are on a steep learning curve. Several new characters are introduced, each enriching the story in his or her way. There are more vampires and werewolves running and flying all over the place, and some of the evil ones have wicked desires concerning Ceese and Richard. A couple of returning characters who we met in England before are further developed, weaving a great character-driven tale that will keep readers losing sleep until they reach the last page.

And when the readers reach the last page...they are going to yell at Sue like I did! No! You can not end it this way!! AARRGGHH! I HATE cliffhangers! How am I going to last until Book Three comes out?? NOT FAIR!

But, if you are at all like me, you'll read it and enjoy anyway. I've gone through it twice now, and I'll probably go through both books a time or two more before Cyn No More is released. (*grumble, grumble*)

The Thirsting for Blood series is kind of considered young adult, especially since many of the Twilight fans love it. (By the way, this series started BEFORE Twilight was released; Sue Dent wasn't playing off the success of any other books; it just happened this was. Or is it by the design of a Higher Power?) However, the books are just as enjoyable for adults. And, as hard as it may be to imagine, Sue Dent writes from a Christian worldview. While the stories are very entertaining, humorous, and creative, the spiritual side is definitely present. So try it; you'll like it!

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: The Writers Cafe Press (January 5, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934284033
• ISBN-13: 978-1934284032
  

You can purchase Forever Richard from the publisher, The Writers' Cafe Press (free shipping in the U.S.), Barnes and Noble , Amazon.com, or get an autographed copy from Sue here. If you want a copy of Never Ceese, you can order directly from Sue Dent herself at the Forever Richard site, but it's on the NEVER CEESE page.

Sue Dent's blog and website can be found at www.foreverrichard.com .

Oh! And don't forget! I'll be giving away copies of both Never Ceese and Forever Richard on Tuesday, Sept. 22. All those who comment on this week's posts will be included, so if you comment more than once, your name is entered more than once!

LET ME INTRODUCE SOME...FIENDS...I MEAN FRIENDS

May I introduce you to the main characters of Never Ceese? While the plot is important to the story, the characters are essential. After all, it's named for Ceese. And the sequel is named for Richard.



Ceese


She was born Cecilia Collette Porter in Port Hampton, Wales, on January 8, 1802. Her parents were the Reverend Meredith Porter and his wife Julia, who had seven children before Cecilia was born. Ceese was her nickname. From the prologue, the reader knows that her mother was attacked and raped by a man, then scratched by a werewolf. It was for a sign, and it somehow affected Ceese before she was even born. She never knew the truth behind the attack on her mother, and Meredith raised her as lovingly as any of the other children. Ceese has striking emerald eyes, or at least she did as a child. After she became a werewolf, they were golden in wolf form and a greenish-gold in human form. With her round face, short blondish brown hair, and the striking eyes, She would have probably been noticed by others even when she didn't speak. I get the impression that she appears to be about 18, perpetually, in spite of being around for a couple of hundred years. When it became too difficult to live with humans, she turned to the wolf form for countless ages, and so when she answered a call to turn to the human again, she was like a naive child in the society of the 21st century. She had hidden from it for so long that it was only with difficulty that she even remembered speech and wearing clothes. There are some humorous scenes because of this, such as when she uses her leg to scratch an itch, and when she attacks Richard's 'mouse,' the one on his computer. Even with the tutoring she got from Penelope and Richard, New York was like a foreign planet to her.

I feel a warmth for Ceese from the very beginning, because she seems to be a sweet person, one who really wants to escape the curse of the wolf. When something startles her or angers her, however, she quickly loses control to the wolf. My guess is that it is the prayers of others, on her behalf, that has helped to restrain the urge to curse others. Ceese wants to remember her family and the teachings of her father. She tries to remember scripture, and even manages to say words that hurt her because of the curse. Holy words. She has a special ability to get inside people's minds and plant thoughts to make them act or say what she wants. She can also read thoughts of others at times, sometimes even at far distances. In, addition, Ceese displays some of the instincts you would expect from a wolf, although they are somewhat muted in human form. The others soon learn to trust her instincts about people and situations. And once she has connected with a person, as she did with Penelope or Rodney, she displays complete trust in that person. A dangerous enemy, but a most loyal friend.


Richard

The vampire is probably in his twenties, tall, with long bleached-blond hair and refined manners. Unlike Ceese, he refuses to remember his past. He has successfully forgotten who he was or who his parents were. It seems that he gave up long ago on any thoughts of redemption and has resigned himself to remaining in the cursed state. And yet...he takes pains to resist cursing another. He insists that he can't have feelings like normal people, yet he does not want to be parted from Penelope (he calls her Mama) and always gives in to her wishes (once he throws a bit of a tantrum). While he shows great disdain for his immoral neighbor and some unsavory characters in New York, he's considerate enough to the maid. And then there is his odd relationship with Ceese. When she shows up, he is jealous of all the time she spends with Mama, he loathes having a werewolf around, he fights with Ceese physically and vocally, but once he promises Penelope that he will look out for Ceese, he becomes quite protective. In fact, the more time they spend together, the more protective he becomes. Richard is sardonic, cynical, and jaded. Yet he shows his soft side with Penelope. He would do anything for her. She brought out the good in him which he denies is there. It's interesting how modern technology has entered his world, unlike that of Ceese, and his prized possession is his computer. And the main activity he does on this computer? Order blood, of course! Thanks to blood banks and such online, he gets a supply that fills his refrigerator.

Penelope

Penny, also called Mamá by Richard, is the key connection for the werewolf and the vampire. Penny was a childhood friend of Ceese's, probably the closest friend she ever had. For some reason there is a very strong supernatural bond between them. The bond is strong enough that Ceese comes to the castle in answer to a telepathic call from Penny. Somewhere after the time Penny met Ceese, she met Richard and fell in love with him. Details leak out slowly about hem, so I don't want to say too much. Suffice it to say that Richard bonded with her in a way he didn't with any other human, but there was no sexual encounters. This is one detail that I think is quite different from some of the other modern vampires; Sue Dent's vampires and werewolves apparently don't become aroused that way. Penelope has grown old while Richard hasn't changed, and as the story begins, she is quite feeble. Yet she has this telepathic ability and a few other supernatural ones as well (hey, remember, this IS fiction!). She seems to know things that others don't. Unlike Richard and Ceese, her emotions run deep and true. At some point in the past she also became a Christian, and her faith is strong. Her greatest desire is to see Richard and Ceese break free from their curses, to be redeemed. Thanks to Richard, Penny learned to use the computer and found a relative in New York, a "granddaughter" named Cassie Felts. She began corresponding with Cassie, discovered that the young woman was working with genetics and DNA, and had a fascination with vampires. After many email back and forth, Penny became convinced that the answer to breaking the curse lay with Cassie. Before her time was gone, she called Richard in to tell him all of her plan and push him to take Ceese to New York and meet with Cassie.

Cassie Felts

American college student, working as an assistant to a strange but brilliant DNA researcher. Not knowing any family at all, Cassie is overjoyed to hear from a grandmother in England, Penelope. Eventually she learns that Penelope shares her fascination with vampires. Even more than that, she knows one intimately. Her grandmother's notes make up an important part of Cassie's personal notes, since she knows very few other people will believe it. Cassie appears to be a rather brilliant student, a young woman of the 21st century who is fairly sure of herself and what she wants to do. Unfortunately, she is just a bit too trusting and shares too much with Dr. Henderson, the obsessed professor that she worked with. Cassie naively believes that Henderson wants to help people, as she does. She doesn't realize that this megalomaniac is searching for eternal youth.

Rodney

Rodney is Cassie's suitemate, and when he first appears in the novel, he is totally out for himself, even if it means selling information to get good grades. He had been passing Cassie's emails on to Dr. Henderson. Worse, he even conspired to waylay Richard and Ceese when they arrived, taking them to Dr. Henderson instead of Cassie's place. Amazingly, Ceese connected with Rodney (just how much she connected is kind of funny), and he started to change to a good guy as the action progressed. He and his two friends Josh (a hopeless drug addict) and Kyle provide some drama and humor in the second half of the book. Necessary minor characters that move the story along as well as providing some laughs and gasps.



I've mentioned Dr. Henderson, but since his role is mostly in the last section of the story, I don't want to write any spoilers, at least not more than I may have already. Let's just say he is the main nemesis, the great obstacle in the path for Ceese and Richard. Other characters that appear include Meredith and Julia Porter, Ceese's father and mother, who are essential to the tale. Zade is another werewolf, one who wants Ceese to come back with him, who lurks around the castle while Ceese is there.




OTHER NEW BLOGS TODAY:

On the main CFRB website, David Brollier has a wonderful discussion about the curse. I love how he applies it to all of us.

I missed one at Back to the Mountains, written by Stephen Rice. Interestingly enough, this one also has to do with the curse.

Melissa Meeks recorded her musings today at Bibliophile's Retreat.

Christian Mystery Writer



Although Never Ceese is available through other venues, we urge you to go to your local Barnes and Noble or order it through them online. If your local store doesn't have it onhand, they should be happy to order it for you.

The Unstoppable Cecilia (Ceese for Short)

There’s a little novel that has been out for over a year now. People like me continue to discover it, each one of us certain that we’ve have found a hidden gem that defies description. That is to say, it doesn’t exactly fit into any tidy categorization or cubbyhole. Much like its author. What am I talking about? Never Ceese, the debut offering of Sue Dent. This week, the first full week of April, CFRB has decided to make Never Ceese their feature novel. A list of some participating bloggers will appear at the bottom of this article.

Is it a horror story, fantasy, science fiction, adventure, thriller, or what? Yes! While the story begins in the forest in Wales and a medieval castle in England, this vampire and werewolf are not typical of Gothic horror. Much of the traditional legend is present, but Sue Dent has added quite a few of her own twists in a modern-day setting. As a result you find a neighbor shooting silver bullets, a vampire with no reflection, but also a scientist gathering DNA and experimenting with genetic engineering, New York gangers at night, and University politics. For once the vampire and werewolf are the good guys, not monsters, and the reader will be rooting for them as they look for a way to remove their curses. Unlike any such creatures I have known before (and granted, I am not that familiar with lycanthropy or vampirism as a whole), Ceese and Richard have controlled the monster-curse in that neither of them has ever “cursed another” by biting or killing any other person. Richard is cynical, but Ceese holds to a hope of redemption The characters have plenty of tension, but a lot of humor is written into the tale, situational as well as in the conversations.

I’m not saying very much in the article today, but I intend to delve further into the characters and some issues later on in the week. I hope you get the idea, though, that I like the story. Action, humor, and spiritual matter; it’s a great story and more. If you haven’t read it yet, I hope you will soon. The sequel, Forever Richard, is due to be released in 2008, so you will want to read the first book in order to get the most out of the second one. I am extremely anxious myself to read the further adventures of Ceese, Richard and their friends (and nemesis).

Never Ceese
Author Sue Dent
Young Adult Fantasy
ISBN: 978-159958-017-3
Publisher: Journey Stone Creations
2006; 300 pgs; hardcover; $17.95

You can find more about Sue Dent and Never Ceese at http://www.suedent.com/ , www.shoutlife.com/suedent, and http://www.neverceese.com/

CFRB will be running blogs about Never Ceese all week at http://cfrblog.blogspot.com/

Other bloggers include the following:
A Frank Review
Back to the Mountains (Stephen Rice)—by the way, at least one of Stephen’s blogs is guaranteed to be hilarious.
Bibliophile’s Retreat
The Time Mistress (I’ve heard rumor of some unusual interviews that involve characters from a couple of stories. Should be interesting.) At least some of these blogs will also be posted on Geralyn Beauchamp’s Shoutlife page.
The Queen of Convolution

I will add more as the week progresses.

You can purchase Never Ceese at Amazon.com (price $12.73), and Barnes and Noble ($12.99).